13 February 2000

0100 - We are just 12 miles from the coast. Rather than increasing, the breeze has actully dropped to the low 20s. It feels positively placid! We are coming into shallow water - 75 feet or so, and anticipating some countercurrent to help us on our way.

0616 - Punta Gallenas is abeam, and we can ease course down a bit to the southeast and head directly towards Curacao, just 172 miles down the track. The breeze is into the teens, and we are making 9.5 to 10 knots over the bottom. We are hopeful that the wind will back to the ENE a bit and allow us to sail on port tack direct to Spanish Waters, Curacao.

1300 - Fax charts show 25 knots steady in this part of the world, but happily they are wrong and we are motoring into 12 knots of breeze at 11 knots - trying to pick up as much distance as possible before they turn back on the wind machine.

1500 - Breeze is coming up now, and wouldn't you know it, there's some south in it! Rather than a single tack beat, it is right on the nose again, so we tack to the ENE and head for the N edge of Aruba. Aruba should provide protection from the seas - which have now come back, and maybe we'll find a favorable shift along the shore.

2155 - We've cleared the S end of Aruba and are back in the open ocean. Breeze is moderate, just 15/20, but the sea state is confused. However, the gods being willing, we'll be hove to off Curacao waiting for daylight in a matter of hours.

0750 - After almost five days of beating to weather the motion has stopped. The entrance to Spanish Waters lies under our lee. We are cleaning the boat, wiping down the varnish, unreefing the main prior to furling and covering.

While we would much rather have made this trip with wind, rather than against - in which case it would have taken two days - beating like this does provide a frame of reference from which to enjoy more favorable conditions.

So ends this voyage.