1400 EST – 754 miles to Go

We’ve been on starboard jibe now forever. Wind is still in the WNW averaging about 14. Today we bestirred ourselves and dropped the reacher in favor of the asymmetric spinnaker. Result, half a knot more boat speed, and a little better surfing in the small waves which now surround us – Beowulf is averaging around ten knots.

The water is getting warmer and bluer, and the clouds puffier. The autopilot is sailing to target wind angles, picking the best angle for the current wind velocity, and we’re busy catching up on some running rigging maintenance, e-mails, and napping.

The tactical wind situation is a little fuzzy. The weather faxes from NMG are totally off the wall relative to what we’re sailing in – they call for NE (which we wish we had). As a result of the WNW angle, we’re being forced to sail on starboard, moving 10 to 15 degrees west of the rhumb line, towards the lighter winds. If we jibe over now we’ll be sailing at almost right angles to the destination. So, we continue on a course of about 175/185T hoping that the shift to the NE will come sooner, rather than later.

Meanwhile, this is very pleasant sailing, if a little slow.