Thank you all for the wonderful comments!  I had a nudge from Mary for more frequent postings, so will endeavor to do so.  Also will post more pictures, though we also need data capacity for weather files etc.  On that note, it is unbelievably reassuring to have our good friend Bill on board.  He just walked us through weather and routing for the next few days.  He is an amazing weather/routing expert, having logged 400,000 ocean miles.   He is Zen-like in front of an otherwise confusing array of isobar and pressure systems. We expect more of the same (weather, and Zen), winds 15-20 knots from WSW.  Might get a few squalls today. (Nothing to worry about!). We are staying south of the Great Circle route (shortest course) to avoid a low pressure system.

Last night Matt set a Moondance high, recording 17.3 knots (!) of boatspeed surfing down a wave, in 25-30 knots of wind.  Whoops of delight from the cockpit. Imagine a 22 ton boat surfing like that! She is not much in light air, but she plays the ocean like a fine instrument.The winds diminished to 12-13 knots but then rebuilt to 18-20, where they are now.  The slender crescent moon arose at 2:30 am at precisely the right place for the 2-5 am watch (Cam and I) to steer by. Perfect.

Stomachs are settling nicely. more laughter and more people joining in the conversation.  Matt is engineering his way through celestial navigation, eagerly teaching any who will listen. He just this minute retracted a pair of brass dividers from the Nav station and said “ohhh, Yea!.”

Just had lunch: turkey and swiss sandwiches along with fresh salad with lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Jackie is a happy maestro in the galley, her domain. I came off watch at 5 am so slept through breakfast.  Bad move, as Jackie made fluffy pancakes, to rave reviews.

Time moves remarkably quickly on board.  Have not even picked up one of the several books I brought.  Spent a few hours fiddling with the watermaker, which gave us a mild fright (not for safety, just comfort).  All lined out now, turning mountains of seawater into gallons of precious fresh water, the wonders of reverse osmosis.(aside, it just this minute occurred to me that this term could describe the anti-learning process of kids ignoring a teacher while texting in class)

Last night was stifling in the forward cabin.  Temperature on deck is a breezy 70 or so, but the Gulf Stream waters here are 78 degrees, so it can get stuffy below.  We have AC but prefer to use the generator for charging batteries, refrigeration (food, not humans) and making water.  As the winds calmed I asked Cam to go forward and open the hatches for the sleepers: ahh,  fresh air. Of course, at 6 am, after I had settled in to my berth in the forward cabin, a rouge wave doused Bill and Tom. Someone woke spluttering  and said an unkind word, I think at the Ocean, not me.  Come to think of it, I think that is the single unkind word I have heard on this voyage, a real testament to the quality of people on board. Lucky me.

We love your comments!  Thank you all so much for your support!

MJ