We had an absolutely fantastic day of sailing today. The winds are still coming from the North, which is okay as our plan is head south, than west, south west, to avoid lighter winds forecast as yet another low pressure system passes to our north. Today the sun was shining, the breezes warm, all systems working. It was a perfect day, and truly what I expected the "milk run" to be! We have fallen right back into our watch schedule, and neither of us are feeling tired.
Basking in the warmth of sun today I reflected on the motion of this little boat. Our boat broker had called her "sea kindly", but I had no clue what that meant. Today I can only describe her as lady like. The wind has been blowing steady at about 13 knots, creating seas of about 1 or 2 feet. The underlying swells are at about 6 feet, so the total waves are about 8 feet fall, coming from just off the starboard stern and passing underneath. Arkouda's speed slows down to about 6 to 6.5 knots, and I swear you can hear her climb up the wave. As she reaches the top she has the tiniest of side to side motion and a slight bob--a little like a lady performing a curtsy--and then she heads down the wave! 6.5, 7.6, 8.1 sometimes reaching 9 knots, and then slowly her speed backs down as she begins her climb again. It is all so gentle that unless you are listening or looking at the speed indicator you don't realize the up and down motion.
When the seas are different--tonight we have two sets of swells, the normal from behind, and then others hitting us from the starboard (right) side--and she reminds me more of a mogul skier. She crests the top of mogul, on her downhill hull, a little up unweighting as she transfers to the other hull at the top of the wave, then completes her carve on the new downhill hull down the face of wave. Of course the turns are much more subtle than a skier, which results in a little bit of jerky motion at top. I think this motion is what they refer to as the "catwalk" Throughout all of this we remain flat, we can leave our coffee cup and pot on the table (unless its REALLY rough) and our little herb garden rides contentedly as our centerpiece.
I do not have much experience in a monohull but this is my impression from watching their motion on a down hill sail. Lean to the side (at about 45 degrees) coming down the wave, reach the bottom, lean to the other side, again at 45 degrees, turn the front of the boat right to left, than back to 45 degrees on the original side for the climb. Many people prefer this motion, and I am sure it feels more like "sailing" but forget the coffee cup on the table or the plant on the table. I think it would be a blast for a few hours, but not for weeks at a time!
It feels great to be underway, even better to have the wind blowing, and best having it blow the direction we want to.
We have heard that there was more snow in New Mexico, and I imagine that everyone is busy with holiday plans. In my imagination I can smell the pinion smoke, see the luminarias, and feel the spirit of the season. I am so proud of Levon, Sean and Brady Jack for helping out with the giving tree. We will be home just in time for Christmas, and are looking forward to Comfort Dental's Care Day on Christmas eve, and to doing a little skiing!
Thanks to all of you who have supported our dreams, even if you shake you heads and whisper about sanitariums!
Love Cynthia