The sky has moved

It was a frustrating night, the wind dropped just after midnight UT, it
had been lessening for a few hours before that but I had been able to
keep up the pace. It dropped to less than 7 knots and I have to use the
pilot not the wind vane to steer, for a while we kept going at a slow
pace 2-3 knots with only a small amount of swell. However eventually
the wind and progress disappeared.

It was a totally clear night, one of few and I could watch the moon rise
and the planets appear. I rarely have such a good view of the night
horizon whilst studying the stars. Between keeping the genoa full and
studying the sky, it occurred to me that it had all changed. Everything
is there and there are more stars to see, but last night the noticeable
thing was that the orientation was so different. At 65 degrees west you
have a very different view from that at home. I can understand how
ancients could navigate just by looking at the stars and they would have
done so much more looking without an IPod to distract them !!

Since 04:00 UT there has not been any wind of note, glassy sea and
wallowing. This does give a chance of a nap but I feel I should look on
deck every 1/2 hour or so just to confirm that we are still windless
and wallowing and not hove to with unattended sails and a filling
breeze. The first step forward will be some steerage way, then a zephyr
of wind and some progress.

The biggest concern in these conditions is my loose boom strut fitting
at the mast which has been moving for some time now, as the lower rivets
are loose. I have fitted a jubilee clip to keep it hard too the mast
but the wallowing and snatching works the repair more than a hard blow.
We not progressing but the conditions are still taking their toll on
Flaming Lady.

Mike / Flamingo Lady

Lat:41.17.82
Lon:64:42.26

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