We are sailing!
We left Djibouti at 8:00 a.m. yesterday. We motored about 22 hours. I let the genoa out between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. this morning during my watch when the winds were strong enough and from the right direction. We are on a heading of 330° and the wind is coming from around 150°. We are making six to seven plus knots. It is a beautiful day!
There are a *lot* of ships traveling in both directions. We decided to follow a path west of the shipping lanes to avoid the busyness.
I have suffered from motion sickness for as long as I can remember. Turning around from the front seat to talk to someone in the backseat of a car will make me sick in short order. For this reason, I have always taken motion sickness medication when on a boat. I am telling you this because I decided to try this passage without taking my meds. So far so good. I wonder if my body (inner ears, actually) is simply so used to the particular rocking of the boat that it has adapted. I am not saying I no longer suffer from motion sickness, but maybe passages will be okay.
For those who have never been on a passage, it is a thing unto itself. There is nowhere to go (I mean, other than where you are going), no one other than those on board to talk to, nothing to do other than what is available on board. Time both slows down and speeds up. It might speed up because you will likely take a nap during the day to make up for the sleep you lost on your night watch. Or it might speed up because you caught a fish or have to fix something. On the other hand, if you don’t have enough to do, boredom can set in quickly as well.
Some people dislike passages. Most sailors never participate in a long passage. Others say they are fine once they get into the groove (likely something that has to happen with each passage if they are few and far between). Since this is our third passage in six weeks, it took no time to adjust. I am already in the groove; heck, I was in the groove by about 8:10 a.m yesterday. 😀👍
Michael is napping. I am the skipper right now. Don’t mess with me. 😉
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.
You are doing such a great job with Seahike, Cindy. I loved reading about the boat’s issues and solutions, the non-slippery cloth, your cool hair thing, passages and the “Don’t mess with me I am the skipper!”
Miss you,
Patty
Cadence has been studying a part of the area you are sailing in school. We watched your progress on the blog satellite picture. Very interesting! Your photos are beautiful! You are making some wonderful memories and friendships. So happy for you!
Big Sis,
That is sooooo cool! It makes it more real for Cadence to know someone who has been where she is studying. I am just delighted and tickled by this. . . and by the coincidence!
I have been thinking about you and the fam *a lot.* Also, mom’s 101st birtday coming up in 11 days!!! Oh how I wish I could be there to celebrate with y’all!! Give her a big hug and kiss from me on her big day. Give yourself a big hug from me as well.
Much love, from little Sis.
Patty,
My dear sweet corps friend. I miss you. Your post made me so happy. Here’s hoping for a lot of interesting stuff we can share with those we know and those we don’t know.
I will miss being at Larsmont with you and the gang this month. Have a spectacular time!!
See you sometime next month!