Conversions between common units of speed
08:00 17 March 2014 wind 18-20 Nautical Mile Per Hour gusting to 25 NMPH
You know how you say something like, “I haven’t had a cold in forever,” then the next thing you know, you have a full blown, fall down cold. Or “my car never breaks down, it always starts first time I turn the key,” then the next morning you are running late, and the car won’t start. Well, I jinxed myself just that way. I said to Marc, “ The weather has been so good, not sticky and humid like Cuba.” I swear the weather turned sticky humid the minute the words left my mouth. It was so humid the sheets on the bed felt heavy. When will I ever learn to keep my mouth shut. So, consequently, to say that we have been lively the past few days would be an understatement and I have been bored. I am not talking jeez, what should we do today bored, I’m talking full out watching paint dry bored. It’s too muggy to do anything. You don’t sleep well because it’s muggy, because you don’t sleep well accompanied the mugginess, you don’t move too fast, because you're not moving you don’t want to eat, or to Marc’s chagrin I don’t want to cook. I did try drinking, but that was yesterday and two days of lying around drinking, just seems wrong, unless your with your girlfriends, of course
12:30 17 March 2014 wind 20-25 NMPH gusting upward
So, today in the face of boredom, we decided to learn how to use the new single sideband receiver (SSB) that we bought, the one that is still sitting in the original packing box. The SSB that we bought ironically to allow us to keep up with Chris Parker, or other cruising nets with up to date accurate weather information. Well, that was worse than watching paint dry, my stats class at LU or any form of math. I’m sure that the SSB will have its uses when we figure it out, but that is now up to the captain, he can explain it to me when he has it mastered.
15:30 17 March 2014 wind 25-30 NMPH gusting upward
So, where am I going with this? Well, I was absent-mindedly trying to get internet that won’t work, pestering Marc for attention, anything to occupy my mind. Marc is still trying to learn the SSB, when the sky turns darker, the wind gusts and rain starts.
16:00-17:00 17 March 2014 wind 38-40 NMPH
We are unsure of the actual highest wind speed because we set the wind indicator 20-30 minutes into the blow.
It really gets windy. The boat starts to heal. Laughingly, confidently I say, “Lets go up and check it out?” That looking for adventure, lets cool off in the rain kind of question. When the wind turns to a Dorothy from Kansas type of wind. Now my captain is moving and moving fast. We have been sitting in our anchorage in the same spot on the same hook, anchor for my non sailing friends, for at least the last two weeks and a couple of good 25+ knot blows and have never moved. When we anchored Marc had put out a second anchor that has sat benignly as an indicator of slippage since we claimed this spot. We even have felt lucky that we have had such a good hold when others have not. See there goes that karma thing again, don’t say it out loud. This is not the case any longer. The first and second anchor is not holding. Number one is slipping number two is as tight as a witches … well you know how tight it is and we are moving. Marc starts the engine and yelled loudly over the wind that “we are dragging, take the helm.” So, with the engine running, Marc on the bow and constant sheets of rain pushing sideways I can’t see or hear a thing. I only hope that I am helping. I am trying to make sure we haven’t dragged close to any other boats. In what seems like forever Marc raises the anchors and with DevOcean in gear we push against the wind and waves. I see Marc looking, searching to ensure we are in a safe spot to reset the anchor. My clothes are soaked, I am frozen, my adrenaline is pumping. My captain is, as always, at the ready to ensure the anchor is set properly. I retreat to the cabin, but I don’t see his wet face for another 30 minutes. All is good.
20:00 17 March 2014 wind 20-28 NMPH
Marc decides to set a second anchor, just in case, you never know if you might need one, for safety’s sake, as a back up.
22:00 17 March 2014 wind 18-20 NMPH
All is fine now except for the ever present howl of the wind. The rain has stopped.
06:15 18 March 2014 wind 12-15 NMPH
Marc is listening to Chris Parker on the SSB. I’ve got a full day planned and hey, the weather is good today not so humid and sticky like Cuba
Sunrise at 06:00 18 March 2014 Isla Mujeres
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