This is the hand we were dealt after yesterday's blow. South winds gusting to 33 knots and consistently over 25 for the whole night and most of the morning. A glorious opportunity to turn some miles east one would think, what with a beam reach and seas less than 12 feet

We have been making a sad 2.5 knots over the ground ever since the shift. An eddy spun off the main body of the Agulhas Current has us sailing into a Southeasterly current of 2.5-3 knots. For those keeping score at home, that is 2.5+ knots right on the nose. Apparently, there is no end to the abuse in this neck of the woods.

The barometer trace gives some clue as to the strength of the southerly winds. The steeper the rise after the low minimum, he stronger the winds. The rise here continued all day right up to 1026.2. When it peaked, the wind began to let up.

I had thought that shift to the south and the forecasted breeze would allow us to recoup and regroup. No such luck as wind quickly raised the seas to 12-15 feet. It was novel indeed close reaching trying to get the better of the current in 25 knots gusting to 30+ in 15 seas. Even Salty, typically not one to comment about anything other than his ration of grog or pay, glared at me with those unblinking, all-seeing, forever sleeping eyes.

Good or bad, all must end. The adverse current turned north, the wind became a more benign 20'without the wild gusts, and the swell settled. We now await the inevitable calm that follows resolutely pointed east making tracks in every direction but.