GANNET heels to a gust of wind, then comes up again. A front is approaching from the Tasman and gale force wind is forecast for the next three days with periods of heavy rain. So far at mid-afternoon the rain has stayed to the west of us, but it has caused road blocking mud slides near Wellington. It is definitely coming. I can see a long band online at the Met Service website. And when you think of it, how amazing is that?
I could have rowed ashore easily this morning, but had no need. I bought salami and cheese yesterday at the General Store that will provide at least three lunches; I have two months of freeze dry dinners and several kilos of oatmeal; and while I hope GANNET remains dry in one sense, she is no longer in another with more than ample supplies of various liquids to see me through.
If you’ve been here a while, you know that I don’t do things at the last minute, so I took advantage of calm conditions yesterday to lower, bag and stow the furling jib; remove the bow sprit from the foredeck and stow it on the starboard quarter berth; remove the U.S. and New Zealand flags; tie down the tiller; check GANNET’s mooring lines; and do three loads of laundry.
This gale seems well timed. Sunday should be fine. Monday windy. And on Tuesday I make a dry exit. If the forecast holds.
In the meantime I’m ready to sit out the storm, and ready to go.
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The epigraph at the beginning of THE WRIGHT BROTHERS:
No bird soars in a calm.
No bird soars in a calm.
—Wilbur Wright
