Luna Quest - Saturday, 20th February, 2016

Noon Position: 08.24S 33.30W

Daily run: 133 logged miles

Yesterday afternoon the wind veered to the Southeast enabling us to free up our course and sails and reduce the angle of heel. Luna Quest's speed improved to more than 5 knots and all night she ran under a reefed genoa and two reefs in the mainsail, just in case a squall was going to hit us. This morning the wind veered further and we are now sailing with the wind on the starboard quarter under a full genoa, but leaving two reefs in the mainsail. Luna Quest’s speed improved again (over 6 knots) and the boat is now thankfully almost horizontal heading on a new course of almost due north.

Sailing along the Brazilian coast is a hot exercise. The temperature is well over 30C and one cannot help thinking how the slaves in the old slave ships from Africa to the Caribbean, must have suffered below decks in filth, little food & water, stink and sweat.

This is the first day since Salvador that the boat is reasonably upright. Since leaving it, we have been mostly on the starboard tack. Our vegetables and fruit, so carefully stored in nets hanging in the fore peak have received a terrible bashing. We are fishing out from under the various sails stored in the fore peak, mashy bananas, squashed avocado pears and bruised fruit and vegetables. We took on an extra lot of fruit and veg for the long 2,500 mile leg to Grenada, but we are not sure now we are going to be lucky enough to eat it all...

Eric