The past few days have been a dance with the weather gods. A deep low pressure system lurked south of us, threatening rough seas, while whispers of another one forming next week loomed large. Heading straight into that mess wasn't an option.
But the tide, as they say, has turned! A window of opportunity has cracked open, allowing us to make a dash east and hopefully reach Darwin by Friday. We're motoring along at a steady 8 knots, the engines humming a familiar rhythm. When the wind cooperates, we unfurl the headsail, catching that extra push that makes a little bit of difference.
It's a welcome change from the Java Sea. Here, under the vast expanse of the night sky, there's not a single ship or tugboat in sight. The only company we have are the distant glows of a few fishing boats, a stark contrast to the constant stream of vessels we encountered back there. In the Java Sea, the absence of traffic often meant a different story: either it was pouring rain and visibility dropped to zero, or many boats simply didn't bother with lights, creating a nautical navigation nightmare. It was definitely a chance to test your skills.
If you take a peek at my windy app usage, you'd see the evidence of my obsession! Just this past Saturday, while formulating this escape plan, I spent a whole hour glued to the screen, meticulously analyzing the forecasts. Every squall, every shift in wind direction, dissected and debated. Hopefully, those hours spent staring at weather charts will translate into a smooth ride to Darwin by Friday!
And now, with the sun just popping up over the horizon (it's 6 am!), it's time for my ritual – a check of all the yacht's systems. Making sure everything that's supposed to move is moving, and everything that should stay put remains still.