If our estimate of fuel consumption (2 litres per hour) at our current speed of 4 knots is correct, then this time tomorrow (0215 local time) we'll have 25 miles left to run, but the main fuel tank will be out of useable diesel! If we've under estimated our fuel consumption, the engine will conk out before then!
Currently, the different weather models vary quite a bit in the detail of how the wind will behave over the next 48 hours between our current location and our destination. Broadly they range from none to speak of anywhere en route, to useable wind kicking in, from around the southern tip of the island and northwards, in the early hours of Friday morning (GMT).
We have 15 litres of fuel in reserve in jerry cans. In theory that gives us just over 7 hours of motoring - enough to cover 28 miles! The thing is though, the last place one wants to be when the engine dies is entering a strange port! Hopefully therefore, the more optimistic forecasts prove to be the most accurate!
Of course we could just drift and wait for sufficient wind to get us moving again. However, I have done what every sailor knows they should never do, but which most of us inevitably do, do, on occasion and that's impose a time constraint. In this case, Sharon's arrival on the afternoon of the 2nd of January! There's also the small matter of New Year's Eve to factor in! I don't think either Mick or I will be looking forward to a 'Rave', but it would be nice to be in a bar somewhere!
No comments:
Post a Comment