SailBlog

Gentler days at sea It is as if the whole pace has relaxed, though we have had a good sailing day. The winds remained steady all day long. I was torn between wanting to make easting, direct gratification as progress toward home, and getting a bit farther south to get in better winds. But the truth is that there are several high ridges this week that are to broad to avoid, so regardless of my chanage in latitude, it is going to be an 'on again, off again', sailing week.

It was a day when the wind was just at that angle between a beam reach right off the midships and a running reach, just behind the beam...that place where the jib will become occluded easily with the sway of the boat with the steering vane's responses. I want to make some southing, but don't need to go dashing which would really cut into my easting. So I have had the sails still wing on wing, as the winds are to shift farther aft later on...but the wind swings a bit to the beam at times...it is a strange point of sail to use for wing on wing...but it does work. The wind is to back to the west...as it does it will gradually pull us around to an east course which is perfect.

Tomorrow will be very light winds for the most part. I am not sure, but given it is a high system we are coming into, I suspect a sunny day...pleasant holiday weather as I won't make much progress again tomorrow. It will be nearly a record slow week, more like what we did near the Azores...but we have been running hard. It is the balance and the reason I do run hard when I get the wind angle to do so; To make up for the calm days.

Today was a study and writing day. I have several projects I worked on today. The Writer's Journey is very provoking... a good way to enrich a story with the qualities that create the virtue of classic storytelling...stories were designed to teach, to pass down virtues from one generation to another, to be a parable of living exemplified in the telling of real tales to fiction.

It was a quiet bird day...strange how they come and go. We are now getting quite past St Paul and Amsterdam Islands, habitats for some rarer birds I have been seeing. I will see...the birds tend to show up convention style on quiet wind days, Circling, gathering, then landing, hanging out, squawking, then taking flight.

Though we are moving fast and rolling, I managed to get in a good time of exercise and meditation. It is a full moon tonight...lots of energy in the air. It felt great to do a full set of breathing and moving salutations to move the acidity in my body, still achy from the rough week ending a few days ago. I am puposing to eat a bit more as I am definitely losing weight. It isn't so much that I mind losing some weight but given I have another 5 months on this diet, I need to be careful not to lose energy. I think that I have not been cooking the quinoa and vegetables well enough or using enough water, with my concerns for rationing...so I today I was added extra water and broke out some dried green peas to add to my soup. I have more food on board. No sense in having it go to waste. A few days and I will be on to new provisions. I will have nuts and jerky for snacks again.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...I will save my greetings for the morning for me...Actually, now it is nearly 10am in the East USA...EST. I am nearly to 90*...It has taken longer than I expected to get to 90* with the slow down. I expected to be there tomorrow but we will be at about 87*30'E by morning. So a few degrees behind a generous schedule.

Bob's Socks are knitted...they are big enough I am quite sure...warm and wooly. I have been testing them today. Quality control.

Keepin On Sailin On a Dream... Seasons... it is the balance that allows the highs and lows to be manageable, as there is a time for each pace to work itself out. Wise Mother Ocean seems to have my pace in control. All that rain was such a gift in the middle of an unwanted storm...A true Gold Leaf lining. ...

Fairest of Winds and the Love of the Ocean Only Gratitude Donna

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