Fair winds and following seas

Yesterday was the first time in quite a while where we experienced fair
winds and following seas. We have a certain schedule to keep to and wind
plays a big factor in not falling behind. The swell from behind is
building and what a lovely sound, nearly hypnotic, as the boat lifts up
and speeds down the swell, the props humming in unison. At night in my
cabin I can gauge the wind and the boat speed by the pitch of the props;
and like any cat, our cat shows her happiness by purring away. I wonder
what it sounds like if a tiger purrs.....I have heard the rumble of an
elephant, and whalesong really takes me away.

Last night all four of us were sitting and making smalltalk and for a
laugh checked our Chinese signs and how we should get on or not get on
with each other. Both Steven and me are dragons, Nicolas is an ox and
Eduan a goat. Very interesting to see the different dynamics. I always
check this out before a trip, and certainly don't choose crew on their
particular Chinese sign. I just try to better understand each of my
crew, their particular strenghts and weaknesses and take it from there.
The aim of being respectful and considerate towards each other and
ourselves makes life on boards just that much conducive to a happy boat.
And we each bring our own qualities and experience to the table.
Irritations and frustrations to come around, but properly managed they
don't find a nesting place here and is soon blown away. If a snigh
comment comes my way best I reflect where it comes from before I react.
That is just my way, and certainly not the only way to deal with
conflict. We've had very little and I will step in and squash it if
necessary. A bit of being an even keeled person formed over the years.

Our nautical term for today is "Between the devil and the Deep Blue
Sea".The devil was the name given to a seam between two planks which
every so often had to be 'payed' or repacked with oakum and pitch to
prevent it from leaking. All seams need this routine treatment but the
devil seam was the most difficult to do and so called because of it!
There remains some conjecture as to which seam it actually was, devil in
this context is not a word which has survived and nobody can remember
any old hands ever speaking of it. Some believe it lay next to the keel
and suggest that the seaman who 'payed' it would have to hang from a
rope, suspended between the devil and the deep blue sea. But the more
likely explanation is that it was the outside seam of the deck planks
next to the scuppers. This would make it the longest seam and also the
most difficult to do due to the spray coming over the side. It also
gives more sense to the expression because in bad weather a man knocked
over by a sea would be washed into the scuppers to find himself
literally between the devil seam and the deep sea. Another expression,
the devil to pay, supports this. Originally it ran 'The devil to pay no
hot pitch' and refers to the misfortune of either running out of pitch
while paying while paying the longest seam, or having it cool too
quickly in what must have been a most exposed and draughty position. The
word pay is from the French piox meaning pitch.

Our current position is 13*40'S/009*13'W

And with that I salute you till next time.

Captain Paul