On Passage 29-31 October
17/10/08 17:01 Filed in: Brazil
Day 1 - Wednesday 29th October 2008
An early start at 05:00 to catch the outgoing tide. When the dinghy was hoisted on board it was heavily fouled and I lost 40 minutes cleaning it enough to be stowed away.
I weighed anchor at 06:40 and waved goodbye to Ron and Marli aboard Sula. I have mixed feelings about my stay in Galeao but they have been fabulous hosts and very generous with their hospitality. Thanks Ron and Marli.
Morro Sao Paulo was rounded at 09:00 and course set to pass outside the Abrolhos islands. The engine was turned off and all sails hoisted. Initially progress was slow in light ENE 2-3 winds. Later in the morning it strengthened to F4 fluctuating between NE and ENE giving a speed between 4 and 5 knots. It was a lovely day with clear skies and the sea a deep clear blue.
At 12:00 Boipeba was abeam to starboard some 7 miles away and a large oil platform was left astern to seaward.
Similar conditions persisted throughout the afternoon and evening. It was good sailing.
Day 2 - Thursday 30th October 2008
During the early hours the wind backed to the north. By morning it was fine on the port quarter. One ship and an oil platform were passed during the night.
At 08:00 Ilheus was 23 miles abeam to starboard. The fridge was consuming a lot of power and I had to run the engine for an hour to charge the batteries. The staysail was furled and we continued under full main sheeted out to starboard and 1/3 yankee.
Noon Run: 95.03 miles.
At 12:50 a helicopter passed overhead bound SE. It returned 15 minutes later. The wind increased to F5. By 14:00 the continental shelf was left behind with depths >1600m.
Sunset at 17:30 was very red indeed. At 20:45 the depth went from >100m to <30m as the northern edge of Banco Royal Charlotte was crossed with 7 fishing boats in the immediate vicinity. The wind remained F5 N-NE for the rest of the night.
Day 3 - Friday 31st October 2008
At 04:00 Porto Seguro was some 40 miles abeam to starboard.
During the morning I saw several whales jumping and spouting about 2 miles away inshore. One northbound vessel passed on the horizon to seaward and a loaded southbound tanker passed inshore.
Noon Run: 101.80 miles
Around 20:00 the wind eased to F3 and the main reefs were shaken out.
An early start at 05:00 to catch the outgoing tide. When the dinghy was hoisted on board it was heavily fouled and I lost 40 minutes cleaning it enough to be stowed away.
I weighed anchor at 06:40 and waved goodbye to Ron and Marli aboard Sula. I have mixed feelings about my stay in Galeao but they have been fabulous hosts and very generous with their hospitality. Thanks Ron and Marli.
Morro Sao Paulo was rounded at 09:00 and course set to pass outside the Abrolhos islands. The engine was turned off and all sails hoisted. Initially progress was slow in light ENE 2-3 winds. Later in the morning it strengthened to F4 fluctuating between NE and ENE giving a speed between 4 and 5 knots. It was a lovely day with clear skies and the sea a deep clear blue.
At 12:00 Boipeba was abeam to starboard some 7 miles away and a large oil platform was left astern to seaward.
Similar conditions persisted throughout the afternoon and evening. It was good sailing.
Day 2 - Thursday 30th October 2008
During the early hours the wind backed to the north. By morning it was fine on the port quarter. One ship and an oil platform were passed during the night.
At 08:00 Ilheus was 23 miles abeam to starboard. The fridge was consuming a lot of power and I had to run the engine for an hour to charge the batteries. The staysail was furled and we continued under full main sheeted out to starboard and 1/3 yankee.
Noon Run: 95.03 miles.
At 12:50 a helicopter passed overhead bound SE. It returned 15 minutes later. The wind increased to F5. By 14:00 the continental shelf was left behind with depths >1600m.
Sunset at 17:30 was very red indeed. At 20:45 the depth went from >100m to <30m as the northern edge of Banco Royal Charlotte was crossed with 7 fishing boats in the immediate vicinity. The wind remained F5 N-NE for the rest of the night.
Day 3 - Friday 31st October 2008
At 04:00 Porto Seguro was some 40 miles abeam to starboard.
During the morning I saw several whales jumping and spouting about 2 miles away inshore. One northbound vessel passed on the horizon to seaward and a loaded southbound tanker passed inshore.
Noon Run: 101.80 miles
Around 20:00 the wind eased to F3 and the main reefs were shaken out.
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