The dogwatch again!

Fleck
Fri 1 Aug 2014 12:53
Friday 1st July 2014
 
Position 48:35.1N 14:42W
 
Somewhat mixed fortunes with our sailing overnight. Slower than anticipated, and a nasty squall at 2am had us carreering along out of control, as I struggled out of my bunk into lightweight and then heavyweight foulies, in a vain effort to remain both warm and dry. Just as in my current novel 'The Luminaries', glimpses of the truth, and from only one perspective, give only a tantilising view of the whole, so it is with GRIB files which compute wind speeds from barometric pressure readings from around the globe. We get an accurate prediction of the amount of wind energy over a fair area, but how that is actually dissipated seems to depend on local circumstances. So it is that we have experienced an average of 15knots of wind these past twelve hours, but as concentrated bursts of up to 25 knots, in squalls, followed by complete calms, during which we wallow uncomfortably. The crew of Fleck are somewhat vexed by these events, they dent our sense of well being, and they are delaying our progress towards the English Channel: alluringly close now, but contriving to maintain a rather stiff distance away, a resistance perhaps, are the Gods toying with us? Hannah has just emerged from her bunk, silently replaced an anti clatter piece of folded tissue in our cooker, and returned to her place of safety and seclusion. I am the guilty party: recently discovering the tissue, mystified as to its purpose, and chucking it away!
 
After the news and weather forcast it is lunch time: this should lift our spirits, and the afternoon weather also promises some sunny spells.