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Monday, June 27, 2016

Sailing Santa Maria to São Jorge 25 to 26 June 2016

The Grib files indicated that we would have a NE 4 for the next couple of days,perfect for a fast passage from Santa Maria to São Jorge, 180 nMiles to the NW.
So at 0715 hrs we left Vila do Porto marina on Santa Maria and motored westwards for 1/2 hour until we were out of the wind shadow of the island 

 



 

At 0745, engine off and we were charging along at 60 degrees to the apparent wind in a NE5 Bft wind at over 7 knots on our course of 305 degrees with one reef in mainsail and two reefs in the Genny. 

 

Santa Maria still visible

 

 

 
Still had the Marinetraffic.com AIS plot on line via 3G , showing our position and the positions of other ships in the area
 

 



 

 


 
Just before nightfall, at around 2130 hrs, an ominous band of black clouds appeared before us. So we put a second reef in the mainsail, and felt much more relaxed about the coming night

 


 


 



 
By 0720 hrs, São Jorge was clearly visible, some 25 nmiles ahead of us

 
As we approached São Jorge, the wind became a bit fickle and we motmored for a while then sailed then motored , sailed, motored

 
Sailing between São Jorge to Starboard and


Pico on Port

 
 




Getting close to Velas
 
1450 hrs Porto das Velas just ahead of us

 

We called up the marina on Ch 16 and were very pleased to hear that our very friendly harbour master was waiting to take our lines on the hammerhead of A pontoon

 

Total distance covered, 181.7 nMiles in 32 hours of which only 5 hours on the engine. Average speed 5.67 knots.

 

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