Wednesday 16 June 2021

Oh Crikey! Wrongly called named cyclone in North Atlantic, Bob. Sorry about
that Bill. No aspersions intended. Hey, both names begin with "B" so
understandable, right? At least he didn't get called Beelzebub. One does not
want to provoke a tropical storm.

Yesterday afternoon watched a pod of wee dolphins. Waves are tall enough to see
them through the sides as if in an aquarium. We're three hundred fifty miles
from closest land so wonder if they followed some pelagic sardines out here. We
love our creature features.

GRIB (Ghastly Recommendation for Incipient Blastoff) indicated higher wind for
yesterday evening and, who could have guessed, it was almost correct. Adding to
already brisk conditions, squall line catching and pacing us produced winds
above forty five knots, considered strong gale force or Beaufort scale nine, and
kicked up over three meter sea. Probably would have doubled that had it built
awhile longer. Don't often get impressed, but that did it. Visibility almost
nil from spray pulled off tops of waves and entire boat shuddered with wind
force. We were dancing along at close to hull speed with all sail furled except
a bare hanky of genoa. Golly crackers Uncle Beauregard, that was something.
Let's not do that again.

And then we did. Shorter duration, but wind gauge went to fifty two. Now
constant thirty knots with two and a half meter sea and forecast to continue for
next two days. Apparently we're caught in a "pressure squeeze between a
weakening high and an intensifying complex frontal boundary" which should pass
Bermuda Friday noon leaving more settled conditions. And we thought the
Atlantic was such a nice ocean.

Jack & Jan