Position: 08 degrees, 37 minutes south; 140 degrees, 29 minutes west 120 mile day
As my mind was wandering last night, as it does on a six hour watch during the dark hours of 0200 to 0800, I got to thinking about what the difference between being “out here” versus “back there”. Other than the obvious physical differences of being in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, the real difference is the fact that we’re pretty much disconnected from everything. It’s lovely. So, if you want to experience what it’s like to be out here, you can! Turn off your Google, shut down the TV, radio, cell phone and email. Disconnect the internets. Can you do that for a few hours? Get rid of all that stuff and let your mind wander. It’s wonderful. You will find yourself actually thinking instead of just processing.
So, after my watch ended and I got my mid-morning nap, I came upon deck to find the wind had eased down to about 8 knots, the seas flattened and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. You could look around 360 degrees and see the same horizon where blue sky met blue water and a dark blue line. On the one hand total isolation. On the other, total freedom. Hmmm. And not to get too philosophical, I should mention that we both also took baths today. Warm weather, not too bumpy – we didn’t even need to heat the water. Heavenly!
We also had a pleasant encounter out of the blue (so to speak) when our friends the dolphins came to play. A couple dozen came by for 10 minutes or so and danced around the boat. Ann danced for them as well. She and they seem to enjoy that.
And now the moon has risen in full glory. The reflection on the water is like a special path direct to Charisma. The moonlight is so bright it makes our headlamps unnecessary. (Of course we look very cool wearing them so we wear them but have no need to turn them on.)
Well that’s our story for this July First. Ann has announced that we will have a celebration aboard Charisma on the 4th. Stay tuned to find out what it is. Also, we have a bottle of champagne (from our friends back in NZ, Mary and Dave on Kismet) going into the fridge for the equator crossing in about 8 degrees (a degrees equals 60 nautical miles).
And…why not, we’ll put a note in it and toss it over the side.
So glad to see your passage is off to a comfortable start that you’ve been experiencing some “Three Sixty Blue” conditions. We wish you the very best in the days ahead.
Mark and Anne
Great post!
We’ll celebrate here in the disconnected style, and with some champagne too.
As I remember it being out with John and Lisa, not having a phone, or career work to do for two months was so very relaxing. It made the physical work of the boat that much more enjoyable. What a special gift that was for me!
So when you cross the equator more than once, is there a special name you receive?
Love the picture you paint with your descriptions. Looking forward to the moon glow.
You guys are so corny. Putting messages in bottles? Nobody ever finds them, they just float off to the ocean of nowhere! LOL
What we need to do is introduce the Blue Dolphin Group to the Blue Man Group. Ann can be the ringleader of the United Blue Groups. Next stop Vegas!
I’ve often thought that the only reason the Founding Fathers managed to come up with a new blueprint for a new nation is they had nowhere near the distractions of modern man.
Sail on, sail on sailors….