II did a lot of maneuvering last night after 3 am. The boat had slowed down to 2 kts and things were being thrashed around. SO I got up to set more sail. But the wind was hifting at the same time so it took a while before the weather and I got on the same wavelength! But now it's finally smooth. The next 24hrs should be pretty tame. I have about 250nm to go I think and one more reef to avoid.
I really wanted eggs for breakfast but due to my total numbskullness I had Muesli instead. I still have fresh meat to eat. It was so cold yesterday(no fleece yet but definitely long sleeve shirt) but today we're back to naked weather.
24hr run: 1087-1000= 87 nm ! ppffff..... No wonder with the day yesterday. And that's not even toward the goal! That's just the distance traveled...

From Captain's Log: star date Sept 29:
"Time: Comments
05:00 Wind died around 3am so I hoisted the main. Messed around with the vane who refused to maintain downwind course in about 13 kts of breeze - the vane itself doesn't have the oomph to flip other to the other side. Switch to AP at 4:30 am. Wind still shifty from the east roughly (grib says NE which would be nice)
10:30 Well the NE eventually came at 8:30. At 20kts. I was able to switch back to the vane. Now it settled around 12-14 kts with lulls and periods slightly stronger. The GRIBs show than it should be about 10kts but GRIBs often underestimate wind. What they got really wrong is the location of a little local branch of the ITCZ which, I think, was on top of us yesterday (hence the crappy day) but was supposed to be further west by a good bit. Today the clouds look more like high pressure clouds; there is some blue but it's mostly cloudy although the ceiling is high. It's easy and comfortable sailing now which is nice because I did a lot of maneuvering in the second part of the night. I am well rested and feeling pretty. Got 2 emails this morning which was nice."

There are 2 parts to sailing, getting there and being at sea. During a few day passage, it's mostly the getting there part that counts. On a long passage, you slowly get shed the getting there part, and it becomes all about being at sea. One day you just noticed that you turned the corner. If you don't naturally transition from one to the other, you're in for an awful ride because sailing doesn't jive well with impatience. Interestingly, it always takes me about a week or more to transition which puts me always in kind of a funk for several days after leaving. The first couple days are fine; I'm at sea. Then it's why the hell am I doing this. Then after a week I'm one with universe, man! And being alone obviously emphasize these various feelings.