At 19.15 hrs UTC I am at 37.19 N 31.20 W with 147 miles to go, a 71 mile day. I woke up just in time, last night, to hear Herb’s forecast, at after 11 p.m. I immediately tacked from a ESE direction to the North. As he predicted I have slowly been lifted in a great big lazy arc towards Horta. And in the next hour or so I might be able to loosen the sheets some and pick up more speed. I have been sailing with the same combination, double reefed main and 90% jib, since early afternoon, yesterday. It looks like I may get to switch to the 140% genoa. Wind was mostly around 20 knots . Very nice sail, sunny, but it has become a lot cooler. Too cold to show my zero tan line off to the Boobies. They are amusing. Lots of them now while coming closer to their nesting places. They all have to check out that strange red plastic squid lure and then they follow the nylon line a ways up to the boat, shake their heads and sail away. Makes good pictures. To-morrow should be a 100 mile plus day, now that I can go straight for Horta, instead of tacking towards it. The the last 40 odd miles should put me in the harbor in mid morning on Saturday.

At 19.15 hrs UTC I was at 36.11 N 32.08 W with 218 miles to go. I did not do a check at this time yesterday, but I estimate that was a 70 mile day. Back in the slow lane. Herb never showed up at 23.00 UTC, last night. Very unusual. About ten boats called in and we ended up going back to sleep. We’ll try again to-night. The winds stayed in the 25 knot vrange and I kept the storm jib up all night and a good part of the morning, a couple nasty squalls with at least 30 knot winds came through. It calmed down some and the sun came out but the wind is still between 20/25 and huge waves. I need to get to Horta by Saturday and am pushing the boat harder than I ever have, and she is taking it. Right now I have the 2 reef main up and the 90% jib. Butonly doing 4 1/2 knots towards 115 degrees, 50 degrees south of my rhumb line… frustrating. The wind is right from the NE where I need to go and because of the waves I cannot sail hard to the wind otherwise the sails just stall out. It’s like sailing through steep dunes of wet cement. To-morrow the same and then on Friday lighter winds from the East, at last. “Away we go” got ahead of me when I had such bad luck on Sunday and another boat “Moon Dancer” is also just to the N.E. of me. They probably took advantage of the calm day when I motored at 5 knots and they probably in the 8 to 9 knot range.

Posting problem: Matthias Klemm sent me an e-mail on Sunday that there was no Friday posting. So, I figured just one did not make it and I sent it in again. Well, it was the Monsterman. My web is hosted by www.hostmonster.com and they had a hick-up with the automatic posting.

At 21.10 hrs UTC I am at 36.07 N 33.35 W with 277 miles to go. I forgot to take my usual reading at 19.15 hrs so I do not know the daily mileage for this time frame, but at 15.30 hours it was 124 miles. So had a good day, since I could go straight for the stable. But things have deteriorated again in the last three hours. The wind has gone around from S.W. to W and now more NW and they are close to gale force, about 25 plus in constant squalls with winds to 30 mph. That makes it impossible to keep my rhumb line and I sail about 20 degrees lower with just the tiny storm jib. After last night’s posting I talked to Herb at 23.00 hrs, still with the engine running. Shortly after, just like he promised, the winds filled in from the S.W. And they kept slowly going west. So, I could not go to sleep till it had steadied. Then this morning I was able to go wing on wing with a double reefed main and a poles out 90%, keeping good speed. Then the wind went more west and I had to drop the pole, then the storm piped up and the squalls. This morning I had a small school of about half a dozen, I believe, Mahi Mahi swim right up to the transom. They stayed there for a couple hours, darting back and forth just under the surface. Should have had a harpoon. By now they have told every fish around that the red squid I am towing is a fake. Lima beans cooked in spaghetti sauce, for dinner. Should have had a good french wine, for the occasion of Bastille Day. The cabin is all locked up to keep the spray out and it smells like a pizza parlor. It was a gorgeous clear night and I lost count of all the satellites that are up there moving fast flashing their strobes.

At 19.20 hrs UTC I was at 25.11 N 36.00 W with 408 miles to go to Horta, a 64…. mile day. During the night the wind went even more east and I got set to the south instead of the NE. At 9 a.m. I tacked to the North and then the winds and seas calmed and I went from the 3 reef main and 60% jib, in a number of stages, to full main and the 140% genoa with about 10 knots of wind. I was able to sail much closer to the wind but the wind was still coming down the rhumb line. It was a beautiful sailing day, not a cloud in the sky. And sailing close hauled, with a decent heel and the steady movement over the waves beats all other sail directions. It reminds me of crossing the Straits of San Juan de Fuca. The foam rushing away from the bow, it makes me drowsy and wanting to take a nap on the foredeck. But when the wind dropped even more and I was barely squeezing 3 1/2 knots I turned the engine on at 4 p.m. and it looks I will be running it a while longer, till into the night. We have been promised westerlies for to-morrow. That will probably give me at least a 100 mile day. But then it’s back to head winds and they are prognosed to be in the 15/20 knot range and that means to rough to motor, so it will be tacking and that might put me back to 50 mile days and then I would arrive late Saturday. I told Ron Seiler to arrive in Horta on Saturday and his flight gets in at 9.15 Hopefully I’ll get lucky. Our rendez vous with Herb is at 23.00 hrs UTC. That is beyond my bed time but the propagation at the usual 19.30 schedule is too weak. I had a good dinner, rice seasoned with chicken cube, sautéed can of chicken in garlic and a can of leaf spinach and I added some dried pimentos from Jeannine’s garden.

At 19.20 hrs UTC I was at 34.56 N 37.21 W with 472 miles to go to Horta. An 80 mile progress day. At mid afternoon my daily mileage had dropped to 65. I reported yesterday the wind shift. It went from SW to NW and then slowly to NE so it is right on the nose to Horta. And the waves were so large and the wind close to 25 knots all night that I cannot sail close enough to the wind so I was about 40 degrees south of my rhumb line course. A few hours ago the wind and waves had moderated enough so that I could raise the 3 reef Main, in addition to the 60% jib. This enabled me to sail closer to the wind and faster. But in the mean time the wind has gone more east wiping out that direction advantage. So, it was fun while it lasted the previous week with 105 to 131 mile days. The forecast for the next two days are for the same unfavorable wind directions but less wind, so, if the seas flatten out a bit I’ll be able to set more sail and sail closer to the wind. Herb could not hear the boats in this area at the usual time and will try again at 23.00 UTC. Last night I had no luck at all. I have not much to report about what might have been happening outside. The shop was closed up. I took a good gulp on the navigation table when I had, for a moment, left the hatch slide open. With all the cloud cover, last night, it was pitch black. The skies cleared up an hour ago. Matthias Klemm advised me that the Friday report had not appeared on the web site. Not sure why. I have no way to check this, so, recht Vielen Dank, Matthias! I re-posted it. It might show up in the wrong chronological order. I finished the Jan de Hartog Book and started back in “Suite Francaise” about the first days of the 2nd WW in Paris. Raving reviews but I find it repetitive and boring. Still messing with the Cryptogram. Usually when they don’t come to me in the first 5 minutes, it’s haunting me for days. Instead of “broeken” the ending could also be “brokken” ( kleding”stukken”).

At 19.20 hrs UTC I was at 34.38N 41.51W with 679 miles to go. A 105 mile day. I am staying about 20 degrees south of the rhumb line to avoid unfavorable wind direction to the North of me. Still that same wonderful 15/20 knot SW keeping close to hull speed. Just the 90% jib and at times, when it drops to near 15 knots I add a 3 reef main. The mid ocean meeting, yesterday, was the 2nd encounter or even sighting, of another sail boat in the open ocean since I left for this madness in 2005. The previous encounter was in June 2007 on my way from Trinidad to the Chesapeake. At that time the sea was so calm that we came along side and exchanged gifts, a bottle of Trinidad Rum for Lindt chocolates. We became regular correspondents, Carl and Susan McKenzie of “Morning Star”. They were then on their way to the Med from Jacksonville. I lost contact when they stopped using SailMail. I was unable to get a forecast from Herb at the usual 19.30 rendezvous. Most likely he will try again at 23.00 hrs. But at any rate, I should be heading mor N.E., towards Horta on a 80 degree course instead I am at 100 degrees. A soon as the contrary winds to the north of me change I will head for the barn. Probably to-morrow, but the Grib files show less wind than I have now and no longer the down wind sleigh ride I have been spoiled with the last 5 days. I have had a problem starting the engine and spent a couple hours in the cramped quarter berth in the rolling seas. I think I fixed it. I run it once in a while in neutral to pump out the bilge water that drips from the packing gland and sometimes to make some more current when the solar panel is handicapped by a lack of light. I am not certain why I am still dragging the trap line. I can’t figure out the Radio Nederland schedule. Friday night is Cryptogram but they just signed off and no “Klare Taal”.

At 18.45 hrs UTC I am at 34.46 N 39.05 W with 552 miles to go. A 131 mile day. I must have a favorable current. The wind has gone from SW to NW and it is a much rougher ride with the waves on the port beam. Occasionally lapping over the deck and cabin. Wind is between 20 and 25 knots. Just using the 90% jib. Herb will not come on till 23.00 hrs. Since I have apparently run that nice WSWesterly to it’s end I am trying to head more directly for Horta. The next few days promise a lot of wind strength and direction changes. The blue sky is gone. No fish, except a nice size, about 6 inches, flying fish deposited right at the front door when I went to get my “USA To-Day”, at day break. Saved another egg, three left till arrival. I saw a sea turtle float by. Every one must have had a rough 4th of July and worn out because my incoming mail has shriveled to nothing. My one faithful correspondent, Bobbe, is away this week to the West Coast. The Radio Nederland Cryptogram just came on. It used to be every Friday evening. “Die kledingstukken leg je op de kachel” 10 letters 3rd “f” 5th “r”. I am wrestling with this one. The end must be “broeken”.

At 19.20 hrs UTC I was at 34.38N 41.51W with 679 miles to go. A 105 mile day. I am staying about 20 degrees south of the rhumb line to avoid unfavorable wind direction to the North of me. Still that same wonderful 15/20 knot SW keeping close to hull speed. Just the 90% jib and at times, when it drops to near 15 knots I add a 3 reef main. The mid ocean meeting, yesterday, was the 2nd encounter or even sighting, of another sail boat in the open ocean since I left for this madness in 2005. The previous encounter was in June 2007 on my way from Trinidad to the Chesapeake. At that time the sea was so calm that we came along side and exchanged gifts, a bottle of Trinidad Rum for Lindt chocolates. We became regular correspondents, Carl and Susan McKenzie of “Morning Star”. They were then on their way to the Med from Jacksonville. I lost contact when they stopped using SailMail. I was unable to get a forecast from Herb at the usual 19.30 rendezvous. Most likely he will try again at 23.00 hrs. But at any rate, I should be heading mor N.E., towards Horta on a 80 degree course instead I am at 100 degrees. A soon as the contrary winds to the north of me change I will head for the barn. Probably to-morrow, but the Grib files show less wind than I have now and no longer the down wind sleigh ride I have been spoiled with the last 5 days. I have had a problem starting the engine and spent a couple hours in the cramped quarter berth in the rolling seas. I think I fixed it. I run it once in a while in neutral to pump out the bilge water that drips from the packing gland and sometimes to make some more current when the solar panel is handicapped by a lack of light. I am not certain why I am still dragging the trap line. I can’t figure out the Radio Nederland schedule. Friday night is Cryptogram but they just signed off and no “Klare Taal”.

At 19.20 hrs UTC I was at 34.38N 44.09W with 784 miles to go to Horta, a 122 mile day It just does not quit the great weather and favorable wind conditions. What I figured had to be “Way we Go” passing me last night, turned out to be a totally other yacht, believe it was called “Isaac” manned with a delivery crew, a young German and a Spaniard, on their way to Malta from Trinidad. We passed within shouting distance and I talked with them on VHF. Got some good pictures to mail to them. “Way to go” is about 100 miles to the SW of me, I think I have gained on him in the last two days. Herb could not hear me or any of the 1/2 dozen boats this far east of Bermuda. We will try again at 23.00 hrs UTC. That worked well last night. My Grib files (weather faxes) show that I, as Herb has advised as well, should keep going East, so if I had sailed the rhumb line my miles for the day would be as much as 5/10 miles more. But from Monday on the Grib files show that I may have head winds from the N.E., not that strong so I might be able to motor sail. Took a cockpit bath, read my Jan de Hartog book, listened to the Tour de France. Another exciting finish, Norwegian won to-day’s run, Armstrong has not shown much yet. Found another dead squid on deck, this time on starboard. I can see one washing up on deck on the windward side but yesterday’s makes no sense, on port. Mysteries of the moon lit nights. I hooked on with his plastic nemesis, but so far not a bite. Please, pray harder for a fish I am salivating for a Tuna or Mahi-Mahi. Very few Portuguese Men of War now, the Saragossa sea weeds are back after a week’s absence. Time to open a can of vegetables and make dinner.

At19.15 UTC I was at 34.27 N 46.42 W with 898 miles to go a 124 mile towards destination, 24 hours. The forecasts for the next 4 days are decent winds, continued downwind sailing, so, unless I run into weak winds after that I should make landfall in Horta on Friday the 17th, take a day sooner or later. I just talked to Herb but he could not hear me well enough. But “Way we go” is right behind me and he got his predictions which will be identical. “Way we go” will be passing me this evening. It is a much bigger and faster boat. I am going hull speed plus the push from the waves and only have the 90% jib up, winds are about 20 knots. No good moon pictures, the clouds covered the horizon on the moon rise and it was too bright when it set. But it was a beautiful site to see and the cabin was dimly lit all night by the moon. The weather has been gorgeous, blue skies with just a few white clouds. I ate the last apple and finished off the last of the vegetables, to-day. Not bad for a 26 day sail to only have to eat vegetables and fruit out of cans and dried for the next 8/9 days. No luck on the trap line. There was a dead squid on the deck this morning, possibly dropped by a hitchhiking bird; I skewered it on with the plastic squid lure. Great anticipation but no luck all day.