Monday,15.50N, 51.22W 564 miles to go
Moonshine
Tue 12 Dec 2006 06:24
One of the advantages of working a shift system of sailing the boat, is that one gets the opportunity to stay up all night just soaking it all in.
It's a clear night with a few tiny puffs of cloud dotted around, but not enough to obscure the sky. There is a half moon, but again, not enough light from that to obscure the stars, and there are stars! Unbelievable stars. The stars extend from horizon to horizon, looking like one of those idealised star charts, but with a million extra dots added. Every few seconds a shooting star flashes by sufficiently out of direct line of sight to make me think it is imagined - but it is not. I've seen it like this many times, but only ever at sea, and every time it takes me by surprise. It's all so clean and fresh and untainted and real. Not at all like the starless yellow streetlit blanket of sky seen on land.
The days sailing on Monday was gentle, as this wind and sea calmed through the day. There was little to be done. Once all the sail was up, and the course set, there was nothing to be done except maintain a watch. We regarded Monday as a day off, and just sort of lounged around.
There were short bursts of activity, as the occasional squall came through, but we're becoming a little bold with them now with this Autosteer windvane system. This steers the boat at a constant angle to the wind, and stops it broaching, so when we are hit by a squall, and the windshift it brings, we can let the Autosteer take care of it and bring us back on course when its gone. In fact we now know that we have to stop ourselves adjusting things when it happens as the automatic adjustments it makes are better than those we would apply! In a squall, all we do now is reduce sail a little, but leave the rest alone.
Having, taken the day off (!), we had time to prepare a liesurely dinner.
Of course dorado was the crews choice!(we've caught it, now eat it (captain))
The dorado was cooked in small parcels, with a little lemon, cracked black pepper, and leek, wrapped in foil and baked.
It was served with new potatos, baby carrots, and sweetcorn. and followed by peaches. No ships biscuits on this boat!
I think we're now dorado'd out.
If eating fish makes you so clever,why do dorado still think that bits of pink plastic with hooks in them are good to eat.
Back up on deck now - what a beautiful night!
Rod Dave Alun and the mouse
SY Moonshine
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