Day 22

The sky disappeared, smothered by a cloak of clouds. We were surrounded as the ceiling closed in and squalls hit us again and again for 24 hours. By the afternoon, I sat for two hours circled comfortably in the cockpit, absolutely dry under our dodger and bimini, sipping jasmine tea and loving this rain. There was something beautiful and peaceful in it's presence. It wasn't the torrential downpour Gar had on more than one of his watches. No, this was the pitter-patter of rain, without the energy of wind, effortlessly falling in large, well spaced drops. I was more soggy than soaked and content to watch the gray swell of the ocean heave across the horizon. Low clouds clung to the moisture, not greedily, just enough to control the rain. The clouds lingered for a few more hours and broke slowly last night, offering new colors to our world other than shades of gray, blue, and white. Fire pink exploded through the layers tinged with orange and touches of gold. The clouds stayed longer; they broke apart and reconvened throughout the night.

By this morning there was only a swipe of clouds in the east, a mere reminder of what yesterday had been. The wind has deserted us and by mid morning the sky is a brilliant cornflower blue with a hint of periwinkle. We are motoring and the seas are quiet.

It is hot today, 85 degrees fahrenheit in the cabin and the humidity clings to us. We've already rinsed three times. The cold water against our skin brings relief until we are almost dry. And then we stay that way, almost dry.

We had a little drama with Gar's head today. It isn't the first time he's split it open. Always a Taurus, as a bull he often leads with his head. Sometimes I wish he had horns to cushion the blow. He hit the galley cabinet hard coming out of the freezer with roasted chicken and sausages. He's got a good gash and a robin's egg sized bump on this forehead. Thankfully we still have steri-strips and tincture of benzoine. With a constant slick of sweat on our bodies it is a bit challenging to coax the steri-strips to stick. Tincture of benzoine is the trick, the perfect medical glue.

By mid afternoon it is so hot we do not want to leave a toe or finger lingering in the sun, it is that fierce. Within minutes, I am on fire. Cumulus clouds have gathered again, stretching along the horizon. Watching rain fall in squalls around us again, I almost beg for a visit or steer towards them with the hope of some relief from the searing heat.

It is now evening and the sun has all but left us, taking the suffocating heat with it. Cumulus clouds climb higher still and to the south it is raining a rainbow.

We have 341 miles to go.