Around the Corner

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Mon 30 Nov 2009 15:56
Noon Position: 22 47.0 S 039 57.3 W
Course: Southwest. Speed: 7 knots
Wind: North nor' west F4 - Moderate breeze
Weather: Partly cloudy, warm
Day's Run: 160 nm

The wind has eased a little and we are back to full sail. At six this morning we passed the southeast corner of Brazil, dropped the pole, altered course two points to starboard and are now making for the Rio de la Plata, the River of Silver, just over a thousand mile away. We are now enjoying a very pleasant reach, and still making excellent time. I don't think old Sylph has posted such consistent set of good runs since crossing the Indian Ocean, and that was a wet and windy ride reaching across huge rolling swells, this is absolutely delightful by comparison.

We continued to stay well clear of the coast, which makes life a bit easier. Last night we raised three sets of lights, initially I thought they were ships, but their bearings changed very slowly, so something seemed odd. Eventually I decided they must be oil rigs, over 30 miles away. And this morning as we altered course looking to the northwest I could see large flat plumes of dark smoke atop huge smoke stacks. Initially I thought I must be looking at an industrial complex on land but on studying the chart decided this was impossible, the nearest land was over 60 miles away. I suspect there must be some unusual refraction about, and the multitudes of oil rigs in close proximity to one another look like a large city on the horizon. Man the tool maker!

All is well.

Bob Cat:

I am definitely too old for the quarter berth on the starboard tack, getting in is OK but getting out is just too hazardous. Fortunately things have been relatively peaceful so I spent most of last night up forward in the V-Berth, then this morning after the skipper had vacated the settee bunk I have taken that over, it is still a bit hot and stuffy to be sharing it with the skipper, besides he is up and down all night so it is impossible to get a good night's rest in preparation for a hard day at work with him sharing the bunk. We make do. Anyway back to it (the day job) . . Zzzzzzzz.