This afternoon at around 4pm we finished our first 24 hour run. The speedo said 155 miles and that included the early mellow sailing off Beaufort and the fact that I did not calibrate the speedo for the first 12 hours. I would guess that we actually made 165 miles. For a 41 foot boat, that is not shabby. The wind was generally behind us or alongside, which is fast. And the wind was strong quite a bit of the time. As we came out of the Gulf Stream, it got very lumpy and since it was blowing 22 knots and up, I doubled reefed the mainsail. That tamed things down nicely and after a few hours, we put it all back up since the wind had dropped to 17K and the seas had moderated. We were glad to be clear of the Gulf Stream and things are now more normal. We are doing 7.5 knots with a 17K reaching wind.
Seas are smooth and we had another pleasant dinner. Then all hands had a hot shower before starting night watches. I'm sorry, but I like these creature comforts. There are some sailors who like to do everything the old fashioned way and I guess it works for them. We were doing things the old fashioned way back in the 70's and have outgrown it. This boat is a Cadillac! We've sent out all kinds of email, made some fresh water, downloaded weatherfax charts, and talked to Herb - a former cruiser who now does weather routing for cruising crossing oceans. Herb is a former weatherman and recommends that we stay to the South at about 34 degrees North for the next few days to avoid heavy weather up above 36 North. (The Azores are 39 North) Sure! I don't need to be told twice - I don't like being cold, wet, or scared. We are sailing right along 34 North - actually were doing that before Herb, but it's nice to have a more educated opinion.
The sun is about to go down and we are expecting more wind in the middle of the night. But we've reefed the sail several times already and it is really easy, so any one of us can do it without calling for assistance. Life is good. Pray for gentle winds. A bunch of you sent emails - thanks, it feels good to feel connected.
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