The whisker pole proved its value when we passed at least 4 boats while using it for about 9 hours on Sunday while wing-on-wing on a downwind run with winds of 10-18 knots. It actually helped to stabilize the boat from the wave action. Who said this isn’t a race? However, as the wind picked up at dusk, we wisely rolled in the genoa and some of the mainsail so the boat handled well even with gusts of up to 28 knots. Yesterday the wind continued to strengthen and the seas to build as a result of a gale NW of Bermuda but the boat and autohelm handled the 20-30 knot winds and squalls up to 38 knots well under reefed mainsail alone; the only negative consequence was that we have had to charge our batteries more often than usual to replenish the juice the autohelm has been using. Today the wind has gradually been reducing in strength but we are still on a run. The seas coming up behind us have been mountainous, a combination of a storm near Bermuda and the high winds we have
been experiencing. We expect the wind to drop substantially later tonight when as we enter a windless ridge that stretches from about 24N to 30N so we probably will have a couple or more days of motoring ahead of us.

So, this passage south has been a very different experience so far from our previous 2 trips and much more pleasant than last years experience of pounding into wind and waves! We still have been keeping our foul weather gear on as the northerly winds have been substantially cooler than the westerlies and southeasterlies we have had on past trips. Only now that the wind is dismissing do we find ourselves stripping off more layers.

Captain and crew are all in good form. We have managed so far to cater to the varied dietary preferences of those onboard. Morris treated us to excellent French toast for breakfast this morning and we are looking forward to one of Michael’s vegetarian creations tonight or tomorrow.