Mealtimes became more challenging. Nothing to do with the excellent food cooked in our galley, but it is our first day experiencing heavier weather. Winds up to Force 7 have raised the northerly seas, and the vessel rolls. Still, for lunch a good soup is served, and tasty treats are on the Bar and Lounge tables. For dinner, wedging ourselves between the walls and corners, we all queue along the hallway to the galley hatch for a tasty meal. But the words that we keep hearing during those times are the classic … “Yellow dukije, lekker sopje”… rags and wet clothes to wipe the frequent spills.

We just came across a through sharply extending from a Low Pressure located southwest of us. Ahead, a large High Pressure still seems to be stuck at those relatively high latitudes. In between, strong winds and high seas.

While water washes the decks and waves break over the bulwarks, it is time for reducing sail. The ropes we ease or pull, together with some of the other lines that jump off their pins, swing over from side to side of the main and fore decks. Care must be taken that they don’t run out through the freeing ports that keep banging and spilling water off.

As soon as Royals, Top Gallants, Middle Staysails, Outer Jib, and even the Upper Topsails are clewed up and well bunted, the crew springs aloft to furl them on the rolling and tipping yards.

It is blowing strong from the north, and to keep a good easting, we sail braced sharp close-hauled.

In the afternoon, an intense shadowed line shows up on the radar. Behind the ship, grey clouds and rain approach. A front extending from the Low Pressure catches up with us. It doesn’t take long for the blows to shift from the northeast to west-southwest and decrease quickly.

Hands on deck are called to brace square and take the easing winds from aft. Now, after the rough weather and the passing front, we are moving into calm conditions. But the swell still travels high over the ocean. Trying to sail downwind in the dying wind, rolling onto those calms over the remaining swell, proves to be enough to try the patience of some.

We need to set more sail. Late at night and early morning find us with all canvas set. For a while, not even a puff of breeze blows. Languishing, slow drifting at the whims of the currents. A look at our track shows us now going backwards, now sideways, south, north, now nowhere.

Then, a puff of light air, a southerly breeze. The breeze becomes a good wind along the day, veering to a northwesterly, keeping us busy pulling braces and gradually changing points of sail to make the best out of it.

The weather is good now, the sky clear, great sailing times taking the good winds close-hauled. In the evening, the sun sets behind us, and later, the starry night shows the Southern Cross pointing southwards at our starboard. We are back to easting under fair winds.