Both the beginning and end of the day, and everything in between for that matter, are similar – sunny skies dotted with trade wind clouds, but without the typical convicted trade winds themselves. This is the sixth day of the passage with winds only around 10kts or so, and now the wind has swung nearly directly behind the boat.
Sailing downwind in ocean waves in light air is challenging. With just enough wind to fill the sails, Oso will slowly begin to accelerate. But then a wave comes through, rolling the boat to one side or the other. The force of gravity on the sailcloth itself overcomes the force of the wind in the sails, the sail collapses, and Oso decelerates. The sails then fill with wind again, frequently with an alarming “pop”, and the process starts anew.
Put this on repeat for 24 hours, and it becomes a test for the mental stamina of the crew, not to mention the physical strength of the rigging and sails themselves.
But the forecast shows the possibility of more wind tomorrow, and both the boat and the crew are looking forward to it.
All’s well aboard.
Day Seventeen
17 23.3S 116 29.7W
149nm
