Careful readers will have noted that our mileage over the last two days has been a bit light. With an area of no wind developing directly along our course, we had two options. We could motor for a day or so and keep the advantage of the Guyana current, or we could divert a bit north to an area of light wind for some slow sailing.
Even though we’re looking forward to making landfall and staying in the current would help that, the prospect of a day+ of engine noise and engine heat in the cabin was not attractive. So, we reluctantly turned the bow north, and sure enough we saw our favorable current dwindle to zero, and then even turn 1 knot against us as we sailed directly into a countercurrent.
There is not much worse for crew morale than seeing 15-20% of the hard-won miles in light wind sailing negated by an unfavorable current, especially after a month straight of sailing. So we were very happy to see the wind fill in again south of us, where the Guyana current flows.
We turned the bow a little south, and this time we saw our head current dwindle to zero and then turn in our direction. Even though the current is only half a knot, we now appear to be solidly in the NE trades, and we’re hopeful that the combination of steady wind and favorable current will keep us charging for Antigua.
All’s well onboard.
Day Thirty-one
178nm
05 29.1N 49 14.9W
