New Normal, Suddenly

Day 41
Noon Position: 39 41S 115 58W

Course/Speed: SE 7

Wind: NW 20+

Sail: Twins, half in

Bar: 1023

Sea: NW 8

Sky: Gray deck

Cabin Temp: 71

Water Temp: 58
Miles last 24-hours: 155

Miles since departure: 5395

This evening we have technically entered the roaring 40s, and though they are not roaring at moment, things are changing fast. 

The barometer is dropping as the leading edge of this low rides over us. At 6am, we had the usual 1026mb; twelve hours later it’s at 1019 and falling. Winds are on the rise, a steady 25 from the NW now and still edging up. Swells are not large but steep and dead astern, so Monte is working hard to keep us on the path of righteousness. The twins are half rolled up and we still make 7 – 8 knots, 9 on the backside of some of the bigger heavers. 

Water temperature is plummeting, was 58 degrees at noon, down from 75 degrees just six days ago (a degree or so of change a day is usual). Briefly cabin temperatures got above 70 degrees but are already back in the mid 60s. Let me emphasize, this is a welcome and long anticipated change from 87 degrees and 100% humidity. That said, I’m caught off guard; am wearing a thermal, a vest and sheepskin boots.  

After months of sun and squalls, we’ve now had a leaden sky for three days, though the fog has lifted. Again, I somehow got a solid noon shot, but my longitude shots put us 20 miles east.

Most surprisingly, birdlife is suddenly awake. The species numbers have not yet increased–I’m still seeing mostly Gadfly Petrels–but they are no longer solitary. Now they fly in small groups and in this stronger wind, there’s no pretense of hunting for food. They’re goofing off. For a petrel this means flying (gliding, no flapping) as fast as a bullet–so fast I have 50 photos of, at best, a blur–while diving into wave troughs and performing large loops in the air, all while appearing to chase the others in your cohort who are doing the same as fast as they can. A gadfly loves speed above all else, and this is the first day he’s had a chance to exercise that love in some weeks. 

Much of my time today has been spent on deck watching Monte work, trying to get the tiller set just right; and trimming, reefing and balancing the twins. Today’s wind is the new normal, just an average, if warmish, day in the south, and I want to get Mo riding as easily as possible, for there are months of this to come.