Calm rhythm

20 June 2024

Calm rhythm

As ‘busy’ as the first day, of course, it could not stay that way. Soon we adapted to the steady rhythm of the sea and the watch system. The wind decreased more and more so that at one point we even had to start the engine to move forward. It produced beautiful images of a clear blue ocean with a low long swell and a surface as smooth as oil.  This whole voyage we have been sailing in the area between the southeast trade winds ( north of us) and the west wind belt ( south of us). So the weather in this area is not so easy to predict. If the depressions move a little further south, we have the southeast trade wind here. If the depressions choose a slightly more northerly route, they influence the weather at our latitude and we get a northerly or even a westerly flow. Beforehand, we had hoped for those trade winds, but it’s not like that. Every few days, a large low develops southwest of us and moves east.

After the windless day, this yielded a calm northerly wind, force 4, which gave us a good speed at full rig. Everyone is used to the ship’s movements on the waves, which are about 3.5 metres high. Every now and then we catch a nice Mahi Mahi or Tuna and life is good on board! Since yesterday, the weather has become less stable. Rain clouds regularly pass over with – besides rain – also more wind. Meanwhile, it has picked up to wind force 5 and 6 in the showers and we have tied up the topsail and reefed the gaff sails. The wind is expected to pick up further during the day to 6 or 7 beaufort and, with the passage of a sort back of high pressure, turn west at once. This is obviously not so good for us, but for now we sail towards Pitcairn at a speed of around 8 knots. So far, so good!