Rowing Along
Cerys
Sun 16 May 2010 14:50
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34:12N 42:21W
Wind SW F7
Swell 5-6 Metres
2 Reefs
720 Nautical Miles to Horta
Hit forty five degrees of longitude yesterday,
another time change forward (time changes 1 hour for every 15 degrees from the 0
meridian). The evenings are much brighter here.
Weather improved yesterday morning and we sailed
most of the day under poled out head and full main. With the bimini down and the
sun shining on a good swell it brought back memories of our outbound trip in
December 08. We no longer hide from the sun, its recent absence, and the cold,
compells us to take out the shorts and tee shirts again.The sea is powerfull and
handsome today. The swell is 5-6 metres and the crests are 100m apart capped
with a white frostiness. It is impossible to
capture a sea like this on camera or video but I am still trying.
Video night was disrupted as we couldnt hear the
dialogue in Casino towards the end with the noise of sails. We abandoned and
will try again another day.
Joey had his own show earlier in the morning when a
large pod of bottlenose dolphins accompanied him for the last half hour of his
watch. We passed a survey ship in the afternoon.
During the night I spotted many planes, the first
time since we left and Tom saw two satellites. Flanno is figuring out the
constellations with an iPhone app. At 2300 hit the 800 mile marker.
In bed now, the water coursing by my head in spurts
of energy. Cerys is sailing like an eight man rowing team. At the top of the
swell wind fills her sails like the blades dipping into the river, once full,
the sheets taught she drives forward on the stroke as the oarsmen pull hard,
speed and water rushing. As she drops back into a hole the oarsmen breath, lift,
blades flattened and oars pushed astern. Momentum is now carrying her now,
quietly, sails luffed in the lee of the swell.Repeating, evenly, the best music
for sleep.
This morning we are gusting 30 knots and the swell
is steep and short. White streaks whip up along the face of the sea and Cerys
surfs down the front. Making good ground among the white horses.
Two near perfect loaves plucked from the oven
today. Impartial Tom was even forced to comment that this was the best yet. I am
in the lead, making sure I stay there in this tough competitive environment
might require more than fair play.
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