On June 22, four days after we had set out, we finally got some good wind. We set the jib and the main and beat into the wind for a day and a half. On June 23, the wind increased to about 30 knots, and we shortened sail to a triple reefed main, pulled in the big genoa jib, and raised the small staysail. Also on June 23, on Deb's night watch, the bilge pump went on. She had a search to see where water was coming in; nothing looked like a problem, so we finally figured that it was water left in our bilge after our plumbing problems prior to leaving.

Beating into the wind as the seas built became increasingly difficult. We were still going fairly slowly, with speed made good, as we were going south and south-east against the Gulf Stream. Seas were about 5 feet at that point and we were getting tired and beat up. The staysail's standing stay gave way in the afternoon, and first Deb, and then Larry crawled forward to reattach it. We were successful, but it is a "quick-release" clevis pin and could go again given the right conditions. Our forward excursions took a lot out of us both, and Debby acquired a very colorful set of bruises on both legs.