(I have just reproduced the log for this section)
SATURDAY 20TH JUNE
Before leaving we set a waypoint at Skudneshavn (the point where we enter the sheltered water of the inner lead from the North Sea)
59° 07.207’N 5° 16.673’E. Distance from Whitehills 262nm
16.45 Slip Whitehills
17.00 Main up 1 reef, genoa out, auto 17.20 Too rolly, not enough wind, furl genoa, motor sail18.00 57° 43.453′ N. 257nm to Skud WP SOG 5kts motor sailing Wind 10kts NW
19.00 57° 45.771 N 2° 17.808W 252nm to Skud WP. Put 3rd reef in main to stop flogging
20.00 57° 47.368′ N 2° 09.576’W. 247nm to WP
SUNDAY 21ST JUNE
Midnight 00. 57° 54.071’N. 001° 19.550W SOG 4.8 motorsailing wind 10kts SW
03.00 57° 55.250’N. 001° 12.58′ W. No AIS targets although we can see platforms. Catherine saw a big ship that did not show up. Not sure if it is a range thing or if there is a problem with the AIS. Discovered why the Highway screen on Matsutec was having issues – it was set to mag north. Now set to true and the discrepancy has disappeared.
04.00 Wind W 10kts, some power now from the genoa. 211nm to Skud WP
05.00 57° 58.46’N. 000° 56.448’W Dropped 3rd reef in the mainsail while going downwind, deployed full genoa, making 3.7kts. 207nm to WP. Passing Golden Eagle platform at one mile
11.00 58° 06.134’N. 000° Genoa now poled out to stop it collapsing but still flapping, very bad rolling, apparent wind only 6kts but we would prefer not to burn diesel if we can sail. Would like to be in Haugesund by
11.55 Speed down to 2.5kts. Engine on. 183nm to Skud WP. 25 miles under sail in 7 hours. Wind considerably less than forecast. Need to nurse the diesel supply, but we also need to get there – it was going to be 3 more days at 2.5kts and the weather for later Tuesdays is lookking a bit iffy. I estimate we have used a bit less than 20 litres for 79 miles, so should be all good if we can sail a bit more later.
12.00 58°07.258’N. 000° 13.923’W. Motorsailing with poled out genoa, making 4.6kts SOG. Very inefficient, the wind was not as promised and I should have got another diesel can. I know Kathy and I ran this engine for three days between Madeira and Santa Martha, and as far as I remember we only had 40l in cans same as this time. It should be OK, and I am expecting a bit of wind for the last 20 miles run up the inner lead to Haugesund.
15.00 58° 11.885’N. 000.09.395E. Across the Greenwich meridian, all longtitudes now E.
16.00 58° 13.335’N. 000°18.043’E
17.00 58°14.636N. 000°26.407E Take down pole, deploy a scrap of tightly sheeted genoa as anti-roll measure, increase revs by 200rpm approx to give 4.4SOG. No wind! Position is bang on the line when plotted on the paper passage chart.
18.00 154nm to WP. SOG 4.4kts. Predicted arrival at WP 06.00 Tuesday morning. Pressure is 1034mb.
19.00 58°17.535’N. 042°42.717E. 151nm to wp.
MONDAY 22 JUNE
00.00 58°25.918’N. 001°22.775’E 128nm to wp. Over halfway to the wp and about to cross into Norwegian waters. Very calm, lots of rigs, it is a beautiful Midsummer night. Pressure 1035mb. Wind F2 variable. COG 72°T. SOG 4.6kts
00.50 Crossed the Norway/UK oil and gas border
01.00 58°27.181’N. 001°31.106’E SOG 4.6 under engine Wind F2 var COG 070°T. Distance to wp 123nm
02.00 58°28.300’N. 001°39.171’E Still no wind. SOG 4.5 Distance to wp 119nm
03.00 58° 29.615’N. 001° 47.673’E SOG 4.5kts Distance to wp 114nm
04.00 58° 31.100’N. 001° 55.300’E Distance to wp 110nm
05.00 58° 32.723N. 002° 03.017’E
06.00 58° 34.307’N. 002° 10.764’E
07.00 58° 35. 684N. 002° 18.283’E
08.00 58° 36.970’N. 002° 25.690’E
08.45 – 09.30 Much messing about (emphasis on mess) with diesel. Tank now 2″ from top, 14 litres (est) in reserve in 2 cans, flat calm, 87nm to run to wp then about 20 up to Haugesund, should be just about enough even if there is zero wind.
10.00 58° 40.374’N. 002° 42.685’E Zero wind. Sea very smooth but with beam swell maybe 0.6m. Lots of oil field stuff around. 84.1nm to wp
12.00 58° 43.716’N. 003°00.452’E. Wp 74.3nm est. arrival at wp 04.30 tomorrow morning.
14.00 Put up Norwegian courtesy flag. Red ensign up on stern, Scottish ensign moved to port cross trees
14.50 An orca suddenly breached right beside the boat, then a pod of at least seven appeared. Didn’t get a decent photo as they weren’t interested in the boat and quickly swam on. It was fantastic to see them though and to not be terrified as we would have been had this happened in Portugal.
15.00 58° 48.551’N 003° 25.645’E 60.4nm to wp
16.00 58° 50.452’N 003° 33.927’E Saw two more orca or maybe something bigger, but not close enough to identify. 55.6nm to wp.
17.00 58° 52.069’N 003° 42.483’E
18.00 58° 53.930’N 003° 51.144’E 46nm to wp. Put the last of fuel (except an emergency 5l can) in the tank. We should have plenty to get to Haugesund tomorrow.
20.00 58° 56.462’N 004° 09.575’E 36.3nm to wp. Still no wind, there is a big long lazy NW swell and it is chilly. Pressure down 2mb at 1032mb
21.00 58° 57.429’N 004° 17.722’E 31.8nm to wp Gloomy looking cloud to NW Pressure 1031mb
22.00 58° 58.780’N 004° 27.938’E 26.4nm to wp My phone has gone on to Norwegian time, but the boat is still on UK time.
23.00 (00.00 Norwegian time) 59° 00.173’N 004° 36.988’E 21.6nm to wp. Change boat time to Norwegian (1 hour ahead of UK)
TUESDAY JUNE 23RD
04.00 (local time) 5nm to waypoint. Grey, threatening drizzle. Wind 4kts NW
05.15 At Skudneshsven waypoint. 262nm run from Whitehills, all bar 25nm under engine.
09.35 Alongside Haugesund