February 13, 2012-Pounding Out the Miles

The wind came on Friday night, came hard, and we took down the jib. Even without the jib the boat flew through the night; eights and nines. The next afternoon the wind dropped and our speed was down to five and a half knots. We put the big jib back on and our speed picked back up: seven to eight again. Since then the pace has continued. For the last three days we've been pounding out the miles.

Hour upon hour the boat ploughs on. The wind vane silently steers, the sails remain untouched, the wind a steady eighteen to twenty-two knots from 140 degrees. Now the boat is hitting the high sevens. But the seas are moderate and the motion is easy. Down below, in our bunks, it feels so still sometimes it seems like we have stopped. But we haven't, we're flying straight towards Saint Helena. We are nearly half way there already.

We sleep soundly through our off watches, the watch stander listens to music and snoozes. There is nothing to do; the boat minds itself.

So the sailing is good, it's getting warmer by the day, and we're happy. We've had a couple of days of sun, some clouds, and last night it rained. Flying fish have started to come aboard. The days pass. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and we will be past the mid-point; we've put some champagne in the cooler for a celebration.

It is a good passage so far.

Fred & Judy (and Randy and Laura) SV Wings, South Atlantic

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