Azores to Ireland | Day 3
Last night’s sunset… somewhere around 10pm??
Sailing is so counterintuitive sometimes. We spent most of the day today sailing somewhat backward, away from Ireland.
We’ve been hovering around this pocket with light to no wind, called the Azores High. When we left Terceira, we headed straight north to try and get above the high where there is more wind. But we have also had to alter course further west. Ireland, of course, is to the east. At one point, we had sailed as far as 40 miles away from Ireland. And yet somehow this is part of sailing. Rarely can you point your boat directly at your destination and sail a straight line there.
We spent a lot of yesterday chasing the wind, and it was winning. Due to the light winds and the amount of fuel we carry aboard, this passage may take us longer than the predicted 8 days. Over the last three days, we have motored for about 24 hours total. That is around ¼ of our fuel reserves. So we have exercised discipline and patience to ensure we keep a fair amount of fuel in reserve for the back half of our trip.
As of this moment, we have managed to get to the bottom of the low and found some wind, so the boat is sailing along quite nicely. We are consistently seeing winds around 17kts, gusting into the low 20s. This is a sweet spot for Remedy. The seas are moderate. Around 6 feet on a 7-second interval. Ideally, they would be 9-12 second intervals—that gives the boat time to rise and fall over one wave before the next one arrives. But because they are not big, it is all quite manageable.
The winds are predicted to abate throughout the day, so we will once again be navigating lighter winds, but for now we are enjoying quite a lovely sail.
Our passage to the Azores and this passage to Ireland have been polar opposites. And yet both have challenged us mentally. Sailing through gales with big seas and chaos builds grit and fortitude. But, in a world where immediate gratification is at your fingertips, sailing in light wind tests your patience. Bobbing around in the water, going nowhere fast, making little forward progress, while your sails frequently thwop thwop because there’s not enough wind to keep them filled and combat the swell that rolls you around builds grit and fortitude of a different kind.
I have never been an adventurous person. And, despite the fact that we are sailing across the Atlantic, I am still not. It is utterly out of character for me. Sailing has pushed me well beyond my comfort many times and in many ways. I have probably said it before, but being out on the open seas with no one else around has shown me how small and fragile life is, how truly vulnerable I am. It has peeled away the illusion of control and caused me to depend on God in ways I wouldn’t from the comfort of land life. And, as uncomfortable as that can be, I think it is something for which I will always be grateful.
Living untethered, but held fast.
All is well!
Day Three Stats:
Total Nautical Miles Sailed 138
Average Boat Speed 5.5kts
Max Boat Speed 7.6kts
GPS Coordinates 45 27.888N 26 30.005W
Miles to go: 681-ish