Camomile’s position at 10.00 Tuesday 18th October
20 15S
039 02E
Our 24 hour run to 10.00 this morning was 129 miles

Our day started off well yesterday with the northerlies kicking in and the current with us we were doing 7 – 8kts of boat speed with the sails goose-winged. Bill poled out the genny to stop it slamming and shaking the boat to bits and there were two reefs in the main as the genny was doing most of the work. The forecast from SAMnet was very helpful and we changed course to 210 to 220 degrees to make a bit of eastering ready for the south easterlies forecast. The unfortunate problem with that course was it took us into the adverse current area. By the evening our speed had dropped to 4.5kts and by midnight the wind had dropped right off as it gradually veered to the south east. Bill got up at 01.00 and the reefs were shaken out but our speed was still down because of the adverse current so the engine went back on (we needed to charge the batteries any way), funnily enough 24 hours since it had gone off before. Bill ran the engine for 4 1/2 hours as I was asleep while the wind started picking up from the south east, again as forecast. The wind increased this morning and one of the reefs went back in again as the wind was building to 18 – 20kts but quite comfortable. The adverse current is affecting our 24 hour run which is down from yesterday.
Still sailing in shorts and t-shirts but we both had a fleece on last night. I’ve got my UGG boots out ready. All well on board.