[JOURNAL ENTRY: July 6, 2022]

Day 3: Charleston to Atlantic City; 1700hrs N 37° 59.8’ W 74° 30.1’

It’s my birthday back in NZ. I’m entering my 33rd year – goodness that looks different written down. We are currently becalmed on our fourth day offshore from Charleston, S.C. heading towards Provincetown, Massachusetts. It’s been gloriously level on Caprivi; the wind slowly dying down, while still making 5 knots. Eventful nonetheless, we had a Navy Patrol aircraft circle us three times asking us to divert course due to dangerous Naval activity nearby. So we gybed back offshore, the wind shifted and we could make our course again. Pancakes were made, dolphins and storm petrels stopped by.  

It has proven a little anxious offshore with east coast forecasts so changeable. Each day a new development occurs, nevermind the Tropical Storm Colin that formed on top of us in Charleston. We currently have minimal offshore communications, so we’ll take a moment this summer to get our weather information better situated.

Leaving Charleston we had a good downwind run with a reefed main and genoa, as well as the storm stays’l for balance, as we head for Cape Hatteras and to catch the Gulf Stream again. Day two; the winds dropped but the sea swell remained making a rolly ride while we motored. At the tip of Cape Hatteras the winds picked up for a lovely broad reach with 10knots and some current. 

We made 150nm; 136nm; 172nm.

Each day we rig the shades up and take turns napping, I definitely get some sleep for the both of us. What seems like the midst of summer we are eager to get north before the cooler weather starts to kick in, though we look forward to the shake up to our system, having adapted to the tropics. Our northbound passage has mostly been pantless with dips in the blue ocean and fresh water showers plentiful on deck. 

We think about heading into Cape May but want to keep our easting so we keep moving north.