A downwind sleigh ride

11-13 Dec, Passage to Colombia, days 2-4: We were approaching the Hatteras Shoals by midday on Sunday (Dec 11th). After discussing between us the pluses and minus’ of either coastal or offshore route, we landed on going offshore (Der-Der-derrrr-dun. Queue drum roll 😝).

We were still goose-winged sailing in northerly winds of 13-15 kts. Perfect for sailing our direction but alas it also meant the wind would be against the Gulf Stream current. Previously I’ve always avoided being in the GS when there was even but a snippet of northerly component in the wind. So despite our decision, in my head I’m thinking “if the GS conditions are bad, we abort, turn right and go the coastal route inside the GS”.

As we entered the GS at 90 degrees to flow, we monitored the sea temperature (readout on our instruments). Within 1/4 mile it rose rapidly from 15 to 24 degC. We were in it! But the sea state hadn’t changed. None of the usual lumpy chaotic waves, randomly breaking left and right. Maybe we were not fully in the flow yet. But for the next 50nm these benign conditions continued. The air temp raised up to 26 degC and then started to drop back to around 24degC, indicating we were now through the current and out the other side.
Other than the temperatures and our course-over-ground, which shows a slew to the NE where the current had pushed us sideways, from a sea-state point of view we wouldn’t even know we had traversed the main GS. How odd. Maybe that’s why Europe is having an arctic December. Did the GS reduce? Haha.

Our next challenge was the forecasted wind increase which was predicted to gust up to 35kts starting tomorrow.

Through Sunday night the wind dropped away (calm before the storm? we thought) and for a few hours we had to motor.

By 06:00 Monday morning, as the wind steadily rose, we over-reefed the mainsail to less than 1/2 it’s area, but kept the poled genoa almost full. The genoa could be reefed at any time. But once the wind was up the in-mast furled mainsail would be difficult to reef while sailing down wind. So while a little slow at first, better slow but safe if the winds really howl.
Throughout the morning the wind increased to its peak and abated into the evening.
Absolutely slap-bang-on with the forecast, the wind was mostly top 20s with a maximum gust of 36kts. But most gusts maxed at 30kts. And with our sail plan we were comfortable and powering along at speeds between 8 and 12 kts, depending on if we were at the crest or trough of the 3-5m waves. As they approached from the stern we looked up at their crests, but then Cloudy just lifted her bum and the wave passed harmlessly under. In fact, amazingly considering the conditions, we didn’t even get the deck wet!

As for Cloudy’s crew we are happy. Relieved the conditions were not worse than forecast and that Cloudy was very comfortable and fast. Happy boys with their toy. And the further we ploughed-on SSE on the perfect trajectory, we also congratulated ourselves for our route decision. More than happy I would say.
When we run with the wind, Cloudy can be a real rolly bitch. But give her wind above 20kts and she just lifts up her skirt and GOES! And with very little rolling. It’s why we came to love the odd squall when we crossed the Atlantic. We looked forward to that relief from the rolling motion.

Live on board these days was excellent. The boat was behaving. The only “breakage” so far being the galley faucet which managed to work loose on the worktop. An easy fix.
I was now re-establishing my confidence in Cloudy. This, along with the exciting sail and successful route planning allowed me to relax and enjoy at long last. And there is nothing like the therapy Cloudy Bay gives her crew when she is on one of her downwind sleigh-ride days.
As for the rest of the crew, Ray turns out to be an excellent on-board cook and me a pretty good washup and clean up galley slave. But has to be said, it took the 2 of us to do what Oana normally does by herself in the galley.
For watches we decided early on we would do 4-on 4-off and add an hour each day to mix it up a bit. But in reality, we both do one watch each per night and have snoozes during the day, with no fixed routine.

After 2 days of good winds and progress we are already level with Northern Florida and 500nm out in the Atlantic. Perfect position. And weather still looks good ahead.
By midnight Tuesday the wind has dropped, and the engine goes on again. Looks like we will spend Wednesday motoring across a windless zone before we pick up the easterly trades.