Team photo: Sue, Malcolm and Paul, as we set off from Tazacorte, La Palma 9th January 2026

23 January 2026 at 11:41:13 GMT

Day 13

Consistent strong winds continued throughout the day. Bumpy seas forced us to carefully hold on down below and on deck to avoid being tossed about by the waves. Paul got properly wet on his morning watch with more squalls during the afternoon announicng their imminent arrival with screeching in the rigging making winching the head sail in and then unfurling again a regular occurence and a great workout for the biceps. Apparently there’s more to come. Charlie says keep taking the medicine staying on a similar course until Saturday morning.

Dense cloud cover all morning finally lifted to allow the sun to break through. We are seriously appreciative having had limited doses for the past few days and being deprived of the moon which is hiding below the horizon, though with all the active sailing we’ve hardly been ruing the lack of opportunity to sunbathe in spite of the temperature having risen to beach wear.

A couple of interesting challenges presented in the form of chaffing of the jib sheet running through the pole, and the fridge door being reticent to open or close. With a professional door fitter on board a temporary fix was soon in place. The jib sheet required Malcolm and me to dance on the bow with him holding me so I could use both hands to tie a new bowline, but why has it chaffed? That’s a question we still don’t have an answer to as the ususal reason would be that there’s movement, but we see none. For now we’ll keep a regular eye on it assessing it at least once, possibly twice a day.

Our reward for the day was a stunning sunset, and the unexpected arrival of a slither of a moon. Utterly mesmerising until it was no more. The evening was warm presenting clear skies and constant winds on Malcolm’s watch.

Day 14

I took over the watch at midnight. Starry starry skies and constant wind for one hour. Just as I picked up my ipad to relax listening to a podcast on deck the wind gave it’s agitated screech and whipped up to 30 knots with 10 knots boat speed, and stayed between 28kts and 30kts for the next 3 hours. My eyes and attention were firmly glued to the instruments. No reading, writing, or podcasts. I was very pleased to see Paul’s light turn on indicating that he was getting ready to come and join the manic 4am party. We shared the awe of the moment and the profoundity of this experince. I should have reefed or furled the headsail, but I kept on assuming that it was a passing squall and would die down as quickly as it had arrived. I was wrong! Though of course it did settle down to a gentle 22knots just after Paul came on watch.

23 January 2026 at 14:31:04 GMT

Day 14 cont……….

With sheet lightning lighting up the sky to our starboard we took the precaution of putting our electronic instruments in the oven affording them their own Faraday cage. Paul declined for his! Winds continue to be kinder.

The issue of the morning was also electronic with the ships computer refusing to send or receive or download weather files. This leaves us blind though we’re lucky to know that we’re through the worst of the the weather systems. Having tried several times Malcolm phoned Gavin, our IT guru who has overseen all installations on board since commissioning in 2015. He made a few suggestions but sadly none have worked to date. A phone call to Charlie gave us weather information including a blow anticipated this afternoon for which we might like to shorten sail. Expected at 1600, arrived 1330 along with 30 knot winds. Strange that it’s my watch again! Thought we would reef the genoa more, but Sukama very comfortable with just storm jib so left it at that. She was the most stable yet with conditions below very calm in a serious blow but on deck I did lose a few bits of salty snack to the wind.

By 1630 we were tired of wallowing with just the storm jib. No new winds had arrived so we unfurled some genoa again having checked the bowline and integrity of the line which all looked good.

Dinner – beef and tomato casserole with butter beans. Paul commented that we haven’t had the same meal twice! He seems so comfortable and is daring to dream fancying himself living this life. He is equally confident whether doing deckwork, making sense of knots, sitting on the aft seat in big seas, doing computer work or mucking in with life below decks.

Still no computer functionality.

Day 15

Feeling sad, not glad. It seems we’re through the stronger winds and bigger seas that forced us to concentrate so. I’d have expected to feel relieved, instead of which it’s like losing a part of you. The adrenaline rush, the enforced focus and concentration of its energy gives you energy. You feed off each other like Jen in her dance – her audience love her, she feeds off them, and they reciprocate in turn.

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Team members: Malcolm, Sue, Paul, George the autopilot, Charlie our weather router

Photos from previous crossing 2020

Previous adventure updates

Day 11 – 12: https://blackwells.biz/atlantic-crossing-days-11-12/

Day 7 – 10: https://blackwells.biz/atlantic-crossing-days-7-10/

Day 5 – 6: https://blackwells.biz/atlantic-crossing-days-5-6/

Day 1 – 4: https://blackwells.biz/atlantic-crossing-days-1-4/

Preparation and setting off on day 1: https://blackwells.biz/the-call-of-the-ocean/