BOUND FROM: Reunion Island, France, Indian Ocean
TOWARDS: Cape Town, South Africa, Atlantic Ocean
TIME ZONE: GMT +3
NOON POSITION: 30°56.1’S /031°36.5’E
DAYS RUN: 140nm
PASSAGE DISTANCE RUN: 1,457nm
DISTANCE REMAINING: 789nm
WIND: Wind Force 5, NExE
WEATHER: fair, overcast, visibility very good, barometer 1017 millibars and falling slowly
SWELL HEIGHT & DIRECTION: Easterly, 3m
SAILS SET: Square sails to t’gallants, main topmast staysail and a
couple of headsails.
SHIPS WORK: Preparing for the Cape in case of big seas or strong winds: re-lashing the boats on the galley house, putting ratchet straps across the main cargo hatch, checking all lashings on deck and in the hold, and stowing living spaces. Lashing sea chests in the foc’sle. Everything’s looking pretty ship shape.
REMARKS: We’re close in to the coast of Africa now. By tonight we
expect to make our turn to port, skirting fairly close to the coast to
make the most of the Agulhas current which should give us an extra 3 knots or so. There is a large high pressure system off the Cape at the moment, and we are watching a handful of low pressures move around it trying to anticipate what wind we’ll get as we head around the Cape. Right now it’s warm but wet, and we’re expecting more rainy weather overnight.
The 4-8 watch on the quarterdeck