Monday, May 16, 2011

Sprint to the Finish

It’s been tough getting into the groove, and even though this is a short leg, leaving home has made my departure harder than all the others. That last goodbye with my beautiful Wyatt and Tate felt like one that shouldn’t be happening; that we should have been waking up Sunday morning to pancakes and the newspaper. Strange that it seemed easier for the kids than for me – they have somehow surpassed me in strength and Meaghan has always been stronger than all of us. These past three weeks has been so amazing; just having “normal” time at home after so much time at sea has rejuvenated me, but of course I need to leave and I’m not sure any of us understand why sometimes.
Since I left, Le Pingouin and I have had thunderstorms coming in from every direction, with wind all over the place and a lot of lightning – something that’s always scary for sailors and especially so for the biggest mast in a hundred miles. My strategy to stay left of course has paid off, but Chris is a man on a mission and I have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t break away from me. The fleet scattered quickly with the unsettled weather, and for now, we’re all trucking along at great speed with France seeming just over the horizon. A big high pressure system could make that horizon stretch and stretch, but in the meantime, it’s full speed ahead.

Thanks for checking in.

Brad