I’ve learned a lot about seafaring during the last few weeks. The latest lesson is that you can’t go where the weather doesn’t want you to go. Right now, it seems the weather would prefer us to go to Iceland rather than home. We beg to differ. So, after 6 days at sea, we’re turning around and going back to the Azores to wait for more favourable conditions.
Unusual weather systems have generated strong easterly winds throughout the northeast Atlantic. We’ve been battling upwind since we left the Azores, hoping for a change. But the forecast isn’t improving, and if we continue battling the easterlies we run the risk of ending up a) in Iceland, and b) very hungry.
In the words of Ran Fiennes, better a live donkey than a dead (or very hungry) lion, so we’re taking the prudent course of action. Hello again, Azores.
Still due to be inter4viewed live on the BBC Radio Solent breakfast show on 11 May. Listen in then for the latest!