This is day 4 on the Atlantic Ocean, sailing from Mindelo, Cape Verde to Bridgetown , Barbados.
We have sailed 500 NM wing on wing since we heaved the sails and connected the whisker pole on Friday the 10th of November. With more than three meters high, rocky, choppy waves, the first day was quite bumpy. Birk, Anders and Nilla shared the nightshift on the fluorescent surface, and we were all happy to be on the ocean again and finally able to start the approximately 12 days long sail to the Caribbean. With winds of 18 knots, we were able to make a speed of 8 to 9 knots. We gradually grow more distant to our buddy boat Ellen.
The further from the Islands, the weaker the wind and its gusts. On Saturday the seas calmed, and the winds decreased to a pleasant 12 to 15 knots with perfect visibility. We have a good meal, play guitar and sing. In the next night we see a ship and call it on the VHF, and it changes its course. Birds and flying fish keep us company while we gently sail with free wind straight on the rumbline. We enjoy papayas from Cape Verde and bake banana cake while we suddenly catch a beautifully blue striped Barracuda.
Even though this fish hardly has eaten any reef fish, we don’t take the risk to get intoxicated by ciguatera, since there is no chance for us to reach a hospital while we are out here on the ocean. 1500 more nautical miles to sail and the forecast is good.
Leave a Reply