31:44.493N 58:38.580W alle 20:00 (22:00 UTC) del 19
maggio 2023.
From no wind to almost too much. From gently lulled to
firmly shook. Such is the change that happens in a few hours on the ocean,
making our reality very different everyday.
Today we have 22-25 knots to sail against ("di bolina
stretta") and some sizable waves to dodge. Each one of us got at least once a
good taste of seawater when one wave bigger than the others takes us by
surprise.
Staying dry is a challenge, even more so now that the
inside of the boat is also getting wet in these conditions.
The weather forecast promises us a change in the next
hours, with a shift of wind direction and a reduction in its intensity. Until
then we hold strong, and so does the boat.
Bonus: The 4 stages of getting hit by a
wave
1. Realization
A wall of water rises in front of the bow. Could you
have dodged it? It is too late now, no time to steer away. You watch its angle
and size and intuitively know what comes next.
2. Impact
The wave hits the bow. A loud and muffled sound is heard
throughout the boat. Everyone who was sleeping decides to voluntarily wake up at
the same time.
3. Suspension
Several liters of waters are thrown into the air. Time
seems to stop as you watch the white droplets in the sky. Now is a good time to
duck or shout some sort of warning signal in Italian.
4. Shower
All the water now simultaneously falls on the boat, as
if the "play" button had been pressed on a videotape. You hear the loud and
distinctive sound of water hitting everything: the windows, the wooden deck,
your clothes. You look forward again and continue on course, undisturbed.
19mag