Opua: divided
Opua: divided
When I stuck my head out the companionway this morning I found two completely different days. The photos above were taken six seconds apart. One facing east; the other west.
Within an hour, east won and it became a fine day.
Just before 10:00 a.m. the deck had dried enough so that I lowered the jib from the furling gear, folded it and carried it below.
My southern sailing season ended yesterday in flat calm.
The remnants of yet another tropical cyclone passed to the east and was supposed to press against a ridge building over the country, resulting in forecast winds of fifteen to twenty knots.
Although I like to make early starts, I wanted to sail, use the Monitor for the first time in a year and a half, and generally stir the boat up, so I waited until almost 11:00 before dropping my mooring in only four knots of wind. I hoped it would build as advertised. It didn’t.
I turned the engine off and sailed anyway. Or sort of sailed.
The Monitor did steer. The wind never reached more than six knots. Our boat speed only once reached four knots.
I made it all the way out into the main part of the bay, where there is usually more wind. There was not. There was less. And then there was none. The bay became glassy. Our SOG dropped to 1.4 knots, most of which came from the outgoing tide.
I turned on the engine and powered home.
Odd to think that the next water I sail on will be fresh.
You people up there need to turn on Spring.
Thursday, March 31, 2011