Towards the west, the sunset and Dournanenez – by Stephan Emrich

DATE: 19-06-2015 POS:49º54’N, 0º24’3′ E COG: 215 SOG: 5.8kn

GENERAL SYNOPSIS: ON BOARD THE TRES HOMBRES

WIND DIR: NW

WIND SPD: 2Bft

CURRENT DIR: 240

CLOUDS: 2/8

SEA STATE: 1

SEA TEMP: 13

AIR TEMP: 15C

AIR PRES: 1023

Watching a great sunset after an exciting last 24h on board of the Tres Hombres. The weather report said it would be a calm night. But it was wrong. Trying to cross the Dover Strait winds of 8Bft came up during the first night shift. So when I came on deck for the second (00 – 04) I was greeted by safety lines, darkness, rain and wind. The waves we could already feel too good below deck…
Actually this was just why I came on board of the Tres Hombres in the first place – experience real sailing. And while I was tired and a bit tense, the experience of sitting on the bow spear in the pitch black dark, the sea sometimes 5m below you and sometimes touching your feet, trying to unfurl a sail we needed to get out of traffic, well… it was awesome! 😉
Luckily the sea did calm down over the night and when we came on deck again, we were greated by a day that turned out nice and sunny. Maybe even a bit too nice, as the wind died off completely and left us as a toy to the current. Too nice also for the french coast guard, who saw the Tres Hombres worth an excursion for a nice sunny afternoon. After a 3h inspection they left us just in time as the wind picked up again. And now we are going again. Towards the west, the sunset and Dournanenez.

Stephan Emrich