The night was torturous. Bella Donna was not a happy sailing vessel. She was a mixed breed and she knew it, part sailing vessel and part motor vessel; a little help from her subordinate engine is welcome, an attempted take over means war. Allied with the sailing part is the sea. The punches and counter punches are coming at a dizzying pace. In my opinion the big losers in this war are the crew members. I know I did not sleep well last night. Sleep and rolling from one side of the bed to the other all night can only occur when you are totally exhausted; my exhaustion was not deep enough to find much sleep. I drag my headachy and tired body with a cup of wake up juice, coffee, in my hand to the fly bridge. Deborah and Don slept OK, but do not look happy about it. As the war wares on the other crew members awake, but look as disappointed as I am feeling. Within minutes we decide to heck with checking in on Monday; we go back to 1800RPM on one engine and sail again, thus a happy vessel once again.
A happy vessel means working out in the gym, a nonviolent shower and reading your favorite book on the cool shaded sun pad in the cockpit. A green stuff health shake followed 2 hours later by sardines, hot wheat bread, crackers, cheese and spicy dill pickles for lunch; the sun pad is the best spot for a nap after lunch. The day passes pleasantly and quickly. How in the heck did I get sunburned? We relieve Captain John of his watch at 6PM; we have just less than 200 miles to go; can we make it before dark tomorrow evening? One of our rules is to never enter a strange anchorage after dark; it is too dangerous. If we arrive when it is too dark, we will slowly sail and drift around in circles till first light in the morning. We time, MEASURE, sunset and darkness tonight so we can estimate what it will be tomorrow. A 200 mile westward movement should add 15 minutes to both. The sun now low in the sky is causing discomfort on my sunburned forehead as I sit at the helm. I realize 2 days in the last week I have received sunburn while being in the shade. I decide the burning rays must be reflecting from the water causing my pain. OK sun screen cream on every morning just in case.
The sunset is gorgeous, beautiful golden and shades of pink and blue. Ant likes to sit on the starboard bow seat and enjoy the sunset. Just before it is dark I see the first Frigate bird I have seen in almost 2 weeks fly past the bow of Bella Donna. This means we are no longer in the middle of nowhere; we are near land.
Deborah has called us to dinner. One last look around for other vessels within 8 miles and down to the cockpit table. Tonight it is Wahoo Pie, made with big chunks of Wahoo fish; it resembles a chicken pot pie but it is in a huge rectangular pan and the pie crust is a luscious baked brown wheat dough, yum-yum. Almost every night we have a different to die for Wahoo dish. I don't think you can tire of fresh Wahoo. Did I tell you we caught some really big Wahoo? The pie is so big, like the fish, we will have enough for lunch tomorrow. Is there enough room in the fridge so we can put some lines out tomorrow; we need Tuna.
Even with a bull nap, sleep is welcomed early tonight. Happy Bella Donna gently rocks you to sleep.
God Bless Bella Donna.
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