Barometer finally began its decent back to the real world yesterday. Awoke mid afternoon to a new world from that left on last watch. Wind, at long last, 20 knots or there about and seas to match. Main had already been struck along with the jib top, but with the dark curtain of a little cold front sweeping up about 20 miles behind Eliza asked to strike the topsail too. Paul, Hannah and myself went aloft to furl…a bit like dousing a kite while standing on a tight rope 60 feet up.

No better aspect to trim headsails by though, the perfect view right down the stays.  Class on deck in low F5 was slightly surreal, managed to get through half of it before the first squall line was upon us. For first time in the journey the students were all below finishing class and the paid sailors were all on deck together. Nothing serious just a little rain and the expected sharp veer to send the sails aback from port to starboard. Not surfing in the sense I’m used to but she was rising and sliding forward on the backs of the rollers with a sense of purpose, stretching for England after too many days wallowing in the high.

Front passed quickly and the sun gave a brief appearance in the west before calling it a day. Seth and I aloft to drop the tops’l out of its gaskets and overhaul the buntlines. He’s getting better at altitude and this trip with the rolling is never taken lightly. Put him on the windward side so the quarterdeck could also keep an eye on him, meant that as he shook off the gaskets (sail ties holding the sail to the topyard) it billowed about and covered his head knocking his hat off. Now, as it was tied on and not going anywhere, I suggested that he might wish to consider not worrying about said hat until back on deck.  Considering that as we were 60 feet off a rather hard deck and 70 feet off a very wet ocean and already holding on with both feet one hand and both testicles while working with one free hand and teeth, he agreed. As for ‘flapping sails’, Paul said it best when we were back on deck: “It’s only blowing 20 knots - that’s not ‘flapping’.” Hardly more than a gentle sway...he’s learning, that’s what this is all about.

Love to my girls in Florida, Kent 

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