After an impressive sunrise, the engine is now back on for the final 12nm to the port. The mainsail started buffeting when the wave forces took over from wind forces and boat speed dropped below 2kn. Time left for me to tidy up the mess and take a shower before entering the marina.
We agreed, that SY Hullu Poro will go first and SY Sutje second, so I can give Jan hopefully a hand as his Koopmans 46 is harder to manoeuvre in tight space.
Fair winds…
PS: Yoshi was there and even motivated some other sailors to help us finding a perfect berth and securing the lines. This TO community is amazing. Thanks Yoshi & folks!
It is 3am in the morning local time. The quarter moon managed to give the thin grey layer a new pattern with more white spots at airy flakes of clouds. This spreads some sort of twilight and results in abnormal good visibility for a night with a principal grey sky. No stars.
A pinch of 2kn got added to the wind occasionally and the lady immediately starts to get excitet only to slow down shortly afterwards to keep our average speed over ground at 2-3kn. If we are able to go on like this for the next 6-7 hours, we will knock at the marina’s gate as planned. At 9am the marinieros start the day at work. Yoshi from SY Dayo is expecting us while Babs & Rene from SY Momentum of Fal will join later the week, perhaps Friday. They are currently on the way from Madeira to Azores. Good to meet again.
Ponta Delgada already shows a blaze of light to us at 20nm distance. No chance to miss that. The air temperature at night has increased a little bit since our last passage showing 21.5°C on the thermometer at this very moment here under the sprayhood. I have therefore not put up the cockpit tent for this one night passage. Snuggled down in the sleeping bag to keep comfortably warm, I am spending all time in the cockpit to enjoy the night over a cup of hot tea, if not taking another 20min snooze.
What a fortune to be out here on the ocean.
Fair winds…
There was no visible sunset tonight and the sky is now 8/8 covered with a thin, slighly scattered, grey layer. I doubt it will break up at all tonight to prove that the stars and the waning moon are still there but let’s wait. It was different a few hours back, where the sun clearly dominated the scene.
There is light wind at only 5 -7kn from ESE direction and our speed varies between 2-3kn depending on the waves, which are neglebigle but still impacting the hull and its movement here and there or now and then. We are under full mainsail and 110% foresail. The lady appears to be sober and runs stable without the help of the engine directly towards our waypoint set at the entrance of Ponta Delgada on São Miguel. 38nm to go.
SY Sutje is about a mile astern following our track at similar speed. While the lights from the shore of Santa Maria have almost completely vanished the position lights up at the top of the mast of my fellow sailor friend’s boat keep its intensity constant.
Together we opted for this passage as a low wind sail and hope that we can limit the engine hours upon arrival. There was no better weather window in the forecast for the rest of the week and we picked the best promise as we were ready to move on.
It is very pleasant and relaxing so far and as expected. I wish Meno would give us the 5kn extra but tonight – nada.
Fair winds…
It was a delight to attend the Santa Maria Blues Festival 2022 over the last three nights together with Petra and Jan from SY Sutje.
Without any doubt, a perfectly organised festival from soup to nuts, which made it together with highly professional musicians, technicians and staff a memorable event for the crowd.
Seven bands from six different countries speaks for itself. They were all great feasts to the ears but my favourites came at the end: Gisele Jackson and Rick Estrin with their associated bands. Perhaps not a surprise due to the origin of the blues itself as a genre.
…it feels like the Epilog becomes the Prolog now…
It was today, lucky 13 month ago, on the 14th June 2021, when we did throw the lines in Kappeln to start this journey – or better our boating & biking adventures.
Since then, we clocked 
3636nm on the log, over ground, as tracked in NFL and shown on the picture below. We also recorded 
3467km in total on the bike, see snapshot from Polar.
Despite some hardship now and then there is no doubt that fond memories are taking over and we had not only deep impressions at sea but also at land while sitting in the saddle. This all on top of the great people we interacted with, some became good friends, advisers, coaches and mindful listeners.
No doubt, there are these very short moments arising, where you are irritated to believe that someone else should better take care of the lady and its destiny but it’s all washed away in the next instance independent what you are just up to.
All this is encouraging and we are in the process of making some plans for the next 13 month. But as you know, sailors’ plans are drawn into the sand at low tide and wiped out at next high water level…approximately six hours later.
Therefore the Prolog better stops right here but there shall be exciting times ahead of us.
Thanks for your interest.
Fair winds…
PS: Wishing the French associated society a happy national day – Bastille Day.
