Waiting for the wind

Almost on cue, as I watched the sunset and pondered which can to open for dinner, out ran the fishing line. The result, a small tuna in the fridge - perfect for a couple of meals. Apart from this dusk excitement, it's largely been a day of inactivity; the wind has died, the sea is almost mirror calm and Kika has been drifting slowly West.

One benefit of flat sea is any slight disturbance in the surface is easily visible. A school of dolphins broke the calm some distance off, but they remained fishing and didn't seem interested in socialising with boats. As we drifted along lots of small green fish swam along with the boat I watched them for a while expecting to see some larger predators arrive, but their lives remained undisturbed and my fishing line inactive.

Although I don't have an immediate deadline, I could only take so much inaction from the sails and just after midday my resolve to avoid using the engine cracked and on it went. A few minutes later, ripples began to disturb the surface of the ocean. Ah wind at last. Off went the engine, and I set the sails and for a minute or so I had a satisfying sail, only for the wind to die and the sea return to its glassy hue. I repeatedly alternated sailing attempts with motoring, constantly being fooled by a flicker of wind disturbing the surface, and many optimistic attempts to sail only ending in disappointment and the engine. Eventually I'd had enough, I set the autopilot, ignored the fickle winds and let the engine take the strain. Life is so much easier with a working autopilot in light winds.

The little wind there is is blowing from the NNW, not the anticipated NE. The result is I am struggling to make enough distance to the north. If the wind continues in this direction I'll end-up on the east-coast of Somalia. After much effort I managed to download a forecast showing a slight increase in speed and improved direction over the next few days. Here's hoping.

One Maldivian fly survived all attempts at eradication. The spray ran out so I had to rely on more mechanical forms of pest control and finally cornered it in on the chart table. Perhaps I've found my new calling - pest eradication.

Position @ 12:00 (GMT+5), 13/02/2009: N4deg 49.8' E 70deg34.6'
Distance to entrance Gulf of Aden: 1222