OCEAN BREATHING

Position : 36°15'.6 N 014°07'.9
Day / Time : 16.04.2013 , 11:00 UTC
Mood : Anxious

TODAY WE ARE 21 DAYS AT SEA !


The longest I at least have ever done . 
And still 425 nm to go. 
But the end is coming nearer, and everybody gets more anxious. Over the last days however, to be precise since last Sunday morning, we have had no wind. 
We tried everything, the tuning of the sails, the Parasailor, but nothing made the boat move through the very light wind and the heavy rolling sea. 
The storm that passed finally north of the Azores was extreme and heavy. up to 60 kts and waves up to 15m !!!! Lucky us that we stayed in the south of it. But whilst it brought us good SWerly winds of still BF 8, sometimes 10, it now had exhausted itself and has moved further to the northeast. 

And the only reminder of it are these huge rolling waves coming in from the NW. 
One of my crew called it "Ocean Breathing", and the comparison is quite accurate. 
But if this is the breathing side of things with long waves of between 5-7 meters,  
I definetly don't want to be around 
when the ocean has a cough. 

From here onwards it is only about "fuel" and "fuel consumption". 
We are for cautious reasons actually not heading straight towards Gibraltar, but to the SW corner of Portugal, 
Cabo San Vincente. 
From there the marinas of Lagos or indeed Villamoura are in reach, in case we need re-fuelling.  
And from there we can easily run down to the Strait of Gibraltar with the prevailing northerly winds. So the scene is set. Anxious I am nevertheless. It is a tight call.  
And the hours under engine tick away , and no wind in sight. 
Sailing is always unpredictable, 
but what is the option ? 
To buy a Motorboat ?
 Kiddin' me, with all the noise at all times around , the rolling of the boat, , the swimming appartement house with flowers, and the G&T bar in its centre. 
Not for me. 
A boat is much more stable when it heels in the wind. And the excitement when you can feel the elements. 
Sailing is "APHRODISIAC" for the burned out mind, 
it relaxes you, and makes you wonder:

ARE THERE SAILING-BOATS ON OTHER PLANETS ?

 I mean this is a deep and important philosophical question. 
Who cares that  other people try to save the world in the meantime, get involved in anti- deforestation, anti-nuclear power plant, anti-public spending and any other anti-demonstration they can find . In response, others produce anti- depressants. 
But it is always 'anti'. Always negative. 
Is the human mind only happy when it can find something that makes us 'un-happy" 
Why not 'pro' ? 
That is much more positive. I am in support of 'pro-sailing' on other planets. That sounds right to me. Or pro hugging in replacement of certain dubious religious celebrations that only stir hate and resentment.

"YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, MAN"  would my Rastafarian friend 'Vision'  from Saint Lucia say. 
And he is right. It is all about attitude ! 
 And this dear Reader, brings me to the last of my many stories from the Caribbean. 
The Rastafari(an) Movement .
 Forever embedded with music lovers -  and who isn't - via Bob Marley and the 'Reggae'. But what is it, do you really know. 
OK, let me 'enlighten' you :

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Originating from the 30's in Jamaica, where there is a strong connection to all kind of christian sects and seculars, their followers worship 
Haile Selassi I, the late Emperor of Ethiopia ( 1930 - 1973 ) 
as either the re-incarnation of Jesus or ' God the Father' . 

Haile Selassi I , House of Solomon.

...in Washington in 1963.

Those like me who remember him from early TV and other pictures see this almost tiny man in the almost too large uniform, with his coal-dark eyes and white-black beard, might wonder whether during his life time he ever filled up the role as head of this movement. Like the Dalai Lama may be. 
But I have no answer to that. 
Anyway, the name 'Rastafari' comes from the Emperor, ie Ras as in Head=Duke, and his pre-regnal name 'Tafari'. 
You see, again, simple. 
Everything is explicable !

 There are disputes whether it is a religion, movement, ideology, or else. 
Who cares. 
What is important is that its followers wear a badge with Haile Selassi's picture, encompass the 'spiritual' use of cannabis ( who in the Caribbean doesn't ? ) , and reject the western society ( called Babylon ) because of its decadency, but also because of its exploitation of the slave trade. 
Some of the Rastas or Rastafaris call for the 
re-patriation for the descendants of these predominently african slaves. 
I just wonder: 
Have they ever been in Africa, lived there, done it ? 
May be as an eye opener they might like to re-consider their 'core philosophy'. 
Anyway, it is a minority, even in the Caribbean, but on Jamaica there are about 100.000 Rastafaris, which is 5% of the local population. 
Other than that, people like you and me. 
But surely very philosophical in their speech and phrases. So next time you see one, have a look for the badge and say :

 Hey,Brother, what about your ATTITUDE today? 
In case you should survive that question, you will survive everything everywhere.....like in New York !

 


Yours,
 
MASTER MIKE,


 the last real "Rastafari" DJ in mid-Atlantic.

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