Email to Lee: Predicted 24h position: Lat: 38deg 54.4" Long: 144deg 25.3 " COG: 049deg SOG: 5.4kts Baro: 29.74 24h range:29.89-29.74 Wind: NNW 16kts 24h range: N to WNW 16kts to 28kts presently shifting back towards North Waves NNW 3M occasional 4M Sails furled Paravanes: Working and worth their weight in gold! Present gph 2.5 g/h Clouds:85% cumulus

Summary: Period of beam seas has increased becoming more comfortable. Several crested into cockpit early this morning. Boat continues to be great. Pressure has stabilized at 29.74 for last 12h. Temp is down mid day here to 69 deg F. Any changes in forecast? When do we get to lounge on deck again with our ukeleles and suntan oil? BTW quite a bit of debris in water. Mostly plastic fishing floats but some unsettling pieces of heavy netting.

24h summary Fuel used:58g Gal/hr 2.4 Fuel at destination:1084g Distance made good:131 Ave. Speed:5.5kts MPG:2.3 Fuel remaining:1605g Max range:3692nm Range to Destination:1198nm Reserve Range:2494

More of the same

My open ocean education has added another chapter. The previous leg gave me a certificate of added qualification for strong wind and seas on the nose. This trip is giving me a similar certificate for beam seas. All I will need to complete the course is the "following sea" module. We'll see what presents itself on the remainder of the trip or I may have to enroll in the Seattle to Mexico course to get a good aft wind and sea. Breezy weather has persisted and our barometric readings have fallen from 30.12 to 29.74. We have a steady 3-4 M beam sea which is fairly long period. As with head seas, the Duck rides them like a champ with able assistance from the paravanes. Winds are in the mid 20's gusting to over 30. Forecast is for easing by tomorrow at which time we can raise sails again. All on board are happy with the boat's performance and sea conditions. The grey and blustery weather inspired me to make pressure cooker chicken noodle soup which was met with such positive reviews that my crew insisted that I include the recipe in the blog. (They also implied that my Eastern European Jewish roots gives me an unfair advantage with this particular dish)(No Matzoh balls on this trip, however) Anyway, With a bit of olive oil in the pressure cooker, brown 4-6 chicken thighs and set aside. Chop and cook one onion, two celery stalks with leaves, and two carrots cut into rounds, until softened. Add thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and 4 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken stock and browned chicken. Seal and bring to high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release pressure. Remove chicken and debone and shred . Cook 1 cup of egg noodles in the soup until done and add shredded chicken and if you have it, some parsley and or peas. Serve in a big enough bowl to keep from sloshing up and over the sides and with crusty hot buttered bread. Tastes like the real item and wards of all kinds of ailments.

Had a scare with the propane stove. An alarm in the galley came on and Wade our McGiver in residence found a shorted sensor in the cockpit propane storage compartment after getting wet from sea spray. We were worried that we would be eating only barbecued and micropwaved food until Wade discovered that you can disable the alarm in the outboard container and still have the more important galley sensor active for safety and the stove will function perfectly. Soup was saved!