Our expectations about what to find north of the high pressure ridge were like ‚just wind‘. We got the winds, quiet nicely in average. Unfortunately we got more than that. Compared to the before the high, the weather has changed completely:
The air is now fresh and humid, with fog particles at times, feeling cold at night. We had to dig for pullovers and long pants, something we haven’t been using for far more than half a year.
We are already 2000 kilometers away from the Caribbean. Looking up our last photographs from Sint Maarten show plenty of beach fun and beach bar. Now and just two weeks later, all those pictures appear like distant memories.
At least we are progressing well and make good speed, our bow cutting North Atlantic waters. Bermuda is in safe distance 😉 and we are sailing eastwards. There is a map pinned to our saloon wall, with colorfully decorated post-it’s around. Every 200 Miles the kids can grab one of the post-it’s, each one hiding a little surprise ready on its back side. As the clock shows 1’250 nautical miles to go, it is time for the Half Way Party! Adults get some bubbles and the kids a movie time with sweets and pop corn.
Our radio nets with Gianni become more colorful day by day. Firstly we would always tell each other the current, positions, course, speed and sail configuration. Then follows discussion of weather forecasts and conclusions for next waypoints. Our decisions were quite similar so far. Finally we exchange tails about sailing boats, design aspects or yachting destinations. That’s quite a bunch of talking, twice a day. On either side, the whole crew sits around the speaker and listens what moves the other boat.
What are the kids doing all day long? They enjoy their postponed spring holiday. For once it includes a lot of screen time. The boy became a real fan of Harry Potter. In the evenings we read the books in English, and on the next day, he would read the same in German again. Moreover, he deeply studies whatever related information he can get from our offline Wikipedia. And that’s a lot! The daughter loves playing computer games developed by her brother, quite fun actually! Then she uses her new drawing pens. She can sit in a corner for hours, drawing the same picture several times, until she likes it best.
Day 12 brings us the cold front of a low. It passes with some wind increase an significant change of wind direction. Already before that, the sea went up with waves of 4 Meter peak height. They are more fun than a problem as they don’t break this time. Yuana takes those waves very easily, going smoothly up and down with no hassle at all. It was fun flying down the waves, Yuana going faster than 12 knots.
The end of the day brings us low winds thus motoring through the night.
Sailed distances:
Day 12: 147 nm
Day 11: 156 nm
Day 10: 158 nm
Atlantic accomplished. Twice. 