We had an event filled 24 hours! First Finn, Anna and I decided to break our self imposed rule about fishing until the fridge was empty of the previous fish. We didn't tell anyone and slipped a lure back behind the boat a bit early. I set this one closer to the stern than normal in hopes of seeing a fish follow or take the lure. A couple hours in we heard the reel scream....."FISH ON". I don't believe this fish was a Mahi Mahi. He had a lot of blue coloring and was very acrobatic and extremely fast. We furled the genoa but Big Blue continued to pull. I got the rod out of the holder and started to crank down on the drag and it had no effect. I was about to be spooled on Uncle Tim's big reel which has a rediculous amount of line on it so I really layed on the drag. It was all mono-filament so there was a period of stretch...stretch...stretch and then pop the line broke. Our only chance on that one would have been to not have Big Blue flying. I think it may have been a billfish of some sort.
Second, the halyard (rope that holds the sail to the mast) on Big Blue parted in the middle of the night and dropped the sail in the sea during Kim's watch of course. Fortunately Kim has a serious set of lungs and yelled out that Blue was down;) Mark and I hustled and we had the sail back on board in under 5 minutes. We haven't checked it over in the light yet but it did not appear that there was any damage to the sail. We do not plan on flying the sail for the duration of the passage. The winds have increased and we are making 5 kts plus under genoa alone which is more than enough for us to get to port in time on Saturday. In fact it looks like we will get there in the dark. We are used to that! Big Blue carried us well and we would be several days behind if we had not had it. We will fix the issues in Martinique.
We just passed the 200 mile mark so we have around 40 hours to go. This is a bittersweet period for us. The passage has been so awesome that there is sadness shared by all that it is ending but there is also excitement building. Mark is ready to get home to Minnesota to see his loved ones and see how his body likes going from 90 Degrees to -20 Degrees in a day. Finn and Anna are ready to get swimming and snorkeling. Finn learned to swim and snorkel without flotations devices in the Canaries and we want to lock it in these skills over the next couple of months. Anna wants to rig some sort of swing device in the rigging so she can swing around the boat and in to the water like Marks' daughters Cedar and Lamar do on their boat Amicus ll.
The grown ups are realizing how much they need showers and shaves. It is not a pretty picture but we saved enough water that we have decided we can start the self-cleanup process even before we reach port.
Kim is starting to talk about French food and pastries. I am looking forward to snorkeling in warm water with the kids.
Current Position:
14:30 UTC
14 Degrees 17.116 N
57 Degrees 30.171 W
Course 271 True
Speed 5+ kts Wind East at 20 kts Genoa poled out Sunny w/scattered squalls Hot (88 Degee cabin temp, has been going up into low 90's by afternoon.
Bob, Kim, Anna, Finn and Mark
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