Leaving Salvador, Brazil under a darkened, stormy sky, Amelie ventured out into All Saints' Bay. Our two week stay barely touched the surface of exploring Salvador and beyond. Unfortunately, waiting around for parts for the generator which never materialised is common in Brazil but it is also the nature of sailing around the world in a complicated machine. Another visit is a must and with more time on our return journey, we will do Southern Brazil justice.
The wind and sea state was kind to us despite all the horror stories that we had heard over the past few months. In February, the prevailing wind is predominantly north easterly with a southerly running current. Our passage, to get around the corner of Brazil was expected to be a north, north, easterly direction, therefore beating into the wind - hard going and can be unpleasant sailing. Our grib files showed a favourable wind window and for the first few days we had a healthy south easterly wind. We also chose to sail close inshore to pick up a counter current to boost our speed. After that the wind settled into an easterly - fantastic sailing for Amelie and her crew.
Sailing close to the shore, we encountered many fishing vessels of all sizes. We needed to keep vigilant at all times.
Another hazard were the oil fields, as we needed to give them 5nm clearance. Most of them were charted and we could allow for them in our passage planning. There is always an exception to the rule. We came across an uncharted oil field and had to make a 20nm detour plus we were chased by a patrol boat which was patrolling the security boundary of the rigs. He watched us all night to make sure that we didn't get any closer.
We encountered the odd squall which generally brought heavy rain and an increase in wind. Afterwards there is quietness and the wind dies for a spell. Amelie wallowed waiting for the wind to pick up and off she would go again.
Humidity was overwhelming on this initial stage. It interfered with comfort and sleep. It was necessary to increase drinking fluids even if it was beer. Cooking breakfast and supper was hell, as the galley became a furnace. Night watches were slightly cooler and most of the time we were scantily clad.
Day 2 our watermaker decided to cease functioning whilst attempting to fill our water tank. Luckily we always store extra water in containers for this eventuality. Despite spending most of the day trying to fix it, we made a decision to ration our water supply and sail as fast as Amelie would allow to Grenada. Eddie was alerted and he was on the case immediately, ordering parts from Eloisa back in Ipswich. They should arrive in Grenada before we do and hopefully fix the problem. Others have experienced this problem on the rally but we hadn't appreciated the impact on daily life. To be completely honest, initially Debbie did not handle the situation well but what option did we have? Salvador had proven to be unreliable with obtaining parts, so we made a plan and spirits improved. We had enough water for consumption but ' flannel washes' were of the order of the day. Hair washing would have to wait until we reached port unless some of the rain squalls resembled a power shower. We got excited about rain clouds and the hair and body wash lived on deck. We collected rain water in an empty water container, feeling more and more like the ancient mariners. Washing up occurred once a day. Thank goodness for disinfectant spray and wipes which helped to keep the galley and heads clean. We feel fortunate that there is only two of us on board and others are not subjected to this discipline. It isn't fun but proves how much water we unnecessarily waste.
Day 4 the generator overheated and shut down. By this point we were laughing hysterically about eating cheese and biscuits, bowls of muesli and cold baked beans until our arrival in Grenada. Stephen discovered the problem and rectified it. We continue to enjoy cooked food twice a day.
Amelie's sails have been magnificent but the main yankee appears to be on it's last legs. A tear has developed in the upper third of the sail along the seam. We temporarily patched it and if this can be repaired in Grenada, then we will be overjoyed. Pete Sanders maybe getting a call at the end of the rally for a replacement.
We passed the equator at 21.36 on Friday evening, 28th of February. This was our second crossing but the first from the southern to the northern hemisphere. We naturally toasted Neptune and Amelie with a dribble of Champagne (far to precious to waste) and there wasn't a ceremony this time as we're no longer equator virgins. The Doldrums (ITCZ - Intertropical Convergence Zone) as before meant lack of wind, flapping of sails and a decrease of Amelie's speed interspersed with squalls and high winds under the rain clouds. These are easier to spot in the daytime as shown in the photograph however during the hours of darkness, you need to keep an eye on the radar, that does pick them up. If you don't prepare yourself for these squalls, you'll find the wind will increase from 5 - 25 knots and you'll be flat on your ear. We are loathed to use the engine but when needs must, the iron sail is in operation. The engine is quiet but the noise destroys the tranquility of sailing. One thing we have is plenty of diesel, although we only used the engine for three hours. Once we were through the ITCZ we sailed in a robust north easterly. Stephen read that during a Clipper race, one of the boats was becalmed in the ITCZ for eleven days. Race rules state the engine can only be used to charge the batteries and not forward propulsion.
Amelie became a boat taxi to a bedraggled seabird with a fearsome beak. After landing and having a spruce up, the bird settled down on the dinghy for a rest. One of the few seabirds seen along this Brazilian coastline. Where is all the sea life in the Atlantic?