receive standard broadcast radio, and even a person from another country
thought the presidential ads were negative and lacking substance. I don't
listen to the ads. The election is over for me. I voted before I left.
At sunset last night, the west horizon was mostly cloudly, but what I could
see suggested a red sunset. Thinking of the adage, "Red sky at night,
sailor's delight.", I thought we would have an easy night. That must only
be true if the western sky is also free of clouds, because we had a moderate
Atlantic storm.
I woke during the night to a loud crash somewhere in the cabin, and a
continuous jingle from my wardrobe. A previous passenger had left some wire
hangers. I dealt with those, but could not immediately identify the source of
the crash. I put the light on and watched. The cabinet doors under the tv do
not latch securely, and after the next hard roll to the port, they swung open
and crashed shut. I put the desk chair against them, and went back to bed. I
visualized being in the front seat of the roller coaster at Valley Fair and
enjoyed the ride for the rest of the night. There were no stars last night.
Tuesday Morning
Must be adapting to shipboard motion, because I didn't need any Dramamine last
night or this morning.
There are not so many people at breakfast this morning. After a light
breakfast, I go to the bridge for a while to watch, write, and read. The
cadet sweeps the floor and washes the windows. When he takes the dust pan out
to the wing bridge, the brisk wind carries the contents away.
At 0800 we are off the North Carolina Outer Banks, about 36 degrees north
latitude.
The temperature has dropped to 19C. Swells look to be 8 to 10 ft, off the
port quarter. The tips of the white caps break off in a spray. I remember
that is the definition for a particular number on the Beaufort scale. Check
the definition on Wikipedia, if you are interested.
When a larger swell strikes the bow, there is spray across the front 1/3 of
the ship.
When I return to my cabin, I remember to clean my own windows. The outside
of my side window is coated with salt crystals that sparkle in the sunlight.
They will remain until the next rain, unless I can figure out how to clean
them from the deck above. I should get a car windshield squeege.
Mid-day, there is more blue in the sky. Periodically during the day, I see
another ship.
