S/V Nereida sails around the world - Day 123: Drifting around in little wind all night

S/V Nereida sails around the world - Day 123 © Jeanne Socrates

Saturday 10pm - Our speed has definitely increased a touch - so wind must be up a little. Now making over 4kt some of the time - still headed NE, close-hauled, so wind still from SE.

Sunday 7:20am - Great Shearwater flew close by astern and soon after an albatross appeared - with no camera to hand! - as I was adjusting Fred after drifting all night long, mostly at 1-2kt. Gybed onto port tack several hours ago as wind backed towards NNE. Now making roughly E course at around 2kt. 10kt NW wind forecast to arrive by midday - I'm hoping that's correct. Grey clouds everywhere and feeling damp - air very moist- very slight, misty rain.

We're just under 100 miles W of the Greenwich Meridian marking 0 degrees of longitude, where we'll cross from the W hemisphere into the E hemisphere - longitude will change to E from W.... party time to celebrate!

2pm - Wind has slowly increased, so we're now making a steady 4kt or more due E. Clearly, we need more than 10kt of wind to make better speed! Hazy sun trying to shine through the thin cloud layer. When there's the occasional break in the cloud layer allowing the sun to shine brightly, it feels quite warm. The cloud layer is just like a fog that's not at the sea surface but has lifted to just a bit higher up.

5:30pm - It's a good thing I like just about any cheese! I found some Brie I'd overlooked - had to discard some but a lot of it is fine - so long as you like strong cheese!! Had it with some nice crispy crackers and a big mug of tea I already had waiting (teatime!).

7pm - That grey, thin cloud layer just came back and spread over - all sky but a patch on NE horizon is covered now. Slow going in light wind from WNW - broad reaching. Feeling very calm - had expected/hoped for more wind by now... but maybe not until tomorrow midday when a Low passes to S of us. After that, another day or more of High pressure - probably with headwinds...but might be a chance to get back on deck to the sail repair. Would be nice to get further on with that - has been static for a time now.

Been working on some sail material - preparing for when I can add it in to mainsail - trying to figure out a method of adding it over the leech in situ that will work.... Need to measure out length of the affected area - not easy when it's all folded onto the boom.

1900GMT (=1900LT) - end of Day 123. We made a mere 55 n.ml. DMG over the 24 hr period, measured in a straight line between the two 1900 GMT positions. A lot of drifting around overnight over a very convoluted track.... some was due N and some was due S but at least we kept heading E-ish some of the time! This is a real test of my patience.....

Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 123 (by daily DMGs): 11,506 n.ml.

Distances (at 1900Z): To Greenwich Meridian: 56 n.ml. due E; WP due S of Cape Agulhas: 972 n.ml.; Cape Agulhas LH (S.Africa): 1057 n.ml. to ENE; Cape Town Hbr entrance: 1010 n.ml. to ENE; Cape Horn LH: 2697 n.ml. to SW; Montevideo: 2595 n.ml to W; Buenos Aires: 2698 n.ml to W; Rio de Janeiro: 2396 n.ml. to WNW.

Position & weather report, for 1900 GMT, posted to Winlink.org and Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV):

Time: 2019/02/03 19:00GMT
Latitude: 40-06.83S
Longitude: 001-16.47W
Course: 081T
Speed: 4.3kt
Wind Speed: 10kt
Wind Dir: WNW
Swell Dir: W
Swell HT: 2.5m
Clouds: 95%
Baro: 1010.3hPa
Trend: 2
Air Temp: 18.0C
Sea Temp: 18.0C
Comment: WNW-NW wind - broad reach.Grey cloud layer just spread over - sunset, but can't see it.

This article has been provided by the courtesy of the S/V Nereida.