Saturday, November 12, 2005 8:45 a.m.

45 miles to the vicinity of Bermuda. Current position is 33.06.238N 065.02.466W. Seas are 15 feet or so. Winds NW 25-35 with occasional gusts into the low forties. It is partly sunny. Water is a balmy 74.5 . Air is 68.5F. Our attempted bearing is 173 degrees magnetic. With these big swells, it is impossible to remain on course for more than a few seconds. The mainsail is double reefed, no jibs.Occasional spray into the cockpit. A few passing squalls. A lot of rocking and rolling, but after what we have been through, it seems like easy sailing. Michael says that being in the Gulf Stream is like being in another country.

With the passing of the autopilot, things on board have changed. We have gone into solo watches of 90 minutes each. Less safe but each person driving is tethered. Michael and Ann have a good handle on steering and seems comfortable at the helm. Each watch is a concentration of steering through the waves and gusts of winds. However, the shorter watches, four times a day per person, mean that we are on watch half the time as before. People are able to sleep more. There is more time for projects. Projects include bailing the bilge, making tea/coffee, making meals to share. Last night Ann made us a wonderful couscous, spinach, pine nut and cheese combo. I am sure it had a name besides "good", but I don't know that name. We keep two half liter bottles of water in the cockpit for community beverages during watches. There are also dried apricots, stoned wheat thins and Hershey Kisses with Almonds in the cockpit winch bins.

The biggest project undertaken by everyone is getting reach for each watch. About ten minutes before your time, you inch out of your sleeping bag. Since the person getting off watch will use your bunk, you have to roll up your bag and stow it forward. No need to put on long underwear, since it is what you have slept in. Using a red headlamp to avoid destroying your night vision, you grope around your duffel bag for dry socks. Finding none, you put on the least soggy of the socks you have. Wedging yourself against the cabin wall and whatever is across from you, you put one leg into your farmer john foul weather bottoms. You then pull it out and undo the inside cuff which you neglected to open and which makes inserting your foot impossible. Having successfully put the right leg in, you repeat the procedure with the left leg. Sitting once again, you lift your right leg and place it on a nearby wall to fasten the inside cuff. Repeat with the other leg and cuff. You then shake the water out of your waterproof boots, and pull them over the inside cuffs. Fasten the outside pant cuffs over the boots. All of the fastening is done with Velcro. Done with the lower half, you then pull a heavy shirt or second long underwear top over your torso. A fleece vest or heavy jacket follows. The suspenders of your foul weather bottoms are pulled over your shoulders, and you zip the front of the foul weather bottoms closed. You then find your foul weather jacket and insert the arms. The jackets also have an inner and outer cuff on each arm, so as often as not you have to pull your arms out in order to open the inner cuffs. Jacket on, you close the inner cuffs. Right now, gloves are optional. If you have gloves that are not wet, you might fasten the outer cuffs over the gloves. Zip up the jacket. Put on a hat. Pull the hood over the hat. Done? Not yet. Find your life jacket and put that over everything else and lock the harness portion in place. Make your way to the companionway, reach into the cockpit to find your tether, snap ity on, and you are ready for your watch. Getting off watch is the reverse.

We are all excited at the prospect of getting to land. Showers and laundry will be first on the list after clearing customs. We will also see about a new bilge pump and a repair or replacement of the auto helm. Not sure what we will find open on a Sunday. We all need a break and a good night's sleep.

Ann is our on board medic. She stocked us with emergency medical supplies. Both she and Michael took CPR. Unfortunately, our medic fell in the cabin and hit her head, creating a cut. She does not think that it needs stitches, and has refused offers of super glue and duct tape. She says she is fine, but we were all willing to relieve her from further watches. She refused and has taken her turn. No nausea other than the usual seasickness, and she diagnosed that there is not a concussion. She is fine, given the whack on the head.

Donna.