A morning under engine, waiting for the wind shift that gave us the chance to set sail again in the afternoon.
One of the few advantages, if not the only one, of having relatively calm conditions, being under engine, and having all sails packed away, is that it offers the chance to work on maintenance of the sails themselves.
A practical skill — hands on strong thread, sewing palms, sharp needles, knife, a good knowledge of the craft, and the goal of doing a good job and having the sails repaired and ready soon. A small rip here, a hole there, a bit of an open seam, a bunt patch in need of mending. Up aloft, the crew hand-stitches those details in different sails today.
It is in the afternoon when the wind starts turning more to a northeasterly. It is time then to first brace around sharp in starboard tack, then a bit later on to start setting sail and head on a more easterly course. By dinner time, all squares to top gallants are up, lower staysails and spanker. During the night, more sail joins the configuration. It is a great feeling again to use the wind in our sails to make progress and have the engines off, while we try to eat away some of the 1100 nm that are left to reach Walvis Bay. A bit more than 500 nm behind us lies the closest land, Tristan da Cunha.
The temperature is warm, just over 19ºC, but the surface water continues to be about a degree warmer. The air is full of moisture, weather is misty at times, drizzle. Some showers keep growing here and there, crossing our path.
