I think we are finally getting into our sea rhythm. For the past few days we’ve experimented with the watch schedule, trying to decide if we should rotate it every night. For now, we agree that sticking to the same times works the best for us as it’s the routine that makes each day fly by.
As I type this, it’s 1730, almost time for me to make dinner. Our spinnaker has been up for over 24 hours and, thankfully, mostly full for the past twelve. The day has just flown by; it seems like moments ago I was waking up for my 4am-8am watch. There is no moon right now, only more stars than I’ve ever seen in my whole life and they actually light up the sky like a distant city. And low in the horizon the clouds had finally cleared so I could see it at last: the southern cross. Our spinnaker was struggling to stay full in the light northerly breeze and I settled in the cockpit with a hot cup of Earl Gray tea to watch the brilliant sunrise. It is getting warmer by the day; we have been plenty warm at night with shorts and a light sweatshirt.
I read for an hour or two and then the rest of the crew was up by eight. I began working on our pancake breakfast and put on hot water for coffees. Holly was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as usual: “What day is it Mama?” she asks me. “Friday!” I answer. “Movie day! Yaaaaaay!” she exclaims. To avoid the daily question of “can we watch a movie today?” we’ve been sticking to Friday Movie Days for some time now. Today was no exception; after breakfast was done and cleaned up we put on “Puss In Boots.” Happily, the cloud cover we’ve had the past week has largely been left behind and we had plenty of solar power to run the computer and charge up the house batteries. The morning also included reading, salt-water showers, and a haircut (for Matt).
We grazed on snacks and leftovers for lunch, the girls put on another video and the adults took turns taking naps. Around four, we all gathered in the cockpit just to talk and play and gaze at the blue disc that has and will surround us for days and days. The view is always the same, yet is continually changing with a seemingly infinite combination of light, clouds, and waves. It is mesmerizing.
After I finish typing this, I’ll send it over our HAM radio as well as download the latest weather files. Dinner will get underway, then it will be time for our nightly SSB/HAM nets (Pacific Puddle Jump net at 1900 and the Pacific Seafarers at 2030). While listening in, we’ll brush our teeth and after the girls and the off-watch crew is off to bed. Michael takes watch until midnight, then Matt, then it will be my turn again to watch another day begin over the deep blue sea.
Total miles at noon: 615
Miles since yesterday: 59
Sail changes: 1
Booby birds chased off the mizzen mast: 13
Top speed: 4.2 knots
Tomatoes remaining: 1
