Still here
My Way
Mike Kopman
Thu 4 Dec 2008 09:28
Hi Everyone,
It's now REALLY calm. Whereas we were talking about motoring on flat seas before, this is something else entirely: The wind speed is 1.7 knots and the surface of the sea is so calm you can see tiny insects skating along it. We're now in the Flores Sea, about 60 nautical miles north of Timor. The sun has been out all day baking My Way's decks and making any work after 9 in the morning impossible.
Yesterday couldn't have been more different. We had everything from calms to gale force winds, lightening, torrential rain and choppy seas. We had the sails up and down throughout the day. No sooner were we sailing along nicely than the the wind would change. With 815 miles to go, in the evening we had a little half way celebration. Dave made a poster to make sure everyone knew about our soiree... when you have a total population of six you want to be sure that everyone is going to show up to a party. Unfortunately we were let down by the weather. It was still drizzling with a nasty bit of chop, but we donned silly masks, had a sundown drink and played Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" (only because of the part in the chorus that goes "Ooooooh we're half way there...")
Last night we passed through fleets of tiny unlit fishing boats, barely big enough to show up on the radar. One of them passed within half a mile and still we could see nothing other than a tiny orange speck that only showed up on the screen every ten or fifteen seconds. Tense night watches all round as we sat glued to the radar display in the pitch darkness.
Well that's it for now. 600 miles to go!
Lots of love from all on My Way
M, S, A, L, D & J