September 22, 2009

Tuesday’s Sail South
To the east, south and north the ocean is dark blue, stippled with the light blue reflection of the sky. There's a breeze of about 3 knots, about what you feel on your face when you walk fast, and the breeze ruffles the surface so that the backs of wavelets show the dark ocean, and between the peaks the sky reflects. Turning west I see a quick progression from copper to bronze to gold, then to a sparkling path of brilliance that repels the eyes from the low angled rays of the sun. The whole surface slowly, gently undulates with a low, heaving swell, tired remainders of waves generated far away, where there's enough wind to push the water up in piles.
The weather forecast for where we're headed predicts that two days from now we'll be watching the sea pile up and crash over, while the wind behind us powers us south, Sequester slicing through the roiling sea. But for now, to make our date with that wind, the outboard motor rumbles, the hulls whisper across the surface. We sailed most of the day, an hour or so with the spinnaker, until a passing squall made us strike it, and got us wet. The wind behind the squall clocked too far forward for the big nylon sail, but had enough authority to keep our pace with mainsail and jib until late afternoon. Generally, a good day, an easy day. We'd like that 10 knot breeze to show up again, so we don't have to hear the motor all night. but as the Rolling Stones sang, you can't always get what you want. But, if you try, sometimes you just might find, you get what you need. Looks OK for now. 27 deg 42 min S, 168 deg 52 min E Ted