Nothing much going on today – still heeled over in 20 knots of wind but seas much lower – 6-8′ so the ride is better and we’ve stopped heading west! Now it’s just north! 🙁

Tomorrow we hope to be able to turn just a little east towards the Azores. The rhumb line is only  ( ! ) 1883 miles, but the route we’re taking it’s probably going to be more like 2,300 miles from here. So far we’ve travelled 637 miles, making just 287 to the good. Average speed is now 7.75knots ( no wonder it’s wet! ).

Only major breakages thus far are the leaking mast – which will be a bugger to fix – and the bilge pump has stopped operating correctly – it works, but just doesn’t shut off, so we have to remember to operate it once in a while… Our wind generator is also acting up – or it may just not like these bouncy conditions – it keeps stopping and starting – mostly stopping – so the generator is seeing more use than is normal… Basic boat is doing very well ( touch wood ) and we’re charging along with 2 reefs in the main and the small jib out – 7.5 knots now, but I just saw 9.5!!

If the wind and seas die a little tomorrow, I’ll get the fishing pole out!

Cheers!