May 5, 2016
Position: 29 25.80 S, 172 9.76 E
May 5, 2016
We are flying along on a beam reach, making 7 knots in 15-20 knots of breeze. We’re still flying double reef main, storm staysail, and double reef Yankee. The boat is well balanced and the Monitor has us pegged on course. There isn’t a day at sea that goes by that I am not extremely thankful for the Monitor! Steering us mile after mile after mile… The boat has flattened out a bit now with the wind coming over the beam rather than forward, and we tried to resume semblance of a normal routines today. The days are growing warmer and we enjoyed fresh cold showers in the cockpit! I literally had chunks of rock-salt crystals on my shoulders and back from all the spray. The freshwater wash felt so nice! I also tidied up the decks and checked rigging & sails, and prepared for stronger winds that will come ahead of the front. Kelsey can cook the most amazing meals under the most adverse conditions! I don’t know where she comes up with the motivation to cook a gourmet meal or homemade baby food when the galley is pitching over at 30 degrees, but she does it every time without fail or complaint. Taz seems to be enjoying himself despite being confined to his bunk for the past few days. He’s very interested in all his books and hands them to us in a particular order. When one book ends he gets upset and immediately snatches another one out of the pile. We had a lot of fun tying ropes to his animals and swinging them around the cabin today. With Taz on board, our watch schedule is very fluid. We all seem to be getting enough sleep (especially Taz!). Kelsey likes the sunset watch and usually handles the boat until about 1 or 2am, then hands it off to me & I’m on until sunrise & after breakfast. I try & take a nice afternoon nap when conditions are settled and Taz is on his nap time too. Then the cycle repeats itself again… the days and nights blend together into an equilibrium-continuum, defined by sail changes and wind shifts. It was a nice day today watching the miles click away on a beam reach, over the endless blue. Several shooting stars tore across the night sky tonight, burning bright lingering trails.
