Blown back, hurricane season & a decision 14 Apr, 06 - 22:00 27.5231N,17.1557W

12.00 am
Winds: Easterly
Sea state: rough
GPS Position: N27,48,469 W17,23,062
Woke up at 12.00am to log the GPS. More frustrating news, have been pushed further North in the past 6 hours, which has undone at least 1/2 a days worth of rowing. The bilge looks a bit flooded with the waves breaking over the side of the boat. However, the added weight should make it more stable in the bad weather. Will pump it out in the morning when the weather settles down.
3.00 am
GPS Position: N27.53.804 W17.21.832
I find my self being blown further North in the storm. Looks like I have lost at least 2 days of progress. The wind seems to be dying down a bit, the cloud cover moving on and the moon coming back out again. I can see the faint outline of El Hierro to my starboard quarter. I have been blown backwards north, between La Gomera and El Hierro. This is incredibly disappointing. Looks like I will take another 4 days just to clear the Canary islands.
6.00 am
Winds: 1-2 knots
GPS Position N27.52.316 W17.15.573
Clear brighter weather. The North - Easterly winds have resumed their business. The rain has stopped. In the absence of a morning news paper to read, I pump the water that has collected in the bilge. Two protein bars for breakfast and some cold coffee and back to evaluating my options taking into consideration the time lost due to bad weather.
Given the bad run of weather over the past 3 days, looks like it will take me about a week to get out of the Canary Islands (around El Hierro) and get back onto the original course.
A re-calculation of my schedule increases my concerns about the viability of moving forward with the current route. Unless, I made Trinidad, at 10N, my destination, it looked like I would be entering the hurricane season head on.
9.00 am
I give Rune and Tatiana a call to relay my concerns and ask for their opinion. My concern is not crossing in bad weather, but finishing off in very bad weather, hurricane conditions, resulting in me having to abandon the boat near shore or risk the boat being dashed against the rocks in Antigua. They both share my concerns and urge me to re-consider my decision to proceed.
12.00 pm
Sea state: calm
Winds: 1-2 knots
A few more calls to Rune. In light of my discussions, I take the decision that due to the delay with the weather, it is better to wait till after the hurricane season to proceed any further. Rather than risk loosing the boat and the project to a hurricane, it was safer to turn back to La Gomera and wait for more favourable end conditions.
TODAYS PHOTO - 6.00 am on the Atlantic