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LOG ENTRY DATE: July 14, 2003 If you've ever sailed offshore, you'll know there are certain nights that are memorable for their beauty... the conditions just right so that being in the cockpit—even at 3AM—is a pleasure. That's what it's like, tonight, on our 4th night out, about 300 miles from Lisbon. I started my watch at 0300, and came on deck to a cloudless seascape lit for miles by an almost full moon, alongside of which glowed the red planet of Mars. Chase's sails are set for a broad reach: the main is way out and prevented, and the genoa poled out to port on the spinnaker pole. There's a slight swell—no breaking seas—so as we move forward, we roll a little from side to side. But boy, do we move forward! We're heading just north of east, and the wind is from the west-southwest at 18 knots, so we're sliding through the water at 7.5 knots, Chase's bows coming down off the seas with a low noise that sounds like waves hitting a beach far away. Even with the autopilot in control, it's an awesome night for sailing... a rare combination of visbility, power, speed, and comfort. It's Friday (July 18) morning, and we've been at sea now for 3 and one-half days. We passed the half-way point from Sao Miguel to Lisbon yesterday, at 340 miles. The sailing has been a variety of conditions: gusty from the north, cloudy with light southerly winds, and now with consistent southwesterlies and clear conditions. While we've tried to avoid using the motor, we have actually logged 35 hours on it so far. Despite not having a deadline to arrive anywhere, I start to get antsy when the speed drops below 4 knots, and the sails start to slat. Since we have the fuel to make almost the entire crossing, I don't mind cranking her up and falling from the purist state of grace... not to mention that it sure is nice the way the engine-driven compressor cools down the fridge! Our watch standing has been pretty loose—one person on watch for three hours, with the only time actually scheduled being from 2100 to 0900. That means the four of us simply have to cover 12 hours at night, which we do with a rotating watch. During the day, we simply come and go as we want, with everyone steering or cooking as necessary. Everyone seems to have a different pattern while standing night watches. As captain, I always have something to keep me busy, if I'm happy with the way the boat is sailing herself: the ship's log, this log, my time/distance/fuel spreadsheet, charting, minor maintentance tasks, etc. I often find Tom steering, which can be a thrill at night, while others simply read or listen to music or books on CD. Regardless, I don't think that anyone finds it to be difficult duty, especially when conditions are as fair as they've been for this trip. Crew-wise, I think we've done well. While I'm disappointed that Ted could not make the trip with us, Adam has plugged himself in well, and knows how to contribute. Susan turned the corner yesterday on her running battle with seasickness, and all of us could personally feel her relief! With her back in the lineup, the communications between us all has gelled, and we're starting to hit our stride as an offshore crew. We have our routines and our tasks, they are all done with enthusiasm, and the boat moves on smoothly as a result. I'm sure we all have our own individual "attributes" that drive other crewmembers nuts, but that's just part of the mix... We continue to fish, but have yet to have a strike, let alone board one... |
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