Day 9, Atlantic Crossing

1230Z 26DEC18, Day 9, Atlantic Crossing. Yesterday the winds were largely 15-20kts and we have started putting up better speed again. From the late afternoon through the first half of the night we were seeing gusts around 25kts or so which kicked up the seas a bit. Then the wind shifted to the east so the seas got a bit rolly, and were coming from 2 directions which is a bit uncomfortable. In the early morning hours, with the wind shifted, we gybed south to make a better course. A few hours later, we gybed back west. Around sunrise we started hitting small cells of accelerated winds and light rain. So, on we go from 15kts of wind to 30kts of wind back down to 15kts. We continue to sail a broad reaching making a general westerly course.

Current Position: 17 36.4N 032 54.9W
24 hour progress: 141nm, 5.9kts avg SOG, 1275nm total progress, approximately 1570nm to go. Grey and rainy with patches of sunshine. We have seen ends of rainbows a few times.

Everyone is doing well. We figure we are getting somewhere close to the half way point time wise, but not quite mileage wise yet. The trade winds look to be consistent and perhaps on the strong side for nearly all of the rest of the trip. So we are hopeful that we can put up some more big mileage days and make good progress.

Cat update (as requested): they are doing well. Athena has found a corner that she likes and has hunkered down there. She comes out at meal times and to get water and to say hello, but when things are rolly she's been sleeping in her spot. Back on the slow and calm days (23&24 Dec) she was all over the place - hanging out in the pilot house, laying outside and looking for lots of attention. Now she is back to her spot. Poseidon is just chilling out. He was a bit sick and drooling the first day which is normal for him. But after that he has been fine. He's been just as interested in food as always and he's been hanging out with everyone. At night he likes to sleep with the boys and in the day he'll hide in the bed Jon and I use at sea. He has a corner that he likes and stretches out across the pillow in the corner. He also lays on his back under the table and stretches out in the bathroom on the floor which is where we keep their water dish. So basically they are both being normal cats - perhaps sleeping a bit more than usual, but happy and content.