2 days out I touted that I would have the boat on the dock at 0700 and we would be waiting in line for the fuel dock to open. I was expecting a line at the fuel dock in a small port called Barbate. This morning at 0655 we tied the second of our spring lines, which was our final line, to the fuel dock. The fuel dock opened at 0800 � ok an hour to kill so some time to clean. Just as the thought meandered through my brain I looked over to see the fuel dock guy unlocking the pumps. Que hora es? We asked the attendant. Ocho. Ocho? Si Ocho. Hot damn! On the dock at 0700 but it is really 0800 with a time change so the fuel dock is opening as we pulled up! We immediately began the refueling process. 45 minutes later we were back underway toward Gibraltar. Mojo baby!

Our last 24 hours heading into this refueling port was quite eventful, but only from an attention standpoint. The wind was very light so we were stuck motoring, but the closer we got the more ship traffic came at us. At the peak of it last night between 2100 and 2200 we had 12 � 14 targets on our radar screen for over 2 hours all less than 6 miles from us! Somehow I ended up with the exciting watch again� go figure. (although Bette had quite a fun one too) That watch went by in the blink of an eye, as you try to calculate trajectories and make the decision on how to alter course to avoid the massive ships. It was the day after the full moon so we got to watch the nearly full moon rise in bright orange! The higher in the sky it came the whiter it got until it sat overhead in a clear sky with just the right amount of luminescence that we could still see ships lights quite clearly but could also make out their outlines with ease and use the binoculars for targets up to 12 miles away. You could not write a better approach to this highly trafficked area.

For the 6 hours following the refueling we never dropped below 9kts of boat speed. The trip through the Straits was quick, calm, clear and quite delightful! We cruised through the narrowest part as the only boat in our vicinity. The shipping traffic was all well to our south inside the TSS. We made anywhere from 9kts to nearly 12 over ground and have not slowed down since. The day has been sunny and a bit hazy with little to no wind but the seas are calm as a lake � just glorious.

The forecast for the next 18 hours is very similar � very calm. However there is a clear line of where we are meant to get headwinds as much as 20-25 knots after that. We find ourselves in a familiar position of having the hammer down trying to beat this weather to the north so we can maintain our calm state or at least get a sailable angle for the final miles to Palma.

There is now a piece of paper taped to the wall in the salon with the words �Distance to RUM� scribbled in my best horrible penmanship. Just below these words is a 389.11nm. 40 hours at 8kts. Arriving just in time for happy hour at the sailor bar near the dock. Smooth sailing at its finest� karmic payback for weathering the storms with aplomb? Dumb luck? The perfect synergistic union of preparation and opportunity? Or maybe just enough of you put in a good word for us with the weather gods� Whatever it is � Mikey likes it!

Today�s Trivia: What product used the slogan �Mikey Likes It� in it�s advertising in mid 80�s?