2002

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Back in the big wild open.
Mar. 27, 2002

OP Report, Wednesday (March 27th) Evening.

Last night and this morning, we saw the last of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We sloshed around in variable winds and slopped about 10 miles offshore as we motored east and watched a big lightning and rainstorm hit the shore. In the morning, we sailed out past Capo Dominico (or Capo Beata, depending on which chart…) back into the wider expanse of the Caribbean. Our timing wasn’t bad as the winds and seas have let up quite a bit.

We are sailing Southeast at 9+ knts in 10-13kts of easterly wind, anticipating a right shift for tomorrow…..we’ll see how well the weather predictions do. It sure is nice to dry out and clean up as some stuff got pretty messed up slogging away during the days of banging away. Some cans of beer left over from the Pacific trip (I should have thrown them away), stored up in the sail locker popped open (?!) and the beer mixed with seawater sloshing around to create a yeasty soup. Yuck, never again.

My mental lists of jobs to do and improve on the boat are growing ever longer, and it was long already. I sure hope we find a sponsor for the Around Alone soon and can hire the support we need to get ready. Time is running out and if we don’t raise the bucks soon we are hurtin fer certain. To miss the Around Alone would be a big blow in preparing OP and me for the 2004 Vendee Globe.

But for now, Antigua Ho! Hopefully, we’ll get some more supporting crew for Antigua Sailing Week to show up and raise the funds to get us to Charleston, and then Newport. I’ve always wanted to do this event and it will be a blast. Let’s hope we don’t break anything expensive!

Position at 2050 UT (12:50 PT): 16 2N, 70 41W. 510 miles from Antigua! Speed 9kts, course 125 (we just got a big left shift as I am writing this).

Bruce (Haji), Greg (Friar Tuck), George (El Diablo), Serge (Saaayyyyrrrrrgggg), and Ocean Planet (Wylie’s Wocket!)