Day 124, Year 6 Atlantic Passage, Day 21-Sloooow Goooo
Date: Friday, February 25, 2011 (1730 UTC)
Weather: Overcast with Sun Peeking Through; ENE 12-18
Air Temperature: 80 degrees F
Latitude: 06 28.136 N
Longitude: 044 35.940 W
Miles Traveled: 2830
Miles to Go: 1072
Location: Passage from St. Helena to Caribbean (Grenada)
Today we lost some of the wind, the sunshine, and added a negative current. So our Grenada countdown is temporarily stuck with still eight days to go. The negative current came on strong in the early morning hours and seems to have subsided for now, but the seas are still big and the winds are staying in the 12 to 14 knot range a great deal of time which, coming from behind is not moving us forward very fast. We made 140 miles in the last 24 hours instead of 160 to 165, but if the negative current doesn’t return, we might be back on track. Mark just poled the headsail out and already we have gained a knot or so of speed.
When the negative current so rudely presented itself, Mark consulted the Atlantic Ocean Pilot and sure enough there is counter current right where we are. The Pilot shows that it could continue for another 300 miles or so, but the location is based on an average over many years. I’m hoping we just skirted it and left it behind. We’ll just have to wait and see.
On a positive note, the pulled muscle in my arm is fine now. It is truly amazing how fast the human body can repair itself.
