Wednesday, May 24

– 0830

– Distance to go 184 miles. Large line of squalls developing behind us. Another is moving offshore up in the northwest corner of the radar (we offset the screen of our 48 mile Furuno and can see weather 80 to 90 miles in whatever direction we offset. At long distance we use the electronic target enhancement feature and additional gain to see rain bands).The big question now is, Are these from the warm front, and can we get on top (north) of it? If so, we’ll get the clocking winds going to the southwest (right now it’s from the south – right up the stern – which we do not like). If we’re below the warm front, the winds will probably back to the SE, then on through NE. Which is OK as long as it doesn’t go NE too soon – i.e. we do not want to be on the wind.

0900

– 176 miles to go. There is a huge long rain band oriented southwest to northeast coming off the coast at us. It must be 100 miles long. We’ve furled the cockpit awning for the first time since we left California, and rolled up the big reacher and are proceeding with just main and mizzen – until we see what is involved in the way of thunderstorms with what’s coming.

0953

– 166 miles to go. We are almost enveloped by this huge thunderstorm (or small warm front) on the radar. The sky is ragged and ominous looking to the west, and we are starting to see cloud to cloud lightning. Wind remains from SSW, now at 16. This is a very defined area on the radar with a precise clearing past the northern edges.

0957

– Breeze is picking up – now 22 knots. Water strike of lightning ahead and to starboard a few miles off.

1004

– Wind has gone to 205T and is blowing 25. Moderate rain.

1012

– Wind up to 30 knots. We’re doing a steady 16 knots with just main and mizzen. Lots of lightning in the clouds. The cloud now seems to be traveling with us so, as the wind seems to be southwest, we’re going to head more W and see if we can get out. If it weren’t for the lightning, we’d stay in it for the breeze, however.

1024

– Wind is down to 12 but we’re still enveloped. Engine is on and we’re motorsailing on a NW heading to try and get clear. Another line of squalls is forming on the radar to the WNW.

1031

– We’re working our way out now. Rain has stopped. Breeze settled down at SW 15 – a much better angle than before this squall or warm front. We are going to wait another 15 minutes to decide on what headsails to carry. Rebecca probably has two spinnakers up right now!

1050

– A patch of blue to the west and a school of porpoise are welcoming us to New England. In the meantime, we’ve just had an e-mail from Newport saying it is rainy and 45 to 50F. Not sure if our bodies are up to this!Tried calling Rebecca on VHF. No answer. They’re probably out of range – which is hard to imagine between our two mastheads (especially theirs!). They may have slipped by us, or maybe they’re further behind. Guess we’ll find out when we get to Newport!

(View the weatherfaxes at http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov .)