Rough Few Days

We entered the Gulfstream at about 3:30am. The western wall of the GS is very distinct. You arrive within a very short distance the water temperature went up 9 or 10 degrees. We beat into 20 to 35 kts for the whole day. Lots of water and waves over the boat. New leaks to deal with below. Wet foul gear. No one felt too good. But we did finally get some spaghetti with homemade sauce hot and down. Latter in the evening that pot of spaghetti took a headed across the cabin. Lost a number of our portlight port visors (rain covers) and our MOB horseshoe ring. We did the worst of it with a slightly reefed staysail and no main. We needed to keep up the boat speed so we could get through the GS before the cold front arrived. The eastern edge of the GS is not well defined and we needed to get through 40 to 90 miles to get out of it. The front would bring 35kts out of the N and that would be very ugly in the GS with the 2-4kt N going current. So far, the boat carnage has been pretty high. The Belgium cat Like Dolphins lost their mast -- headed back to Chesapeake by motor. Pixie Dust lost their rudder arm - making Beaufort. Jammin lost their rudder in the middle of the GS with a 50 kt gust -- not sure how that will work out. Heard a Coats Guard plane relaying an EPIRB call for Auronco(sp) last night. This morning we have 25-30 out of the N and we are sail SE at 7-9kts and much happier. No crew revolts this morning -- yesterday I wasn't sure.

Paul

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com