It's April Fools Day and somebody told me it was summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Apparently, they were joking.

It is cold outside. As in raining ice pellets cold. Even with gloves on my fingers were Popsicles before I could finish shaking the reefs out of the Solent.

We were fast last night considering the wind and the sails I had set. I as expecting 30+ for most of the night after midnight and that's what was served up. With two reefs in the Solent we were doing sixes and sevens.

Now, almost immediately after the passage of the cold front, we are close to under canvassed. And for once, the seas are not a menace. Wind wave and swell are aligned and we happily race down the faces and glide up the backs. Once I've thawed out my fingers, it will be time for the Yankee to do its part. And thereafter, the main.

My navigation is not so suspect as 24 hours ago. I was able to get good sights yesterday and my DR this morning has us past 95E longitude. That means we are exactly 10 degrees and some 710 miles away from crossing under Cape Leeuwin. Getting here, to 95E, seems a success. Right now, with the forecast we have for the second week in April, I'll take anything I can get for solace and encouragement. Whenever John starts referring to intense post Tropical Depressions the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.