Going roller coaster. Yee-haa!

Lat; 00 deg 42.014 N Long; 130 deg 44.886 W 14.00 local time May 25 2006

Breakfast this wonderful morning consisted of sliced eggs on crisp rye bread with Kalles kaviar on top. A delicious Swedish sandwich served with espresso. During the morning hours the sea changes. The waves are building ahead to port. Whitecaps everywhere and the swells seems to be building from two directions, sometimes adding up to small mountains that comes rolling and firmly lifts Maiken to the sky despite her 10000 kg displacement The wind rips of the top of the waves and the sea gets a rugged surface full of white streaks. Maiken gets a lot of showers, but manages to keep her bow out of the waves most of the times.
It's a hard beating on the port tack. The wind is flogging the headsail.
Trying to remember the American terminology; I reckon taking the "head off" by moving the helm to lee would do the trick silencing the headsail. Or "sheeting in" depending on the situation.
As you can see the terminology is a lot about beating and flogging. Makes me associate to the Spanish inquisition, and since Spain was one of the great sea nations back then, there might be a connection (?). I have taken some beatings myself when the sea forces Maiken to do an unexpected move. But most of the bruises have vanished by now and I have learned to be more vigilant. Its three weeks today since we left Oxnard CA.
We're living a life aquatic. Have you seen the movie? I like it and especially Bill Murray's detached character as an oceanografer. Yesterday evening "Cinema Maiken" showed The upside of anger. A sweet lightweight piece I wouldn't bother seeing again. But still, I don't mind looking at Joan Allen, a beautiful woman. I guess you could say that we are pretty much self sufficient here at sea, except when it comes to the opposite sex. Right now Chubby Checker is streaming out of the loudspeaker and I'm moving out on deck to stand on the cockpit seat holding the dodger to go roller coaster. Yee-haa!! Well that's it for now. Hang on out there!!

H�kan

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