Leg 2, Days 2-3-4

Leg 2 Day 2
I spent a miserable night, tacking backwards and forwards, trying to make the most of what little wind there was and get around the corner, away from the island.
In the morning I picked up a decent breeze and sped away from the still becalmed yachts behind me. But it was not to last and the wind dropped and backed. In the early evening I sighted two spinnakers catching me up. I hurriedly hoisted mine although it was marginal conditions for spinnakers with very light winds and a bumpy sea left over from the day. I abandoned the attempt at 2100 and the other two yachts (Imperador and Bucks Eagle) eventually followed suit.

Leg 2 Day 3
Light and variable winds all day, the spinnaker was up and down twice. It was a day for enjoying the hot and glorious sunshine, spotting ships and marine life. Three ships were seen, all following the same course, only 1 had his RADAR switched on! Sea life included 2 big whales, a turtle and an entertaining school of 8 dolphin.
Passed my noon position to Imperador for forwarding to the RCYC via Portishead Radio. At midnight I was surprised to be in contact with Gerry Freeman on the Open 30 Alice's Mirror. They had become so frustrated with the lack of wind and slatting sails that they had taken them down for a few hours and slept, allowing me to creep up.
I decided it would be better to go N than E in the NE breeze to pick up the westerlies forecast for Saturday sooner.

Leg 2 Day 4
A difficult night and morning with the wind constantly changing, as much as 180°, as I negotiated an area of large cumulonimbus clouds. At one point we reversed course for a mile or so as I was too sleepy to get up and tack.
In the morning I made up for it by getting one of these monster storm cells just right: Approach on port tack heading right for the centre of it, wind slowly picks up from 5k to 15k and veers. Tack, wind still increasing up to 20k, parallel to the edge. Wind continues veering as we sail around it until we end up on the same course we started on but on starboard tack with the wind back to 5k.
I suffered from a sunburnt back in the spot I cannot reach with sun-block, one of the disadvantages of being a single-hander.
I tacked East at 1600 having made plenty of northing.