We made excellent progress today. When I went to the bow, I was struck once again by the intense strength and power of nature's elements, wind and water. Together, they are a force beyond comprehension. When the air is still, the water is like glass; tranquil and hushed. But when the wind blows, it stirs up the ocean and creates a new creature: one of unprecedented strength and unrelenting power. We aren't here to fight or dominate it. We simply wish to quietly pass through and observe the creature's moods.
Day 9
There's a whole world below our floating home. It's strange to attempt an understanding of an ocean floor that is 3 miles down. We are slowly skimming the surface of a section of our planet that is inaccessible and unknown to us. And yet it is the majority of the Earth.
Today was a good day. We moved consistently East, though quite slowly. We realized that our fishing lure had been lost and replaced it with a new sparkly purple squid. Within a few minutes, a fish had bitten and we pulled it up. It was delicious. I have never caught food and then eaten it. The experience brought us closer to the Ocean in a way that felt very natural. A school of flying squid passed by us while we were napping, and one landed on the deck. We hooked it and used it for bate. A school of tuna also graced us with a show of great power and speed as they arched out of the water and hunted near us. We are relying on two elements during this journey: wind and water, and today, they both provided.
Day 7
It absolutely does not feel like we've been doing this for a week. We have barely gotten anywhere. Right now the water is like mirror; perfectly still and reflecting the sky above, which is better ugly with the moon illuminating the clouds. The beauty makes it easy to forget the frustration of not moving.
Day 5
It was a sleepy day. We started moving well at the end. My confidence on the boat grows every day, which is new despite having been traveling for almost a year. It's because there are no distractions and since we are on the boat every minute of every day, I suddenly find myself genuinely interested in how everything works and I want to be a part of it.
Mars rises up from the horizon every night on my watch. It differs from the other stars and planets dramatically with its deep orange color. It's magical.
Day 4
I'm starting to become familiar with the stars. I've learned some new constellations: Scorpio, Libra, Pegasus, but even the ones that stand on their own are becoming reliable companions during watch. The first two nights didn't have a moon, but now it's a glowing crescent that forms an infinite pathway of light through the water behind us. We're going south. It's not supposed to be this way, but the weather isn't following its normal patterns, which is frustrating. Luckily, Herby has studied so much that he knows what to do. Moral is low when the wind dies. Herby and I are trying to stay positive. Frank is very impatient, but perfectly pleasant when we are moving at an acceptable pace. I think seeing his attitude helps me improve mine in order to make up for it. My biggest regret is not downloading more podcasts.
