Poespas - getting very close

Day 17, 2330 UT
Looks like yours truly has lost his bet …I had said I expected the crossing to take 16 days and 10 hours. My crew estimated a bit longer and it looks as if I owe them that bottle…. We are definitely past 16 days now. I had hoped to take the intermediate route via the south, but not as far south as we went eventually. Obviously that added at least another 80 to 100 miles to our transatlantic sojourn. I had counted on an average speed of 7 knots which worked out quite well as an average overall. What didn't help was being becalmed a few days ago, but then that was easily compensated for by that sight of the 2 minke whales circling around us for a good hour or so. That and of course the mid ocean windsurfing session of which the pics will be uploaded shortly.
We are now getting tantalisingly close to our destination and it has been an adventure alright. Sadly we missed out on the daily radio chat sessions due to atmospheric conditions. It also meant we were not able to have a look at good synoptic weather charts in order to decide upon our routing. With hindsight we'd have been better off to head further west the first few days and then taking on a more southerly heading to seek the trade winds.
We had our Parasailor up all afternoon in hot fairly breezy conditions and a reasonably calm ocean. We could have done with a few more knots in order to really get the wing flying. But it gave us 6 to 7 knots in winds that would have otherwise given us a paltry 4-5 knots instead sailing dead downwind. The grib files are saying winds should abate by tomorrow lunch time, but it sure looks as if they have already decreased. The forecast gives light winds of 10-15 knots for the next few days and we can only hope that we are not going to be becalmed with only 180 miles to go. If all goes well we should arrive late Friday evening or Saturday morning.
Roger