Location: Underway to TARRAGONA!
We woke up to a crisp fall day in La Spezia (The Spez). Lukas prepared some delicious apple muffins for breakfast. Then, we left the harbor and began motoring towards Villefranche. Once underway, James and I gave our destination presentation about Monaco. We had some free time, which I spent honing my poker skills. Next, we had a seamanship class about the clove hitch and boat safety. We made our way up to the deck for lunch, and it warmed to a breezy 75 degrees. After lunch and cleanup, we learned about tectonic plates in oceanography class. I had a great watch this afternoon from 2 to 6. I learned to tie a bowline with my feet and how to use a sextant to determine the angle of the sun. We then had a wonderful dinner of chicken with coconut chickpea curry and naan bread courtesy of chef Lukas and breadmaker Brendan. After dinner, we learned that the weather forecast has gotten more serious, and we will not be able to stop in Villefranche or visit Monaco. The Mistral winds out of the Northwest will pick up, with the possibility of a low-pressure system that would prevent us from reaching the Western Mediterranean. To avoid that, we are heading straight for Tarragona. We should reach land on the 2nd or 3rd, which will make this our longest passage yet!