Sunny Spells is just inside Gubal Strait at the southern end of Suez Gulf. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
We have about half a knot of north setting current with us and gusty E-SE wind, 10 to 30 knots true. We had a very nice day of downwind sailing with 15 knots over the starboard quarter the whole day. We poled out the headsail (goosewing) and hand-steered. Just before the Strait the weather looked ominous: dark clouds and big dust clouds. The wind dropped to 5 knots. We rolled away the headsail, put 3 reefs in the main and motored. Now we have a gusty southerly that fluctuates from 5 to 25 knots apparent without warning and direction between dead square and on the starboard beam. Must be turbulence caused by all the mountains either side of the Gulf. We have doused the main sail completely and now have about half the headsail set on starboard tack. We are running the motor to keep momentum in the lulls and surfing the gusts. As I write, the wind has gone dead square and less than 5 knots apparent so now we have only a small little triangle of headsail out for stability.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
Position 27° 40.372′ N 33° 56.353′ E
\r\nCOG 319T
SOG 6.0kt
Log 11,317 nm
Engine 401.2 h<\/p>\r\n\r\n