Today, the 15th day of the race, land is suddenly very close by. In fact, it was just 36 meters away, down below that is! We are now on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The water is very cold, 5 degrees, but thanks to a northwesterly wind, visibility is quite good. I am also in what is supposed to be the last section in which to expect ice. According to the latest ice chart, this area (which is 60 by 35 miles large), should have 9 ice bergs or growlers in it. Because the weather is relatively good, I kept a good lookout for this ice and probably would even have made a detour to it just to make some photographs. No ice seen... After a period of calms (again...), the wind veered to the northwest, enabling a direct course to the next waypoint, Sable Island. This is, however, still some 400 miles away.

Today I also felt like cooking, so I just finished my supper which consisted of penne, with a sauce of sundried tomatos and Sicilian anjovis (a gift from Minke), in a little passata. This finished with very old cheese (made at De Franschman, Bergen, Holland) and freshly ground black pepper. It left little to be desired for, although a good bottle of wine... But I'll save the drinking for Newport.

Bart

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