We have been making excellent time on a broad reach with 15 – 20 knot winds from the North-West, gusting to 25 when squalls blow through. We are averaging between 6-8 kts, sometimes 9 kts, SOG, which is almost all VMG as we are able to steer a COG equal to Ponta Delgada’s BTW, now 91°. DTW is now 418 nm as I type, but the Western-most of the Azore Isles, Flores, is only about 165nm to our North-East. We are getting closer! Yesterday’s PredictWind model run had us arriving Thursday, but we are now well ahead of yesterday’s forecast of our current position, so if this comes up landfall might be Wednesday.
We have generated a long to-do list of repairs, maintenance, cleaning, laundry, and shopping tasks, both groceries and boat parts. We are not sure how well stocked the chandlers in Ponta Delgada will be, so plan to order what isn’t available locally on-line to be sent to Kelvin’s brother’s house in Alicante, where we plan to call into after Gibraltar and on our way to the Balearics.
Last night’s sunset was particularly spectacular- my pictures struggle to do it justice!
After sunset we made roast port tenderloin, roast potatoes and German Rotkohl (red cabbage cooked with balsamic, butter and sugar), and a wonderful gravy. I also broke out a fine bottle of Spanish wine “The Guvnor” I bought in the Canaries. Because of the rolling motion of Nakee we had to serve this feast in bowls, as the food would otherwise slide off the plate, so it wasn’t as photogenic as it would have been if properly plated and garnished, but we really enjoyed it!
