I think we're all getting tired. The recurring no wind conditions combined with unfortunate wind angles when it does blow are forcing us to use more fuel than we would like in addition to following a zigzag course which is taking us much further and much longer than anticipated.

Motoring again. No wind.

It's amazing how clean Wayne has gotten the cockpit. All the fiberglass and stainless is shiny. I feel guilty every time I walk over it or touch something he's cleaned.

We just got hit by a squall. The wind spun around and my only option was to chase it.

And then there's no wind.

Superstition: "When Yermo is at the helm the wind shifts favorably."

But then again, Yermo is usually at the helm.

Dana just showed me a Dynema soft shackle. Dynema is a super strong material that can be used in places where steel is often used. Crazy strong.

Dana and I were up at the aft section of the boom tryin to ttach some wider straps for the reefing lines when a squall hit. We
got a bit wet. My laundry is soaked.

There was another striking sunset.

There's a first time for everything. I just finished washing a load of laundry in the sink. I had the foresight to buy some quick dry clothes. We'll see how well this works.

I also managed to take a shower and shave. How did sailors of yore shave with straight razors without lopping their heads off?

Ocean ponderings ...

The wind has been shifting slowly in our favor.

Wayne is the energizer bunny as always. He's always looking for project to do or things to do to manage the boredom. Motoring at 3 knots was too much for him.

The got me to thinking about boredom. There really is not much to do. I suppose because how I grew up pretty much chained to a table working fir the old man's company I've adapted to lack of options, so the long wxpanses of nothing don't seem to bother me. I don't really get bored. Mostly, I just get tired.

Wayne found the source of the high pitched squeek and solved it. He is very pleased.

I talked to Eayne. A command decision was made to turn SSW to get some wind. Motoring into the wind with just one engine was making little headway and wasting fuel. If the weather report is right we'll be able to tack teice to get us to Sint Maarten at the expense of adding a day to our trip.

Doing the math.

On the edge of making speed. Much better.

Slept until noon. Ugh.

Wind on the nose all night.

last night was pretty miserable progress. We were torn between two bad choices. heading east would get us closer to the trade winds, but we could not hold an easterly chorus with the winds out of the southeast. our recommended course took us straight into the wind but was more south. it meant a night of motor sailing into the wind at 3:00 to 4 knots. it makes more sense to crab south then sail out into the open ocean and then have to make up the time. headed south later. coming on deck this morning with Dana at the helm. We conferred and decided it was time to take a bold new approach. just sitting in the middle of the ocean crawling along is not going to get us anywhere. We have decided we will focus on moving south on the edge of our ability to sail, regardless of where it takes us to an extent. We have altered course and are now making eight to nine knots heading more or less towards Puerto Rico. no worries, it's about 500 mi to the shore. We can just wait and hope for a favorable wind shift or we will simply have to fight this out tacking back and forth later in the week.

I forgot to mention that before dinner Dana mentioned he had only touched the wheel once during the whole trip. (I piloted out of the marina, to the gas dock, to get water, and then to anchor and off of anchor.)

There are bioluminescent jelly fish blinking in the ovean water as we pass by. At least, I assume they are jelly fish.

My eyes played tricks on me.
I could have sworn I saw the shadows of big fish just under the water, but it was just an illusion I think, probably fatigue related.

Motorsailing brings me no peace which is strange given how much I like internal combution engines especially in motorcycles.

I really want to be sailing right mow.

17kts on the nose.

This is sad.

Another moonless night but the stars are once again so bright you can make out the outline of waves and clearly see the horizon.

The constellation Orion is looking over our tiny vessel.

Starting my midnight watch. The wind angle is still very nfortunate so Wayne helped me pull out the headsail and turn to 90.

"I'm really tired." I told him.

"We all are." he replied.

As Wayne and Dana said, "Today was a good day."

I did my physical therapy shoulder exercises and then promptly, without intending to, fell asleep where I was sitting.
I woke up and moved into the salon and fell asleep again. Then I moved to my cabin and was unable to sleep.

I must have been more tired than I realized.

I found myself wondering if the garlic I was exposed to two days ago is the reason I've been doing so poorly. I wouldn't think such a small amount would cause two days worth of symptoms ... but the symptoms were consistent now that I think about it.

Being this fragile sucks.

I Have Arrived. At dinner tonight, (stuffed peppers), sitting around the table laughing, listening to getting stale music, sharing our daily bottle of wine, I recognized the truth. It is the journey, not the destination. Despite the lack of wind and constantly on the nose when it does blow, we 3 couldn't be happier. I did not come to go to St. Martin, I came to sail. Reaching St. Martin is the end of that. We are sailing, albeit slowly, and experiencing what it is to do so. The goal of this trip is to learn and grow. Over the past 6 days I have learned so much. Yermo and I can now handle all the sails, furling, reefing and unreefing, trimming, and even launching, flying, and dousing a Spinnaker. There is still much to learn about the boat's systems but it's those things specific to this boat. We've had things break and fixed them or adapted to those repairs that must wait until port, and improvised solutions to the challenges. We're making navigation plans and adapting on the fly to changing conditions. We are becoming more experienced sailors, the reason we came in the first place. We have already reached the place we wanted to be.

I thought this was going ro dump on us but it did not.

Dramatic storm clouds on the horizon.