2 June – Choppy seas and a cup of tea

We’re making some great progress through the water at the moment with two of the best day’s runs of the trip so far on yesterday and Tuesday. This has come as a pleasant surprise for me because I knew Olleanna was fast off the wind, but she’s showing pedigree when almost close-hauled as well. We’re on starboard tack and will be for the next week at least, probably ten days. The sea is more like I expect in a shallow water environment like False Bay or Mbashe Point though. Short wave period and a lot of irregular chop. I suspect that this is caused by the notation on the chart warning of an Equatorial counter current in this area. The effect is very much like when one sails past the stern of a ship underway and you go over the wake first and then through the turbulence pushed out but the ship’s propellers. But repeatedly. And every so often a larger than average wave pops up and just dumps itself on deck! But no complaints from me, this beats the doldrums hands down! I just have to move around the boat more carefully and plan mundane tasks a bit better than usual. Like making a meal or a cup of tea.