Gone With The Wind (not us)

Day 10

Stats -  9/8/2023 

Time: 2300

Trip Miles: 1,200

Weather: Clouded over, on and off rain

Wind: 8 knots blowing SSW

Sea State: Calmed down at this time - 4 foot swells from the SW

Propulsion: Motoring at 5.5 knots of speed (at least I admit it!)

Sea Temperature: 73

Good morning to you all. Let’s jump start today to 1600 this afternoon when we spotted this semi-rare Arcus cloud more affectionately known as a Cigar Cloud. These clouds tend to be on the leading edge of rain cooled air as the storm lifts the moist air upward. We had been making decent time sailing in the on and off again rain until the wind decided to call it almost quits. At the time I took this picture we were sailing along at about three knots and the wind kept changing velocity and direction. We could not keep a steady course nor could we decide to increase or decrease sail as conditions changed so rapidly.

Speaking of Cigar Clouds, I took this picture on the Tasman Sea during the 2017 Sydney to Hobart race with team Garmin on Clipperroundtheworld. We were flying a spinnaker and doing 12 knots going right into the cloud. About 100 yards before we went under the cloud the wind increased to 30 knots. Skipper Gaeton Thomas had us immediately drop the spinnaker. As we passed under the cloud - it was dark and eerily calm. As we approached the other side and exited the cloud, the wind was blowing from the complete opposite direction that we were sailing just a few hundred yards back. Super weird.

So here we are this evening, stuck between two systems again! The coastal route looks good for now, except it is an anomaly that would leave us stuck in a few days if we took it. So we continue to push west where as of today it looks like all we will get is beat up into the wind. But by tomorrow, however, the wind should begin to switch direction and we may be able to begin our assent north. Choosing the best route is dependent upon understanding near term meteorological conditions. There is no easy or obvious route, and hind site is always 20/20! Randall is doing almost the entire navigation and it is a lot of pressure on him. I do my best to offer advice and encouragement. Today we downloaded navigation software onto my computer so that I can begin to have a bit more input and understanding. This has always been a weak area of my ocean sailing and I welcome the opportunity to get better at this.

I was supposed to come off watch at 0400 this morning, but the wind and rain reared their head creating a badly needed squal that could power us. At 0445 we decided to put up the sails and Randall went out into the rain to raise the jib while I stayed in the doghouse and assisted by tailing the roller-furled jib (thank you Randall!)

Back on watch at 0800 this morning (yes, today’s presentation is not in sequence) I was able again to watch today’s sunrise. We were making decent time under sail.

This picture was taken one minute after the last one. You can get a better sense of the sunrise (behind the clouds) and the choppy nature of the sea state.

As the afternoon transitioned into evening, we began motoring once again. Randall made chili con carne (veggie!). I followed it with a batch of brownies. We will be well nourished in time for when he wind arrives tomorrow (or so we hope!)