Fair Sailing to Maldives, Mostly
26 January 2011
Randy Repass
26Jan2011
Fair Sailing to Maldives, Mostly
Most sailors would have loved the first three days of our passage. But not the next two days. After a great three days of ideal sailing conditions with following wind and seas we spent 24 hours in squalls where the wind would go from 5 knots to over 20 (but not 40!) and from just overcast to serious downpour.
Then directly south of Sri Lanka the the wind went light. After we got 20 or so miles west of Sri Lanka the wind built up to the mid 20's initially from ahead and then backing to aft of the beam. The seas built to 3 meters and with the apparent wind on the beam and the ride was a bit rough with the boat lurching to 30 degrees of heel when a big wave rolls by. Every 15 or 20 minutes we hit a wave just right so it breaks over the starboard side and splashes water into the cockpit. Items not secured move around on the counters, dinner plates not held slide off the settee table. The log book slides across the chart table.
We had double reefed main only our 6th night out with apparent wind in the high teens/low 20's and were completely under control and now the morning of our 6th day and about a day and a half to go double reefed main and single reef in the mizzen. We are making 9+ over the ground and expect to reach Uligan, Maldives late tomorrow afternoon.
We have a list of projects for when we arrive. None too serious but the windex and tri color on the main mast have both been loose for a day. If they don't go swimming by the time we get to the Maldives, we will try to repair them. We haven't used the engine too much but will need to top off fuel and there are several other items plus of course laundry and re provisioning.
With less than one day to go, the wind has come back to well aft of the beam dropped to 15 to 17, and the seas have dropped from 3 plus meters to about 1. The night sky is clear. The half moon shines brightly and the stars are brilliant. We can see Orion, Pliedies, and the Big Dipper. The same constellations we see from home.
Photo of squall line. >