After 30 days - Morgan and Paris Neck and Neck

Yes, it’s been 30 days since I left Bermuda and five more since I left St. Augustine. In the last week I have not seen a ship, and have had only a half dozen birds and one school of dolphin give me company.

At this, the 30th day, Dodge Morgan’s position relative to mine (he did his in 1986) is that he is 350 miles north east of me. So, essentially given that we are heading south east at this time, we are neck and neck.

Yesterday evening, and into this morning, there was no wind and I think it’s going to happen again. When there is no wind the yacht rolls around on the swells left over from the weather, and so the sails, useless for propulsion without wind, slap and bang in a maddening and expensive manner. So last night, it was windless and I dropped all sails. It was a sleepless night waiting for wind to return, and everything in the boat banging and sliding every few seconds as we rolled one way then the other. All this will end once I can get far enough south to get into the westerlies, but without much wind it will take time.

Power management is a real challenge. I have shut down my refrigerator and everything else that I don’t need.