Exody - Days 415-418: Magic carpet to the equator.

The Brazil current 'lifted' Exody over 80 miles in the first two days out from Brazil, adding nearly 2 knots to our speed, whooshing us across the equator back into the northern hemisphere at 08.30 yesterday morning, 5th March. We have been in the southern hemisphere for over a year since crossing on 18th February 2015 just before the Galapagos landfall.

As if to remind us of our step toward home waters, the cloud and the rain have rolled in two days in a row with heavy downpours and low visibility. The wind has been everywhere from SE to NNE putting us goosewinged, on a reach, occasionally even close-hauled as we steadily climb the shoulder of South America northwest towards the Caribbean, ticking off French Guyana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela away to the west. Currently nearly 200 miles offshore and approaching the 'cone' of the Amazon delta, our day's runs since starting at 10.30am on Thursday 3rd have been 183, 183 and 163. Our route goes straight to a waypoint off Grenada, passing no closer than 80 miles to the South American mainland and leaving Trinidad and Tobago well to port. We are on a shipping route and have passed several in both directions. After three days, we are once again within a few miles of Hugur catching one glimpse of her sail just before sunset last night. The sea is relatively smooth, the nights dark with virtually no moon, the stars spectacular in the clear spells.

Leaving Fortaleza was eventful. We had to leave in order of arrival to minimise the risk of anchor tangles. A local anchored boat's floating stern line soon found Exody's keel. A diver and a dinghy acting as a tug helped free us, but not for long as our rope cutter then found and cut the floating line in return! We were third boat across the 'gated' start taking our own time at 10.32- the last of the nine starting boats just making it out by the 11.00 deadline.

As usual, it has taken the customary 48 hours to get our sealegs and back into the passage-making routine. Yesterday we had dolphins first leaping then at the bow for a full hour. Last night, we popped the first bottle of red wine for the leg- still enjoying the Ayama Leopard Spot. Today Mother's day we enjoyed emails from both daughters in England and send best to my Mum in Scotland.

1180 miles to run to Grenada - ETA Sunday 13th/Monday 14th March.

Peter(Skipper)