Day 29 - Still More Pleasant Sailing

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Tue 11 Jan 2022 23:39
Noon Position: 46 00.0 S 152 50.8 W
Course: E Speed: 5 knots
Wind: NNW, F3 Sea: slight
Swell: NW, 1 meters
Weather: overcast, mild
Day's Run: 144nm

We continue to enjoy a light NNW breeze, light but still drawing Sylph along at a very respectable average of six knots for the last 24 hours. Winds are forecast to remain around ten knots until Friday forenoon when they are then expected to increase to 25 to 30 knots from the NW. Also, late tomorrow the wind is forecast to veer into the NE so that will likely require some close-hauled sailing, but at 10 to 15 knots that is still well within Sylph's and my comfort zone.
While the weather remains pleasant and there isn't much to do in the way of sail handling, I continue to fill my days with boat chores, some celestial navigation, cooking, reading, a bit of flute practice, and the odd guilty pleasure of watching a movie. I say guilty about this last pastime because of all the pleasures of modern technology that Mark on board Coconut has to forgo as part of his continuing in the Golden Globe Race. But I rationalise that I am not in that race and am out here for other reasons, of which avoiding modern technology is not one of them.
In the way of boat chores, I made a perspex cover for the companionway switchboard this morning to protect it against the inevitable spray or worse that will no doubt make its way past the dodger screen and storm boards at some stage. Regrettably the switchboard is not waterproof which is an oversight on my part. Another job I attempted to do yesterday was to grease the rudder post bearing. I normally keep the grease gun in the lazarette and getting to it is not too easy at the moment because I have the tyre drogue with some rope and chain secured on top of the hatch. I almost decided to forgo this bit of maintenance but told myself, "Don't be lazy. It will be one less thing to worry about when other things are going wrong all around you down the track." So, having talked myself into some virtuous seaman-like behaviour I was very disappointed, after pulling most of the contents out of the lazarette, not to be able to find it. I can only think I have stowed it somewhere more convenient for this voyage but now I cannot remember where. Oh well, it will turn up sooner or later. Until then I am afraid the rudder post bearing will just have to wait.

All is well.