17 June – Horta-lotta-ups-and-downs

I was feeling a bit despondent yesterday with the thought of total calm today and then a walloping on the way into Horta but, although this is not off the cards, I’ve received help from an unexpected quarter. There must be a big depression N & W of me because the swell from that direction is proper open ocean swell like I last saw in the South Atlantic when sailing between Uruguay and Cape Town some years ago. And it’s from directly behind so although I don’t have that much wind, I’m still moving at between 5 and 7 knots! I’m still aiming for the island of Flores and when I think I’m far enough N of Horta’s latitude, and when the expected NE comes in, I’ll tack over and hopefully lay Faial on a single tack? That’s the theory anyway!