Day Eighteen - New Year's Wash

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 1 Jan 2022 01:23
Noon Position: 46 38.6 S 176 32.7 E
Course: E by N Speed: 6 knots
Wind: SW, F4 Sea: slight
Swell: W, 2 meters
Weather: sunny, mild
Day's Run: 149 nm

We have enjoyed another 24 hours of pleasant sailing, making good 149 nm, an average of 6.2 knots.
We continued to beam reach throughout the night until 0500 this when the wind shifted into the west and we found ourselves standing to the north. I clambered into my foul weather gear and made my way on deck, furled the jib, gybed the main, unrolled the jib this time poled out to to starboard, then returned down below and to the warmth of my bunk.
This morning dawned sunny and fair but nonetheless it took me an age to drag myself out of my bunk. I pondered why I felt so weary and lethargic and decided, given the balmy conditions, a good salt water wash down would help reinvigorate my soul. To this end I found some fresh clothes, a towel and other appropriate paraphernalia, then stripped off and went out into the cockpit. With the wind behind us and the sun shining, conditions were indeed very pleasant. The cold salt water liberally splashed over head and body thoroughly woke me up and chased away the yacht cave blues.
I followed up my New Year's wash with a hearty brunch of pancakes with maple syrup, washed down with orange juice and a cup of tea.
Now the wind is backing further into the south, once more pushing Sylph further north. We do not want to get too far north or we will end up losing the wind. A large high pressure system lies to the NE of us and unfortunately Coconut seems to be caught in its grips at the moment. So the next event on the agenda is to drop the whisker pole and beam reach down to the SE.
Happy New Year to all and happy sailing.

All is well.