After most of three days motoring along under an atmospheric high pressure ridge, finally the ridge has broken down, and the wind has picked up. We are now moving faster, and quieter than before, and not using fuel sailing with all plain sail up, on a beam reach in 14 knots of wind. Just about perfect. The current conditions are supposed to be stable for the next several days. Model forecasts have us arriving sometime on January 6.

The excitement of the day, besides a beautiful sunrise, was a pod of eight whales.

We are now sailing through the Sargasso Sea, that large gyre in the middle of the currents of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is not exactly paved with seaweed, but there is enough that it discourages us from putting fishing lines out. We did miss a small tuna that struck the hand line yesterday. Hopefully we’ll get another chance for fresh sushi!