I am on shift. It is 4:45am local time and pitch-dark. The moon gives good company from 9pm to 4pm but then disappears and you sail into black, as black as you can imagine, just the deepest dark black. Well, the stars are there and can only be seen in detail once the moon has settled. I sense we have a good mixture though to enjoy both scenarios. I was wondering the other day, why ORION is already visible out there as my memories tell me, that ORION is a star formation for winter…hope I am wrong, need to check that. Winter…the air temperature is increasing night by night. Tonight we have a fast sail. Wing by wing with the main full unfurled and the 110% foresail, winds of 10 to 13kts from astern we are constantly above 7kts and occassionally staying above 8kts speed over ground. The Lady wants to arrive!

We plan landfall at Madeira during the next night. Our approach will be early morning but I am sure that we will see the lighthouses many many miles before getting close to the islands. All going well we shall berth in Funchal before noon on 18th September. Clarifications with the marinas are ongoing by mail. We have some options but our preference is Funchal.

Need to make a cup of tea now!

Fair winds…