Finally enough breeze to at least motorsail, with hope for more improvement later.
Sunday, May 14th, 0200. 28deg, 24min/64deg 29min.
Been motoring with no sails. Slight leftover sea and very light winds – mainly zero to three knots. The breeze has just come in from the S quadrant, oscillating between SE and SW – a good sign we might eventually get something to sail on.
The MPC written forecast received over the Sat C looks hopeful. “LOW 38N 75W 1vfz004 MB MOVING NE 15 KT. WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT SEAS LESS THAN 08 FT. FORECAST LOW 42N 63W 1009 MB. FORECAST FRONT SW TO 34N 65W TO 31N 70W. WITHIN 180 NM W OF FRONT WINDS TO 25 KT SEAS TO 8 FT.”
We’ll see what the 0800Z set of faxes from NMC show.
We’ve got a little more than 100 gallons of fuel left, and 237 miles to go, so we are in good shape in that department – even if they don’t turn the wind machine back on.
0430 – Breeze has steadied from SW at three to five knots. Hoisted mainsail which provides steadying force and some drive. Speed now ten knots and fuel consumption 2.8 gallons per hour. The air has a different, heavier feel to it although the barometer is down only a hair at 1015. Perhaps it is the chill – we’ve got light blankets out and the cabin sole is cooler. On deck it is definitely cold!
0600 – New series of faxes from NMF. The surface analysis shows a small high with a 1017mb center to our southwest, which is the likely source of the breeze we’re feeling. The front appears 600 to 800 miles to the northwest, so it is moving more slowly than predicted yesterday. The way the surface analysis looks, we might be digging out the light sails again for some reaching. In the meantime, we continue to steer to the left of our course – about 15 degrees high, to get into the coming wind pressure sooner, and then carry the northwesterly wind shift back down towards Bermuda. At least that’s the plan.
0730 – Spoke with Dan Neri – they are 20 miles from Bermuda and a warm front passed over them late last night. They are now sailing in 15-20 knots of westerly wind. Hope we are not too far south to enjoy the same breeze.
Time will tell.
(View the weatherfaxes at http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov .)
Posted by Steve Dashew (May 14, 2000)
