Day 10

Monday, February 7, 2022, 10:40AM

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SOG 5.0 kts

I had the 5AM ’till 8AM watch, which was quite pleasant, light breeze, full sails, reading and watching the sunrise. Very serene. Just after sunrise John got up and made us coffee. Fortunately we moved on from the last coffee, which was crap, way over-roasted and kinda rank. It did have a nice caffeine punch though, which once you got past the taste it was very helpful during the wee hours of a late watch. Each time I begrudgingly swallowed down a half a cup, dumping the rest of the cup. With this latest coffee I happily had a second cup. John said this coffee was one that he and Marcia got in Sardinia.

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Yesterday afternoon Jens called me up on deck to check out this bird that was soaring around the boat. Jens said that it has been doing it for about half an hour. It’s a cool looking bird, Long gray/blue beek, the top of its head is yellow, most of its body is white with gray fading to black wings. It was really interesting to watch it soar effortlessly all around the boat, as though he was checking us out as much as we were checking him out.

That bird stuck around us yesterday for at least 3 hours. And, the coolest thing is that when John came on deck and saw the bird, after a bit of discussion with Jens, they ironically determined that our new, short-term, mascot was indeed an avocet.

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Also yesterday afternoon John received another weather update from Chris Parker. Chris highly recommended that we head another 300 miles south in an effort to avoid a situation of no wind followed by too much wind. We obediently obliged, changing our heading from mostly west to mostly south. We should be on this tack for 2.5ish days before heading back to our desired westerly direction.

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The winds dropped to the single digits, so, once we were all up and properly caffeinated, we pulled up the spinnaker. After a bit of figuring out, it went up without a hitch. The spinnaker itself is made from lightweight magnificently bright blue cloth with the depiction of an avocet screeching through sky, smack-dab in the middle of the sail. Our speed immediately increased from 3 to 5 knots, and a little while later the wind stepped up just a tick and our speed went to over 6 knots.

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While I sit here writing at just after 11AM I am enjoying a Heineken. Yes, I did just use the words “Heineken” and “enjoy” in the same sentence. Jens “chilled” them in the ocean to about 70’. I have never liked Heineken, still don’t, urine would usually be thought of as an upgrade, but there is something about a semi-cold beer after physical exertion in the heat that is quite satisfying. I am looking forward to some hometown New England IPA’s, until then I will make peace with Heineken.

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Yesterday, Dennis, like an obedient little brother, finished our laundry, hanging it to dry on the lifelines. This morning it was dry, so I folded and put it away.

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Dinner last night was on me. Mahi Mahi 3 ways. Sashimi with Soy, Lime, Chili Oil and Crystalized Ginger; Ceviche with Lime, Tangerine, Garlic. EVOO and Cayenne Pepper; Blackened with Cumin Scented Basmati Rice, Carrots, Mushrooms and a big squeeze of Lime. It was all really good. The only way to make it better would be if we caught a bigger fish…The line is out.

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