The Examiner is back from the broom cupboard, dishevelled and feeling guilty that she's neglected her duty for so long. The 'mild' low to the south of us is giving us a steady 30 - 40 knots with huge breaking seas - vast vertical walls of translucent power and beauty - breaking along the tops and each one threatening to swamp the old barge. Tiny spot of headsail, Kevvo in charge. We take off down the faces at 9+ knots - Scary but seems better to be moving reasonably fast with the waves - you can only sit all grackly and watch and wait for the next one to come rolling through - and the next. And then there are the cross waves that come in occasionally and amplify the dominant swells and they really arrive with attitude. Bright sunlight between clumpy Cu and the sea a brilliant deep blue on one side of the boat and lighter, greenish blue on the other. No sign of it blowing out - I think we have got to sit through at least another six hours or so before it abates and the seas start to go down. Poo! It's going to be a long trip from here. Now gone thick overcast - rolling Cu and rain squalls. Sea almost black with glowing white breakers. Lovely if it wasn't so threatening.
Albatrosses yesterday - at least three big Snowy or NZ, not fully mature with lovely bright black and white plumage, and a really young one, black with a white face and white underside. I have their photos.
Greetings noble Blatt. The S2H doco is not bad - I've seen it a couple of times. Hard to believe that we were out there.
Caroline - longer answer due but not at the mo - thanks for chasing the met people.
Alan H - thanks for the kind words - and your chart - it's good to know that we've helped to light a few candles on a hill or two
Sue - thanks - enjoy Switzerland. Elpinkbokkerkergybat has face to wall again.
