Day 2 is usually the day the crew fall into the groove of ocean sailing and true to form, that began to happen aboard Dignity. Until now we were all on a watch/eat/sleep cycle. On day 2, we all managed to stay awake during our off-watch periods. This also meant we were able to chat and enjoy each others company for the first time of the passage.
After dodging through the small line of squalls the previous morning the weather has remained good to us. The wind has shifted and we’ve begun claw back the distance we lost against the rhumb line. By making our way to the east we will reduce the effect of some swell coming up the west of New Zealand which we’ll encounter on Friday probably. It does mean that when the winds move more to the north around the same time we’ll have a less favourable sailing angle. At this point I’m choosing comfort over speed. That being said, it looks like we may be able to sail all the way in and arrive some time on Sunday.
It is becoming noticably colder but that’s a relative thing. The minimum overnight temperature is still over 20C but we do have to put a few layers on at night. During the day, so far, it’s remained tee-shirt weather which has surprised me as I thought it would get colder sooner than this. The sea temperature is down about 8C so we can expect colder weather soon.
Out in the ocean the days rapidly blend and are only distinguished by a few details. Yesterday we were visited by a sea gull that circled us for some time and was later joined by a second. Later in the day, when the sea was fairly calm, the smashed microwave was consigned to the deep. After sunset Mercury accompanied Venus setting in the western sky while Jupiter rose in the west. It is a new moon right now so the only light at night is us and the stars. With just a few clouds in the sky the sea and horizon are visible in the faint starlight.
As I type the sun has just poked over the horizon. A new day begins.
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