Light wind.. for now

Ondeck sailing
Ian Jinks
Fri 8 Jun 2007 13:33
Position 40:42.44S  031:11.95W

1200 UTC 8th June

The wind has eased over the last 12 hours and so we are motoring to get North of some incoming weather.  Hopefully we can get far enough north to pick up westerly winds to take us to Cape Town, rather than getting headed by 50 kts if we are too far south, only time will tell.  Tristan Da Cunha is certainly off the cards now as the heaviest weather is due when we would be close by, and as the island affords us no protection whatsoever, we will not be able to stop.

To be honest, although it would be very nice to see, i am not too disappointed, as i am very keen to get to Cape Town now.  Something to be added to the "things i miss list" is fresh water showers.  Since we have left the Falklands our pressurised hot water has been salty, and it takes some getting used to, and i have to say i am not a fan.  Remember how sticky you feel after a day at the beach, having been swimming or paddling, well halve that and you are about there.

The Ocean never stops down here, with waves constantly coming at you from different directions, no matter where the wind, driven by some far away storm, many miles, or even Oceans away.  The temperature is getting warmer now, with it being T shirt weather outside during the day,  but i am sure the waterproofs will be out when 50kts arrives.
Up until last night the albatross were still with us, but they don't fly when it is calm as they prefer to saw so that they use less energy, and in light wind they can't.  Maybe they will be back tomorrow, but i have a sneaking suspicion that we have seen the last of these gigantic birds.








Albatross



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