35:25.735N 44:47.086W
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Tue 12 Jun 2018 07:08
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June 12
UTC 0536
1508 nm....
I've been saying for a while -- ' There are 2 of us
crossing, the boat and myself...' .
And yesterday -- the best illustration how true the
statement is...
Since yesterday early morning -- we got some wind. Not a
lot, but constant 12-13 kts frorm the SW, with the gentle
gusts to 15.
The wind is coming within 130-150 angle on starboard
tack.
In the past, that angle always puzzled me
-- I knew that I was setting the sails in the wrong way....
The boat was going... but... she was not happy -- too much noise
inside, autopilot trying to correct too much... the boat is trying
to move in different direction on each wave hit...
That is in the past. The boat showed me what she
wants... The sails set differently, we fourd the spot and the sailing
started...
We are doing on average about 7 kts..., sometimes
above 8... Again, not the highest speed record...
But that is the difference how the boat is going
what does matter... I spent the whole day inside the boat, listening
to different sounds... The boats talked to me... I listenend to
the sound of water outside the hull, the sound of
swell which instead of hitting us, started to lift us gently and to
propell further, to dramatically reduced amount of autopilot
correction... The sould of wind it rigging... Just
listening to all that -- is enough to understand what the boat
wants to be adjusted... I even do not need instruments --
I've been using them to confirm my new understanding of the
boat... The boat is nearly balanced... She is happy...
And the boat has been paying back... Her
racing background stepped out... She alligned with the
wind, quickly accelerating on each extra puff ... and trying to keep
momentum on each wind drop... correcting herself, when the
swell was trying to toss us...
On the seas with 1.3 m swell, about 15 kts of
wind -- we have been gliding... remarkably flat and stable,
rushing to the horizon.
Since yesterday moring, my love affair with the boat has
moved to the next level, far more binding... In sickness and in health, that is
true, but till death us do part, never. We would go and
eventually, die together. Never leave her... In witness of the
Ocean...
Arround the noon, as we were enjoying and
celebrating, the cargo ship - Everest Bay, bound to Mobille -
was passing us on starboard.
I started really to enjoy talking to OOW ( officers on
watch). Most of the time -- they are friendly, most of the time -- they
like to talk to somebody too. Today our conversation started
with classical
' -- Can you give me some weather update?
-- Sure, give me a couple of minutes, and I'll
be back to you...
'
Indeed, a couple of minutes later I received the
call back, got details on weather ahead of me, and
then ... all kind of questions -- where I'm heading,
where I'm from... Solo? Really? ... Oh, that is a russian
accent... A small chat about everything and nothing...
Re-read the article about Pierre Disjardins crossing
on Emnence Grise, Which brought some thoughts, and now I'm re-reading and
re-researching all the books I have in hand -- Les Powels, Robin
Knox-Johnston, Bernard Moitessier, Dee Caffari, Joshua
Slocum... regarding some points I made yesterday about
sailing... ;-)
Chat with Chris Parker. We have a few days of
wind ahead of us.. Then friday with no wind... Then...
Ah, who cares? It is enternite away...
We preparing for the night...
And here we go... Sky full of stars...
Waves from the bow, fluorecenting much more today, with blue colour, I
started to like so much... sound of the Ocean...
We are fine. We are sailing to horizon.
M.
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