Rocking the Southern Ocean
We have been rocking the southern Ocean now for 9
days and the past day was the most rocky one so far. Full sail on and later a
reef in both mizzen and mainsail and still every now and then a wave will just
rock us from side to side. Getting dressed without falling over gets to be a
challenge, putting food out for lunch dinner or breakfast is a task that
requires thinking and planning to get everything out sea fastened and being out
on the deck, you make a little un-planned dance every now and then!
This
afternoon we had a workshop about different charts plotting a course long
distance and thus working with a gnomonic chart, a Great circle chart. Our great
circle would lead us through the Arctic ice, so we are not doing a full one.
We started sailing again early this morning after a few hours of
motoring without wind. We reeved the main and mizzen this afternoon, but had to
let the mizzen down again as it had a torn seem that needed repairing urgently!
We changed another hour, now on utc -9. Outside it is already getting lighter
and it is only 3 in the morning! It is very cold though, the nights between 7
and 8 degrees, the days are between 9 to 12 degrees. And then there is the chill
factor of the Arctic wind from the south west. 4 hours on watch is more then
enough in this cold breeze! So hot chocolate all around!
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