Onwards and upwards . . .

[Nick]

At the moment the weather is looking as good as it is likely to get for a departure tomorrow, hopefully arriving in the Scillies, Cornwall or Ireland sometime between Monday and Wednesday. We will however be checking the weather again before we go tomorrow in case there is anything untoward on the horizon - the predictions never seem to stay the same for more than six hours at the moment, but it seems there is a good chance of high pressure building over Southern England from Saturday onwards.

We will attempt to send a position update every 24 hours as per usual, weather and technology permitting.

Kathy's sister wants to know what the prize is for guessing our arrival date in Ireland. Over to you Drumtochty . . .

[drumtochty]

After long discussion and much deliberation the panel have decided on the following prizes.

1st Prize. A night in the T&T bar listening to Nick's Tall Sea Tales and general opinion on yachting matters with Kathy sitting embarrassed at the nonsense he is talking. The winner picks up the Bar Tab and their own travelling expenses.

2nd Prize. Two nights in the T&T bar listening to Nick's Tall Sea Tales and general opinion on yachting matters with Kathy sitting embarrassed at the nonsense he is talking. The winner picks up the Bar Tab and their own travelling expenses.

3rd Prize. A rather nice meal at the Crinnan Hotel in late August 2007 or September 2007. All expenses paid by Drumtochty.

Note. Nick has already decided they are getting the 3rd prize.

Eddie

[stevebirch2002]

Glad I guessed at Arrival Kilmore on 29th July.....

4th Prize...?

[Timbo]

Position report Fri 27 July 2150

N 45 24 W 008 41

Currently in fairly heavy seas and having less fun than they would hope, but making good progress - noon-noon run 111nm.

Having some problems with the satphone aeriel, hence no noon report, these problems may persist so don't panic if there is no word tomorrow.

Plan at the moment is to plod along waiting for some unpleasantness to clear to their north, looking like it might be something of a slog to get to the Scillies against stronger than predicted northerlies.

I will try and give another update tomorrow evening.

[stevebirch2002]

[Timbo]

Noon UTC 28th July
N 46 26.2
W008 18.6

340nm from Dunmore East (their destination under the current plan)

Current posistion (1800 BST)
N46 47.4
W008 16.9

Spent the day having problems with computers and phones, being attacked by every ship in Biscay, and deliberately sailing slowly to allow some smeg to pass ahead of them - 3rd reef in in 14kts of wind!!

Forecast looks like a wee blow tonight then pretty decent conditions for the run to Ireland.

More tomorrow.

[stevebirch2002]

Today's chart

[Timbo]

Fairwinds' Position Report 12.00 UTC Monday 30th July 2007

49deg 51.9'N

007deg 35.0'W

Noon - Noon Run 112nm

Distance from Camarinas: 434nm

Distance to Dunmore East: 136nm on a bearing of 010deg T


Apologies for the lack of proper noon reports for the last three days, but a
combination of fatigue, sea conditions and technical problems with both the phone and the PC have made it easier to just phone a position in to Tim.

It's been a mixed 24 hours since noon yesterday. The early part of the
afternoon was spent in grey, squally conditions with poor visibility, rough
seas and winds around 20 knots most of the time. Just as we went off the
Biscay chart and onto the Western Approaches chart we passed a line in the sky and sailed into blue skies. The wind then went round to head us at about ten knots, as we had been expecting, and the engine went on at about four o'clock.

Biscay was behind us - and we were very glad. The previous 60 hours had been unrelentingly grey, with lumpy seas and lots of shipping hiding in the poor visibility in the regular patches of drizzle and mist. The good thing was that the wind had been constant and favourable - if slightly stronger than strictly necessary. We had deliberately slowed our Northward progress to stay out of the very strong winds passing through above 48 degrees N by putting three reefs in the main on Saturday afternoon to keep the speed below 5 knots, controlling the boat speed with the amount of genoa deployed.

Those three reefs are still in the main as I write this, but this time the
sail is performing a different function, damping any rolling in the massive
one-foot swell and glassy calm we are currently motoring through. It looks
as though these conditions are likely to persist to our destination, Dunmore East, where we hope to anchor overnight tomorrow before going up the river to Waterford on Wednesday for a wee holiday. We have just topped the diesel tank up to the brim which should get us in, although we may end up hand steering as our liquid metal repaired autohelm is starting to struggle and make grinding noises again.

It is a glorious day though and we are back in shorts and t-shirts. Is
Fairwinds bringing Summer home with her? We hope so - after fifteen months of Summer the skipper had to put full thermals on for the 3am watch last night.

Fairwinds Out

PS - We predict our arrival in Ireland as being on the 31st July 2007 and if correct would like our first prize donated to charity - we will happily take third prize.

[stevebirch2002]

Todays chart...... Nearly there... Prepare to repel the invaders!