Just 36 little hours. Okay, okay, a day and a half, but what a big difference! After such a cold start, standing or sitting outside for a 4-hour watch, hardly able to move because we were wearing so many layers, we are pleased and relieved to report we’ve taken off those layers and are warming up! It began to warm gradually each watch. When Peter called me for my 2nd night’s watch he suggested that I would be comfortable omitting one layer. Since I know Peter lives in upstate New York and formerly raced a skeleton bobsled, and is accustomed to more cold than I am, I took his advice: I wore all my clothes, but put my hat and gloves in my pocket instead of wearing them. (And I was totally comfortable.) This morning I was told again that I could lose a few layers, so I cut back to only one set of long johns with long pants and long sleeves and socks under my shoes. Imagine my surprise to find Leo wearing only a towel climbing back into the boat after a bath on the back deck. I went back and exchanged all those layers for a t-shirt and shorts with sandals. Once again, I’ve been perfectly comfortable. We all are.

Today has been a beautiful day. It was about 64 degrees with bright sunshine and blue skies. We have run out of wind again, so we were motorsailing, but the swells out of the NE have remained rather large–8-10′, so we’re rolling. Leo and I checked the inclinometer and found regular rolls of 8 degrees, with the large swells rolling us 15 degrees. (You should try to imagine how far from vertical 15 degrees is. Then try to imagine how that would affect anything you are doing: chopping veggies on a cutting board, standing on one leg putting your pants on, walking with a cup of coffee. That will give you a small idea of one aspect of life on board.)

We crossed the Gulf Stream with little fanfare. In fact it was very entertaining. Jake and I were on watch together between 4 and 6 am, when we began to see signs that we were in the stream. At first there was a slight deviation as the boat was swept to the left of course and then the water temperature began to climb. The thermometer began at 63.5 and eventually reached 77. In a matter of about 15 minutes we watched the digits steadily tick upward from about 67 to 73. Within 4 or 5 hours we were on the other side of the stream in 67 degree air and 73 degree water.

But enough of the weather report. The dolphins have been much more exciting. We have had several pods of dolphin with us during most of last night into mid morning. Some closed in on the boat, others leapt through the waves a few yards away, many were merely swimming alongside, and we have to assume they were also swimming in our bow wave. Additionally, the phosphorescence was incredible last night. There was a huge churned wake behind the boat, dotted with phosphorescent sparkles–like fairy dust. And to top all that off we had meteors again last night. A full-fledged light show.

The semi-annual fishing contest has officially begun. Peter is fishing to starboard, Jake to port. (Please refer to “Offshore fishing” in the category list, where Jake describes how the contest works, and where you will find photos of some of the previous years’ catches.) [or just click here!!!] Once we were out of the cold water and the guys felt they could stand on the back deck to gaff and clean fish, they put their lines in the water. At 1430 we had a 15 pound Skipjack tuna on Peter’s line. The guys were so excited they were all on deck to get the fish aboard. Jake reeled the fish in, Peter gaffed it, Leo poured a little vodka into its gills to subdue it, and I got a photo of Peter holding his prize. Jake had a surprise for Peter. He had bought fish flags for the 3 fish we are most likely to catch: tuna, mahi-mahi, and wahoo, a set for each side. So after Peter cleaned his fish he hoisted the first fish flag: a tuna on the starboard courtesy flag halyard. Score: Peter 1, Jake 0, fish 0. Of course the bonus to all this is tuna sashimi for an appetizer and seared tuna for dinner. We are eating very well!

All the best from the warm and happy crew of Avalanche, wishing you all a
Happy Thanksgiving.

36 degrees 9 minutes W latitude, 69 degrees 11 minutes N longitude (click this to see where that is)

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