My brain immediately returned to the oil change earlier in George Town and the oil that always leaks when I do a quick swap of the filter (which lays on its side).   However, I usually put down paper towel to try and catch that oil and I had done oil changes before without this issue so I was surprised to see it in the bilge now.    As for the diesel smell, I had not yet had time to process what might be happening there. 

I used my pump for changing oil to pump everything out of the bilge and into a container and mopped it dry with rags.    You will notice on the map of my travels the last tack over Long Island leading me the furthest north (and clearly not trying as hard to pinch towards the North East) was actually the wheel pilot driving while I was below pumping and cleaning, just occasionally popping my head up to ensure there were not boats to worry about and that the sails were still sweet.   As soon as I was done and washed up, I tacked back south and found myself on a good angle to head directly to my destination with the wind.  

A minor hiccup that I hoped would be the worst thing to happen on this initial overnighter. 

And it was, though I could see the issue returning as the bilge filled up again, it did not seem to affect anything.  The oil levels were the same in the engine, the diesel tank was still reading as full.   And pondering it all while sailing, I decided that it must have been the leaked oil on filter change and possibly overfilling the diesel when not paying enough attention while siphoning on my George Town fill up.   I decided to sort it out on arrival to Crooked the next day and started preparing for the overnight portion of my sail.   

Shortly after the oil incident I got quite a bit ahead of buddy boat Pianissimo as they could not point as well upwind as I could with their shallower draft, full keel.     We ended up out of radio and AIS range.   However, we had not talked as buddy boats if the plan was just to make sure the other arrived safely or to literally stay together.   But in that moment I decided the safest thing for me was to spend less time at sea and be exposed to less weather, they would have a boat waiting for them at anchor ensuring they arrived.   There was no point having a boat close by if the skipper was exhausted and mentally drained.  I also had their Garmin link so that I could see how they were going once I had reception at Crooked.  

And so I carried on. 

I started my periodic napping very early in the evening as I find it harder to catch up once I am tired than to prevent tiredness in the first place.  

So though I was not sleeping at first, I was at the least resting my eyelids in 20 minute increments.   Because I had a fabulous dodger and connector to the bimini, my cockpit is very dry.   So I had a good pillow and blanket, I had my alarm on my phone connected to the Bluetooth surround speakers to ensure that I did not miss it and set for regular 20 minute intervals.   I would rest, usually stir before the alarm, check the charts and AIS transmitted from other boats (if any nearby) on my tablet while still laying down.   Then I would hop up (amble up more like it) and check the compass to ensure I was on course, make sure I was happy with my speed, look at the sails and the wind angle (with my anchor light on to light it up because the electronics were still not working), scan 360 degrees around me for obstacles or other vessel lights and check the radar for squalls and other vessels. 

Then I would take my next 20 minute nap and repeat the cycle.