Wednesday 3^rd May 2023

North Atlantic Ocean 26^o 01.1 N 58^o 21.5 W 

Blog by David  (Time zone: BST -4)

We have managed to keep a sensible speed all day.  We recorded 155 miles made good in the 24 hours to midday  – our highest day’s run so far but not remarkable in the context of our 170 mile expectation/aspiration. ( FYI - Our highest ever days run is 274 miles …..  but then we did have some help from the Argulhas Current off  South Africa J).

We have a weatherman who is guiding us between high pressure areas.  This morning he announced that if we do as we are told, the wind will remain between broadly SW 13-18 knots, strengthening on Friday ahead of the passage of a cold front early Saturday morning – Deepest Joy (re the front.)

Last night, Toby had cause to use the radar only to find it wasn’t connected.  Not a good look,  navigating the impending frontal system without access to radar, so I spent a couple of hours prodding around the boat -  with little conviction that I might actually fix it.  To my surprise, eventually it sprang into life – and is still breathing – phew!

Talking of life, Terry called me on deck around midnight to help set some sail in order to take advantage of the wind  that he had ‘found’.  We pulled sheets, eased guys and set the sails with due attention. 

I returned to my bed to find it already occupied.  Now, I’m a pretty broad minded chap, but I draw the line at scaly monsters, particularly those that smell like Billingsgate Fish Market at the end of a long hot summer day.

I found probably the largest Flying Fish I’ve seen – fully 30 cm long and  3 cm girth.  To its dismay, as much as to mine, it had evidently jumped out of the water and through my open overhead hatch  –  and was writhing vigorously to ensure it left behind the maximum amount of scales etc, and giving hope that it would survive if we threw it back – which we did.