One Man, One Boat, 4000 Miles!!!

Tropic 4 Cancer Trans Atlantic challenge is an expedition to sail single-handed 4000 miles across the Atlantic, from the western seaboard of Africa to Antigua. The route follows a defined course along the Tropic of Cancer, which is a circle of latitude running around the Earth at approximately 23 degrees north, and which marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead. Find Out More

Day 15 – Horrid Clouds!

Posted on November 17th, 2013

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Last night seemed to bring me Halloween and Bonfire Night in a oner!! Following a day of decent progress, late in the afternoon I approached a huge area of thundery looking clouds, obviously active and building. The wind kept changing directions, and by nightfall the sky was alive with high level lightening storms. It was all very weird and slightly creepy!!

Although this season has seen little tropical storm activity, we are still just inside the period in which hurricanes can occur, and it wasn’t difficult to persuade myself that this could be the start of something!!

A dramatic wind shift to a south westerly wind forced me to head south east for an hour anyhow, and then that died away – I guess cancelled out by the prevailing easterlies. A period of two hours of calm (and lots of slopping about!!), the wind filled in again from the east, and is now forecast to build in strength for the next few days.

So off I plod west again, hoping for at least several days of decent progress. I’m being very rapidly caught up by the leading boats in the Mini Transat, who’ve enjoyed strong, but favourable winds all the way so far. I don’t want to get mixed up in their race, but it would be good to see them in action!!

I’ve now been at sea for a week since leaving La Gomera – it seems like much longer!!! I’ve probably got another two and a half to three weeks to go. I’m already far enough west to really notice the time difference between here and the UK. My 0800hrs morning phone call to Liz and the kids now takes place just before sunrise!!

This weekend’s sailing is dedicated to the Company of Actuaries Charitable Trust And their very kind donation!