Skyelark of London - The Atlantic Still Has a Few Lessons

 After a brochure perfect day, with clear skies and bluest white tipped water, the crew entered the evening, beginning to make plans for our steps onshore in a few days.  We were first chastened by the failure of the autopilot in the evening, leading to focused conversation free half hour shifts of hand steering downwind with moderate winds of around 20 knots, but large swells coming from several directions.  Our skippers eased our anxieties with a change in sail plan, dropping the main and sailing effectively under only the headsail, decreasing our risk of gybing.  Crew on watch regrouped until they were met with the next challenge, facing our strongest squall so far (and hopefully at all).  Milder squalls continued for several hours, with crew managing with gradually greater confidence.  We awoke today to another beautiful day with steady winds and moderate seas, once again optimistically imagining stepping ashore in a couple of days, but a little more humble, and enjoying one of the best parts of this trip, not quite knowing what lies ahead.

Kitty