04/05/09 8:00PM

I am approaching Cape Fear. Approaching means about 100NM South of it. Winds are finally picking up and so are the seas. The swell is running 6 feet at the moment but its very slow. There is almost no chop. Gulf stream is still running 2+ kts which further diminishes the apparent swell and wind. Decks are all cleaned out. I put the gas cans in the cabin along the pilot births and tied them to the chainplates. The engine runs smooth and cool. And the alternator is no longer overheating. Because the batteries are so depleted, I have to run the engine once or twice per day for about an hour. It all depends on how much sun and wind I get. So I am running it right now. So far, weather has been great. There has been only the light shows in the distance, and I was far enough to enjoy it and not worry about the storms. Same goes for the this evening. The thunderstorms are along the coast and I am far enough to net be bothered by them. I am still close enough to get NOAA weather. But you can help but get worried when you see a bright flash at night. Some the lightning appears so close, but is harmlessly far away.
So far looks like I'll be near Cape Fear by Monday noon, near 35N75W by Tuesday noon, and near 36N74W by Wednesday noon or AM. But all this can change depending on the weather maps I download tomorrow. Email radio stations have been great. I get the best reception form Panama, and there is a station in Trinidad that I like as well. Today I managed to connect to a station in Virginia Beach. Seems as though ideal station are further then 500-600 miles away.