Today was a slow day, as we had to sail in zig zags. You see, heading directly to our destination would have the wind at 180 degrees, which is inefficient and dangerous. That's when the wind is blowing straight from behind, and the sail can flop from one side to the other without warning. This is called an accidental gybe, and it can damage the rigging or injure someone.
So, we kept the wind at 150 degrees, which means the apparent wind is higher and there is less chance of an accidental gybe. The apparent wind is the wind that we feel on board, which is a combination of the true wind and the boat speed. The faster we go, the more wind we create, and the more power we get from the sail.
Unfortunately, this also means that we are not sailing in a straight line to our destination, but rather in a zig zag pattern.
It's almost flat calm now, and we have been motoring for the last few hours. The engine is humming along, and we are hoping for some breeze to fill our sails again. The good news is that we have plenty of fuel on board.
(I was really hoping it wasn't going to come to this but I think I've hit the wall).
"The trade winds are a sailor's friend
They help you reach your journey's end
But sometimes they can be a foe
And make you face a storm or a blow.
The trade winds are a wonder to behold
They fill your sails with air and gold
But sometimes they can be a curse
And make you write a very bad verse"
The moon is rising just before the sunrise with Venus. It's very lucky I didn't see Venus before I wrote the poem.
