Neptune's watery paradise.
Rhapsode
Sat 20 Nov 2010 13:40
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04 47 N 23 52 W
We entered Neputune's watery paradise yesterday but
I don't think we were meant to...
The day was lovely - the brightest of skies and the
bluest of seas and the gentlest of breezes. I had to keep reminding myself that
we were supposed to be in the doldrums but the big cumulonimbus clouds were
nowhere to be seen. Not even a scattering of altocumulus.
But we did have some strange fish. Flop flop fish.
For about two hours yesterday afternoon we passed hundreds of fish which flopped
out of the sea as tho' at that very same moment they wished they
hadn't and hurried back into it again. None of the grace of tuna. They
just flopped up and then they flopped back
down again. Flop flop fish!
I don't suppose that Maggie has sufficient time on
her hands to read my daily musings but if by some chance you do get to read this
- an explanation from a renowned marina biologist would be very
welcome.
The weather was good drying weather so a little
washing got done. Not much - we're men on a small boat in the middle of a big
ocean - but more importantly the cushions were laid out in the sun to
dry.
Then it rained. Andrew scooped up the cushions and
threw them into the main cabin just in time. It was sea-flattening rain.
Torrential but pleasant except that the cockpit seats were now soaked and I had
nowhere to sit to drink my tea whilst gazing out at the rain washing all the
salt off the boat. I had been so looking forward to sitting on a nice warm dry
cushion.
Andrew had a brainwave - put the cushions inside
heavy duty bin bags. The cushions will stay dry that way.
So now I sit on wet bin bags. I think there is an
advantage here but I yet to grasp it.
Once the rain had done it's work the sun
came out again, the flop flop fish came back and all was well in Neptune's
secret paradise.
Until about 20:00 that is. I switched the radar on
to show the boys how it could pick up rain clouds. We got a strong echo back
from 32 miles away to the southeast. The clouds were moving fast and as they got
closer the echoes got bigger and bigger until one single echo stretched all the
way along our eastern horizon and it was coming for us. There was no escape. We
couldn't outrun it whether we went to to the west or back to the north.
It's arrival was heralded by lightning flashes and
the sky darkened. The moon was completely obscured and as the
cloud got closer to us we felt that it was obliterating everything in its
path. The sky blackened, the sea blackened. We were helpless and could do
nothing but wait.
Then an icy blast from the down draught of the
cloud and within seconds, yes seconds, the wind went from a gentle force 3 to a
full force 8 gusting force 9. We were ready for it with sails tucked
away and engine on. Everything on deck had alread been lashed down and the
cockpit covers rolled down. It was eerie, it was ghostly, it was powerful, it
was awe inspiring! I was so pleased to have a boat with a hard cover over the
cockpit from which to view it.
It lasted no more than 20 or 30 minutes and then we
were tossed out into a confused sea and an overcast sky. It was as tho' a portal
had opened and we had been forcibly thrown out from Neptune's own private
world.
Today, we are still being punished for daring upon
his kingdom, The sea is very confused with both NE and SE swell, very little
wind for the most part and plenty of rain. Michael had a repeat of last night's
performance early on his watch this morning. Undoubtedly there is more to
come.
I was sitting in the cockpit nursing my morning cup
of tea when I noticed that skin was coming off my feet. A consequence of having
a permanently damp / wet cockpit floor I thought. I examined them more closely.
Fish scales! I had fish scales on my feet. I was growing fish scales! know
I've spent a good number of years at sea but fish scales...?? I thought about my
wet and usually salty backside...!!!!!
Then Andrew quietly mentioned that a flying fish
had dropped into the cockpit on his watch. It took him several attempts with his
fish slice to pop it back into the sea and in the meantime it was shedding
scales all over the cockpit floor. They had stuck to my wet feet.
I have to say that I was ever so slightly
disappointed.
Happy sailing.
P, M & A
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