The biggest issue we had leaving was the fact that our primary computer used for email, weather, and navigation had a problem and needed to go to the shop. Normally that would not be a problem and we'd just delay our departure. However....our weather routers were saying "go now!", or prepare to wait for at least a week.
That didn't seem very attractive. Deb was running out of extra layers to put on in the cold, and we have a perfectly good backup computer. So off we went!
Based on our weather since leaving, and our forecast the first third of the trip will be a very light one, and the second two thirds pretty windy!!
I've spent the first day fixing the solar panel issues and we now have three functional panels pumping free electricity into our batteries when the sun is out!! I've also managed to get all the systems up and running on the backup computer. (This email is proof of part of that!!)
So, it looks like we reach the Gulf Stream between 10pm and midnight tonight. It's always midnight when things get wierd. We should have very nice conditions for the first six hours or so, and then the wind will have built to 20-25 from the NW. The stream is running North at about three knots, so that's wind against current and normally that's not the most comfortable way to travel. Luckily, the wind will be behind us so that should help.
Then tomorrow will be pretty windy but having crossed the stream, I'm hoping for a fairly comfortable and fast downwind ride!
Thats all for now!!
-Jim, Deb, and Kim
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