Creeping A Bit Closer

July 19, 2013

Things look much the same for Nani and crew. They are creeping closer but still have the wind dead against them. I got a message from Alex early this morning:

Wind is still exactly from where we want to go...

Wind strength is good. Yesterday we were beating with 20 kts across the deck (~17 true) and she did admirably. She will self steer to windward for hours. We have not touched the wheel since yesterday.

We have very lumpy seas (wind against current), but hardly a drop of spray in the cockpit. In any other boat we would be drenched.

So it's all good, but very fustrating beating about in tacks when the destination is so close. If the weather doesn't get worse we hope to be in Brighton by Wednesday. If it worsens or we run low on fuel we may put in at Plymouth.

From Brighton we'll go to Ramsgate (80 NM), spend the night and then on to the Deben entrance and Woodbridge (another 70 NM).  

And this from David via Tricia yesterday:

Well, we are 300 miles from the Scilly Isles and making very slow progress. The wind is blowing exactly from where we are going to, at this rate it could take another week to get in. It is getting a tad bit annoying being so close to the channel but not getting any nearer I am not sure where we will end up now.


I've attached a short video here from the "Keep Turning Left" series about the Deben river where we will keep Nani when she reaches England. She will be at the Tidemill Yacht Club, the marina mentioned about 15 minutes into the video.