What a send off and first night & day on boat

We have been sent from DC with fireworks and we gave them a wonderful parade of sails.

I was very impressed that our boat leading the parade approached to the Wilson Memorial bridge sharp at 10pm, where they started to open the bridge for us to pass.

We didn’t do much last night other than just sitting and enjoying the breeze as it was such a hot day.

No one was very talkative, you could see most of the crew left their loved ones at the marina, texting to them and try to utilise last moments of communication.

We haven’t started our watch system yet so it was 4 hrs on and 4hrs in bed, although I saw most of my watch sleeping on the deck, as it felt really nice and cool.  Our dinner was sandwiches with cheese & turkey slices.

Morning started with a very nice breakfast; eggs & bacon; Izzy and Anton being the cookies of the day, made really nice food.  I’ve omitted bacon as I’m cautious about a potential visit from the green monster.. touch wood, no sign yet.

We’ve spent the day with evolutions, multiple of them, and I must say I’ve enjoyed our dinner a lot rice and a bit of Thai curry on top.  We then have 7-11 as our off time so we are trying to get a little sleep.  My bunk (it’s called coffin bank) is feeling like a real sauna, it’s still super hot and engine is on. I’ve just started using a fan but I guess after 2 hrs of sleeping there is no dry point on my clothes.

I felt very excited, and thrilled as we were leaving, like when you have lots of emotions in you but don’t know how you really feel, as one emotion comes up then the next.  Overall I’m delighted with my crew and our skipper Hannah and her AQP Ella.  My watch has Liz, Olly, Vasi, Lucy, Bill, Anton, Tessa and myself.  Sadly we have had 2 people dropping from the initial crew so our team on this legs is 18 crew and 2 skippers.

In an hours time my next watch will be on (11 pm), and I shall start getting ready.

We are still motoring on the Potomac, and expected Le Mans start for tomorrow is 10am.. so we all want to be well rested and ready for the start to cross the Atlantic.