In a typical year, crews can expect a gentle start from Gran Canaria once passed the wind acceleration zones at the south of the island. Then it is a case of “sailing south until the butter melts” and then gybing to the west and pointing the bows at Saint Lucia with the trade winds of 25+ knots pushing boats along at a fine pace.
Neptune, or should it be Aeolus, has been playing tricks on the sailors this year and the wind has be rather contrary … too much at the beginning and now not enough! Logs in week one were full of tales of watches spent wearing foul-weather jackets, cold nights and rain; lots of rain.
Not an isobar to be seen
However, the winds are abating and calmer seas now the norm, especially for those boats leading the fleet. On Surfing Petrel, one of the racing fleet, Miranda wrote today “Not an isobar to be seen for hundreds of miles on the synoptic chart. Light and fluky breeze on the menu for the next day or so. Surfing Petrel is still gently moving along. There are a few large clouds around, but we have been left in peace so far today. It's quiet in the midday heat, the crew keeping movement to a minimum, and occupying patches of shade.“
Whilst the racers are becoming frustrated, for the cruisers the lighter conditions mean an easier and more relaxing life at sea. Dan, captain of Skyelark of London wrote in his blog “We have just set full main and cutter rig, all plain sail, for the first time since we set off, and the first time we have seen true wind under 20kts. The first week saw average F6-7, 25-30kts wind and we had several spells of 30-35kts, F8; two-reefs in the main by day, and three at night. Whilst not uncomfortable, we all welcome the smoother seas and the ability to move about with just a steadying hand instead of having to lurch around with a vice-like grip on something solid.”
Adolfo on Northern Child had this to say about the change in tempo “It feels as if we have just started a new trip: it is warm, very warm; the wind has dropped to 15 knots and the sea has now calmed to a more traditional Atlantic swell AND we have been sailing with the spinnaker up for most of the day.... As we have been complaining about the conditions to date being hard and "not what it said in the brochure” we must admit that today was just like we all imagined. A great day.”
Wind causes damage to some
As can be expected, strong winds, particularly early on in the passage often result in breakages aboard the fleet. Farr 585CC Spock has had to retire to the Cape Verde islands following a dismasting; all now safe ashore in Mindello. Dag Rorslett and his Norwegian crew of 4 aboard Modus Vivendi, have had a tough few days coping with a lost rudder. For the past four days, the crew have been steering the 50ft steel yacht using just their small Hydrovane rudder and balancing sails. Not an easy feat in F6 and 4m swells constantly pushing the boat sideways. Now at last, to everyone’s relief the boat has come within range of a tug which set out from Mindello today, to bring them into shelter.
Fish on!
Nothing breaks the routine of life at sea more than a fish strike, and the cry of “fish on!”. Most crews will try their luck trawling a line on the passage. Some seem to have more skill, or perhaps good fortune than others. Pieter on board Ostrea, wrote about their life as ocean hunters today. “Yesterday was a big hunting day for all of us. The rod went RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR and we had a big marlin on the line – around 2 meters!. We had to use garden gloves to bring her to the stern of the boat and after an hour of hard work we finally managed to get a close look, but she slipped our line escaped in the end.” Success does come along with fishing failure; Ostrea’s crew have so far landed 9 mahi-mahi, a stunning looking pelagic fish also known as dorado, and rated number one for the dinner table.
Some fish don’t need a lure and line to be caught. Fisherman Pieter explains “Every night we catch 3 to 4 flying fish on the deck by accident.” These bizarre fish, which leap out of waves to escape predators, have a habit of flying themselves onto decks at night. It soon becomes a daily ritual to toss them back over the side each morning.