Position           29:22.68N 079:43.89W

Date                2359 Wednesday 18 April 2012

Midnight yesterday saw us just out into the north flowing Gulf Stream where it is constrained between Florida and the Great Bahama Bank.

The course was plotted to endeavour to ride the maximum current north and with the wind light and very much up the stern this gave a considerable lift.  The run for the 24 hours as marked on the chart was 118.3nm through the water but 183nm over the ground, the Gulf Stream providing 65nm over the day or approximately 2.5 knots average speed benefit.  It would not do to be going the other way.  Poling out the genoa and preventers on the main and mizzen worked well to give us steady if not dramatic progress.  Freshening wind towards midnight brought our boat speed back up above 6 knots for the first time since last night.

Night sailing has been great with a clear sky filled with stars and phosphorescence sparkling in the wake.  There is a very real beauty in all of this which makes watch keeping a special experience.

Catering has been of the standard expected of the Mate.  The tomatoes with lunch, purchased green, have survived for a month in the refrigerator.  Successful provisioning is a very much appreciated skill.  Supper was a chicken stir fry.