Quiet Day
May 26, 2010 Day 5
28 39.3N 63 20.2W
Hello Everybody!
The first item tonight is to wish Herb Hilgenberg a Happy Birthday! Herb is our weather guru in Toronto with whom we wish we could talk daily via SSB. Unfortunately we are all totally frustrated because Herb can’t hear us, and we can only occasionally hear parts of what he says to other boats. We’ve been checking every connection on our SSB and will send someone up the mast to check those connections once we get into Bermuda. We hope we can solve the problem because we really miss Herb’s presence over the airways each day. Herb, we’re sorry you missed hearing our off key rendition of Happy Birthday and we hope you have a great birthday dinner!
On the sailing front–there hasn’t been any. Nor has there been any wind. So we have been motoring and motoring, yesterday with a foul current of about 1.5 knots against us, which frustrated the heck out of the whole crew. We had made 188 miles for the second dayat 4 pm yesterday, but at 4 pm today it was only 161 miles (darned foul current). We have 223 miles to go to Bermuda, but fuel only until tomorrow mid day sometime. When we get to 30 gallons we’ll have to sail in whatever wind comes our way. We are hopeful that a southwest wind of 10-15 might come along tonight or tomorrow to stretch the fuel. On Friday reports are that we’ll have up to 20 knots from the ENE to carry us into Bermuda. Wish us a nice breeze to go sailing.
While we’ve been motoring the crew has been finding ways to entertain themselves. Everyone has been reading. Jake finished his book, I’m working on my fourth, Brian has finished CHARM SCHOOL and now Leo is reading it. Dave has finished at least 2 books and we’ve all delved into magazines. Ruleo is reading something on his computer while listening to his music. No fish were caught, but the West Indian team had a fine tuna dinner preceded by sashimi, while the engineers ate the side dishes. Brian is teaching both Leo and Ruleo marlin spike seamanship, which involves bits of line and extremely complicated knots. Dave and Jake have taught Ruleo how to play cribbage, so if we don’t get any wind there may be a tournament.
The water temperature has dropped from 85 degrees in Antigua to 76 degrees today. And, fortunately for me, the galley temp was in the low 80′s, down from yesterday’s 101 when I prepared dinner. There is a lot of moisture in the air, so we don’t have great visibility (4 miles this afternoon) and it’s clammy on deck at night. Ruleo has pulled out his long sleeved shirt already and both Ruleo and Leo head for the hot chocolate at night.
All the best from the crew of avalanche, once again wishing for some wind to fill the sails and keep up some speed once we have to turn off the engine.
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