Skippers log#8
29 13N 54 46W @ 21:45GMT
It is raining, grey and cool. A front is overhead slowly passing through. The wind is out of the N at about 15 knots, often less. Squalls come and go. I have taken 2 showers today, with soap. Shaved again. Squeaky clean. The boat is damp with the constant drizzle. The deck is slippery when barefoot, so caution is taken. If I am doing any work on the foredeck like hoisting spinaker or taking it down, I wear my Sperry Topsiders as it is the only thing aboard that keeps me from slipping. I also don't like working on the deck bare foot as I don't want to risk bumping and breaking my toes. I had a bird try to visit today. It was a land bird, spent a long time circling. Unfortunately as one of the squalls came, it summoned up the courage to land. It got blown to the stern by the draft of the mainsail, and got blown into the wind generator which was turning fast. The poor bird did not know what had broken its neck before it hit the water and became fish food. I am saddened by its loss. It would have been good company tonight. But such is the way of nature. Neither of us knew that landing would be its fate. My concern now is a weather system to the S that could grow into a tropical depression. I am sailing S to avoid making any more direction to the E. We are hoping the storm will turn N tomorrow and no longer pose a threat.

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