Mike Giles, July 11, 2015, 11:30 a.m. EST – The last of these weather systems are over us now and have been for the past eight hours or so. The guys have all put in a huge effort to try and push Dorade as hard as possible, with the hopes of minimizing the mileage loss against the other boats in front and behind us. The turbulent seas and lack of moonlight have made this rather difficult at night. During this time, Dorade is at the mercy of the sea, as there is very little helm control as she roles and moves with each passing wave.
With the stormy weather behind us, we are back onto our normal watch system. However, we keep putting up as much sail as possible, and although the guys are sleeping, they are still in tune with the noises and requests from the deck and available to make changes when needed.
Right now, Terry and Dave are sharing a small bag of M&Ms on deck, laughing as another big wave has drenched both of them and filled up the cockpit (Terry on the helm and Dave watching his every move).
Dave has been a pleasure to sail with, and his strength and knowledge of the boat make these rogue waves hit us much less than usual. We are all impressed with his raw power and sailing talent.
Shaun has downloaded the weather forecast and is catching up on some much needed rest. Matt has been a star when it comes to catering to the needs of all going into or coming off watch.
Ben never stops; if he’s not on deck giving us a lesson in classic boat sailing, he’s down below managing the boats systems. Both he and Zach are also catching some rest at the moment.
We have a little over 400 miles to go and are looking forward to some warmer weather and being back on solid ground.