02:17 bt 26-11-2022
36’51.6S 044’47.7W
5,8 kn course 210′
Sailing again!
After 36 hours of no wind, the wind picked up this afternoon and we were able to set all sails again, with reef in mizzen and mainsail, as there was a force 5 expected. But we have had it all, except the force 5! But our speed is good enough and this way we are prepared for anything, so the reefs stay in a little longer.
This afternoon we found ourselves in a bit of an eddy. A round going current. Still under engine, we were sometimes doing 5.2 kn and sometimes 7.5kn. With our course over ground sometimes varying 20 degrees from what it was previously. But the best part of it was the wild life that showed up.. because apparently where we were, the food was! We had Sooty Albatrosses, many of them! We saw the Yellow billed Albatross. And then in came what we suspect was the Great Wanderer Albatross, juvinile (so not the Royal Albatross). It was magnificent! What a size, what a grace, even when there was hardly any wind yet! One Great Wanderer soon became three!!! And they got company of the Giant Storm petrel and to complete the feeling of closing in on the South, in came the Cape Pigeons. My day was made! We got some amazing shots in! Trying to send them over via iridium mail.
Last night we had a clear night. Calm, no wind, just a long swell so easy going. And just over our port bow we could see the Southern Cross guiding us to the South. It was bright and clear and finally we were certain we were not fooled by the false Southern Cross, but this was the real deal. Around 3 o clock board time, the night skies started to brighten with some amazing purple and orange colors. We watched the run rise for almost an hour. We tried to make a time laps of it, but the movement of the ship is just too great. We did get a good picture of the Southern Cross though, just before sunrise!
