Time is starting to lose all significance for those on Sea Rover. The days are filled with comfortable sailing if any, card games and small maintenance chores. Excitement still occurs when dolphins swim by or boobies try to land, surely that will soon start to get old though. Today the crew gave up trying to make forward progress and all abandoned the boat. Swimming in the giant blue nothingness is certainly an experience that everyone should try in their lifetime. Refreshed by the 31 degree water, laundry was tackled and then they waited. And Waited... And Waited... Wind did not appear. The captain did a quick calculation and it was decided that going forward Sea Rover would motor when required until she ran out of fuel. And then she wouldn't motor any more. Hopefully the boat will arrive in the Galapagos before the fuel supplies are gone.
Night time seems to be another story. Long moments of waiting in terror combined with constant watching of the instruments trying to decide if it's time to reef despite there only being 5 knots of wind. For the past three nights, Sea Rover has passed by some of the most incredible lightning storms seen by any of the crew. Never before has the captain been able to read by lightning. Its been that continuous. The radar has proved useful for avoiding most of the convection cells but last night they were forced to pass through one just before daylight. Luckily Sea Rover wasn't hit, but nobody on board is looking forward to the "real" and forecast convection in a few days as they pass through the ITCZ.
The captain is certainly hoping for a quiet evening (of not motoring) but that remains to be seen.
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