Happy Birthday to Me
17 February 2010
Tom
Pic:- Tom's travel companion Moby and his birthday cake.
Those who are following our progress on Shiptrak may have noticed the dots for the last couple of days are not quite as far apart as before. The lovely SE Trades gave up on us and we ran out of wind. For two days now we have had the constant drone of an engine all the time whilst the anemometer registers only 1 or 2 knots and the windex indicator does cartwheels with the direction. Often the SE Trades last well passed the Equator but not this time. The Equatorial weather sits in a kind of no-mans land between the South Atlantic High and the Azores High. The pressure gradients gradually fade away giving rise to the calms we are experiencing and the dreaded "Doldrums" of the Clipper Traders. Having got the calms early perhaps we will get the Northern Hemisphere winds early as well to carry us on our way. Making our way at an angle to the North-West we are advancing just over a degree West each day. This is having several effects. Firstly to our time of day, the local time is now 3 hours away from Cape Town. No problem, breakfast is just after the sun comes up and dinner is just before sunset. All very easy!
A much more noticeable effect of our westerly track is that we have not had any moon light since leaving St. Helena. From a fixed location the moon rises earlier each day in it's 28 day cycle. Our westerly gain of just over a degree per day is keeping pace with the moons daily advance so we are not seeing any change in the rise and setting times. On the flip-side the darker skies give us the most dazzling star displays. Stars so bright you feel that you can touch them, and them in such great numbers. Who in the city would believe that there are actually so many! Several shooting or falling stars are seen each watch. Mark is running out of wishes to go with them. As with the moon the advance of the stars crossing the heavens has slowed with little change each night. Early evening sees Orion straight overhead with his sword protecting our path. Early morning the Southern Cross rises behind us to check on our progress whilst to the north-east the Big Dipper rises to indicate the looming presence of Polaris to guide us into the Northern climes. Not yet visible I am anxious to reacquaint with Polaris although I do not find it as bold and definitive as our own Crux Sud. Still below the horizon consorting with Cassiopeia they will reveal themselves in due course.
Yesterday was my birthday, again another at sea, and it was a good day with a kind ocean that allowed the landing of a fine tuna. There was much peace about but it nevertheless had a bittersweet feeling with loved ones so far away. Far away but not out of thought. Thanks for the wishes received.
So much for the old mans ramblings for tonight. See you all next time on the
blog.
Cheers, Tom