05.02.2008
TEMENOS
Fluctuating tradewinds
Still upwind in the tradewinds, the fluctuating wind of the past 24 hours has
prevented the monotony setting in aboard Temenos II. Successively heading,
easing, backing, filling, Michèle and Dominique are following these incessant
variations and adjusting their sail trim accordingly. Since this morning, the
duo have benefited from an air flow, which is barely any livelier than a slight
fifteen knots, more or less established in strength but not yet in direction.
Even though there’s still a ‘shaker atmosphere’ aboard, as Michèle confirmed
when contacted this afternoon, the gain in speed in relation to last night has
enabled the boat to slip along better in the big tradewind sea, which is still
proving very demanding. The temperature is becoming less and less stifling as
the monohull makes northing and living conditions are improving as a result.
In the next 2 to 3 days, the duo will have to cross a ridge of high pressure
situated level with the Azores, where they hope to slip along to the South of a
low, which is forecast at that point.
“We spent part of the night in an easing wind, which is oscillating at around
thirty degrees. Once the boat has slowed a little, the seas on the nose have a
tendency to brake its speed. This morning, the wind kicked in again but it is
still oscillating at around thirty knots. The boat goes from upwind to upwind
full and by, so we constantly have to mirror its whims with adjustments to the
sheets, and that also forces us to helm a fair bit. For some hours now the wind
has backed and the boat is accelerating. It goes through the waves better and
aboard it’s still like being in a shaker but it's a little more pleasant.
It is still a similar picture as regards the weather forecasts. We are
continuing to count on the arrival of the low to pick up the pace, but the most
important move will be traversing a ridge of high pressure off the Azores in
around 3 days time.
The skies still haven't cleared so it reindexs grey blue. We can’t see the stars
anymore at night. It’s a shame as we’d hoped to see Jupiter and Venus. We’ve
already been able to see them getting closer during our climb up the Southern
Atlantic, but at the moment the tradewinds are too light to clear the sky.
Showers of flying fish come crashing down on the deck overnight. You can hear
them hitting the hull and you really feel bad for them. Surprisingly there seem
to be a lot less during the day, which makes you think that they must be able to
see us in the daylight and be able to avoid us better.”
Kate Jennings
Expression.
P.O. Box 26,
Dartmouth,
DEVON.
TQ6 0YG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)7795 116699
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