It’s actually a pretty long haul to Ste. Anne, about 30 nms and most of it dead into the wind. We’ll have to motor a lot. I’m a little concerned about our diesel store so hopefully we can sail once we get around Diamond Rock.

Christy makes bread in the morning so we get away a little later than optimal but shouldn’t be too bad. Lots of other people heading that way too and the water is pretty calm for the first hour or so.

We pass a small flotilla of small boats all congregated in the same spot, each with quite a few onlookers. I suspect they have spotted whales though we are not very far offshore. I rouse Christy as she is napping a bit and we slow down a bit and use the binoculars but don’t see anything. As we pass they start to disperse so I guess we missed it.

Gets pretty overcast and likely going to rain, probably hard. We only have the main up so not a big deal. It never gets much out of hand, clearing almost completely by the time we get to Anse D’Arlet.

This is good because I am planning to take some sun shots and try out the celestial navigation gig. Didn’t look like i would be able to see the sun but now no problem. I practice a bit around 11:30 am, then take the real shots around 12:12 pm. Christy uses my watch and records the time as I take the angles. (I do the calcs the next day, my calcs are off by about 24 minutes or about 24 nms which is not good enough. Should be able to get within <5.)

Around Diamond Rock (1 pm) I’m getting concerned about fuel levels so we decide to sail. Will have to tack but we have time and better than running out of diesel. Need the engine to be able to drop the anchor. We have a spare 5 gallon jug but definitely don’t want to run the tank dry and don’t want to try and pour the spare gas into the tank when we’re rocking and rolling.

As usual, this is where the arguments happen. I am frustrated the boat will not stay on course unless we manually steer and we can’t get the speed I think we should. Leads to strong words between us. Three times the boat turns into the wind and goes right through to the wrong tack. Only way to get back is with the motor. We tack about 4 times which is a pain because we have to pull the genoa all the way in, then all the way out again on the other side because of the stay sail stay. Usually we’re not tacking so not a big deal.

We get to within 1.5 nms of Ste. Anne and finally put the motor on. I have been checking the fuel levels and it basically reads zero but hoping that is just inaccuracy. No problem, we find a good anchorage in the middle of the fairly crowded area and drop the anchor securely. Done.

We sigh, we kinda laugh. A load has been lifted from both our shoulders. Despite being booze free for – how long? – we both go and get a drink. I have 2 beers and Christy has a rum punch. A third beer and I would be intoxicated but it tastes good. Dive on the anchor? Nope. We’re dirty, hot, sweaty and tired.

We fall asleep listening to Father Mike and all in bed by 9:30 pm.

I don’t sleep well with pain in both shoulders.