1000 EST – 27’36"N/67’25W – 568 miles to Go

While America is waiting for the election results (can you believe that the “pundits” were actually right about it being close?) we’re still waiting for the NE trades.

The wind has stayed steadily in the NW – which makes the rhumb line a dead run. Of course we don’t do runs, so we’re jibing back and forth. Jibing one rig is enough for the two of us, but with Beowulf we have two rigs to jibe! Which needs to be done carefully with the asymmetric spinnaker, so as not to have it catch itself on anything or get a wrap.

The good news is that the breeze is supposed to go NE at any minute, and we’ve detected some puffs clocking to north. We’re sailing on port jibe, about 25 degrees up from the mark. If our tactics are correct, we’ll be sailing into more wind pressure, and a NE shift. The shift will allow us to sag off to the rhumb line, and perhaps have the breeze a bit more forward. Now that would be nice.

In the meantime, we are both recovering from a long night of fiddling with the AM radio dial, first depressed, then elated, then numbed by the varying results.

As of the 0700 roll call the closest opposition was 195 miles astern, the third boat back 276 miles. But they have better wind pressure. If they bring the stronger winds down with them…On the other hand, the faxes just received look like the high might expand and catch them in light airs. A real crap shoot.

Our sail is lovely (except for the deep angle). If we weren’t racing we’d adjust course to a more windward destination, and go with the flow. But the racing makes the sailing more interesting – keeps us attentive to Beowulf’s needs.

Today is probably the last day without a cockpit awning. It is T-shirt and shorts weather. The awning is furled and in place. All we need to do is unroll it, bring up the cockpit cushions, and we’re finally in full cruising mode.