Text Author: Florian Wilken

I am sitting at Wildlife's starboard helmstation adjusting her autopilot course setting and thence altering her COG (Course over Ground). About 50 hours ago we started our 2000 mile journey from Trinidad to Natal, Brasil and later on to Fernando de Noronha, a group of islands about 200 miles off to the east of the brasilian coast.

The next 4 weeks we will sail along the northeast coast of the southamerican continent. We will pass Guyana and Suriname at approximately 100 miles offshore and most likely stop at Iles du Salut (Guyane Francaise) to rest after the first 650 miles. The next stops will include Ilha dos Lencois after sailing an additional 650 miles, Sao Luis, Jericoacoara, Fortaleza and finally Natal, all of which are part of Brasil.

The route from Brasil (either from Salvador, Recife or Natal) to the Caribbean is frequently sailed by yachts. However, only very few yachts attempt to sail from the Carribbean to Brasil in a west to east direction as we are doing. This is due to the strong Guiana Current and unfavorable winds within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

The Guiana Current originates from the branch of the South Equatorial Current which sets WNW on approaching the southamerican coast, then NW along the NE facing the coast of South America towards the Caribbean. Its average rate is between 1 and 1,5 kn although rates of 4 kn have been reported. We have not yet encountered 4 kn, however we have had about 2 to 3 kn against us since departing from Trinidad.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is often referred to as "the Doldrums". Near the equator, warm air rises and colder air moves in beneath it. As the warm air rises, it forms huge bands of clouds and thunderstorms over the ocean. This area is called the ITCZ. Within the ITCZ thundery showers and squalls are common and the winds are light and variable. At this time of the year the ITCZ is located a little to the south of the equator so that we should only have to deal with it during the last third of our route to Natal.

In Trinidad we found little help concerning information on this particular route. Even charts for this region were not easy to find. A friend of ours, J. Martin Mentrasti, helped us a great deal by providing detailed information via email about the various sailing tactics, places to stop and weather patterns for the route from Trinidad to Natal (Brasil). From the Internet we downloaded weather forecasts, satellite images and further information about this particular region. So we are well prepared for this difficult and demanding route.

So far we have been lucky. We have been able to hold our course close to our bearing of "123 degrees true" (that is the direction on a sailing chart from the northeast of Trinidad to Iles du Salut (Guyane Francaise)). Due to Wildlife's speed of up to 10 knots even on a close haul, we are still sailing at speeds of up to 7 knots over ground (SOG) although having the Guiana current with almost 3 knots against us. The sea is rather calm, waves hardly reach 1 meter. May the winds and currents be with us for the 1700 miles ahead of us.