Sailed into a calm we did. And the Picton Castle went from 7 knots, 6 knots down to 3 knots – after awhile half a knot. Slowly as the breezes petered out to no winds at all. Can’t say a glassy calm because we had and still have this typical large Southern Ocean swell of 12 feet and more rolling in from way down south. Not really bad because the crests of these swells are a good hundred yards apart. So we heave to the swell and slide down the other side as it passes below us.
Sails slat against the masts. Buntlines and leechlines slat against the sails. Every creak aloft, every complaint from an unoiled block is clearly heard on deck. The sound of almost any work at all can be heard round the ship. Donald chopping onions in the galley on his cutting board, sailmakers tapping in grommets, Carpenters sawing even a small piece of wood is heard all over the ship. Of course, when the engineers get going it’s loud enough too. But that lot just like making noise we think on deck. The swish of the seas along the waterline as we roll a bit is soothing.
Sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular, last night we had the elusive “green flash”. Some night watches have been cloudy, others so studded with stars the sky is clearer than a planetarium with planets and a very distinct Milky Way. Not cloudy but zillions of sharp stars. From Panama we have sailed further than New York to England and we still have over 800 miles to go to reach Pitcairn Island. A big ocean is the Pacific. This is Pacific seafaring under sail. We get there when we get there.
