One Man, One Boat, 4000 Miles!!!

Tropic 4 Cancer Trans Atlantic challenge is an expedition to sail single-handed 4000 miles across the Atlantic, from the western seaboard of Africa to Antigua. The route follows a defined course along the Tropic of Cancer, which is a circle of latitude running around the Earth at approximately 23 degrees north, and which marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead. Find Out More

Day 11 – “What the Clouds are Saying!?!?”

Posted on November 13th, 2013

Haskapa

Yesterday saw a cessation of hostilities between skipper and weather. As a result, a gentle day was had by all. Progress was slow but steady, and Haskapa sported a modest sail plan of reefed main, genoa and a return of the flying jib!!! Although the winds were light enough for a spinnaker, both Haskapa and I felt the need to be conservative after the previous day’s breakages!! Softly softly catchee monkey!!

The nights are amazing with moonlight and starlight – plus shooting stars – and accompanied by glittering phosphorescence in Haskapa’s wake!! It could almost move one to get all poetic!! Well almost…..!

 

Another feature of the world around us out here are clouds. Clouds always bring a change, usually in wind strength or direction. There are good clouds and naughty clouds, and little point in trying to guess what a cloud will bring by its appearance. Some fluffy little white clouds that frolic around the sky like little baa lambs and look like they wouldn’t say boo to a goose, bring enough wind to knock the boat over; whilst other dark brooding granite faced brutes who look like they’re going to give us a proper kicking, pass overhead with just a gentle waft!! But this isn’t consistent – so I treat the approach of all of them with some caution! This morning has delivered a cloudless sky and so we are having a gentle play with spinnakers!

Morale was also lifted by the discovery of some chocolate buttons and a lovely card secreted in one of the food boxes!! Apparently there are more, I was told on phoning home to say thank you!! If you want to keep something a surprise, don’t tell my daughter!! Bless her…!!!

I’m also slowly settling into a routine again, and this has helped sort me out in the head – hence less shouty stuff!! Part of the routine is an exercise session (thanks Jo Ponting – physio extraordinaire to the gentry of Longparish!!) which is definitely helping. Sailing is a funny old past time physically – in sailing dinghies you definitely get a work out, but on yachts it’s difficult as the action tends to come in flurries with lots of sitting around in between!! So doing some ‘phys’ is making me feel a bit more normal!

I’ve also started my daily survey of oceanic waste. There is widespread reporting of mid oceanic ‘garbage patches’ of accumulated rubbish in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. These tend to be centred under areas of high pressure (gyres), where winds and currents circulate thus creating these areas of accumulated waste. The majority of the waste is plastics, which never really gets properly broken down, and instead turns into little particles which hang in the water column like a soup. (This is a highly simplified summary – the internet will tell you far more).

I’m conducting a very unscientific survey using a kid’s fishing net (the one on a bamboo pole) which I dangle over the side for an hour a day to see what I pick up! I’m too far East of the Atlantic gyre to anticipate finding any micro-plastics, but it’s passing the time. I’m also looking out for other rubbish – which so far has been limited to a piece of wood and what looked like a plastic mustard bottle (tried to pick it up but out of reach).

Anyway must dash, as a couple of little white fluffy clouds are trying to creep up on us…. !