Sue and I are now in Antigua (at Jolly Harbor anchored - after first going into Falmouth Harbor trying to anchor - dragging and deciding lets go further north for 2.4 hours to Jolly). We have been ashore to check into the country. Anchored in 6 feet of turquoise water.

I used to fly on instruments (IFR) from time to but I did not realize I would have to sail on instruments, as we did much of this trip. In the overcast dark without moon it is eerie to be jolting along so fast and not seeing anything but your instrument lights.

SCARE Last night Sue and I had a very big scare. We were still 25 miles off in the North Atlantic in darkness but could see the skyline and some stars between some rain which then started ... we were racing for shore and also using both engines to add speed and also power the radar and all electronics
through the night ... when wham, we hit something in the water and then felt the engine start grinding and stopped forward movement and went full out of control slewing to the right, sails loosing all wind.

The light rain squall we had been in caused the headsails to start flapping furiously. Each engine would not accelerate normally and we knew we had problems... we had snagged something...Sue ran to the back of the boat and with a bright lithium flashlight saw a huge length of webbing in the water behind the left prop, with a looped end tied to one end was a 5 gallon yellow diesel fuel tank... and long line going backwards. We had felt the boat shudder when we hit whatever was tied to it.

I observed we were being pushed way off course to the north, and despite the autopilot trying to turn full deflection it would not resume course. We shut down both engines and checked each bilge for water fearing the damage to the drive gear on one or both sides. Nothing wrong. Tried to get sailing as we feared engine prop wrap but could not get going. After about 10 minutes or more we got both engines restarted and Ed tried backing up to see if we could free the props. Don't know what happened but after a little bit found we could motor slowly forward and resumed course at 2 knots.

Finally tried reverse and noted right engine ok, but left would not accelerate
fully, but finally after 20 mins sailing it would too. We think the props turned and the shaft cutter knife like disc may have sawn thru anything retarding it. We need to dive the prop and may do so this afternoon before a slumber.

Need sleep. Let the wind roar.
Ed and Sue arrived on Jolly Harbour Antigua after 26 days at sea