shut off one motor, and are using sails to keep the boat running around 6 knots. Wind is around 9 knots, and would do just fine on flat water. The sun is shining, the air is clear, and the temp is 26C - a beautiful day.
Grant has taken a 6" flying fish, which landed on our boat overnight, and has baited the hook for fish. We really believe that he jumped onboard for just this purpose! We expect John shared the fact that we caught a 3 foot Mahi Mahi yesterday morning. It was quite exciting. We'll post a picture when we get back to an internet provider. It provided around 9 servings after the butchering, but Dawn insists the refrigerator can hold more. I worry about landing a 4 footer. There is another yacht
about 20 miles to the west of us, and we'd have to tack over to get rid of most of it. Oh well, it is all the stress we have for today.
Here's Grant: We slipped out through the cut of St. Georges' Harbour last Sunday morning, reminded Laurie to turn right and have been heading south ever since. I'm on board for this passage by virtue of being asked to crew on Cat Tales for a portion of her trip south this fall; having an extremely giving and loving wife and by shear luck. Luck because Laurie and Dawn's other chosen crew picked the passage from Newport to Bermuda (see earlier postings for explanation). All is good onboard, honestly,
and the skipper is not forcing me to say that. Laurie and Dawn have become experienced and knowledgeable open water sailors and it has been a delight to be aboard. I hope the whipping scars heal soon!
Dawn here: Finally, sailing like it should feel. Although it's still a bit rolly, we are sitting outside in light wind and lots of sun, taking showers, eating and eating, reading and we even watched a BBC documentary DVD last night through dinner. We have worked out nice night watches. Because it gets dark really early (almost the same as home)I tend to be able to fall asleep as early as 7:00 pm. Because of that, Laurie and Grant have taken turns doing the dark to midnight watch while the other
one and I sleep. Whoever didn't do that long watch shares the rest of the night with me. We divided it into 12:00 to 3:00 and another 3:00 until 6:00, at which time the one who did the first shift comes up and sits around until the other 2 wake up. This means that we all are enjoying a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep!! Doesn't even feel like we're being deprived!
As Laurie said earlier, he has stopped taking his meds 1 1/2 days ago and after watching him, I have skipped my last 2 pills. I feel we'll be okay and will start back up the minute I feel anything nasty going on! Stugeron is a great med, however, all meds come with side affects and it will be nice to be a little less dehydrated! It's 31.5 degrees inside and I'm heading out into the wind to cool off!!
It's great to see Laurie and Grant outside fishing, listening to music and laughing! We've been told that our wind will remain light for the next 2 days but should clock around to a better direction (E or NE) which will push us all the way to Tortolla.
All the best...from the Crew of Cat Tales and a special thanks to John Fallon for posting for us until now! If conditions continue, we'll try to post again tomorrow.
