Current Position: 55 01S / 058 08W
24 hour progress: 154nm, 6.4kts avg SOG. Overall progress for the passage is 466nm, approximately 205nm to Stanley Harbour in the Falklands.
We have been sailing as close hauled as we can since this morning. Before that we were on a beam reach that kept moving closer and closer to the wind to maintain course to Stanley. We are about as close to the wind as it makes sense for us to be and 10 or so degrees off of the direct course. The wind should move towards the south again so we should be able to have a better course and eventually fall off again. The main has 3 reefs in and the genoa has 2. The winds are back up over 30kts and the seas are back up, making for a rough ride as we bash to windward.
We passed through the Antarctic Convergence Zone and sea temps are slowly getting warmer—43F/6C. The boat is a bit less cold and should get warmer through the day, we hope. Progress remains excellent, though we expect the extra current push is now over.
When planning the trip north, Monday always looked to be the windiest day with the toughest point of sail and large seas. One forecast model shows it a bit more windy than all the others. We are hoping that one is wrong, but expecting the truth is probably in between. At any rate we expect it to be the challenging day of the passage and will be glad to get it behind us. The wind has been building all morning. It should peak this afternoon/evening and then start coming back down again overnight.
We are all looking forward to landfall in the Falklands! Today's progress in the windy weather will decide whether we are trying for a Tuesday sunset arrival or trying to slow down for a Wednesday sunrise arrival. We'll probably not do either especially well and get an arrival in the dark between the two. So far, we are still pushing and bashing away…
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