Wednesday / Thursday 26 & 27 June 2019

With our full team having assembled yesterday we were ready for the next big step of our trip, to cross from Menorca to Sardinia.  This was calculated as 193 miles and should take about 1 and a half days, not massive but needing to be taken seriously.  Although we had some contingency in or options, the weather forecast indicated that Wednesday would be the day to depart, so after and early night, worrying about the closeness of the cala walls, I was glad to be up and off.

The alarm went off at 5:00 and we were on our way by 5:35, just as it was getting light.  We wanted to arrive in daylight, so squeezing every moment we could was going to be important. It was still only half light when we left, and as a result we had the navigation lights on for the first few minutes.  However, soon after we had cleared the cala, and the next couple of small bays, the sun came up and we could start to relax into the journey.

With 5 on board, we decided that we only needed 2 people on deck at any one time, so we devised a very comfortable, 4 on 6 off watch system.  This was seen ad comparative luxury to all of us, who are used to much tougher schedules.

Initially a fresh wind was blowing and the sea was really quite lumpy. We bounced happily over the waves, but it was a little uncomfortable below decks.  Over the next few hours, however, the wind eased a little and the sea state settled down, to what is termed “slight” in the logbook.  The conditions were fantastic, warm, some wind, flattish water, and not a cloud in the sky (for the entire voyage).

There was very little in the way of other shipping, this was clearly not a major route, I think I saw less than 10 other vessels in total, until we were very near to Sardinia, when we started to encounter fishing boats.

We watched the sunset behind Equinox. Overnight it was clear and still warm. The lack of cloud and light pollution meant that we had a fabulous view of the stars. It is only when you get right away from the other light sources that you start to appreciate just how dramatic the night sky is.

We had some periods with no wind, and we put the engine on to maintain our progress, still bearing in mind the desire to arrive in daylight.  However, these episodes were comparatively short lived.

By mid afternoon on Thursday, we started to have wind in reasonable force and direction, so we flew the spinnaker for most of the trip. This meant that we were moving at a good pace, and quickly crossing off the miles.

We arrived of the spectacular cliffs of north west Sardinia and anchored in Cala de Bollo at just after 7:00 in the evening. We had completed our journey of 205 miles, including tacks, and arrived in another different country.  A very satisfied crew celebrated with a glass of fizz 

I think Sardinia is going to be great.

Distance covered today	205	nautical miles
Trip distance covered	1115	nautical miles
Distance covered 2019	1115	nautical miles
Steve (and Tricia)