Rockin' and Rollin' - Day 9

We are definitely in the NE trades now. The wind is consistently over 20 knots and up to 25. I have taken down the mizzen and am sailing wing and wing with a single reef in the main and the genoa partly furled. Boat speed is over 5.5 knots and sometimes up to almost 7 surfing down the huge rollers. The boat rocks gunwale to gunwale with the passing swell with occasional water over the rail. It is a wild ride! Not doing much cooking now, in fact, just moving about takes two hands and lots of balance.

HAL is holding the course amazingly well and has only lost control a couple of times due to some large waves. In both cases, the boat rounded up a bit and backwinded the poled out jib but did not jibe the main. This was in the middle of the night and I noticed it because the boat stopped rolling as much and heeled over more on the starboard side. The boat forward motion slowed way down, the rolling was decreased significantly and was almost like heaving to. I may take a second reef in the main tonight to try to reduce the weather helm and the chance of rounding up.

I ran the engine for an hour and a half to top off the batteries and fill up the water so I should be good for several days of pure sailing excitement! This really is what it is all about! Reminds me of a song - "I was making for the trades on the outside. On a downhill run to Papaeete." (but I don't have 80 feet of waterline and Mike, it's "Starshine", not "Music", get it right!).

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