SY Visions of Johanna Bermuda to Dingle, Ireland Crossing Day 4

DATE:Tuesday, 31 May, 2016, 07:30 AM Atlantic
SY Visions of Johanna Bermuda to Dingle, Ireland Crossing Day 4

North Atlantic Ocean
Position: 37 57.0 N/57 36.0 W
SOG 8.4 knots; COG 099 mag
TWS 14.8 kn; TWD: 233 mag

Conditions: We are motorsailing in choppy seas. Wind has clocked over night (180 > 230) and is slowly building from 10-12 knots at midnight to 15 knots this morning.Scattered clouds surround us on the horizon, and Bar is 2027 mb. I have brought us on a more easterly course this morning which has improved our AWS, and SOG. Also for tactical considerations, see below.

Current situation: Engine went on at 1800 hours last evening, as seas were choppy and confused, and wind was too light to move us comfortably. We remain this morning with 2 reefs in the main as higher winds had been expected overnight. TWA is on the starboard quarter, 130 degrees or so, and I hope to have engine off soon although the short seas are rolling us around a bit, enough to shake out the sails when the larger ones go by. Still, within the hour we should be sailing.

Tactical: My GRIB review this morning suggests that the low to our east will weaken and slide NE, with development of another low that descends from the Newfoundland area on Wednesday, and sets itself up on Thursday and Friday near 45N from 37W to 30W respectively. I have run multiple routing options and heading east through Saturday morning toward a WP of 39N/39W will place us south enough to see 5-8 knots less wind, and with what I consider a significant reduction in sea state. Compared to the current route of choice it will be slower - 4 hours at least, if not 1/2 day slower, but I think that it would be worth considering 39/39 as a waypoint, none-the-less. Also, I do not see a new low establishing along 40N. I'll ask Ken McKinley to ponder this and we will see what he has to recommend.

We had fresh mozzarella cheese with tomato and pesto on basil-sundried tomato wraps yesterday for lunch, with chips. Andrew cooked up a bolognese sauce with ground turkey and we had that with linguini and green salad for dinner. Chocolate covered raisins for desert was also a hit, with some nice Barry's Tea from Ireland.

Several Cargo ships on AIS overnight.

All is well on-board.

Best wishes,

Bill Strassberg and crew, SY Visions of Johanna


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