Given the wild surf, the highly focused look on my face, and the fact that my hair is literally standing on end, you might gather that steering in the acceleration zone is not exactly a piece of cake! The wind and waves amounted to a few notches below gale force, and in this photo, I was steering while Richard was busy reefing the main. The wind was so strong that frequently I had to use my entire body to steer. This was done by throwing the tiller hard over, and using my entire body as a "tiller extension" by forcing my arms and legs out horizontally between the tiller and the side of the cockpit...a la "Cirque de Issuma." :) Shortly after this shot was taken, the powerful winds broke several of the mainsail hanks, forcing us to return to Puerto de Mogan for repairs. This was not a bad option as Puerto de Mogan, called the Venice of Gran Canaria, is a beautiful location in which to conduct repairs.