Wednesday
1947 - Tonight it is all about peaceful serenity as the Audax rests safely at anchor in Cockburn Harbor off South Caicos 
Island. Now lets rewind 24 hours… we are steaming across Caicos Bank, darkness is setting in and the coral heads have just started to sprout up. (Note: The guide books say 2 things about crossing the Caicos Banks: Get into your anchorage prior to dark and don’t anchor on the banks…. well frick!!!! ) Thankfully Stevey did not lose his hand and we learned that it can be very difficult to anchor in the dark with large swells and heavy winds.
God was surely watching over us!!
So here we are awaiting the telling weather forecast tomorrow at 0630 as to when our departure to Puerto Rico shall be whilst accomplishing great things in the meantime - reviving “Otto”, discovering our fuel tank leak (pin hole in the top of the tank, got any gum?) and purchasing homemade block ice from a nice little lady’s residential abode.
Oh….and by the way… the Audax has fleas!!!! Sweet!
Tuesday
1355 – Zig zagging aka tacking (sort of like a beat upwind in a race sans other boats!) across Caicos Bank under sunny skies and relentless trades as the motor and main propel us forward. A 0200 departure through the dicey reef inlet from Turtle Cove. Fun times with laundry (see 3 photo montage below) and its back to life at sea, a new watch schedule, our teammate “otto” aka the auto pilot on the fritz aka broken, multiple rips in Mr. Dodger and smelly water coming out of our faucets! Awesome!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Yikes!
Ok men…time for some cheerleading and support of the brave Team Audax……..
…..take a deep breath….count to 10….get in a positive , most awesome good “zen” and begin again
NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Be strong and have faith Team Audax!!!
….the fun, as you all well know….will come
Take care!
Peace,
Pat
February 6th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Good old yankee ingenuity time. Think we will be in the Rockies of Montana. No fleas but plenty of other challenges, or is that opportunities. Good luck and Jillian will tell you what to do about fleas.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Hey Team
So glad you had an opportunity for communication! LOVE hearing from you! It looks ALOT longer to PR on my atlas than on your chart - so am hoping the chart is the more accurate. Don’t get the laundry “thing” whose boat is that? I think it will be a longish time after you leave S Caicos until future communication??
Snowing hard again here….hope Scot’s flight gets out to make connection from Dulles to Denver tomorrow am..
Don’t think lysol ,raid etc will have much effect on fleas…unfortunately….you will probably have to get some “flea bombs” - sort of aerosols at the next port and do the boat - you have to get off for a number of hours while they work!
Good Luck - hope you get some smooth sailing the next leg
L Mom/Jillian
February 6th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
PS
Can’t believe you have a GIANTS fan on board-I guess his good seamanship redeams him!?
Jillian
February 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Nice Site! Andy C. sent me a link this a.m. and I just had to comment on the flea issue ! Yikes! Hope they’are cleared up before our arrival. Be safe — and see you all soon.
RMW
February 7th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
I guess you figured out what was bitting you at night! I hope you have the winds with you to Puerto Rico - be safe!
XOXO - E
February 10th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Beware the Chupacabra in Puerto Rico. Definitely worse than fleas.
Steph Miami
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra