There's just nothing like a quiet overnight on anchor in a sailboat with no houses or highways in sight. Food is better. Coffee is better. Dry socks are better.
Cap'n Gilbert transformed into his Chef Gilbert persona and prepared a great yachting meal, then we all tucked in early.
The winds just aren't cooperating this trip. We'd be on course for miles heading straight into the wind, planning to open up the jib as soon as we took a turn, only to find the wind shift right along with us. Such is nature.
Prudent mariners spend a LOT Of time thinking ahead and anticipating what's going to happen, what could happen and what shouldn't happen.
So, much of today was spent by Pat checking out the life raft and a device called an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon). There's also something that goes on the life raft, if godforbid it is deployed, called a 'ditch bag' which includes a bit of food, flashlights, knives, first aid kit, trail bars, waters, a horn, flares, crowbar, sun screen, hand held radio, and batteries. Richard read a book by a guy who told a harrowing tale of being adrift at sea and the one thing he wished he'd had with him was a crow bar to fight off sharks. He has been sailing with that crowbar since 1992. It's gone to Bermuda, Martha's Vineyard and the Chesapeake. It's his lucky crowbar.
Tomorrow's the day we head into the Atlantic. Finally. We plan on only two days, but if the wind cooperates we might just keep on truckin'
I doubt seriously I'll have a cell signal out there, so if you don't hear from me for a few days, that's probably good news - the winds have turned in our favor.
Even at sea we'll have fresh showers. Alleluia carries 180 gallons.
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