May 20 1300UTC

Trip meter 6458

Dist to Horta 499

Dist in 24 hrs 66

DMG 50

Had a very rough night with swell from the NW and wind-driven waves from the SW.  Wind started to moderate in the early hours of the morning but still strong gusts.  At sunrise I hoisted a jib and pulled in the rope and chain.  Had to clean piles of sargassum weed out of the cockpit.  Wind and waves kept moderating so I hoisted the main with 3 reefs, then later 2 reefs and soon after just 1 reef and going well.  Saw a 15m catamaran on AIS from 5 miles out coming up astern of me.  Took them quite a while to pass me doing 8 knots to my 6.  Wind is up again and had fun hand steering and surfing the waves.  Top speed was 8.8 knots. Now back to 3 reefs because I was getting soaking wet, still doing over 5 knots.