End of a Run

May 16, 2019

Day 223

Noon Position: 29 05N  59 12W

Course(t)/Speed(kts): NNW 3.8

Wind(t/tws): S 7 – 8

Sea(t/ft): S 3

Sky: Overcast

10ths Cloud Cover: 10

Bar(mb): 1018+

Cabin Temp(f): 84

Water Temp(f): 75

Relative Humidity(%): 69

Sail: Twins poled. Broad reach. Port.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 138

Miles since departure: 29,974

Avg. Miles/Day: 134

Leg North Miles: 7,046

Leg North Days: 57

Avg. Miles/Day: 124

Wind ever so slowly withdrew from the scene until by noon there was but a breath. All morning under twin, poled-out headsails, Mo approached a long line of squall clouds, unusual in that the wind, and thus the squalls, are always moving faster than we are. It was a thing to watch and wonder at, knowing the answer would arrive soon enough.

The answer was that the line of squalls carried a different wind. As we entered, ghosting along at three knots, I looked up from my reading to see that our southerly had gone in a moment into the north. The twins were filling from the wrong direction, billowing in toward the boat.

And with that, our ride on this north-flowing river has ended. A day early and a dollar short. The goal was 30N. We’re hovering just above 29N.

Inside the squalls, heavy rain for a few hours. The main and and big genoa, both sheeted hard, poured. After a good rinse of sails and deck, I caught water in buckets for washing and built a dam over the tank opening. We should have enough water aboard now to get all the way through to Christmas.

Evening. Drizzle. Wind is excruciatingly light. We make two knots. Cloud of all kinds around such that you would’t believe such a thing as blue sky had ever existed.

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