April 20, 2024 – Caribbean Offshore 1000: Antigua to the Bahamas
I think this might finally be the wind we were expecting…full canvas up making good speed. With just under two days of motoring and motor sailing on and off, the engine has finally gone off, let’s hope for good.
Being so close to Bluejay the crew are eager and keen to keep her sailing as fast as possible, trimming sails and steering an arrows straight course, anything to edge our way ahead. With two watch leaders keeping everyone in check, making sure the helm is straight, logs are completed and morale is high, Hummingbird is running like a well oiled machine. The weather has been hot, very hot so we can all be thankful there is a nice breeze blowing through the boat to cool it down. With some hatches open sleeping in the day has become possible with crew acclimatising to the heat. Beautiful clear blue skies have made it a dream to take some sun sights, with not a cloud in the sky and the moon up at 4, it doesn’t get much better than that!
With the wind building to 15knts in the night, we have managed to hunt down Bluejay and sneak our way ahead, if only by a small margin, Although so far they’re the only ones to land a fish so really who’s the real winner here:/
-Hummingbird
April 23, 2023 – Caribbean Offshore 1000: Antigua to the Bahamas
Today is our fifth day at sea. After almost 700nm, I now feel completely at home in Hummingbird. After nearly 700nm, I am familiar with the sounds of the boat, the gentle creaking of lines, the spinnaker filling, the sound of coffee being made in the galley, and the sound of the wind dying, calling for the sound of the engine that will cradle me to sleep. After almost 700nm, I no longer spill my coffee, and I feel comfortable down below and on deck. Comfortable enough to enjoy flying the spinnaker in the moonlight, and even though we struggle to fix our position using the stars and sun, I know we will make landfall in a beautiful place.
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