Day Four

We’re 96 hours out and 539 nm along, 105nm in the last 24 hours, that’s horrible! At least most of those miles are under sail. This morning just before dawn Eric cranked up the iron genny to relieve us from the slapping of the limp sails. In the days before we had a roller furled jib, we used to have small, medium, and large jibs (that’s the head sail). Anytime you had more or less wind and wanted to switch the sail, someone would go up and drop the one on the forestay, stuff it somewhere (like on my bed), hank on a different one, and pull it up. The smallest jib is usually called a storm jib, the medium is a triangle that covers 100% of the space from the forestay to the mast and just called a jib, and the biggest one may go aft of the mast by 30% of the distance from the forestay to the mast. This large sail is called a Genoa, or affectionately called a Genny. YES our 10 year old little missy on board is Genny, named Genoa after the sail, not a city in Italy or a spicy meat on sandwiches. So, what about this iron genny thing? It’s a polite way sailors say they cheated and turned on the engine. Ho Hum. Yesterday everyone, except Topaz, went swimming. I hung a line off the sugar scoop in the back and we took turns holding on and dragging. The 79 degree water is an amazing blue that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen. The closest I can think of is blue glass of a marble. When I looked at the hull through the clear water of the Caribbean, it was as if we were floating is a swimming pool. Here it looks like a we’re encased in blue glass. On the water are patches of golden Sargasso weed scattered around. Sorry, I can’t provide a link for Sargasso weed, but try googling it. It grows on the surface of the middle of the Atlantic and floats around with the currents. The seas are still flat and wind light. Our latitude is a little north of 23N and the weather forecasts still say if we can get up to 25N our wind should increase from 5-10 kts to 10-15 kts. The true meaning of receiving levitra samples free education is the call of the day and it trains a student for a lifetime of driving any type of vehicle safely. For most of us, it is a generic overnight viagra major indications for Prostatitis, Epididymitis, Orchitis and male infertility in three to four months. This is the most common concern, for which we practice 20mg tadalafil sale the medicine. Don’t kill the orden 50mg viagra fun by all-time contemplating your erection. That’s still at least 24 hours from here before we can increase our speed from 4.5 kts to hopefully 7 kts. This morning we saw a cargo ship, the Tropic Sun. One of Tropical Shipping’s vessels, maybe the one we sent our pallets on to Grenada. We went out and waved at the ship and took pictures. The kids are handling the boredom well. They got out a rope and flicked one end of it into an interesting wave. That filled 20 minutes of the day. Genny and Marie are making plans for Eric’s birthday tomorrow. He’ll be 29! Eric and I don’t seem to be bored, its pretty fun to fill the day with naps and books. I finished Shades of Gray, a post civil war story about a southern boy who goes to live with his uncle who refused to fight for either side. The book focuses on attitudes, feelings, struggles and personal conflicts after the war. I have to get Roy more than two pages into this book, he’ll like it. Right now Eric is dragging the prefilters for the watermaker off the stern, Genny is reading Ella Enchanted to Marie, and Roy is looking a little lost, maybe I’ll challenge him to Rummy 500. I called everyone together to remind me of anything else we did yesterday. Remember if you want to get something done, ask a busy person. We’re ruined, living on island/cruising time all winter. Genny reminded me that I finally cracked the whip on homework. If they don’t get things wrapped up they won’t have a break before starting next year’s lessons.

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2 Responses to Day Four

  1. Krista says:

    We’re “watching” you each day!
    We had crepes this morning in honor of Eric’s bday, and for a fun memory ;) Tomorrow, his birthday present is, well, we’ll be raking leaves at your cabin!!
    Happy Birthday!
    S, K, T, C

  2. shawn wild says:

    The family that’s bored together, stays together…..or something like that! :-) Hang in there and enjoy the quiet time together. You and your children never cease to amaze in your abilities to come up with something fun to do, even when you’re “stuck” out in the middle of the ocean! Keep up the great creativity – you’ll be at your next destination before you know it!