This morning's iridium text asked if Karl was alone. The answer is No! So who is the team on the Mabel Rose? The Owl and the Pussycat? The Captain and the First Mate? Karl and Robin? The Professor and the Curious Selkie? Think I have decided I like Curious Selkie tag. The tag arose out a conversation a week ago with Mimi the Felix Festa Swimming pool selkie dressed in black. A selkie is a mythical female creature who sheds her swimming skins to come ashore. I think that describes many of my friends. And well curious is just my state of being perhaps the state that led me to be a scientist.

It was hard to leave in dark and the fog. Many tears, hugs and thoughtful gifts. Chocolate, muffins, yarn, watercolors, Woody Guthrie pictures, a guidebook to navigating the South Pacific with the classic Polynesian methods and most of all the generous support from our family and friends. Thank you for your patience with our frantic preparations. It was a lot to think of packing for 2 years, 290 days of so of sailing and many miles.

Who knew on the first short leg from Nyack to Ellis Island. I would have to be in the bow with a spotlight looking for winter sticks as we could not see much. The water temperatures are warming now. We are south of Cape Hatteras. Perhaps calms tomorrow which will mean the selkie can swim and the curious selkie can listen to the ocean, see how salty and warm it is down deep and maybe catch something to look at with the microscope.

We are now one week out from the last farmers market stop. The Conklin's donuts gave us fortitude or at least a sweet start to the foggy morning just north of Ellis Island. The flowers from Joy’s stand lasted till the Gulf Stream where we gave them as an offering to Neptune. The leafy veggies are almost gone. The end of the baguette was yesterday's pan perdu. Although we still have a small stash of goat cheese. Dreaming of the next market. Bermuda is a little over 280 miles to the east but I think their markets close in early May. Nyack is behind us and across the Gulf Stream. Jamaica is about 950 miles ahead and is purported to have a wonderful market so southward we continue to move. One small flying fish on deck this morning will be a side for the breakfast eggs â€�" omelette with the last red pepper. As my friend Londa says â€�" Onward.