Commander’s Weather had told us about a cold front which would pass over us
as we approached the coast. Late this afternoon as we were off Cape Ann,
Glorious May Sky became black and ominous. The wind quickly rose from 8
knots into the 20’s. Brian, Jamie and Jonathan added two more reefs as the
rain began to fall. The wind continued into 30’s with one gust seen at 42
knots. Then came the lightning. At the first flash I decided to unplug my
computer so that if we lost the rest of the electronics we would still have
charts into Portland Harbor. I removed the machine from its docking station
and shut down the power to it. Now, many months and thousands of miles ago
our friend Tom Clements told us to place the computer into the oven in these
cases as this would provide a shield against lightning entering the cabin.
However, Tom never said what to do if the electrical storm was
contemporaneous with a roasting leg of lamb.

In the event I place the lap top on my bunk and sandwiched it between two
pillows, the value of feathers as an electric shield being well known. Tom?

Meanwhile out on deck our intrepid sailors were struggling with the sails.
The wind was too far forward for the jib so that was roller reefed and the
staysail set; all of this during a major squall.

Soon the staysail was also useless and that was taken down and secured to
the deck. When all were back in the cockpit I raised my hatch and looked out
on the three worst looking drowned rats on the planet. I went back to the
salon and realized that it was time for Pappy. Now nearly three years ago
Jamie presented Alpheratz with a fine old bottle of bourbon, Pappy Van
Winkle and here on the final day of the voyage, the time was most
appropriate to finish it. So I reopened the hatch and handed out three
espresso cups and final contents of the bottle. None of the three declined
the offer. Pappy underwent an honorable demise.

I had the 8 to 10 PM watch tonight and during that time the front passed and
the sky cleared. I was soon chasing constellations when the thought hit me
that I have been doing that nightly for the last, nearly, three years;
sitting in the aft cockpit looking up. The next thought was that it will
probably be a good long time before I am doing this again. I found
Cassiopeia, followed the pointers to Alpheratz (the star) which was rising
on the eastern horizon…and I decided to leave it at that.

We should be in Portland at around 5 AM. Home is 39.4 miles away.

The lamb was fabulous. The lap top survived and …

All are well.