A beautiful morning. The sun came up and the temperature was so pleasant with little or no humidity.

We enjoyed yet another morning of dolphin playing but this was a school of five or six. Greg got some wonderful video of them as they tore through the waters.

Today we hit the Gulf Stream. How can we tell? We are currently doing about eight knots with nine knots of wind. It is almost like slow motion but we are going faster than it seems. The Gulf Stream starts below Florida and goes up the east coast up to about New Jersey where it turns to the east towards Europe. It is literally an ocean river. It is approximately forty five miles wide and has been an ocean super highway for centuries carrying trade from ports in the south to destinations in Europe. We have enjoyed our "ride" up the Gulf Stream whose swift current has allowed us to sail along at eight and nine knots with little or no effort. We broke ten knots on several occasions on less than nine knots of wind.

The Gulf Stream is not without peril. That same north flowing current that is bringing us home when it collides with a northerly wind can turn it into a frothy cauldron of steep and choppy waves. Also if you are sailing south and you find your self going against that same current, it will feel as though you threw an anchor overboard. You need to know where it is and avoid it.

With over three hundred and ninety miles behind us, we have had the challenge of battling a wind off our stern the entire trip. You hear many folks say "may the winds be at our back", but realistically if your boat is not set up for downwind sailing (which ours is not) you find yourself battling the unexpected jibe or flopping out of control jib sails.

Onward to Morehead City!