Clocking 7000 Nautical Miles

Clocking 7000 Nautical Miles

It’s a dark night in the cockpit, my watch from 11pm until 2am in the morning. Initially I find it hard to differentiate the sea from the sky. No stars or moon shine to reflect off the rolling waves. The sea is a dark, steal grey heaving gently under the hull of Dreamweaver. It washes beneath the stern, a plume of white bubbles rushing from below and disappearing into the distance. On the occasion that the bow breaks through the water, a spray of green, accentuated by the illuminating glow of the starboard navigation light shines at the bow. It’s a gentle motion on a gentle sea with soft winds pushing us along into the night.

I sit at the rear of the cockpit. It’s not cold but there is dampness in the air at this hour of the night. My wet weather gear with its warming collar pushed up around my ears. Time passes, a look at the watch and 30 minutes has gone. How doing what? The sails are set with little need to change and the two wheels twist one way and then the other as “Georgina’ the auto helm does her stuff, attuned to the breeze and steering effortlessly. I sit between these two wheels looking through the gap between Bimmini and Dodger, watching the changing grey’s go by .The wind lifts a little and Dreamweaver surges forward, more noise, more white bubbles and more green spray at the bow. Short lasting, things quiet and another 30 minuets has passed. Roger and Jonathan asleep below resting waiting the hour until it’s their turn to sit and watch the hour clock pass.

Three small dials glow with a yellow light. I find myself staring at their screens. The first with a round face showing the boats angle to the wind. The needle bobbing up and down 60degrees an easy beat, the strength only 10 knots. It momentarily rises a little, 15 knots more bubbles, more green spray. In front of where I am sitting another dial, my link with “Georgina’, the course we hope to steer and the one we actually are. Roger’s words “don’t let her helm above 100 degrees”. I watch but that’s not our bearing. Lastly our speed. At 13 knots of wind we manage 8.2 knots of speed in these flat waters.  This seems fast moving compared to being becalmed earlier in the day.

I keep looking at the log. I have been anticipating this moment all through my watch. I don’t want to miss it, at last the log clocks over 7000nm sailed on Dreamweaver. So much water under the hull of such a small boat, but with more to pass until this journey is complete.

The moment has passed only 30 more minuets to go and then time to rouse Jonathan from his slumbers. Another watch completed.