Skippers log #15
20 50N 44 34W at 22:15GMT It was a hard night of furling in the genoa, waiting for the rain squall to come with its winds, pass, unfurl genoa, take off again. I did not get much rest, but it paid off. I got Minoru, the first 50-footer I have overtaken. Now the game gets tougher. Will the conditions favor me to stay ahead and open my lead on him, and close the gap between myself and the other two 50-footers? Twice today I got to take more like baths than showers. The squalls were so heavy, I had time to soap up, wash hair and do it twice. I am squeaky clean. Then I had two phone calls, the first from Danny Dukes, my accountant, telling me he was off to the Annapolis Boat Show, and from the VP of Phillips Industrial Services putting the management program together. I love it when that phone rings. In the afternoon I had a visitor from shore. Flew in from who knows where, stayed several hours till it saw the approaching squall and decided this was not the place to be, and flew off. The bird was not too disturbed by me, but we did not exactly have to really get close. I guess it saw the look in my eyes of fresh chicken. The thought crossed my mind. I skipped dinner tonight as I snacked quite a bit during the day. My wounds are healing well, and I had a chance after my nightly call to Gwen to talk to my mother. I have had the opportunity to speak with her more now that I am at sea, than when I am on the speaking circuit and working. I am staying focused on the task at hand so that I can get home to my family as quickly as possible. Neal