We were up and getting ready to leave by about 0700. I ran a light line to a berth upwind of us to assist us away from our berth. Another boat had moored outside us the previous night and we had said we would leave at 0800 and he then left to let us off. The wind was in fact quite light, we may well have been fine without the line I had put out but it worked well anyway and we left without issue, recovering the line once it had served its purpose.
Out in between Pico and Faial the wind was astern and we put up the main only to start with, there was some current against us, so we only made about 3 knots but shortly the wind filled in and veered to the WSW and we got the genoa out and started sailing faster. The wind went more astern again and we goosewinged for a bit. Another yacht, Crescendo, was following us and when we goosewinged they put up their spinnaker, the wind then dropped to about 4 knots and in the swell we were slatting about so motored for about 20 minutes before the wind filled in again and we then had a gloriously sunny day sailing along under full sail, sometimes goosewinged sometimes reaching, and with Crescendo staying 3-4 miles astern of us. At sunset she stowed her spinnaker and we have mot seen her since, going, as we are, faster then she.
As we set off on Saturday we had crisps with our sundowners. Hunter has been working hard asking questions making notes and filling in a log book. He did the first watch which was quiet, I did the next and put reefs in both sails as the wind picked up to 20 knots and in Patricks watch we put another reef in the main. Its now about 0830 and we are doing about 8 knots with the wind on the port quarter and the sea / swell building past 2.5 m but the wind has moderated to about 23 knots having been up to 26 for a time.
Its looking like it will be a good days run to noon, we will see. Its cloudy today.
We glimpsed some dolphins yesterday but they didnt come to play, but the first half of the night was beautiful with stars and a crescent moon.
Slainte
Jock and all.
Good sailig. We are watching out for nirtgern light that shows much more southerly than we are used to.