Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Day 15

Today is just one of those days. Everything seems to be in slow motion and we are just here. Here in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at 16. 06N, 39.35W, with light winds of 10-12 knots sometimes puffing to 14 sailing as best as we can dead down wind, between 3.5-6 knots.

We've got our sails pulled out on both sides with a maze of lines everywhere still. That's the great thing about being in the trade winds, even if they are light. We don't have to do much sail trim, just reef the gib in and out and sometimes switch sides. The main has been solid with a reef tucked in since we left the Cape Verdes. I suppose if we did a bit more sail trim we might squeeze a little more speed and grace out of our faithful DreamKeeper.

The seas have been building again slowly out of the north about 6 feet now and still coming on our beam. That means, with these lightish winds we bang, rolling sometimes violently from side to side. When we've got 14 knots we're sailing well but any lighter and it sounds like shots going off in the cabin. The boom cracks, the sails, slap, pop, and bang and it all funnels down through the mast. We could change our course a bit too but then that would add more miles on . We'll take it while we can and as long as we feel Dk is holding up well.

The clouds have come back today. Cirrus sit like a net over the sky, blocking out almost any hint of blue. In some ways this is good as it cools us down. It's definitely getting warmer. We trolled hand lines again today but no luck with the fish. Ate the last of our mahi in fish tacos for lunch. Maybe better luck tomorrow.

We've definitely been on DK a while as we both greeted the morning with kinks and aches in our necks and backs. DK rebelled yesterday needing a little attention to chafe on the lines and such. She's doing great now. I am rambling today. It's the kind of day it is lazy, nondescript, and dreamy in it's own sort of a way.

We passed two sailboats last night. And for the last couple of nights we've had a wierd occurrence, maybe someone knows what it is... We have seen a bright flash, just once, so bright it lights up the sky and then we see something streaking across the sky almost like a comet or a rocket or something. Anyone know what we're seeing? We heard there is an eclipse in the US on the 20th of December. Hope it will be clear for those of you who may be able to see it. We'll be staring at our sky to see if we can see it here.

Until tomorrow.

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