Lexington - Captain Bob: 10/10/2017. 17*. 53' south. 082*. 50' east

This is also being written to be sent when we get communication back
The weather has moderated more with 13-16 knots of wind and kinder seas. We have bright blue bird sky's with high cirrus clouds which indicates we are in a high.

We are doing well. I still have not been able to connect with my SSB email system. I have read the manuals for the SSB and the vAIRMAIL email system. I probably have a loose connection some place that is not allowing my signal to get out well. I got spoiled with our Iridium system. I did have someone go over my SSB system before we left but that was 11 months ago. Salt water is an enemy to almost every on the boat except maybe teak decks. Boats are a constant preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance issue. The big thing to remember is that we are putting more miles and hours on the boat than a lot of boats get in several years. It would be interesting to see how many miles this boat has done. The owners before me would go to the Caribbean in the winter and to Maine in the summer. I have done 3 Caribbean 1500 trips and several trips to Maine. I will do about 28,000 miles on this trip. My biggest asset as a sailor is that I do not tend to get sea sick and I can sleep in almost any conditions. I once got too close to a tropical storm. I knew exactly where it's path was. I just underestimated the impact and distance of its winds. Anyway we ended up in thirty to forty knot winds and thirty to forty foot seas. I was afraid everyone would get fatigued at the same time. I hove to and went below. I slept for eight hours solid. I should not have gotten us into the bad weather but we sure were proud in how we handled it.

The boat that took a wave into the boat is doing fine. As it turns out he is a solo sailor who has been out for several years. He sometimes has friends join him. I can see the challenge but I do not think I would enjoy being alone that much. When I want to be alone about 8-12 hours is enough.

May fair winds fill your sails with blue bird skies and moderate wind which you do not always get together.

Bob
SVLEXINGTON