Day 172 and a swim!

We are beginning to get into the groove with communications. Incoming texts to the boat are free but the phone has to be on to receive. We have set it up so that the phone is on from nine until noon each morning (not sure what will happen with the time change.) Bob is checking email once per day. The time intensive effort (cost) on the phone is the connecting time. Once connected, one or five emails doesn't make too much of a difference so I have been passing on information carefully but am trying not to be stingy. In Bob's email from today he urged us not to worry if he doesn't write everyday but we will still worry.

We are following an approaching front (from their rear) very carefully. If they continue to maintain their speed and don't get too far north they should not be influenced too much. It is difficult to tell right now what will happen after it goes through, likely a day or two with low winds but direction seems to be all over the place.

Bob writes:

We are great.  Great sailing!  We are relying heavily on Big Blue or "Overdrive" as grandpa calls it.

Yesterday we hove-to in light air to fix the wind generator’s tripod.  When we were done we jumped in and had a bath and then a freshwater rinse in 16,000 feet of water.

Last night a pod of dolphins visited me again around midnight.  The moon is bright and the skies have been clear so it seems almost like daylight all night long.  Grandpa scared them off with the spotlight.  You know Grandpa!

We are making power with the Honda generator again today.  Trying to spare diesel and the point of sail we are on does not allow for enough power from the wind generator to keep up with Otto.

We are trying to sail as fast as we can mostly to the east but we are forced a bit north because of wind angles.  We will pass Bermuda today and it looks like we finally got by Maine.  Feels like we are really making miles.