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American Spirit II - Day 93; 7th Green Flash and Sailed 170 Miles; Sunday, April 6, 2014



Slept pretty good. Stephen awakened me for 6:00 AM watch. Missed great sunrise 6:10 AM. Was down below shaving, making coffee. Might have missed a green flash.



At 7:00 AM the wind was 14 knots and our boat speed 6.0 knots over the ground. At 8:00 AM I took out the reefs in the mainsail and jib. Our speed immediately increased 1 1/2 knots. We need to sail at 7.0 knots to get to Ahe Monday in the daylight.



Breakfast was at 10:25 AM. During breakfast a freak wave 'slapped' the side of the boat completely soaking Joel and his breakfast plate. I was only half soaked - the right side of my body only.



Joel conducted the communication's net at 11:00 AM, with 8 boats responding.



Our noon position was: 12 degrees, 22 minutes South; 143 degrees, 55 minutes West; and 183 miles from Ahe. We covered 170 miles from noon Saturday to noon Sunday, averaging 7.1 knots. That's fast sailing. When we won the Florida to Mexico race in 2010, we average 5.7 knots.



The sailing from noon to 6:00 PM was very good, with winds of 15 - 18 knots most of the day. We were on a broad reach and averaging 7-8 knots in boat speed. We need to sail at 7.5 knots to get to Ahe by 1:00 PM Monday.



The sunset at 6:05 PM was good, except that large waves kept Stephen and I from seeing the green flash that Joel saw. That is Green Flash #7 for our boat during this circumnavigation.



For dinner we had freeze dried: Turkey Tetrazini (SP?) and Macaroni & Cheese for the main courses; followed by some type of white vegetable that I can't name because the can label was in Spanish; chilled pear halves and French bread.



During my 9:00 PM to midnight watch, I shook out the reef in the mainsail at 10:20 PM and our speed increased from 7.0 knots to 7.5 knots. The wind was now 18 knots. There was half a moon, and a top of stars along with the Milky Way. We were still broad reaching. Perfect sailing conditions.



Just at midnight as Joel was coming on watch for the 12:00 AM to 3:00 AM watch, we passed Follie a Deux, a 39 foot catamaran. Just as we passed them the moon set.



Brian Fox

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