Tecla underway in the roaring forties

In past editions, we regularly made room for captain Jet Sluik’s logbook entries with the logger Tecla. This time, she’s making her way south, down to the roaring forties.

41º19.2’S 076º21.6’W // course 158º // speed 6,2kn

The Roaring Forties – no longer tropics, no longer horse latitudes, but serious sailing area, getting more and more south. And today we really feel it. Although the sunshine is working hard to keep us warm, whenever there is no sun, the air is very crisp and cold. The outside temperature has gone down to 11 degrees in the evening, while the water temperature is warmer at 12 degrees Celsius.

The wind has been a little fickle today. While the wind speed has been between 9 and 15 knots, the direction has been making big leaps, with shifts of 30 degrees at a time. Mostly they had to do with showers around us, which we were very successful in avoiding, and partly with the small low-pressure area associated with this wind, which is getting closer to our location. It’s just a small one, so no big winds are expected today, but changes in direction and wind speed are imminent.

With only 110 miles to go until the entrance of Chacao Channel, in South Chili, we are nearly ready to gybe and try our luck on the other tack.

The atmosphere on board has been good. We have all been reminiscing about the whales we saw yesterday! We spotted some more this morning. Some flukes were seen, and then they were gone again. I had my eyes peeled on the horizon all day, as white caps confused my brain.

Whale? No, just wind.
Whale? No, just a wave.
Whale? No, just the light changing on the water.
And so on..

The ocean has been stunning, not quite as deep blue as before. It looks like there is more substance in the water here, more food for the whales and birds. Because we have also been lucky with so many birds today! New species we spotted were Southern Fulmars, what looked most likely to be a Wilson’s Storm Petrel, and more prions, also called Whale birds. We had a Cape Petrel follow us for a while, coming really close and showing off its stunning, unique colouring patterns.

All in all, we had a very nice day. Uneventful, one would affectionately say. Just stunning, with nice sailing and good views.

All is well on board,
Jet

Image: Midnight moonlight on the water.

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