The front arrived Saturday night at midnight as forecast with heavy rain, which woke me briefly, and 40+ knot wind. I was surprised to learn from a link emailed to me by Kent, for which I thank him, that gusts that high were recorded between midnight and 2 AM at a Skull Creek station a few miles from GANNET’s slip because I slept through it. Possibly GANNET was sheltered by bigger boats nearby.
The sky cleared yesterday and wind regularly gusting into the 20s had the Spanish Moss on the oak trees beyond our balcony dancing feverishly.
The temperature dropped steadily all day heading toward freezing predicted for today’s dawn.
I dug out my Winter Silk long underwear, which actually is silk, light and warm, and slept in it and socks and was comfortable in the sleeping bag system which has several layers.
At 7 AM the outside temperature was 34ºF/1ºC. In the Great Cabin it was 40ºF/4.4ºC. Remaining mostly in the sleeping bags, I slid from the pipe berth to Central, put on gloves and had nicely chilled orange juice.
Today has not warmed up much, but the sun has heated the Great Cabin to a comfortable late afternoon 58ºF/14.4ºC. Typing without gloves my fingers aren’t numb.
I have two unopened bottles of Laphroaig on board. Not certain if I can find Laphroaig in Panama, one is intended for the passage there. One for Panama to San Diego. Thus far I have resisted the desire—far more than an impulse—to open one. As the Great Cabin chills with the setting sun in an hour, I may resist no more and, cue the crocodile tears, sadly have to buy a third bottle.
Today’s review of weather sources still shows a Friday departure, though I like what I see happening after that more on LuckGrib than Windy. Once I get to sea, I’ll deal with it, whatever it is, as I always have, until I don’t.
————
Carol gave me a tiny UCO Leschi flashlight for Christmas. She saw it in a catalog. I had never heard of UCO, but I like the light so much I ordered another.
Constructed mostly of plastic and seemingly reasonably water resistant, the light is bright for using only one AA battery and can be telescoped into a lantern mode.
They are available from many stores, including Amazon and Target, for about $10.
I don’t know if they will survive life on GANNET, but they are presently my flashlight of choice, and at that price a painless loss.
