[password]seabird14
[position] 18 31.1 S 002 46.4 E
[heading] 315T
[speed] 7.6 kts
[weather] 0-2kts , 1m swell SE, 1016 mb, 0% cc
[status] 230 nm to St Helena. 7.6 kts at 315T, motoring - no sails. Yesterday afternoon we rigged the Code 0 (light air sail), preparing for the wind to decrease. We pulled in the jib and lowered the main, and sailed along nicely as the wind kept dropping and dropping. While we had hoped for enough wind - we need about 8 kts steady - to keep going, the wind went to ZERO, as in ZERO, at 2100 local, so we had to start motoring. The forecast is literally for zero wind for the next 3 days, so we chose to not be becalmed. Anyone who has been becalmed knows - while the ocean is gorgeous, deep blue, calm, not a ripple on the surface, there is a steady up down from the ever-present ocean swell. That makes it anything but calm, as the boat will roll from gunnel to gunnel, tough on gear, tough on crew. So here we are, 14 hours into motoring, hoping for a little steady wind again to deploy our sail. For now, the fishing tackle is deployed, hatches are open, and we are enjoying the tropical calm, accompanied by the steady roar of our main engine.
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