Day 2 started out with great sailing and speed, but finished with the wind clocking around on to our nose and forcing some more motor sailing, we were not making much progress toward anything. We tried south, we tried west both resulting in about 3-4kt of forward progress under bare polls after dinner.

Compliments to the chef, English Turkey roasted to perfection, stuffing to die for made from stale bread that you had to cut with a chain saw. Gouda smashed potatoes and fresh carrots with brown sugar cause they kinda look like yams. Wind had died enough for the entire crew to sit in peace and have a typical Thanksgiving fest! Wine and Rum and Diets – course it was my time to sleep to what better way to get a good siesta in a bouncy boat than a good drink of grog.

As night fell the sky was cloudy and some big waves had come in, on my watch I was able to roll out a bit of jib and get back on course, and woke up Marvin to finally raise some of the main sail, about 2/3rds of it (second reef point) with 22kn of wind and pinching at about 37 degrees to the wind. Rolling along at 6-7 so we didn’t completely plow through the waves while the crew was sleeping. Christine came up to relieve me at 4am and its still pretty much still set like that now @ 10:40AM Zulu (GMT).

Boat is covered in salt, lots of spray over the bows when going over the short waves and smacking into the next one behind it. Nice sunny day, very lightly scattered clouds.

Crew is still doing well, just chillin out while the water passes under the keel.

Did find out that the Aggies were whipping up on the Longhorns, so that pretty much speaks the longhorn season, no?

Course over ground: 219 Speed over ground: 5.7kn Total miles through water: 334 Miles to destination: 2508kn if we were a bird.

First night and round of watches over with. Simply awesome evening. A little motor sailing till my shift came up at 1am – 4am, then we could maintain 6kt with just the jib, it was really time to raise the main, just being cautious waited till daylight to make sure none of the lines were twisted.

Lovely dinner cooked up by Capt’n Ron, no kidding, that’s his name. Some chicken boobs (Breasts) and rice, a cold beer and all was good.

As I started this update, the wind shifted, so we went from 10kt with the wind on the port beam to 6kt beating with wind off 40 degrees too the port. Just dropped the dagger boards down, and now back up to 7kt into the 10kt breeze – the speed is the speed through water, not speed over ground which is about a knot slower.

The night was filled with stars and an almost full moon, I think we saw but 2 ships throughout the night, and definitely no oil wells like we are used to in the gulf. Was pretty chilly with the breeze and the jackets and hats were sported by all on watch.

The turkey is thawing in the fridge, to we’ll be celebrating thanksgiving as everyone else, turkey and mashed potatoes, homemade dressing, etc..

All is good here.

As the crow flies, 2577kn miles to go. 194 miles under the keel in the last 24hrs

We are off the dock, out of the marina, all cleared out gassed up and just about rounding the bottom of Gran Canaria island.

With little wind 5kn we are running in flat smooth water with both engines just around 1800 rpm, pushing 5kn of boat speed. Hoping that we get a little more wind after we round the island.

Forecast has some rough weather on the nose on the rhum line (er straight line to St. Lucia) so we are heading further south to sneak around the corner near the Cape Verde islands.

Beautiful wether, sunny no clouds in the sky. Just need a little more wind to take the sails out.

As the crow flies, 2670kn miles to go.