Wow! Last night was a series of fast-moving watches. The day before we had purposefully ducked South to where our latest weather files showed stronger breezes. That was a smart move on our part! With just white sails up last night we were never slower than 7 knots, often at 8 kn, and sometimes pushing over 9 kn. Lots of miles slid under our keel last night.
That forward motion also came with some rocking motion too. Leona literally "hit the deck" in the middle of night while sleeping. Apparently this was followed by a forceful and heartfelt expletive, before she crawled back up on the salon berth to try and regain sleep.
Flying Fish, Flying Sails, and Soaring Souls...
This morning we were met with more lovely breezes from astern. We gybed, heading directly for Oahu, some 800+ miles distant. With the wind on our starboard quarter we hoisted the spinnaker and roared off for another day of tropical cruising. Flying fish were seen scooting over the wavetops as they hastened out of our way. These are little guys, scarcely 6 inches long, a beautiful blue. Sometimes we see them soaring with their specialized pectoral fins held stiffly out to the sides like wings. Other
times they escape by "dolphining" from wave to wave. After 50 to 100 feet they slash head-first into the blue water and are gone.
Within an hour of putting out our fishing lines (which we have done daily during the daylight hours of this voyage), we caught our first fish. A lovely mahi-mahi! She was soon brought aboard, summarily dispatched, cleaned, and butchered into steaks.
A few hours later for lunch we enjoyed the freshest fish going. Cooked in olive oil, with lime, wild rice, and fresh tomatoes and black olives, it was scrumptious! Just the right size too, as if King Neptune himself had sent along just enough provenance for 7 people. Perfect.
Meanwhile, the spinnaker, flying from the masthead, is pulling along like gangbusters! All eyes are on the knotmeter as we come surfing off the building seas and the needle stretches up past 9 kn, pushing 10 kn. The overcast skies have cleared to deep blue, with fluffy cu's marching along at about 1000 feet of altitude. Irena and I both think today is a perfect "dolphin" day, but so far no luck. Just glorious ocean vistas!
The ocean is so big, and we are so small. This truly is a wonderful way to experience the roundness and fullness of the planet earth. Hour after hour we are making big gains, yet when you look on the chart, those hours translate only to miniscule advances. When you fly in an airplane, you have little appreciation for how fast you are going and just how big the earth is. Here, sailing, you have a very specific feel for how large and round this earth is!
But the soul is nourished by many other realities. The perfect harmony between fine trade wind conditions and a beautifully designed and built boat. There is deep satisfaction in seeing the muscularity and broad strength the boat has. Fast and stable. Big and powerful. The forces at play are enormous, and Conversations II responds to each push and pull with poise and athleticism.
I saw Polaris last night, along with a host of other stars and constellations, the first time the clouds have peeled back in days. I can't get over how low in the sky the North Star hangs. It hangs, of course, the same angular distance above the horizon as we ourselves are above the equator. So last night we were moving through 22 degrees North, and so Polaris was only 22 degrees above the horizon. Cassiopeia is nearly below the horizon hereabouts! This too feeds the soul, for in this way you can
truly measure progress.
Daytime temperatures have been quite lovely recently, but when the clouds clear, as they have today, the sun has instant searing heat. Wow! Thank goodness for sunscreen, at least for people of my fair skin. But best of all are the nights. You come up on deck at 0300 h in shorts and a t-shirt and your first words are "Isn't it warm out!" This too feeds the soul.
Last night at Happy Hour I was sitting aft on the "fantail" on a deck chair, eating sunflower seeds and spitting the seed husks over the side. Forward the Captain and crew assembled in the cockpit. Laughing faces all round. Big, big smiles. Eyes seeking out other eyes. Voices raised in laughter, and song. This companionship feeds the soul.
Late at night, after your watch is over, you get to crawl into your berth where no sleeping bag is needed any more. A sheet will do. You hear the fast-paced gurgling of the ocean just on the other side of the boat's hull, and you feel the rock and roll of a big powerful yacht moving through a seaway. You can relax and close your eyes, because you know those on watch take their responsibilities seriously, allowing you the freedom to drift off to sleep. You know you'll be called if needed, but in the
meantime, Orpheus's arms beckon. This relaxed state feeds the soul.
Aloha from Paul
22 N
143 W
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