Tuesday
0844 – Wait just one minute….Who is on watch? What is going on? We are not moving? It is so calm!!! Team Audax esta en Puerto Rico!! We did it - 95 hours, 520 nm, a clogged engine, gusting winds and more.

“And in the space of a few short hours, life had been reduced from a highly complex existence, with a thousand petty problems, to one of the barest simplicity, in which only one real task remained – the achievement of the goal”
Endurance Alfred Lansing

Thursday - The Preparations Begin
1800 So we “Raided” our mattresses (please no more fleas!!), we selfishly provisioned (12 blow pops, 4 candy bars, 4 sodas, 2 cans of pineapple pieces, 20 sucky candies - that’s my list - you should see Steveys!!!!) and we did some last minute boat work and repair…see Jordi high in the sky as he ensures our radar reflector does not fall off. Today we obtained the first official Audax“Weather Reading” ( basically the sailors version of a palm reading ) from Chris Parker the weather god helping us determine just how far we shall choose push the Foolish component of “Courageous to the point thereof….” (See the report here, it looks good!!.) A quick trash operation/exploration of Dove Cay and now we focus, we rest and we prepare for the 500 mile, 100 hour journey to begin tomorrow at 0400. God speed, God bless and keep on rocking in the free world!

Photo of final dinner in Provo, the South Caicos Governor and the photo album of South Caicos/Dove Cay region:

Friday
0300- It begins… Awake, aware, awesome! A Team Audax scripture reading from the teachings of John - (the prophet, not me ) prior to anchor up: “We have heard, we have seen with our own eyes, we have watched, and we have touched with our hands…He who gives life was shown to us…God is light and in him there is no darkness at all”

The Proposed Route

Saturday 0500 – Day 1 done!! With our new 3 hours on, 3 hours off watch schedule in full swing the sleep deprivation has been significantly reduced as we motor sail along at speeds close to 7 knots working to “get East” as quickly as possible. A whale’s tail spotted off the starboard beam, a calmer than predicted swell and sea chop and with higher than normal morale Stevey says it best with “This is Fuc#ing Sweet Dude!!”

Squall + Sun = rainbow!!! There was a whale 5 seconds before in this picture!!!

1627 – When it rains it pours!!! Starting with the attempt to hammer our stuffing box tighter (the fitting that connects the rudder post to the boat) in an effort to stop a nagging leak but ultimately making matters twice worse!!! Returning to a pungent smell in the main salon….oh sweet the tool box fell over, cracked the WD-40 bottle resulting in a rapidly spreading oil slick all over the floor and tools. Returning to the galley to grab some paper towels to clean up the mess we hear spurt…sputter… dead silence, oh that is just the motor deciding to shut down!!! Diagnoses: Sediment from fuel tank (see photo) has clogged our filters. A quick read of Marine Diesel Engines by Nigel Calder and some prayer coupled with a little luck has us back on track although perhaps a bit more cautious.

1825 Ready about…Tacking!!! From the Audax Log “Lets hope this port tack gives us good speed, direction and weather!”

Sunday
1802 – The slow motion phenomenon: When on a boat you pitch this way then that often times with no rhyme or reason (I wish you could see some of the interesting bathroom postures we manage to brace ourselves in!) Your actions slow down, you must methodically think out each step you take, each move you make, every breath you take

The wind storm at dinner truism: When it comes time to cook dinner one can be guaranteed the winds shall howl, the boat will heel.

With the motor still working and the winds having backed a bit to the East we make tracks! Another day of sunshine and fair seas. Enjoying some zazen Zen meditation on the aft deck with continued realization and amazement of how the simple act of believing in something is more than half the battle. With conscious attention in the moment a brief pause and reflection: “The urge to learn more, to study, to experience and be, perceiving and living in this incredible body, world, mind, universe. Combining and balancing contemplation w/ compassion; materialism w/ spiritualism. Attention.”

Monday
0217 Freaking Trades and herein lies the dilemma” We are close hauled to the wind but there is too much wind for our full sail. Option A: Reef in the Genoa but this means sacrificing 10 – 20 degrees of pointing ability; Option B: Motor sail with the main only but this means a 1-2 knots decrease in speed and per the forecast we want be in port by late today else all hell may break lose. We need the wind shift!!!!

Note: A package of Skittles + a Snickers Bar@ 0200 AM = a who hoo!!

0348 “The best part of today was when I sat on the rail, dialed in Beethoven on the IPOD and simply breathed. No preconceived notions, no forced trying, just being in the now, it was awesome!!”

A shout out from Jordi at 0915  Well the winds still haven’t backed around as much as Chris told us they might, but the wind has come up and we have both the main and the genoa reefed and making 6 knots and are able to point towards San Juan albeit right on the wind! Even after 4 days and 3 ½ nights Team Audax’s moral stands tall thanks in large part to the new 3 hours on, 3 hours off, watch schedule. It is amazing how getting good sleep and eating, (for us this means snacking mostly except at dinner, when we take turns cooking) really keeps us all up beat. The weather has also been good to us, as has the course we took, keeping the seas from hitting us head on. After small boat racing and constantly tacking to get up wind it is rather comical to cover 500 nautical miles against the trade winds in just 2 tacks!

It seems all 3 of us have our own little ways of getting some alone time or just doing different things to pass the time. We all read, and listen to music, but once Stevie puts his head phones on he is rocking out and you need sign language to get his attention! John seems to find different things on the boat to work on, and I end up doing a combination of everything. So other than the occasional times working below and feeling sea sick, which yes we all get from time to time things are good and the journey continues!

1300 – Engine fuel filter clogged + lack of additional spare fuel filters = no more “Yanny” (pet name for our Yanmar Diesel). We are sailors right!! ? 100 nm from the closest land.. pray for the wind shift!!!

1500 – Oh baby!!! The wind shifted and we SPEED forward at 6+ knots in the right direction, “stay on target, stay on target”

Monday
0305 – We made it!! Bed time!

A few thank yous in closing: Bill and Dorothy; For everything in Provo - we can’t wait to see you both in Maine! To my sister and brother; for your immeasurable help back home – land lording, mail, bill paying, etc etc. To my parents; For having me! And to friends, loved ones and all who follow this blog and our exploits; You make it that much more special for the 3 of us. Kisses, hugs and pina coladas to all!!

Full Photo Album of the Journey

PS: A shout out to my father aka Rodger HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!