I'm going to have to make today's update another short one, and the pictures will have to wait another day. We had a great, if tiring night, on a beam reach with blaster and full main, falling down course a little. I saw the moon last night for the first time in a week... beautiful cresent with 3 bright stars in a row pointing towards it. Very cool, seen between towering stratocumulous clouds.
This morning we had some weird squalls with lifts and light winds... almost tempted to try the kite again... but soon enough that ended and the afternoon was filled with squalls with 30 kts of wind and rain hard enough to shower in (ask Dad, he did.. I just rinsed my laundry).
By the afternoon, the wind had begun to pick up even between squalls and just as Day 15 began we called Jim off his off watch to reef the main... Too late. We sat there in 28kts and a 30 degree header, running off course, while we waited for the wind to moderate so we could get the main down without ripping it out of the track.
Finally reefed, we're back on course and zooming along.. all at a 45 degree angle. (The only reason I can write this is we are currently on a "comfort course" so that important "business" can be taken care of.. you figure it out.)
Pretty exciting stuff really... but we're all beginning to talk about how soon it will be over. Probably Tuesday night.. but I'm still hoping for that 40 degree lift so we can make in before sundown... how about it Dr. McG?
Nighty night.
D.
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