avionbianca   Blog for s/v Avion

Today the sun returned and we are ripping along under the red A3 spinnaker over bright blue water. This is the mythical blue water sailing that I have been dreaming about. This blue water does not have a proper adjective, but it is fair to call it beauty-fuel. The surface is shaped by the wind into waves that intersect with larger swells that come from storms 1000 of miles away. The randomly raise and pick-up the boat as the surge under and beyond. Clouds are dynamic and change shapes and colors as the approach. They move fast and bring wind, so they command attention. As they approach, they shape-shift, look like birds or anvils, or long reptillian birds flying by.

We are almost half-way to Hawaii, and near the point where we will be 1,000 miles from land in any direction. From my boat, with my crew sailing to this isolated point on the Pacific Ocean, I feel closer to nature than I have felt on land in a long time. I not feel insignificant in this magistry, but rather expanded and inspired.

It has taken a 7 days to get here, which is slower than we had expected due to the light winds the first two days. But “early” or “late” is a land-based abstraction with little meaning here. Now that the winds are blowing an average of 15 knots, I know we will get there. We planned on 12 to 14 days to reach HA, but provisioned for 18 days of water and food, so if we get to HA in 15 days, so be it. The parties will have to wait until we arrive.

All we do is sail, eat, sleep and repeat. This is a dream-like state. Of course, the sailing is intense and when the conditions change, we get to change sails which involves a lot of cooperation between the front of the boat (bow) and the back of the boat (cockpit), and very tight coordination on the halyards, sheets, guys and poles (spinnaker) to complete a sail change that enables Avion to be sailed on a specific heading. When Avion is properly trimmed for the desired heading, she settles into a calming and relaxing rhythm. Sleep comes easily. Eating is not always so easy for the cook, but we are eating prepared stews and casseroles, so all we do is heat it up in the oven. Served in bowls, a hot meal tastes great. Life can’t get much better than this.

Tom