Thursday, April 22, 2010

Searching for Trade Winds

It has been over ten days since we said our good bye to the Southern Ocean and landed under a High Pressure system which seemed very reluctant to move in the usual Easterly direction and give us some decent wind. A couple of days of light winds were welcomed by the crew after the fury of the Southern Ocean and duly enjoyed lounging on the deck in the cool breeze having good food, doing a bit of maintenance and catching up on "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The cook got into action serving a wide variety, from the quintessential Bombay fare of Bhelpuri, to Thai curries, Pasta & Risotto! While the crew was having a whale of a time the Skipper was wondering about over 4000 Nm of Indian Ocean yet to be covered!

As the High pressure system slowly inched Eastward, the wind started picking up, unfortunately from North North East which is exactly the direction we want to go in. Thanks to the direction of the wind and the resultant swell we have been sailing close hauled for over a week now barely managing to do either a NNW or ESE course with frequent tacks, sail changes and the boat pitching all the time. While we are still about 300 Nm from the Tropic of Capricorn, the weather has already started showing signs of the tropics with day temperatures in the 30 Cs and occasional squalls which give gusty winds from any direction while they are around and take away most of the wind when they move on leaving us with a nice swell for company! The ever present Albatross have parted company and we should be entering the territory of Dolphins & Flying Fish soon.

The weather forecast is predicting NE winds for a few more days till we meet up with the steady SE Trade winds for making a dash to the Equator!

Been reading about Jessica and the weather she has been facing. Despite the slow progress we are making I don't envy her much for that! Looks like she is in for a fast run home!




 

25 comments:

Lisa said...

Sounds like a grand party time on deck. May the wind be with you, soon:)

Abhilash Tomy said...

Great Pics!

Anonymous said...

Great post commander! I hope you get the right winds to take you home safely!

Best wishes and enjoy your ride!

Marina

Anonymous said...

Hi
Sounds great, how about giving us some of your (sounds nice) curry recipes.
Sail safe.
Margaret from Johannesburg.

hp said...

हाय Dilip & Mahdei,

Talk about a life of contrasts!

From the reading of Colombian magical-realism, and Bhelpuri-Thai-Italian cuisine to moody winds.

Quite an unusual definition of solo circumnavigation

:-)

नमस्कार!

Anonymous said...

Great Photos.
Steady sailing.
Richard (QLD) Aus

Janell in Oklahoma,USA said...

Enjoyed reading your update. The cuisine aboard Mhadei sounds very appetitizing to say the least!!! Hope you are able to relax and enjoy your quiet time, but realize you are eager for some good winds and progress. All the best to you! (THX for including the sunset photo; it's beautiful, as always.)

Godspeed!
Janell in Oklahoma,USA

Kissyfrott said...

Hello Commander Dilip,
Thank you for the update and the superb pictures.
The winds are uneasy to tame, I wish you some better ones soon.
Thank you for your words about Jessica, she is not having much fun in her last leg. We all hope to see her safe soon in Sydney.
Well, when you will be fed up with Navy and sailing (but I doubt it may happen), you can still open a three stars restaurant!
Fair sailing and surf happy to Mumbai!

Unknown said...

keep on enjoying the quiet and the ocean ... will search for 100 yrs of solitude at my local library ... best wishes ... john starlight, sunshine coast, australia

Jules GC said...

I always enjoy your posts, Commander. And your photos are superb. Good luck with the rest of the voyage, hope you get some useful winds soon.

Unknown said...

Good Cooking & great going. It looks like you have run out of the Goa Sausages !

Anonymous said...

Dear Dilip,
It's nice to read your news and thank's for the spectacular photo's. I do hope that the right winds will come your way, and bring you back home soon.
Enjoy the albatrosses.
Sail on safe.
Best regards,
Ingrid, Tyreso, Sweden

Unknown said...

Intresting note n superb photographs...Guess those are few of many things you get to enjoy on such adventures... :)
Hope you n crew have a pleasant n safe journey home...

Evie from Bendigo said...

Hello Dilip,
Glad to hear from you. Wonderful photos thankyou. the wind has certainly been giveing all you sailors a bit of havoc one way or another. Jessica certainly is having to handle some really bad weather at present. Abby is having similar problems as you weather from the wrong direction or no wind at all. Good luck with latching onto the trade winds soon.
All the best
Evie from Bendigo.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dilip,
Thank you for the update. Great photos. Hope the weather improves and you begin to make better time.
Regards,
Joy
Ballarat
Australia

Mike_trrac said...

Hi Dilip,

You are really making a stately and cultured sea voyage - good literature, good cuisine,excellent scenery as shown in your photos and good company. I hope the trade winds soon fulfill their duties and waft you homeward.

Enjoy the rest of your trip and thanks for the vicarious journey.

regards,
Mike (Avoca Beach, NSW)

Anonymous said...

keep going my friend we are thinking about you.

SaltyDog said...

Commander Donde,

It certainly sounds like the crew makes life aboard Mahdei very pleasurable. I thought the next thing that you were going to tell us was that the cruise director was scheduling trap shooting on the Lido deck and golf on the Aloha deck. Nice of you to mention Jessica. There are many of us who have been following her voyage as well as yours. And you’re right that she is experiencing some very challenging conditions as she gets closer to home. We wish you and Jessica some pleasant conditions for the remainder of your voyages.

Thanks for the update, Dilip.
Take care…..

From Seattle, WA, USA
SaltyDog

Anonymous said...

Pop ! Stolice ! I mean stop, police! ah, pireece, ah, pirates. we are planting for moths, I mean checks. We are mothing plant cheques, I mean, we are planning to check moss, ah, massing cheques, yeah, hand over money, but no cheques, I mean don't check for money unless it's full of moths.Hang on ? Why am I here ? Ah, yeah, my name is Inspector Justin Bieber from Australian, ah Eastfrisian International Water Customs control to check for... to check for... ah, blow it...I'll be back later, when I know what I want... Ah, stop, that's right, now I know. Dilip Donde, do your parents know that you are out here ? Ah, stop, that question was for Jessica Watson and Abby Sunderland. O.K., 2nd take: Dilip Donde, do you know who I am ? Ah, forget,leave the piracy to the Somalis, I'm out of here.
Regards
Victor C. Pankouken
My, it's hot in this part of the world... Can't think properly...

Trudy said...

Hello Commander Donde,
the photos are great. Love rainbows and the sunset is spectacular.
Continued safe sailing,
Trudy/Austria/Australia

Anonymous said...

Hi Dilip...love your dry sense of humour and comments. Congrats and safe trip home. Mordie, Aus.

Cobrarog said...

Hey there Commander,
You certainly know how to make the best of an unfavorable situation. Great chow, great sense of humour, great and memorable photos. Keep up the good work Dilip and stay safe. Here is hoping that the winds will improve for you very soon.
Kindest regards from Hervey Bay.

Jan Pace said...

Dear Commander Donde,

What a beautiful sunset. They must be magical moments. You will have some great memories to take back home with you.

The chef sounds great. What yummy food!

Take care and safe sailing.

Warmest wishes from Jan Pace (Auckland, New Zealand)

Unknown said...

Sir,
Where have u reached. pls keep us updated. i know u must be busy and sailing is not easy.

mohan

Jimsun-aluR said...

Sir, Well, Congratulations....

I am also interested travelling like this....
I want to take this type Challenging Risks.... To whom I should I cntact.

Jimsun-alooR
Mob:- +91 9744084405
India, Kerala