Day 10 - Half-way there

June 12, 2008 Thursday 9pm - first night watch - 33d 07' North 52d 52' West
It's been a slow day - we are crawling along, dead downwind in lightish winds, heading south to avoid the forecast storm coming down from the north. We've been doing 3, 4, sometimes 5 knots and rolling like crazy in the big seas that are starting to march down from the storm. They are only about 6 feet high, but when you are in the trough, they look like moving walls of water and you can't see the horizon until you are on top of one of them. But they are not steep and the boat only rolls when one passes beneath.
Otherwise, things are great. Although tomorrow is Friday the 13th, the weather forecasts suggest that the storm will remain mostly to the North of us and we will get winds to 25 knots. That is no problem and since they will be coming behind us, we should be able to rack up some miles for a change. The worst weather is due on Monday or Tuesday and so there is plenty of time to make tactical moves should need to avoid something. We'll be watching. I download weather charts every day and listen to Herb, the weatherman who advises the 40 odd boats that are out here in various parts of the Atlantic.
Tonight at dinner, we celebrated the half-way point of the voyage with 1100 miles to go. It is a little cooler for the last several days. When we were near the Gulf Stream, it was warm and humid. Now it seems drier and cooler. Mind you, all this is relative. We haven't worn anything heavier than shorts and shirts since leaving, but tonight some blankets on the bed will feel good.
We've been making our own water from seawater again and it is good to finally get a good tasting glass of water after a long time. Why can't cities ever deliver a good tasting glass of water any more?
I am missing the political news and reports from the stock markets, but otherwise, on our little world we don't think much about the outside world. We're doing a lot of reading and Merritt is a gifted conversationalist, so discussions have been wide ranging. I'm the quiet one.
We haven't started practicing our Portuguese yet, but we are looking forward to good bread and food from Europe. Write if you find work....
Late Flash - I never got around to sending this. It is now noon Friday and we are going nearly due east at about 7.5 knots! The wind came up to 20K and now we are making the miles. Current pos'n 33d 04'N 50d 58'W Great sailing!