By 24 hours after we left the dock things start to settle into a routine. The first day and night can be a bit of a dramatic shift to the sleep schedule and emotions. Trying to remember to take a nap whenever possible or putting money in the sleep bank. It is especially important on as we each adjust to our 6-hour sleep window plus naps.

My morning watch beginning at 4 AM was a bit rough atop of being sleepy. The stars were so bright, I was totally captivated by the Milky Way. We seemed to sailing right along it. Even saw a morning comet. The three eastern planets welcomed me as a tiny crescent moon set over glow of Jamaican. Neptune, irritated I was looking at the stars and not the ocean sent a wave that almost knocked me off the ladder where I was standing. We have a ladder down below instead of stairs. Makes the space we live in down below much roomier. I have never had any problem with the ladder but last night distracted by the stars and adjusting the crotch strap on my life vest/harness I almost fell. I caught myself in a rather graceless monkey fashion while wondering if my tether would have stop me from falling the full 7feet to the floor. I moved to the stable seats of the cockpit and Neptune reminded me who was in charge by throwing a large handful of water and sea weed. No, I had not put on me foul weather top �" it seemed to settled. Well the only other crisis of that watch was it was too windy to begin knitting with the Platilopi yarn �" a delicate Icelandic yard. The green, blue yellow colors of the yarn were beautiful in the morning sun but the wind was just pulling it into pieces. 4 stiches in 2 hours was about all I could manage. I decided to try later or down below.

After that is was a typical day at sea… Ships pass to and from South America and Panama. Barcelona Polar Argentina. I try and imagine what they are carrying fuel, chemicals, fruit or vegetables? The mango theme continues with Mango Chicken Rice Salad for lunch and Mango on M. muesli for breakfast. An annoying counter current is in our face and pushing us west. The newly accessible current projections are fun to look at. They assure us that we really do to have a broken knot meter (speedometer) but are sailing into a current and provide an estimate of when we will leave them behind.

Hoping for at least one more day of good sailing before we are becalmed. Water is cooler and less salty than between Cuba and Haiti. Lots of flying Fish and small dolphins last night. The flying fish slam into the waves when they land with a huge splash.

Yes Karl has gout… finally got an ibuprofen in him but with a beer chaser. Not recommended. He is not uncomfortable as the Mandarin passage from Dakar to Guadalupe when he was crawling on deck. Hope it passes soon