Day 14

Distance run in last 24 hours: 176 nautical miles

Distance to destination:  690 nautical miles

We have now been at sea for two weeks and have covered over 2200 miles....and at last we have wind!!!  It has been an ideal day at sea.  A rising breeze filled in from astern during the early evening watches on Saturday, so the crew dropped the mailsail and the staysail, setting twin running headsails to gain maximum benefit from the advantageous wind direction.  This led to a delightful sail all through a warm but cloudy night, running ahead of the wind at 6 or 7 knots.  By breakfast time today conditions were more demanding.  The wind had strengthened considerably, passing 20 knots at times and blowing hard over the port quarter.  When I took the helm at 10:00 Alcedo was broad reaching under full genoa and triple reefed mailsail.  A large and threatening sea was building.  Dark waves as tall as houses were sweeping in from the North East, blotting out the horizon with white crests curling and breaking as they swooped down on the yacht.  The rising wind whistled in the rigging.  Alcedo was in her element, rising to meet the steep seas, shouldering aside the crests and plunging into the troughs beyond, at times hitting 10 knots of boat speed with up to 25 knots of wind across the deck.  This was an exhilarating sail, all the more welcome for the lengthy anticipation.  One rogue wave broke over the cockpit, drenching the helmsman and adding an unexpected salty flavour to the freshly baked bread that was cooling under the table.  I do not think that Venetia, who had chosen today to bake, was much impressed with my steering at this point!  Later the sun broke through and the seas turned a spectacularly deep blue, offset by white spray, although the evening was once again cloudy.  The wind has eased slightly but Alcedo continues to make excellent headway, still under her twin headsail rig.  As we have pushed further west, so the stronger winds originally expected on Monday appear to have arrived one day early, and this bodes well for the final phase of the crossing.  What was in danger of becoming a crawl to the finish may now become a collective sprint into St Lucia.  The crew are certainly back in competitive mode, and are looking forward to some fast and hard sailing to conclude the ARC.