Journal- Leaving Bermuda

Wed. 6-25-08 9:58PM St. Georges Harbor
Sailing for the Azores tomorrow morning. Im surprised to say that Im actually looking forward to it. Ive explored as much as possible of whats within my reach here, and without renting a scooter to expand my boundaries, Ive seen enough to satisfy. Although I still havent been snorkeling...

Today I had a whole baked chicken for lunch with a quart of Dunkleys chocolate milk. I just climbed the mast to run a halyard for the spinnaker, and a ground wire for the mast tri-color. Ive been wanting to climb it, and the mast felt taller than the 40ft it is.

Mike and I also stopped by Ocean Sails to pick up a section of stainless railing to mount the dingy motor with. I love the building and the owners seem great. I talked to Suzanne. Didnt mention it to her, but I would love to work there. But theres a journey to finish, and a life to get back to in Alabama.

Thursday 6-26-08 9:26PM

St. Georges lights are fading to my back; were headed ENE for the Azores, 2000 miles away. For my last meal from land I bought a pack of lamb kabobs. My first time on the boat's grill, and I charred them to a crisp. Ive got one chocolate bar with 32 squares to last me the whole trip. One square every day. Its going to be hard not to eat it all at once, but Im going to try and use it to gauge our time left on this floating coffin. Things arent really that bad when the motor isnt running, but its running now; loud and shaking the whole boat. Its hot, and I already feel crappy. 30 days of this. Come to me cool breeze! Bermuda Harbor radio just cracked in, said red flares were spotted south east of the island. Exciting!

Friday 6-27-08 12:18pm

First day Azores bound. Im already thinking about my dark chocolate bar, but Im going to wait until tonight and have it nightly, piece by piece as a sort of celebration of making it through another day. Ive been reading ''Atlantic High'' by William F. Buckley, as he seems to insist at using his middle initial in everything. I hate William F. Buckley. If he were here I would knock a few of his teeth out with the winch handle. He sails across the Atlantic with six friends, four crew, and a chef on the 71ft ''Sealestial'', a luxo-cruiser where they all have their own bunk in shared staterooms. They also have a freezer full of steaks and lobster, cabinets full of crispy chips and chocolate, and are always toasting each other with a glass from their huge wine collection in every photo. I suppose they were trying to be funny. I hate you, Buckley. Oh yes, day one of thirty. Hooray. The day is halfway done, or, the trip is 1/60th complete.

Sat. 6-28-08 3:02PM

Second day Azores bound. I forgot to eat my chocolate chunk last night, and I just ate it a few minutes ago. It was wonderful. I also had a bit of my milk this morning, it seemed so rich it was like half and half. I instantly feel dizzy and nauseous upon coming into the cabin. But I cant stay up on deck all the time- the cockpit is really the only halfway dry place, and only with room for two to sit. So my routine is- on watch in the cockpit, come down to the cabin and sleep a sweaty, nauseous sleep, wake up and find something unappetizing to eat, eat it above to be able to almost slightly enjoy it, go on watch...and start over. Thats about it. Two days of thirty. Nice progress- 6knots in the right direction. Stop complaining you sissy.

Sun. 6-29-08 2:18PM

Third Day. I had to check my journal to see how many days it had been (yes, sadly you can really forget thats it's been three days at sea.) - I was hoping that I was behind on my chocolate, needing to eat a piece to catch up. Sadly, I was right on schedule. Had my first poop of the Azores leg today, it was the highlight of my day. No exaggeration, it took 21 minutes of toilet pumping to clear the bowl. 21 minutes! Think about how much pumping in a rocking and rolling boat that is! I would love to post that on the blog...I think I will. No sense in hiding the truth about sailing! Im in a good mental state today. I think that its tied in closely to plenty of rest (HA. Is that ever a relative term!) and staying hydrated to keep the headaches down.

Tuesday 7-1-08 6:47AM

I had the 6-9PM and 3-6AM watches. Both were beautiful. I listed to Colin Hay, Allison Krauss, and Kanye West, ha. Fifth, fith, what is it? I cant spell. All this rocking and rolling is taking a toll on my brain!

Wednesday 7-2-08 9:24AM

''...count it all joy when you encounter suffering for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.'' -I havent had much in the way of suffering on this trip, and certainly not any suffering on behalf of my Saviour. But I can say that I have been more uncomfortable than ever before, and with absolutely no chance at all of escaping my discomfort until we reach our destination. I am already certain that once we reach the Azores, I will never have loved sturdy land and freedom so intensely, or have appreciated things so deeply. I dont want to loose this forthcoming of an ever deeper appreciation of life. So now, even though I am ''suffering'' in the lightest sense possible, I can easily consider these times joy, because I know what will be produced in me in the future as a direct result- joy! A truer happiness, a more fulfilled life. If the suffering were for my Lord, I can only imagine how much more of all these things (joy, fulfillment) and how much more satisfying a result, as the results would be towards not only my character now, but towards my eternal soul.