Current position as of 0000 UTC July 18th is 38° 06’ N 152° 57’ W Current Heading: 335°M Total distance made good (DMG) = 1137 nm DMG last 24hrs (0000UTC-0000UTC) = 34 nm Engine hours = 0 Avg true wind speed (TWS) = 2.5 kts Avg speed over the ground (SOG) = 2.5 kts Avg swells = 0.5 ft Recap of Day 13 And it’s back to the calm weather… very, very calm weather! After the strong headwinds of the last few days passed over us, we have found ourselves smack dab in the center of a high pressure system, which means basically no wind. The pressure was about 1031 mb, which is incredibly high, and the wind had all but vanished. All we could see around us was was flat, calm blue ocean, for miles and miles. I took advantage of the calm conditions to clean up that old fishing flag marker that we picked up last week, scraping off the dead gooseneck barnacles that had started to create a very ripe odor on deck which drifted down through our open portlights. We had a few visits from Mr. Albert Ross (the black footed albatross) and petrels, but other than that, no signs of other boats. We both had baths up on deck in the sunshine, and have been surprised how much warmer the ocean is. Last time at this lattitude the water was starting to get downright chilly, and now it is just a bit refreshing, what a difference a few months make. We knew the winds were to remain light to nonexistant for most of the night, and planned to just drift and get some rest. However, we had a very light breeze for the first half of the night, and then when the water turned glassy we finally got to drift and sleep. I woke up once in the middle of the night and the water was a like a mirror, completely flat with a light mist sitting on top of the water the full moon’s light reflecting, it was pretty incredible and looked lik something from another world. Hope you all are well, sending good wished from the middle of the ocean! Hillary & Ty
