Inching Closer 18 January
Today
Robbie and I had the 8-11pm and 5.00-8.00am watches. The night was as per the previous night with the wind 19-22 kts and gusts of up to 27. We kept the same sail plan as did the other shifts and Robbie and I saw the sun come up about 6.15am. It was a nice day with a bit of cloud and the sea was a bit disturbed with 3-4metre swells. We needed to work out when to gybe as we were not heading toward the southwest part of Barbados but way below it. Our problem was that our current course was well south of the Island and we were working out what our course would be if we gybed. It would certainly be north of Barbados and then we would have to gybe again. This is a result of the angle of the wind and the angle we could sail comfortably bearing in mind the Red Baron our downwind sail had gone.
Robbie and I did our maths and when Mark and Ian came on watch we discussed it and suggested we wait until. 11.00am and then gybe and see what course we could make. I had put a waypoint back from Barbados as I calculated the course we could make but that any mean heading a long way off track before we could gybe. It is so frustrating to have come so far and to find the wind impeding our progress – but that is the challenge of sailing and you cannot always sail the course you want. We had hoped that the wind would veer (go clockwise) and help our course but it did not. We therefore gybed and were able to make just about to the north of the Island and then we would gybe again which would hopefully take us to our waypoint. We decided we would run for about 25nm on this course before gybing again. This meant that we estimated that we would arrive between 10pm-12midnight. This was a shame as it would have been good to arrive in the daylight but there it is.
We did the usual checks, charged the batteries with the generator which is working well. I got out the pilot book for entry and put up the Barbados flag (by law as a courtesy you have to fly it) and the Q flag a yellow flag which you must fly until you have cleared customs. I had sent an entry form a few days ago online with our crew list and I rang the Harbour Master who did not answer. I will call later on the radio when we get nearer. Customs closes at 10.00pm but I need to get permission to anchor and we cannot get off until we have checked in to customs. At 12.00noon we did our 24-hour run and it was 178 – one mile more than yesterday and the largest on this trip.
We had a pasta supper and next instalment is our arrival in Barbados.
Distance last 24 hours 178 nm
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