Friday to Saturday 24hr run: 156NM, or avg speed 6.5kts The Triple Lindy gang has been very busy trying out any combination of sails and wind angles to keep moving. In the early hours Saturday we still couldn’t find any appreciable breeze until 0500, when winds gradually filled in a little from ENE. During the mid-morning hours we were making the best speed for the day, until winds died around 1300. By dinner time we had gone through several cycles of winds freshening and then dying out. The water temps were in the mid-low seventies, which means the layers of warmer clothes are going back in the seabag. Saturday night was beautiful out at sea, with puffy cumulus clouds interspersed with clear, star-filled skies. We did start to see Portugese man’o war, and some on watch late at night have been entertained by dolphins lighting up the waters with a luminescent glow. We all were grateful for another superb meal at dinner–Saturday night’s selection was a veal stew with potatoes and vegetables. The Newport-Bermuda Race communications folks have been sending us twice a day emails with latest weather and boat status. So far, Next Boat, Tooth Face 2 and Happy Valley have retired. The other activity on Triple Lindy that has taken a lot of time is fixing things. CAPT Joe re-rigged our Iridium satellite phone to a new charger set-up when our 12v plug stopped working. Not to worry, we have a back up sat phone called an “INREACH” if needed, and the other long haul comms capability on Lindy is the ICOM HF SSB radio. Joe also diagnosed a faulty battery regulator that wasn’t allowing the heavy duty alternator to put full charge on the house batteries. Joe had a backup battery interface controller in our parts bin, and once replaced, it seems to be working well. The crew has been working well together, with the Foredeck Union issuing a special dispensation to allow some of mid boat and navigator types to work the fo’scle. We have only two sails left to fly before we have accomplished the feat of setting every racing sail on Triple Lindy at least once. On this Sunday am, we started getting more consistent winds from ENE, and flew the Jibtop, spinnaker staysail, Code Zero, A3, #2 jib, and finally the #3 jib (always one of our favorites for Gulf Stream passage). About 0830 Sunday, we started feeling the influence of the stream, with water temps climbing into the eighty’s, and the distinctive lighter blue water providing a beautiful backdrop to our sailing. Rory survived a close fly-by of a flying fish while he was at the wheel, so we know we are getting to warmer latitudes. We officially entered the stream at 0930, and expect to push out through the main flow by 1330. Our next aim point is a cold eddy (from an offshoot of the main stream that separated last week. We hope to carry the favorable eddy flow for 80-100 miles. The weather in the stream has been changing, and we are being bounced around a bit as a low pressure system comes out from the U.S. East coast and brings ENE winds for those north of the front, and SW winds for those south of 36N latitude. We expect winds to pick up later today as the weather moves through the area of the race course. We have some of the fleet in visual range, but each boat has their own strategy for Gulf Stream and the remaining run to Bermuda, so the boats have spread out across the course. Thanks to all Lindy family, friends and fans.

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