S/Y Kerpa

Last 24 h progress are probably the slowest 24 h sail we ever have had, only 87 nM. As we do not want to reach W 38 to early that is just fine. The current kind conditions have allowed all of us to get some good sleep. I have observed that we are not doing to bad in low wind if it is not too far aft of the beam, at 7 kn just aft of the beam we do 3,5 kn with partly? Reefed genua. Recon a code zero would be very nice to have in current conditions, it has been on the wishlist for some time.
There are plenty of Portuguese Man o War on the water, the moon lighten up the night and everything is fine.
Today we preparing for the bad weather by lashing lose items fast, baking bread and prepare ready meals.
We have now been 9 days at sea and have still 520 nM to go, dependent on how long we have to heave-to I guess we will be at least 4 more days at sea.

Since yesterday we are more or less becalmed, to little wind to fill the sails, thus we are motoring slowly towards The Azores, unfortunately we have to get through BAD weather. The mail this morning from Chris Parker indicated two to three days of Heaving-to to let to bad weather system passing, however a new recent forecast update shows improved conditions. We can probably slowly sail the 150 nM towards West 38 and be there Saturday evening, then heave-to let the worst weather pas us then Sunday continue our voyage. Wind 40 g 50 knots waves 15 feet, if materialize a new experience for all of us aboard.
Yesterday we caught a mackerel large enough to feed all four of us, tasted very good. the day before a big fish took one of our lures and just run away and snapped the line as it was made of a single spider web thread.
Today we will prepare the boat and our self for the Gale and cook some food and bake bread enough to last until weather settles. Distance since yesterday 118 nM
To go 610 nM

Katy manage to fix the head sail yesterday it took a great part of that day, hard work well done! The wind picked up so we decided to wait until today to hoist it again. In the mean time the cutter sail did remarkably well. Wind was fare higher than the predicted +/- 12. Often close to 18 kn so speed was good. We can not sail very close to the wind with the stay sail but close enough for now. The going this night was rocky so not much sleep for the captain. Today we put the Genoa back and is now motor sailing in light wind with the genoa partly furled. The weather system in front of us does not look GOOD. If it materialize it will be by far the worst weather we have encounter so far. But we know that this trip could offer bad conditions. That’s the reason we have crew aboard, to get some relief and be able to rest during spell with bad weather. We had hoped that our genoa should be in full working condition but is now close to retirement actually well passed it should be in a home for old worn out sails.
It is getting colder, actually very chilly the water temperature is around 23 instead of 27 degree Celsius. During nights longJohn’s and heavy duty jackets is required Distance last 24 hours 140 nM where of 95 by sail
Distance to go is 716 nM

Yesterday the wind picked up further, soon we was closed hauled in 30 knots of wind, discovering a big tear in the middles of the head sail! Not good, We furled the sail and decided to tack and head direct into the cold front again! to get passed the bad weather. Motor Sailing with just a tiny bit of the headsail unfurled towards the front to have the tear inside the furled part of the sail . Torrential rain and strong wind often close to 30 knot more or less close hauled, we cut the engine and made rather good head way just sailing with reefed main, mizzen and a patch of our head sail out, unfortunately in about the same direction we came from. The going was UNCOMFORTABLE. After about three hours the wind eased and we tacked and could sail slowly in direction that toke us closer to our destination. But morale is still good our crew still smiling. Today we toke down the sail and Kate one of our crew is now working hard to get our head sail in a condition that allow us to use
it in light wind, which is expected for a few days. The repair the loft in St George did to the top of the head sail is torn again obvious a poor repair. The bad front threatening us to heave to in a few days looks less bad so that is good news.
Distance day 6 was 155 nM but still 850 nM to go. Now slowly motor-sailing in light wind hope to have our head sail in place before dark to be able to sail during the night.

Weather have been very good, one might say close to excellent, but not any more. I’v been focused on avoiding to be becalmed, and missed to look at the gust forecast. Luckily Kerstin has not. yesterday afternoon she pointed out to me that we are in for some potentially nasty weather. And yes we were, the approaching cold front has plenty of rain and gusts to offer. Something we would like to minimize the impact of. We changed our strategy went down wind with pooled out genoa direct to the front to shorten the distance with bad weather. After a few hours the wind shifted almost 180 degree and increased to about 20 knot true, soon also massive rain. Unfortunately the thought might have been right but probably wrongly executed. We are now since early last night sailing up wind in 18 to 20 knot true wind, speed ok, course not so good, and the ride is rather uncomfortable with large swells sometimes confused a lot of hammering. Even small issues like making a cup of coffee is challenging, making a bowl of cereal or with milk requires two persons. But this is not all on Wednesday a new weather system might develop to some really bad, Chris Parker our routing man suggest heaving to in such case.
So no cheese and cracker sailing any longer, however maybe the only thing we can eat now! as cooking now not only difficult but a bit hazardous.
Distance last 24 h 159 nM
Distance to go 969 nM
Still life is good.