Light and Shadow

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Thu 19 Dec 2013 03:35
Noon Position: 01 11.45 S 154 14.7 E
Course: South west (drifting) Speed: 1 knot
Wind: North, F1 light air
Sea: slight Swell: North east 1.5 meters
Weather: mostly sunny, warm and humid
Day’s run: 67 nm sailed, 45 nm made good

Noon has once more been accompanied by a calm, and we are once more drifting, waiting for some wind. And the last twenty four hours has been much the same as the last several days, with light and variable winds. I have worked them as best I can, but the winds on average have been mostly light from the north, which has made making ground to the north difficult. Consequently we have ended up to the east of our planned track, which is fine, as, as I have already noted, I want to be east of the direct route to Okinawa so that once we pick up the north east trade winds we will have, hopefully, a slightly more comfortable ride.

We are getting closer to the equator, now only seventy miles to the north, and as we do conditions appear to be getting calmer. The blue sky is full of puffy white cumulus clouds, rows and rows of them as far as the eye can see. Thunderheads are becoming less frequent, and more welcome, as they are now, it seems, our main source of wind. Their accompanying rain showers also bring relief from the sun and keep everything nice and clean, especially me. The sea is dark blue with patches of a lighter turquoise, presumably caused by the light and shadow of the clouds above us. Sylph rolls rhythmically to the swell, and RC has found a new spot to sleep, under the dinette table. Presumably it is a little cooler there and he feels well wedged in against the roll.

We sit patiently.

All is well.