Saturday morning and we'll start our fourth day at sea later this afternoon. Finished our third night at sea with quite a few ships this morning. None passed very close, but they were on the screen. A change from the blank screens of previous days. We've seen very few birds on this leg of the trip, but there are always flying fish around and some larger portuguese men of war.

Hit the gulf stream yesterday afternoon. The water temperature increased from 27 degrees C to 30.6 degrees C and the current pushed us strongly to the north. Had to set the boat on a course to kind of crab through it, so we wouldn't get set too far off our course. The seas increased to twelve to fifteen feet. Fortunately they were from behind, so they just rolled under the boat. They were lumpy and confused as well, with some waves coming from the beam and others just acting like potholes in a road. Quite a bit of Sargasso grass in the water and as it does further south, this stretch of water seemed to have its own weather with its own distinct winds. Shook free around 2100 hours last night and we've been motoring in very light winds ever since. Not having read up on the characteristics of the gulf stream this far north, I was surprised both at how quickly we got through it and the intensity of the current. This morning, the seas are fairly calm with long period swel ls of about a meter or so.

The moon was about three-quarters full and the sky was clear last night. Around ten pm several planes flew by heading east to Europe leaving long contrails in the sky almost underlining the moon that was busy lighting up the sea below.

If we continue at this pace, we'll probably arrive in Block Island around midnight Sunday night or early Monday morning.

Cold pasta with canned chicken, celery, onions, capers, and mayo for lunch. Grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. An egg, fried potatoes, and an english muffin with home-made Block Island blueberry preserves for breakfast this morning.