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Low speeds, high spirits mark Terry's Aug. 5th report
Author: Terry Moore
Lat/Lon: 66 6.5N 054 56.4W
Location: Davis Strait
Course: 230 T
Speed: 2 knots
Weather: Wind 325 T 5 knots overcast
Sightings: Sleeping pod of seals, fulmars
Log Date: August 05, 1998
Terry reports
At the rate we are travelling, we should sink the Greenland coast into the eastern horizon sometime in the next century. Implicit in that little tidbit is both great and exciting news, worthy of at least a few whoops and a jump for joy or two; as well as cause for a low whistle and a knit brow.
We pulled our anchor for, hopefully the last time, out of the sand of the Greenland coastal bottom yesterday at 15:20, and with not much fanfare, pointed ourselves at Baffin Island. Since then, we have at times rowed, rowed and sailed (a practice we affectionately call motor sailing,) and through most of the night sailed with the wind blowing anywhere from 0 to 10 knots mostly on our beam, the sky liberally dispensing clouds, rain, and now glorious sunshine, and our emotions running the spectrum from fear, to joy, weary to wired, in an attempt to match our ever changing surroundings.
It never ceases to amaze me how our surroundings can be ever changing when a cursory glance takes in nothing but water as far as you can see in any direction. We have only the fulmars and jaegers for company now.
We aren't breaking any speed records here. We have averaged probably three knots over the past 12 hours, which will give us plenty of time to contemplate what we will do when the next frontal system catches up with us. And the next, and the one after that. A little more speed would be nicer, cutting down on the time we are sitting out here, but we have committed ourselves to the Davis Strait (for the moment anyway,) so taking what comes our way is part of the game. The general outlook is for north to northwesterly winds for the next couple of days, except for the passage of a warm and a cold front in quick succession sometime today, which could make life pretty miserable for a while.
Life on board has changed pretty dramatically from coastal sailing. We have gone from being a crew of nine, to two crews of four, and me. The two watches see each other at the change, and occasionally at mealtimes. But other than that, the boat is a quiet place. The only noise: the sound of Hodding and Dean rolling the dice as they attempt to play backgammon and steer at the same time, and the reef points drumming against canvas when the boat rolls the wind out of the sail. It is good to be moving. Despite all the inherent risk in crossing big water in an open, engineless boat in these latitudes, we are moving to meet whatever comes our way. Who knows what our experience may be in a few days time, but here we go.
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