Red letter day (Well, maybe not quite so red after all!)

Today we finally got away from George Town and sailed to Long Island.  As has happened the last couple of sails the wind continued to shift so we were always sailing a perfect weather leg.  We ended up sailing just over 50 miles to go less than 35 miles straight line.

Around noon Sue noticed that we were south of 23 degrees, 30 minutes latitude, so we are now officially in the tropics!

Mid-afternoon, as we were tacking our way through some shallow coral areas, the genoa halyard broke.  The headsail started flogging , came down on deck, and started going overboard.  I got it back on board and we were able to raise it using our spinnaker halyard.  Tomorrow we have to see if we can drop a messenger line down the mast and pull the broken halyard back up inside the mast to the top.  (Are you happy, Jack?)

Just before dark we arrived near where we were going to anchor by Long Island.  When I put the engine in gear as Sue was flaking the mainsail, the boat didn't go forward.  I checked to make sure the shift lever was moving the transmission shift arm -it was.  We quickly rolled out some headsail so we could sail to a spot to drop the anchor.  As soon as we were anchored Sue went in the water to find that we no longer have a propellor!!  Some how, after all the motoring we have done, and after being on the shaft for 10 months, the prop worked loose and came off!  (How 'bout now, Jack?)

 Jack was kind enough to send us a report from another Tartan 37 owner describing all his adventures and mis-adventures taking his boat south.  Jack thought our trip sounded too uneventful.  I guess you have to be here.

Fortunately we have an old, spare prop on the boat.  The trick will be getting it and its key onto the shaft without dropping anything in the water.  So, goody, goody...  two interesting, challenging boat projects for tomorrow.  Of course that probably means we won't have time to do any cat-licking tests.  Sorry.