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February 16, 2007

The Arabian Doldrums

LOCATION: Arabian Sea Crossing
Day: 17
SEE WHERE WE ARE!
Longitude: N:15°35.652'
Latitude: E: 064°18.077'
Heading: 255°M
Wind: variable, force: calm
Miles from Mumbai: 580
Miles to Djibouti: 1,220

This is the sixth day without a breath of wind, reminding me of crossing the doldrums during the voyage from Hawaii to Tarawa, in all but one respect; progress. While a one knot counter current kept the boat in the same position for almost three weeks back then, at least these past few days have seen miles made west, a daily average of 40 to be more precise, which is good for morale. Hope is a very hard commodity to hold onto when there is no net movement in the right direction.

So on we plod, or rather grind, slowly inching our way across this glassy plain. During the night time hours the temperature is quite comfortable and the sensation of pedaling without any of the usual external sense stimuli, such as moonlight, sound of any kind or the rolling motion of the boat is quite surreal, rather like what I would imagine it would be drifting across a zero gravity void like outer space. In the heat of the day the unrelenting sun throws up a loose curtain of haze that hangs over the horizon like a torpid fog, obscuring any definition between sea and sky and adding further to the sensation of spatial bewilderment. It is through this desert that we find solace in a few more miles chalked up on the GPS, a cup of tea around 5pm, swimming between pedal shifts and moronic conversations about famous palindromes than dwindle into little more than jibber jabber.

Able was ere saw elba.

One break to the pattern however was the arrival of a squadron of dorado fish yesterday, around 12 in total, that have since been using the underside of the boat as sort of basecamp from which to launch their hunting forays into the outlying waters in search of flying fish. They really are beautiful animals - all colours of the rainbow including luminous turquoises and emerald greens shimmering just below the surface and close enough to the side of the boat that one could almost reach out and pet them. And just when the monotony of life on board is starting to addle our brains we've been treated to breathtaking displays of acrobatics as the dorado take to the air in yet another desperate chase between hunter and hunted.

jason

Posted on February 16, 2007 2:29 PM

Comments

Posted by: gl. at February 16, 2007 9:15 PM