Today we have set sail again. The wind is light and coming from the south. No waves, easy passage through Simpson straight with topsails and big jib set. We glide through these waters with hardly a sound around. Simpson straight is impressive, the history that lays just North of us, where the men of the Franklin Expedition had been spotted, years after they had started their voyage to the North. Hiking with only their navel attire to keep them warm and food from tins that may of may not have been poisoning them. Dragging along a heavy boat filled with trinkets that compared to life itself, should have been deemed worthless.
As we make our way West, we pass through Simpson straight guided by day signs, as soon as we have them in transit we have to change course and start to look for the next set of signs. The way it works here is like with leading lights of harbors. One is lower than the other and you steer straight to them or in a straight line away from them, as soon as they are aligned. And you keep them aligned until you find your next set of day signs. It is a lot of fun to get through this bit of water this way, pulling in sheets, easing them out again and staying on your toes at all times.
Our plan for the night is not yet set. We may stay in McClintock bay for the night as we did in 2019 (sheltering from strong winds), but if we feel like sailing into the night, we may continue as long as it is light! The nights are starting to become darker, we have about 4 hours of no sun at all and the stars are already visible as well. Soon we may be able to see the Northern Lights!
