Azores to Ireland | Day 1
Last night’s sunset
One day down, at least seven more to go.
We have covered around 140 miles in the last 24 hours. We were able to sail for the first few hours, but then the wind completely died, just as forecast. So we motored until around 2:30 a.m. this morning, when the breeze filled back in.
The conditions have been very benign. We're sailing downwind in moderate winds of around 12–15 knots, and the seas have been relatively settled. Every now and then a larger swell rolls through and rocks us a bit, but that's to be expected.
We've had two dolphin sightings so far. I spotted the first pod in the distance after one leaped vertically out of the water. A few moments later, several of them came whooshing past us, apparently heading off to join the rest of the pod, which looked like it was feeding.
Ken spotted another pod later on. They, too, were completely uninterested in us.
Other than that, we've settled back into the routines of life at sea. We're back to our three-hour watch rotations. Ken typically doesn't sleep well on passages—he has a hard time napping or sleeping during the day—but so far he seems to be getting some decent rest, which is good news.
The temperature has been cool, around 67°F, and the breeze coming off the ocean makes it feel even cooler. Last night's watch had me bundled up in multiple layers, wrapped in a blanket, with another blanket draped over my head (because my winter hats are packed away). Haha! I'd still rather be cool than sweltering any day.
It's nice to finally be underway for Ireland. We've been talking about sailing to Northern Europe for the past two years, so being on the final leg of the journey feels a little surreal. But there's still a lot of ocean between us and Ireland, and to be honest, our passage to the Azores left me with a newfound respect for the sea—along with a healthy dose of apprehension. But, in the words of Julian of Norwich, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
All is well!
Total Nautical Miles Sailed 140
Average Boat Speed 6.0kts
Max Boat Speed 7.7kts
GPS Coordinates 40 59.582N 26 34.866W
Miles to go: 1007
Sunrise at the end of my night watch