DAY 4

Gaviota
Tue 6 Jan 2009 14:07
 27:31.443N 62:14.602W
At 0900 local (1300 gmt)  distance run in last 24 hours 157 miles
Right now smooth sea and struggling to do 5 knots in 8 knots of wind... but going in the right direction and to be expected in a ridge of high pressure. I am now gambling on the front that is coming off the American coast right now will push the ridge south and leave me in a cold but decent wind pushing me east. If I should have gone further north I will be mega pissed off .. that will cost me a good 3 maybe more days waiting for the next one!
Anyway yesterday perfect, sunny, cold breeze pushing us along at over 7 knots all day ... got stronger late afternoon so took a reef in and as night fell thought we were in for a mega days run ... guess what .. by 9 pm the reefs were out and by midnight we were ghosting along following what little wind there was at 2 to 3 knots ... but in the right direction and sea dead flat so no banging and crashing from side to side. So on I went.
Got really excited mid afternoon when I saw a white sail on the horizon .... only as it got closer to realise it was the sun reflecting off the bridge of a tanker ... what a disappointment!
Anyway I got some sunbathing in .. but had to keep out of the wind ...  the leeward cockpit seat was the only place. And then the night ... Blimey was it cold.... Clear starlight sky .. not a cloud nor a squall to be seen ... and me sleeping my 25 minute bursts in the cockpit. Well I had on my full Mustos, Tee shirt rugger shirt, bike leggings and gloves with the neck up (which just leaves the eyes nose and mouth out in the open ... and ... I was still cold ... So dug out a long canvas cover from down below and used it as a blanket ... that did the trick... all snuggly .. trouble was when the alarm kept going off I had to force myself to get out from underneath ... just as well I did ... another tanker went past in the very early hours!
 
So I decided a cooked breakfast in order ... started dreaming about it at about 5 am .... But when I eventually got out for the day at about 7.30 (dawn) I then had a choice to make .... sea fresh fried flying fish as per the traditional Barbados breakfast ..  ie the one that had landed on me in the night ... or scrambled egg with tomatoes on toast ... the scrambled eggs won!