>
> A good days run of 166nm. We have gybed to the WSW to try to skirt around the low pressure trough that is forecasted to form closer to the Caribbean. Wind is forecasted to increase today to over 20kts so we may expect gusts up to 28kts this evening. >
> No boats seen at all since the fishing boats we saw the night before last. And no fish or dolphins either. >
> Last night I was sitting in the cockpit when a wave traveling at a different angle to the others, or perhaps a big sleeping marine animal hit us on our quarter. Sunday island jolted sideways. It was quite an impact and left me wondering what it could have been. >
> Every day we plot our positoin on a large North Atlantic planning chart on the forward bulkhead. Every day we can see we are getting closer to our destinatinon and soon we will be half way. >
> We are now operating our radio through the Caribbean network 8P6BWS in the Caribbean on 18096.6khz with a good signal coming through in the afternoons. >

>
> Another good days run of 170nm from Mindelo to Bequae with fantastic sailing conditions. To top off a great days sailing, we enjoyed a beautiful meal of Mahi Mahi for dinner last night. Everybody’s favourite meal! >
> I finally managed a decent link with the HAM radio station EA8URF in the Canaries. The HAM operator Roque had the courtesy to email me and tell me that my signal was coming through well to his station, however he could detect we were not receiving well. I sent Roque EA8URF an email thanking him for his services to the HAM network. >
> Yachts are not designed around a radio station, and the SSB radio was only fitted in Palma, so there is a lot of RF interference with the radio due to Sunday Island being an aluminium yacht and the close proximity of the switchboard to the radio. With fridges, freezers, autopilot etc all running and Solar power topping up the batteries this creates a lot of RF interference that prevents the received radio frequencies from getting back to the radio. To continue using SSB over future years efficiently the wiring of the boat will need to be adressed to rectify the problem. Installing a SSB on an aluminium yacht is more technical than on a wooden or GRP yacht, so to have signal 2000nm from the nearest station is a blessing in itself. >
> The wind has shown a familiar pattern. In the afternoon the wind begins to swing to the north, so we take the pole down and set Sunday Island on a broard reach with a True Wind Angle of 140 degrees. In the late afternoon the wind swings back to the ENE so we pole out the Yankee again. In the early evening the wind begins to increase about 23kts, so I place a reef in the mainsail before getting my head down and Emilie taking the watch. At midnight I take the watch and the wind is normally around 21kts, before easing in the early morning before sunrise and I take out the reef. And so the process repeats itself day after day. >
> Forecasted winds at 50*W become fickle above 14*N due to some interferance with the low pressure above it disturbing the pattern from the North Atlantic High and resultant trade winds. We have altered our course further south to avoid the light winds, so our course is 260*T instead of the rhumbline to Bequae of 268*T. This new course should have us skim the edge of the interferance and give us adequate winds to continue sailing to Bequae. The course alteration is a comprimise as we sail at 6-7kts but motor at only 5kts, however the distance traveled to skirt the interferance is greater so we need to find a balance of the two to decide on our best route. Sailing too close to our rhumbline will result in us motoring for two days, but sailing too far south will put an extra day of sailing onto our voyage. >
> Overnight we passed three more large fishing vessels not on AIS. Because the fishing vessels are so large they are well lit with lights and show up well on the radar, however their smaller dories and nets do not. I am glad Emilie and I agree to keep watches at night. Some cruisers simply go to bed and poke their head up to look about every couple of hours. Colliding wth one of the big fishing vessels or their numerous long nets could end our voyage, so it is important to keep a good lookout. >
>

>
> We are having a fantastic run across the Atlantic from Mindelo to Bequae. We are averaging 7kts, making 160-170nm per day. This morning we shook out the reef, and now we have perfect sailing conditions of 18kts from the ENE with the Yankee poled out. Its tempting to set a spinnaker, however even without more sail we are still crusing at 6-7 kts. >
> Last night we passed a large Atlantic fishing vessel accompanied by a number of smaller vessels. None of the vessels showed up on AIS, hinting there was something fishy going on as they did not want to be spotted! >
> This morning our speed dropped down to 5.5kts, perfect fishing speed, and we landed two of our own fish, a Large Mahi Mahi, from Max’s head to his knees. Then a smaller Mahi Mahi that put up a good fight. A third large Mahi we hooked and got close to the boat before he escaped. Our speed then increased to 7 kts so the rod was put away. Still more than enough fish for dinner and a good portion for the freezer. >
> Radio reception on the SSB has not been good the last few days, we will soon be changing over to the American base stations. Do not be concerned if you do not get a position or blog report for a few days, as we may loose signal. The primary issue is I need to download (via radio) updated propogation schedules for winlink base stations. This s quite a large file (for the radio) and the last few attempts to download have failed. Once I manage to download this we should have a better reception for blogs etc. >

>
> Sailing well towards Caribbean. Wind is 20kts ENE giving us a true wind angle of 150 degrees. Average speed is 6.5kts through the water, assisted by 0.5kts of current, giving us an average speed over ground of 7kts and a 148nm days run. We download a daily GRIB file and MSL weather fax to keep an eye on the weather. It looks like the north atlantic high is getting pushed around again by the constant lows. Normally the North Atlantic High is settled by this time of year, but the extreme weather in the far north atlantic is altering the usual weather systems. We have adjusted our course to sail south of the rhumb line to avoid the unsettled winds closer to the Caribbean. >
> Business as usual onboard with Emilie keeping the 6-12 watch and Me the 12 – 6 watch. Emilie does school with the kids in the morning and we read and play games for the rest of the day. Today the kids are building a city out of leggo that appears to take up the entire interior of Sunday Island! It keeps them entertained and using their imagination. >
> We have blue tacked the North Atlantic Planning Chart to the forward bulkhead of the saloon. I have plotted our track over the past year on this chart and every day at noon I plot our position with the kids and we discuss the different locations of the chart, latitude, longitude and compass. It is a great geography lesson. >
> Peter the Aeries wind vane is back on the helm. The course is not as precise as using the B&G Auto Pilot but it saves a lot of power. Our solar setup with the Renogy flexible panels is not ideal, and we are only getting 120W out of 3 x 175w panels. I selected the Renogy flexible panels because they had reasonable reviews and great price, but I will not use flexible panels again, the amount of power generated is pathetic compared to fixed glass panels. This and our engine alternator will need to be upgrades in the future if we are to be sustainable, because at the moment we are running the engine for four hours per day to keep the boat charged. The price we pay for creature comforts such as a water maker and freezer! We are always very careful with our power and water usage, and it makes you realise how much power is consumed and wasted in the average house where aircon, heating and lights are left on and a huge two door fridge / freezer and flat screen TV and 10 minute hot showers is the norm! >
> The luminescence and stars last night were amazing. Whilst it was a new moon, there was still ample light on deck from the stars alone! Dolphins swam around the boat last night showing their luminescent trails, and there was a light show around every clump of sea weed. Even the toilet lights up when flushed. Truly spectacular. >

> Sunday Island departed Miindelo at 2pm on the afternoon of the 24th November 2022. We have an excellent forecast for our voyage “across the pond” to the island of Bequae in the Caribbean. >
> Prior to leaving we treated ourselves to lunch at the marina bar, which had Wifi to enable us to send a few last messages, down load a weather grib file and download some new books on our kindles. >
> Once the anchor was up we motored past our Lord Howe Island friends Rex and Louise to drop of our spare copy of “ships captain medical guide” which we somehow found ourselves with two on-board after we had prepared the boat in Palma. We then hoisted the mainsail, unfurled the Yankee and we were on our way. >
> We sailed past Santo Antao Island looking at the steep rocky volcanic shores. It was a pity not to have ventured onto the island however the logistics would have meant leaving the boat for two days in Mindelo which we were not keen to do. >
> After passing Ponta do Pesqueiro Fundo we entered the lee of Santo Antao, and put the engine on. This gave us a good opportunity to super charge the batteries and run the watermaker for a few hours to top up our water supplies. Sunday Island exited the lee of the island at 1900 in the evening, with winds from the NE blowing at 23kts, so we put in a reef and reached our way west. >
> At midnight the wind began to swing to the ENE, and reduced to 18kts so I shook out the reef and poled out the yankee. Overnight we passed one other yacht 2nm to the north of us. The were not on AIS and showed up poorly on radar but were well lit with lights. I wondered if it was the Irish flagged Americans who left the anchorage in Mindelo with quite a fuss a few horus before us. >
> We are now in trade wind sailing mode, with 20kts of wind on our quarter from the ENE, and sailing at 6.5 to 7kts towards our destination. Everybody is enjoying being at sea and very comfortable. The kids have bought out their tony boxes and are presently listening to “Learning French for kids”. >
> It is unlikely that a report on Marine Traffic will show up until we get closer to the Caribbean, but you can check out our position at http://cms.winlink.org:444/maps/positionreports.aspx?callsign=vk7hew >

We arrived in Mindelo Cp Verde on Monday 21st November and spent the first day chilling in the boat and cleaning up.

On Tuesday morning we set off in the Walker bay to clear customs and walk about the town.

Our mobile phones did not receive calls or internet in Mindelo so we went to the marina bar to download weather and emails.

We then went for a walk and explored the local markets. Whilst the Cp Verde islands are money poor, we found the locals to be very friendly and the fresh produce to be excellent.

We were thankful that Mindelo Harbour provides excellent anchor holding as we experienced average winds of 26kts during our stay, with gusts up to 36kts. It was so windy we ended up hanging washing down below to dry.

A tour of the adjacent island Santo Antao was reported to be excellent, but anchorages limited on the island. There is a ferry service to Sanyo Antao and 4WD tours of the island, however we did not want to leave the boat in the anchorage with strong winds and so many other boats moving around the Harbour.

Yesterday I took a walk along the Long Beach to look for a deck cushion that had blown overboard. I was sad not to find the cushion, but even more concerned about the amount of plastic and trash washed up on this island beach in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Fishing is the main occupation in Mindelo and there are many small boats working the Harbour and 20m boats catching tuna further out to sea. It was upsetting to see the size of some of the huge 80+m international fishing boats coming into Harbour to fuel up and offload their massive catch.

At midday today we depart Mindelo to sail over 2000 nm across the Atlantic to Bequia island in the Caribbean. The passage should take between two and three weeks. We have good wind forecasted for the voyage, sailing down wind in 15-20 kts of wind.

Another plesent but bumpy sail towards Cp Verde, yet still no dolphins!

Wind for much of the day has been averaging 27kts, with gusts up to 32kts from the ENE. The day was spent with two reefs in the mainsail and the staysail Sea state increased and we had a few breakers around us, with only one managing to get into the cockpit.

More and more kamakasi flying fish are landing on our deck, and with first light there was a bit of a smell in the cockpit but only one casualty on the windward rail. Later in the day we found a group of five fish in the forward cockpit all bunched up against the bimini. They were given a very brief sea funeral.

Cp Verde is almost in site, and whilst we have not seen any other yachts since departing Santa Cruze, we now have three other yachts on AIS within 6nm. We will anchor in outskirts of Mindelo harbour in the early hours of the morning and then move further into the harbour when we have light as the pilot and charts identify a number of sunk and abandoned vesels in the harbour.

Sunday Island continues on our passage to Cp Verde. Our ride today has become a little more bumpy as we experiance some more weather, and enjoyed another 160nm days run.

Last night we were comfortably sailing square down wind with two reefs in the mainsail and the yankee poled out, making some good speed towards our destination. Just after lunch the wind backed to the ENE and strenghened to

25kts with gusts of 30kts as forecasted. Likewise the sea state increased to sea state 5, becoming quite rough with the odd breaker crashing around us, occasionally getting the cockpit wet. We furled the yankee and altered course for a true wind angle of 150*, then unfurled the staysail.

With the new sail plan and course Sunday Island immediatly settled into her new groove, and even with mean wind of 28kts, gusts over 30kts and an increased sea state, Sunday Island’s motion settled, and down below it was as if we were tied to our mooring. With no vessels about visually, on radar or AIS we could become more relaxed about watchkeeping and spent the afternoon in the aft cabin reading books and watching documenteries on Polar Bears and Balluga whales, popping our heads our for a look about the horizon every 20 minutes.

Some rain came with the increased wind, and we still had the occasional breaker around us so we put in the lower storm board in the hatch way to keep us dry. The storm boards also ensure that the occasional flying fish that is unlucky enough to land on our deck does not make its way below as they are very smelly little fish!

Im amazed and impressed how calm the kids are during a storm onboard now. Issy and Max move about the boat and play as if we are anchored off a tropical beach somewhere. Their agility, balance and predictability of the yachts movement is excellent. Whilst the kids are displaying a care free attitude, it is also great that they put their life jackets on before coming into the cockpit, and clip on to the teathers straight away.

Before dining below on last nights lasaniga, we enjoyed a board game in the saloon, putting blue tack under the game pieces so they didnt fly off the board. It was very peaceful and nice to be playing a board game in the saloon with the knoweledge the yacht was tucked in comfortably with crashing waves all around us.

We have been sending and recieving text emails (no photographs), and getting our weather and GRIB files (weather files that plug into our Expedition and B&G navigation software) via the SSB radio through software called Winlink. Some times we use a radio station that is over 2500nm away. We are set up to use the Icom 710 marine radio and our Icom 7300 for this service. I am impresed how well this works, especially with the new Icom 7300 which is a joy to use. The service is basically free once you have set up your radio station and operates faster than an Irridum Go. Perhaps in the future we will get Starlink for the kids schooling, but for now this setup suits our needs. We can also use the SSB to listen to BBC radio, however the news of the world seems so far away to our life that it is more out of interest of the radio performance rather than listening to the news. I wonder if there is a “good news” email subscription in text that we could subscribe to!

As we proceed on our voyage and spend more time with other families the SSB will be a useful tool for keeping in touch by voice and I hope that the kids will be able to talk to other children of their age once we find other families who have an SSB and still use it. For now we have not met any other cruisers who use the SSB, with most paying their expensive subscription to satellight internet or just going with out any long range communication. Personally I can not sing the praise of the new Icom 7300 enough, it has taken SSB radio into the modern world!

We are due to arrive at Mindelo in the early hours of the 21st November, so must try to slow down a bit to ensure we arrive in daylight as the pilot suggests some uncharted wrecks and abandoned yachts in the vacinity of the surrounding harbours and bays. Hopefully we will clear customs early on the 21st and explore the town and old fortifications. I am sure the kids will enjoy a run around the beach!

Check out our posiiton, course, speed and weather at:
http://cms.winlink.org:444/maps/positionreports.aspx?callsign=vk7hew >

Winds have increased to 15-20kts, with gusts earlier in the morning of 25 kts prompting us to pack the missen away. The swell is building from astern and Sudnay Island meanders along down wind at 7kts, Our days run for the past 24 hours was 160nm. Sailing too fast for fishing today, so we are keeping the rod below deck much to Max’s disappointment

This morning we saw some flying fish and yesterday we saw one sea bird. With the exception of the schools of fish we saw 28th October, we have not seen dolphins or any sea life since departing Gibraltar. We may see one sea bird, perhaps one per day at a maximum. We do see a lot of very large fishing boats at night, with their big lights burning brightly. These are not the type of fishing boats owend by poor African fishermen whos lively hood depends on their family fishing out of a small boat. The boats we see are over 500GT (size of a big tug boat), some over 3000G, with big nets, long lines and expensive One tends to think the big fishing boats are catching a bit more than is healthy for the sea.

I am a big fan of books written about the old days of sail, and also reading old diarys such as that of Charles Darwin. Even in my seagoing career, and out of five Atlantic crossing I have never seen such little indication of life. It is sad to think that an ocean that was once so full of life is now so empty.

The kids asked why governments do not do anything about polution of the environment and over fishing, they ask why it is allowed and the people dont go to jail?. Issy provided a solution “Perhaps if everybody is educated about over consumption and over fishing then the fish could breed and there would be more fish in the sea”… Max Adds “and more sharks because Sharks tell us if the ocean is healthy!”. Emilie and I agree with the kids and their hope and possible solution for the future. How do you explain the complexities greed and corruption to a child?

Its a sad truth, sailing the Atlantic in 2022 when we see more aeroplanes in the sky than dolphins in the ocean.

Forecast has winds increasing to 25kts tomorrow morning. The wind alreaday began gusting to 24kts this afternoon, so after lunch we dropped the 110% Genoa and put up the Yankee. Before dinner we put two reefs in the mainsail and then settled down for some pasta bake with added beans. Winds are now between 16 and 26 kts and the sea state has increased. We enjoyed dinner on deck with some big waves crashing past us as we slid down wind. The kids were very excited and impressed with our 7.5kt boat speed.

Check out our posiiton, course, speed and weather at:
http://cms.winlink.org:444/maps/positionreports.aspx?callsign=vk7hew

We have had very pleasant sailing since departing Teneriffe and managed to avoid the lee of the island by sailing due south for the first 12 hours, and then regaining o rhumbline to Mindelo Cp Verde

We have engaged “Peter” the Aires wind vane to save on power, so now all the solar is going into the fridge and freezer. Due to our course the solar panels are in the shade for 4 hours a day so we are not getting the solar we would normally get into the system.

Wind is from the NE at 12kts, giving us a True wind angle of 160*, so it is perfect sailing conditions with Sunday Island rolling gently in the swell and averaging just under 6kts and making 140nm over the past 24hrs with very little effort. I considered get the spinnaker out today, but when we are making 6kts and not racing, we decided to keep it in the bag.

There are few other boats out here in the Atlantic ocean. We have seen a few other yachts sailing south on AIS, but have not had the pleasure of a visual sighting. The yacht Tiger Lilly is presently 8nm ahead of us on the same rhumb line and we are slowly closing her. With any luck we can overtake close enought to say Hi on the VHF.

Most of the day has been spent reading and playing cards with the kids. Emilie did an hours school work this morning but given it is the first day at sea the crew are a bit dozy at times, unless they are runnign about the cabin playing with stuffed penguins who seem to have taken up nesting in various places around the boat.

At 1700 our fising line went zing and we landed a nice 5-6kg Mahi (Male). The Mahi put up a very good fight to the end, but died with our blessing. The kids love to watch the fish being caught and cleaned and its a good opportunity for a biology lesson. Dinner tonight is baked Mahi with potato’s. We are defiantly not on sailors rashions of hard tack biscuts, only the best meals on Sudnay Island.