night watches

Amaris sails the planet

night watches

I recall my first solo night watch.  I was crewing on a Tartan 37 sailing from San Diego CA to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Don't get me wrong, I have sailed many an hour in the dark, often alone.  I think if you ask most sailors there is something magical about sailing alone in the dark or (preferably) under a moonlit sky.  

Although we are blessed to have a great crew member now (Ross), I prefer to do my night watches alone.  To aid my mother here - people now routinely sail around the world alone - which gives them plenty of opportunities for something bad to happen.  That said, sailing at night certainly adds an element of risk - as you can't see dangers that lie ahead (as easily).  To further help relax my mother - we (as do most sailors) reduce sail at dusk and slow the boat down to minimize the risk of hitting something, give us more reaction time, and to prevent the need of a reduction of sail in the dark and alone.

I am sad to say that i am unable to capture any of natures magic on film.  I have watched meteorites shoot across the sky in bright red, yellow, and white.  It amazes me the speed at which they travel as they fly across half the sky in a matter of seconds.  I have watched (a bit frightened) lightening storms with bolts striking the sea miles before or behind us.  I have looked up at the stars and looked to the constellations knowing they are guiding us as they have guided sailors for thousands of years.  I am particularly fond of the start of a new day knowing a new adventure awaits and that we will once more be able to increase sail!

While crossing from Malta to Sardinia my watch fell to the time from sunset to 1AM.  Fortunately on this day, the moon had not risen and there was not a breath of wind - a motor through glass like water.  A few hours into my watch, the boat cut through a field of intense phosphorescence.  The sea glowed as millions and millions (Carl Sagan emphasis) of tiny organisms lit up the sea in a response to the boat cutting through the water near them.  As Ross cam on for his watch and mine came to a close, I tried to describe the intensity of the patch of sea i had crossed.  Of course the next morning he had to tell me all about watching the dolphins cut through the water all aglow.  As if that was more impressive than the millions and millions of tiny organisms.