[p]pjr4728
[s]
pos: 02 13.043n 100 33.731w
sp: 7.0
h: 255m
w: 12kn 185T, cloud 67/8, SS 0.5mSSW
d: 27/06/20 12.00 GMT-0500
Thankfully the 2nd week has seen the end of beating into wind AND current as we have continued west at the same latitude. If the week began with a bit of whimper, with still some adverse current, it has ended with bang (of sorts), with a PB for Windchase, yay!!

We have just hit 190nm (rounding up the decimals! ;-). Now I know that is run-of-the-mill for the likes of many, including fellow yachts departing after us such as Moira skippered by Thomas (aka The Wolf), who has been speedily hunting us down in his pack of one with laser-like focus (despite a well-deserved break to spot wildlife at an outer Galapagos island), or the kiwi yacht Patea, at least once she has jettisoned the last of her excessive mango ballast. But for us, it will be cause for celebration!

Our previous best was 176nm, achieved twice (first on our delivery trip S from Auckland in 35kn and 5m following seas, the other in 40-50kn following when entering the Red Sea). This time it was very different indeed to those occasions, with almost-flat seas, a kindly wind (12-15T) largely on the beam - and thus no sphincter-clenching required - all very civilised! Boat speed through most of the day and night stayed in the 6.5-7kn range and all of us slept soundly when off-watch.

Our windvane Rach has done most of the work, with just the occasional nudge required from us to keep our course in the right direction as the wind shifted, and a few sail adjustments as we varied between 110AWA and 35AWA, but most of the miles were done at 90-60.

The heading wind did cause a few palpitations - we had been revelling in the fact that the wind had kept around the 13-14knT mark (AWA 55-60 from 185-190T) through most of the night, when at 0800 the weather-gods conspired to temper our hubris and the wind promptly dropped to 5kn and we were heading NW, going close-hauled to try and maintain our Wbnd course but still with an eye to that PB...grrr. Fortunately by 10am it had recovered to 10-12 (12kn from 220 at midday, though we had adjusted course S a little to get back onto our desired track).

Of course none of this is due to the numpties in the cockpit, the real hero is our friendly westbound current! After a very slow start,for us, past Isla Darwin in t e Galapagos, it is now exceeding expectations, as it has been running at 1.8-2.8kn (average over 24hrs I guess at about 2.2. So SOG was regularly 8.5-9kn. Lovely Jubbly!).

More tempering is that our overall average speed over the first 2 weeks has only just been dragged kicking and screaming over 5kn, nearly 50% slower than 'the Wolf', who still has the best of the current to come and will no doubt make the catch before we hit the equator!

Anyway, onward and westward. We're getting there but not counting our chickens just yet...'Only' 1700nm or gone and still at least 2,400 (including crossing the doldrums) to go!
TTFN,
S/V Windchase

Week 2 stats:
Day Latitude Longitude DOGnm Last Cum Av
24 Hrs Spd
8 21/06/2020 01° 51.8N 086° 07.5W 803.2 114.3 190 4.23
9 22/06/2020 01° 51.9N 087° 55.4W 913.4 110.2 214 4.27
10 23/06/2020 01° 56.6N 090° 08.6W 1049.1 135.7 238 4.41
11 24/06/2020 02° 03.2N 092° 28.4W 1190.8 141.7 262 4.55
12 25/06/2020 02° 04.3N 094° 57.4W 1341.6 150.8 286 4.69
13 26/06/2020 02° 06.8N 097° 25.8W 1491.6 150.0 310 4.81
14 27/06/2020 02° 13.0N 100° 33.7W 1681.6 190.0 334 5.03

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