Mood Indigo

Pacific Crossing, Day 5: Another lumpy night, and today the wind went light as forecast. We're sailing wing-and-wing like a butterfly, going about 3.5 knots, happy to be moving along. Pulses of large, long-period swells come and go, all the way from the big storms in the North Pacific. Sockdolager is sailing like a champ! Dinner tonight will be cheesy egg, pepper and salsa burritos.

I'm finding the light at sea to be mesmerizing. The sea's mood is illumined, defined and shaped by light, color and wind. All 3 affect the inner sea of grey matter, which is, after all, mostly seawater itself. For several days, the sea was ultramarine, post-card blue, and playful. A wavelet boarded our leeward side, and I thought HA! Missed me! But when my foot felt wet and I looked down, my shoe was filling with seawater draining out of a cockpit scupper. Ho, ho! The next day, a small dollop of seawater hit my head, soaking the back of it, just as I was ducking below for a nap. Tee-Hee! (Sigh.)

Yesterday the sea was dull pewter highlighted with indigo and silver under an equally somber sky. A bit of spray tapped my shoulder as I made coffee in the galley--wow. Today the sea is a lighter version of yesterday's color palette, with golden light softening the somber. It all reminds me that we scratch a straight wake at the sea's forbearance. (Yes, I've been reading Conrad again.) The sea's moods encourage reflection, and that's a good thing.

Here's a shout-out to Captain Keith Kelsey, world's best First Mate at age 14, and now Harbor Pilot extraordinaire and Great Dad. He's fighting the battle of his young life, against cancer. If you read this, know that you sail with us in spirit, Brave One.