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Raritan – 12/9/18 – Day 15 – A “day off”




The previous few days have provided us with some drama and chores. Today we found steady winds of 12-16 knots and decided to take it easy. No spinnaker, an easy day of sailing primarily Westward with plenty of time for the crew to sleep, shower, read, or lounge in the cockpit and listed to music. In the morning we ticked past the 500 miles-to-go milestone, which felt significant. Our arrival in St. Lucia seems pretty likely to fall on Wednesday evening, and we’d like to do what we can to ensure we arrive before sunset.

Many of the cockpit discussions revolved around what we will eat, drink, and do once we reach terra firma. Our relaxing day helped prepare us for a taxing night. As we get closer to the Caribbean, we find ourselves sailing through numerous squalls. A gust of cool air is the prelude to winds building to 20 to 25 knots for 5-10 minutes, and often a small rainstorm. Afterward the wind drops to 10-15, with dramatic changes in wind direction, before the ‘nominal’ wind direction and strength return. This evening, we sailed through numerous squalls, which kept our night watches on their toes.

Doug




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