Atlantic Diary: Day 68 – Dealing with the weather

7 May, 07 – 21.43
15.3988N,48.4545W
24 hr progress: 11.1 Nautical Miles (1 nm = 1.85 km)
Distance left to Antigua (straight line): 754 Nautical Miles ( 1394 km)
Distance completed: 2344 NM (4336 km)
Wave height: 8-10 ft, Winds: 15 knots E, Bearing: 290 degrees.

This morning, I got news that there is a low pressure system to the NW of me that may be confusing the winds.
The weather for the rest of the week is:
8th May – 15 (knots) E, 9th May – 15 ENE, 10th May – 15 E, 11th May – 15 E, 12th May 15 – ESE, 13th May 15 ESE.
Occasional squalls expected.
I've had a few messages asking me what a squall is.
Well, a squall is a sudden and violent wind often accompanied by rain. They are created by local conditions around the world and called different names. Off Eastern Australia – they are called Southerly Busters, in the Med. they are called Mistrals and around Cape Horn they are called Willie Waughs.
As the journey has progressed, I've changed my outlook on what I stress about.
A piece of useful advice I found invaluable on this journey: “Concentrate on the things that you can do something about and not to waste effort on those that you can't do anything about”.
It's easy to get stressed and frustrated about the weather and I try not to let it get to me as much, even though the clock has been counting down to the approaching hurricane season, June 1st and the sea state for the past 2 weeks has been very confused with winds and waves in different directions.
Instead, I have been focusing on getting as much mileage as possible on a given day by resting during unfavorable conditions. Though it must be said that bad weather is never too bad. It would be boring if it was calm all the time. A storm is scary. For someone alone here in a rowing boat, it succeeds in raising the level of fear and adrenaline running through the veins. But sometimes it's just as good to sit back and watch the awesome power of nature at work from a ringside seat.
I had a rare view in front of me around sunset as the sun was setting under grey altocumulus clouds to the west. Today's photo, shows a high altitude Cirrus cloud (white), reflecting light from the hidden sun and casting a 'moon-beam' over the water.
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