Where are you going?!

Position. 44°16’N 016°18’W
Wind W 12-14knots
Course: 055
Day’s run: 139 miles

Well that’s a good question. Our intention on leaving the Azores had been to go to La Coruna in Galicia but we are currently north of La Coruna and still sailing north east. So you can assume either we’ve gone mad or the weather gods are playing cruel games. It is the latter. Let’s hope it doesn’t lead to the former.

From Friday, the wind off Galicia is forecast to blow strongly from the north east ie right from where we want to go. Sailing boats don’t like going straight into the wind. In a small dinghy or a lightweight racing yacht you might be able to steer as close to 30° from the direction of the wind. For beautiful solid, but less nimble Cherubino, it is more like 60°. And it is quite wet and uncomfortable. So we have to sail miles out of our way to open up the angle to La Coruna to 60° if we are to get there. Hence our enormous detour. We’ve been checking the forecast every 12 hours for the last few days hoping for less wind or a slight change in direction, and considering the alternative options (Falmouth? Cork even?) all of which are a very long way further.

Friday morning will be decision time so if you happen to be up in time for the shipping forecast, keep an ear out for Fitzroy and hope that it isn’t north east 4-5, occasionally 6 later. North 2-3 would do fine. Whatever the forecast it will be exciting to return to ‘home’ waters of the UK shipping areas for the first time this year.

More tomorrow…..