Saturday, Skipper's update!

Finally, after several days of one-liner e-mail check-ins, a Skippers Update!

"three days of twenty five plus winds - the spray alone was a monsoon in the happening. At night - no moon, screaming winds, seas of eight to twelve and No Moon. Like sailing in a black ball - absolutely no sense of direction - up/down/right/left all the same. On three hours, three hours in the cockpit for safety (hate to lose someone so always two in the cockpit) and three hours sleeping in water but ....... the grateful red was cruising. knocking off miles - heading east.

Last evening the sun peaked thru, quaffed some of the '77 port - looking good. But no - started to rain for hours, not only a black sphere but a limited visibility black sphere. Only point of note was when a tanker passed by at mach three. By the time the cockpit screamed - boat on the starboard - it was gone. Passed within a mile - looked like a moving spaceship coming out of the mist disappearing into blackness.

Sun came out today and the boat looks like a Chinese laundry - clothes hanging from every line drying. winds are dying as we head into the Azores high pressure system. back to flying the spinnakers and drinking semi cold beers (alternator failed a few days ago living on Fronz's Aqua generator - quite a machine but limited electric power). the Master Chef has been feeding us wonderful seal meals - very tasty. "if you are going to work the animals you have to feed us".
Less then three hundred miles to Horta - Ken"

They are still optimistic for a Tuesday AM arrival in Horta! Hurray from all of us Land-crew!