Funchal, Madeira is a very lovely town which made me think of Continental Europe on holiday. The restaurants, shops and hotels were all popular with the crew; I think they enjoyed the relaxation that comes with being very well looked after. The cable car up way above the town to Monte with its spectacular church looking down over our little barque and the ocean was popular too. But however alluring the bright lights of town I find it’s always nice to get out again to the peace and routine of life at sea. We got underway mid-morning, setting all sail in the harbour to give the tourists a show, motor-sailing for a while and then shutting off the main engine at 1800 when the wind filled in a little to allow us to sail overnight. Next stop – Africa!
SHIP’S WORK: Paint chocks and bits, stow for sea. All hands fire drill at 1300: simulated fire in the Stackhouse.
Sail drill: spanker and mizzen topmast staysails.
TOWARDS: Essaouira, Morocco
TIME ZONE: GMT
NOON POSITION: 32°37.3’N /016°47.6’W
DAYS RUN: 6nm
PASSAGE LOG: 6nm
DISTANCE REMAINING: 362nm
COURSE AND SPEED: ExS (092°T)
WIND: ExS, Force 0
WEATHER: 8/8 cloud cover (stratocumulus), air temp 70F (21°C), sea surface temp 69F (21°C) barometer reading 1025 millibars, visibility good
SWELL HEIGHT & DIRECTION: <1 foot, S
SAILS SET: All square sails to t’gallants, main topmast staysail and foretopmast staysail, spanker.