Clockwork

Clockwork

Like clockwork these past few days, late afternoon and evenings give rise to cumulus and towering cumulus build ups like those shown in this picture taken yesterday. It is a hallmark of sailing in the Trades and Tropics.

Gusts and showers under the clouds depends mostly on how high the cloud tops reach. Another indication of what may be in store is how quickly they are building. An absolutely clear sky can look like this in a matter of a few hours.

There is some universal law legislated and enforced by some divine prankster dictating that the gusts and showers will arrive exactly at dinner time, no matter what time the table is set, and that the clouds will inconveniently obscure any stars or planets required for navigational purposes. As soon as dinner is cold and/or the horizon unusable because of darkness, the clouds will clear off leaving us to wallow for a while in the windless vacuum that is their wake. I have learned that no amount of yelling, swearing, stamping of feet, or hurling of bits of flotsam can change any of the above.

That said, the showers are usually a welcome relief. They serve to rinse the salt off the boat and the grime off of me. The gusts when not too wild, are sometimes the best wind of the day. On occasion, it is the only wind of the day. And on particularly lazy days, I have a convenient excuse to keep the sextant in its box. That leaves dinner which I have yet to figure. Perhaps revenge is indeed a dish best served cold.

Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban