Beautiful sailing
All day long we have been speeding along nicely, the weather was good, the sailing beautiful. The wind eased out somewhat during the day and turned a little more to the north, making our course to the Chatham Island a downwind run. This morning we had some stronger winds, up to 25 maybe 30 knots, but on the aft, so with second jib set and no topsails, all was fine.
The watches on board have pretty much settled down into a routine. Each watch has 3 voyage crew in them and two of the permanent crew. Turns at the helm rotate easily and watch tasks are done automatically and quick. And when not on watch, most are reading books out on the deck in the sun or take a nap in the afternoon.
Now the stars have come out again. It is amazing how bright they shine in this dark dark night. There is no moon and no light from any shore, making it possible to see the smallest of stars! There have also been some falling stars, or comets coming through with bright yellow/white flashes. There is hardly any place on earth where you can experience the sky and the darkness like this. The planets shining back at you on the ocean’s surface and the milky way hovering above you like a cloud of stars. Those who have been out on the water know what it is like to stare into endless space and just wonder.
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