20171219-223300Z

At nav station, Charlie explains to Sam that there aren't a lot of decisions to make right now; they're just pushing the boat for boatspeed as they parallel the ice limit. Decisions to be made shortly about where to go later. Risk/reward analysis changes based on waht happens at the back of the fleet behind them. On deck, Jena steers on port gybe in about 15 knots of wind under a cloudy sky. Then TJ (invisible in balacava; thank goodness for accents) steers and talks about Jena, about getting her time on the helm when conditions aren't too technical. By the end, he says, she'll be driving as much as anyone else. Nick, on the stern, says he wants Chuy to start a men's fashion line. Has him model his baseball cap stitched onto a neoprene balaclava (as described by Tony). Some discussion of Tron that I didn't really understand. Then SiFi talks about trying to catch the two red boats ahead (though unfortunately Vestas has less wind), and about Brunel about 20 miles behind them. Future wind prospects. Nick and SiFi, in the companionway. Nick: "This boat is a prison." SiFi: "There's no escape."