(see http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/winlink.cgi?KG4EYP for latest position)

As we'd hoped, we've been able to sail pretty much all day. On the other hand, we've been sailing mostly downwind. That sounds pretty good in theory, but the truth is that sailing downwind in open water is not an easy or comfortable point of sail. We've been slewing wildly as the waves overtake us and push Windom's stern around, rolling from side to side, rather than being held at a relatively constant heel as we are with wind more from the side.

It hasn't been actually miserable, though, with the exception of one stretch early this evening. As we headed for a safe channel through the Frying Pan Shoals off Cape Fear, something about the resonance of wave period, wave height, our course, and our sail configuration overwhelmed the autopilot. Bob lost control a few times, sending Windom off course, and we ended up hand-steering for an hour or so, until we could reasonably change course. Let me tell you, Nautilus machines have nothing on hand-steering
in a following sea for a shoulder and arm workout. Not to mention I've got a blister on my palm from gripping the wheel.

But it wasn't long until we saw the channel marks, first on radar and then visually. We "shot the goalposts" and turned north; now we're in the protection of the cape, and although we're still being shoved around it's a lot smoother than it's been all day. Bob's back on duty, Britt's trying to sleep, and I'm wedged into the nav station, driving on instruments.

As I said before, I like night watches, and usually I'm outside most of the time. Tonight, though, it's very humid, and with the wind behind us it feels cold - I've got a sweater on, and I still got chilly, so I'm below, warming up. Which reminds me of a funny story from earlier today.

I had just woken from a nap and went out into the cockpit, to see the lazarette lid open and Britt stretched down into it. When I asked him what he was doing, he said that he had smelled something burnt and suspected the ignition wires. "But I can't find any problems under here. Maybe it's in the wiring behind the panel. Come over here and see if you smell anything."

I bent over and sniffed, and started to laugh. "Yeah, I smell something. It's coffee. I think I must have spilled some last night when I was on watch." Once we realized what it was, Britt noticed that the jib sheet and furling line also had telltale brownish stains and a coffee smell. Oops. I tried to argue that caffeinating the rig makes it go faster, but I don't think he believed me.

Okay, I think I will caffeinate me now (and try not to spill any) - it's just after midnight, and I promised to let Britt sleep until we need to jibe to change course, about two hours from now at this speed. I'll catch up on my sleep when we get the anchor down later today.
- posted by S/V Windom @ 6/18/2007 [link]