Port Tack
22 April 2013 | 14°37.45'N 153°07.54'W
Coral Bliss Taylor/..windy?
We remain on a port tack, close reaching usually with staysail and 2nd-reefed main, tonight in lighter winds furled genoa & 2nd reefed main, but even so our brass cabin bell sometimes chimes out when we slam into a wave!!
Close reaching isn't a comfortable point of sail. We are basically living on a slant, consequently everything takes a lot of energy, bracing, balancing, not bonking into things. Imagine balancing on an exercise ball on a 20degrees slant in severe turbulence. My hips are bruised from being in the galley but i'm determined to keep us well fed! I'm on watch now, Jim's asleep. Nighttime watches are fun, easier out of the glare of the tropical sun, pretty moonlight on the sails & sea, and then lots of gorgeous stars in the heavens after the moon sets.
Seen a few terns wheeling over the waves, one small school of flying fish, no other boats at all.
We motored for 2hrs today, first time in 72hrs, to recharge our batteries and top up our water. He keeps everything shipshape, what a perfect set of skills he has! He wears many hats: mechanic, technician, navigator, radio man, etc. sonsie a very sea-worthy boat. Covered in salt crystals from all the spray.
We sign in everyday at 0400 utc on ham radio pacific net, roll call. I did the call this evening, first time, fun! If we don't call in three days running, they will call our contacts -- so we make sure we attend the roll call, so they know we are safe.