I think Elsi was as keen as anyone to get into the new year. She didn’t hesitate at all and plowed straight from the old to the new with a press of wind in her sails and a frush of spray from her bow.
The wind had picked up from the north yesterday to about a F4-5 and we were running goose winged before it at a good rate of knots. The wind held all night and is still fresh yet (1500). It backed by the time the sun was thinking to get up and I had to drop the pole to keep us on course. Not long after I had to put a reef in the main as we were tending to round up into the wind a bit too much.
Being a bit nearer to the coast we’ve had a few ships on the AIS. The Federal Leda passed between us and the coast bound for Maceio and the Camilla Bulker crossed our stern about a mile away heading for SG Sin (Singapore?).
We’re far enough west now to set the clock back another hour, so we are now 3 hrs behind GMT. Mostly it’s been a quiet day. Running before the wind like this Elsi rolls around a lot so I’ve spent most of the day reading and not doing much else. Because of the fresh wind it hasn’t felt as hot, which is just as well as the sun is almost right above us now, nearly 89º at noon today. By this time tomorrow it may well be to the north of us.
There’s not much else to write about today. I hope you all had a great New Year and aren’t suffering too much today. I had a wee dram to welcome in 2014 and poured a tot into the sea as well to toast all the old sailors whose wakes we are sailing in. It would be fine if this N’ly would hold for a day or two yet, we’ll see.
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