I awoke at around 4:30 and lay there. I should have kept sleeping as I was a little tired, but I was having mild strains in my back from lying perpendicular to the plane of the boat and we were on a 20' list to starboard. I found this uncomfortable. I should have moved to the saloon couch (runs parallel to with the plane) but I was stubborn.
At 6 AM I got up and relived Greg off his watch. Overall I felt rested and relaxed. I went topside and listened to my iPod and watched the sky brighten. I looked like another great day with few clouds, 22-23 degree weather and 13-17 knot winds.
I made some instant coffee and it was excellent! I sat in the cockpit thinking about life, family and work - priorities etc. I then went back and re-read some chapters in the "Sailing for Dummies" book - things become much more clearer now that I have some contextual reference points on the sailing boat.
Greg woke up around 9 AM as I was having a bowl of Raisin Bran (now invariably branded as my cereal related to sailing). We made a pot of coffee and made some more powder milk.
Yves awoke and as soon as he had 2 sips of coffee was at work on the clean water pump (he had spent his night shift working on the pump to make sure the mechanics of it were optimal and functioning). We realized after a few attempts that the line needed to be primed from the source and we could not do this - it would have to wait until we were at port and could fill the tanks completely. Yves did have a foot pump that he had installed last year as a redundant system and he Jerry rigged it as the new supply for our kitchen sink for fresh water (there is also a salt water pump on the sink and the fresh is only used to rinse).
We cleaned up the kitchen and I made lunch. We had the last of the bologna sandwiches, the last of the smoked meat, and then crackers with salmon flavored cream cheese.
Yves and I filled the empty 4 liter water jugs as Greg worked on un-kinking one of the fishing lines. This became a 5 hour job of great frustration and a few laughs from Yves and myself about it (what a mess of knots).
I relaxed with a nap and then more reading. Yves worked constantly through the day doing laundry, cleaning, and small projects.
The weather report came in. It looks like we might hit the doldrums (no wind) tonight and tomorrow and then get favorable winds as we hit our waypoint and turn east. It looks like another 11 days (oh and a message that a tropical depression is to be in our area on July 2nd), getting us in around July 3-4. We deliberate on options and we may motor tomorrow.
We have been averaging 4 knots since we left Bermuda (100 knotical miles per day). I say to myself that if we can do 5 knots we can save 2 days heading into Flores. I do want to get home and see my family - oh and I am supposed to be at work on the 2nd (but know that my boss is okay if I am a day or two late).
Greg makes the last of his special Sheppard's Pie and we devour it - it is delicious. We have a chocolate for desert, drink tea, and are lectured on the importance of tomorrow being "Quebec Day". We will fly the Quebec flag, speak French (might be a quiet day), and listen to Quebec musicians (apparently Celine Dion does not fall into this category).
I retire early as it is 8:30 and I am on the midnight watch. Greg has the 9 AM watch and we have decided not to call it the "sissy watch" anymore as it is really 2 watches in one night - the 9-12 and then the 6 AM relief shift.