Smooth Sailing

Tues Evening, Sept 14, 2021
Latitude 38o 58’ N
Longitude 12o 10’ W

650 miles to the Canaries

Smooth Sailing

We have crossed over to the favorable side of the low pressure system and small waves now push gently on our stern and the wind blows softly at 14 knots over our right shoulder. Together they’re pushing Lillian at a respectable 5 knots, heading on course, straight for the island of Tenerife in the Canaries. The air temperature this afternoon was 78 degrees, the water 73.

The boat must be in the eye of the circulation that has been disrupting the normal trade winds. Today the sky above was absolutely clear, as if we were under a giant inverted bowl of blue, edged with nebular clouds circling the far horizon.

The sun has just set, sinking into the surrounding cloud bank, creating a glowing silhouette of a passing tanker and the dendritic clouds beyond. Some of the far clouds are building into thunderheads, looking very much like a sky out over the Gulf of Mexico. A half moon hangs directly in front of the bow, so I should enjoy moonlight for the duration of my night shift. For the next few days, the winds are predicted to continue to blow us straight towards the Canaries. No complaints.