Being out  here in now officially the “Middle of the Ocean”, puts you in a rhythm. A rhythm of being awake, asleep, on watch and off watch.  Not what we are used to at “home”, where you get up, do your routine work day, end it and then sleep the night through.  Sure there is daybreak, sunset, daylight, dark, all that, but we are working 24 hrs. a day moving the boat across the Ocean (still gives me goose bumps saying that).  Each watch has it’s pros and cons. But the Midnight to 3 AM is the hardest.  Still, when I am on watch in the middle of the night, knowing that the last 30 minutes will seem to come to a screeching halt, I feel lucky!   What it feels like is  me and my boat running along the big waves, like I am riding a horse along rolling hills. Sometimes at a full gallop! (yesterday was a full gallop day!  I wanted to yell “YeeeeeHaw” but didn’t want to wake the crew)

Believe it or not the days go by fast! I thought I would have all this time to do stuff, fix broken jewelry, paint cool designs on yoga pants, read dozens of books, but next thing you know its time for watch , or dinner, or some other chore that is more important than yoga pants. (feeding the cats, cleaning up the galley,  plotting the charts, wiping the slippery salt off of the cabin floor, etc etc ) But that is OK. The yoga pants can wait, The books are here.  One day I will miss these days. We still have big bodies of waters to sail, but this is my first Ocean Crossing!  And it is really special.

We had much adversity even before leaving Annapolis! One boat problem seemed to follow another boat problem. It’s an old boat, sure, but we’ve poured so much blood sweat and tears into this boat that it seemed so unfair for all these things to happen in the final weeks, even right up to the days leaving the Bay (like the tornado that broke the steering arm)

However, now the boat Is performing like a champion!  We survived so many squalls, more than I can count, between Norfolk and Bermuda, some with winds exceeding 60 knots, and the boat just plodded along.  We beat into stiff NE winds the first 3 days after leaving Bermuda and boat sailed so balanced, we didn’t have to touch the wheel for many hours!!!  And now, we have our Big South West Winds complete with 10 – 12 ft waves and the boat just merrily sails along, and I SWEAR it is SMIILING!!!  At night. I just point it into the moonlight , or into the sunrise in the morning and head East.  Holding a compass course is no easy task in 20 kt winds and 12 ft seas, it is a work out! And good thing, being as how I still own several bikinis, but it is a rewarding work out. Leaving every muscle sore, but knowing we’ve covered a lot of distance, making good speed, and  in the direction we want to go!!!!

Our little ship is like its own planet. We have some creature comforts, like plenty of fresh water, to drink, and shower (even if they are Tea Cup showers) Good food and plenty of it, good lights when we want, good working instruments, music, if we want, this computer and the sat phone, and more.

My only complaint is bad hair days. and I mean really really bad hair days.

And this Newly Patented Excusive Delux Ever Damp System , well it really works!!!  Who needs freshly laundered sheets when you can have Ever Damp sheets? Who needs soft dry pillows, that smell like “Spring Linen”, when you can have Ever Damp pillows that smell like salt!?  Who needs light and fluffy cotton T shirts, when you can have clammy Ever Damp T shirts that feel like they weigh 3 pounds!!!   Take it from Our Most Wonderful Crew John Prehn, who says “ Every thing I own on this boat is Ever Damp. Couldn’t live a day without it!”