Easing Out of the Doldrums?

April 28, 2019

Day 205

Noon Position: 02 23N  30 51W

Course(t)/Speed(kts): NW 5

Wind(t/tws): NExN 6 – 8

Sea(t/ft): NE 3

Sky: Clear then squalls

10ths Cloud Cover: 5

Bar(mb): 1015

Cabin Temp(f): 86

Water Temp(f): 84

Relative Humidity(%): 74

Sail: Big genoa and main, close reach on starboard

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 64

Miles since departure: 27,549

Avg. Miles/Day: 134

Leg North Miles: 4,599

Leg North Days: 39

Avg. Miles/Day: 118

I dropped sails after dinner, and we drifted for several hours. A heavy sea. Mo rolled terribly. I had to wedge myself into my bunk to keep from being tossed around.

By midnight, a light breeze with drizzle; I put us on port tack and heading northeast. At least there is some north in the course, I thought.

But by 4am, our course was due east. Wind had begun to swing north, and was pushing us back into the belt of calms. Even so, I chose to do nothing for a couple hours. Would this wind settle in or die away as had the others?

If anything, when I came on deck at 6am, the northerly was fresher. And now it had some east in it.

I tacked around immediately, before coffee, even before making a log entry.

Yes, we’re now taking a northeasterly on starboard tack, headed northwest. This is our first taste of the NE Trades. At last.

Still, a pretty slow day. After lunch, we were becalmed for an hour as a squall passed overhead, and I can count five wind-robbing squalls as I scan Mo’s horizon. Missing them will be a matter of luck.

But it appears we may be easing out of the Doldrums.

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