WIND!

Off west point.  The green line is the barometric pressure and the red and blue lines are gusts and sustained winds.

The wind the last few days has been impressive.  Or obnoxious, depending on your viewpoint.  The rain has been heavy as well.  After a relatively dry winter, looks like the heavens are making up for lost time.

We got a new top to protect the cockpit top.  The thinking was (and still is) that another barrier to the rain will help keep moisture out of the cockpit.  The old top was fine, but after day 5 of rain, there was moisture on the inside of the top.  In December 12 we had 30 straight days of rain, and there was constant moisture in the cockpit.

The initial problem with the new top is that it would puddle a slight amount of water, then release that puddle on the decks.  The pitter patter of rain is pleasant, the intermittent splash of greater volumes of water became maddening.  Fortunately there were grommets between the main tie downs and tightening them solved the problem.

Back to the wind.  Last night it blew 40 knots, which is just shy of 50 miles per hour.  It really blew.  Being on a boat, you are more 'intimate' with the elements.  On calm nights that intimacy is special -- you can feel the good weather and be part of it.  The flip side is when it really howls, you become part of the drama.

The movement of the boat is slight, but constant.  It's the noise and the variety of noises that make relaxing difficult.  The squeak of the lines as the boat strains at her tethers.  Then there's the 'mast slap' of other boats as their halyards slap against aluminum masts.  The wind whistling through the rigging is actually pleasant, but adds to the orchestra.  Then there are various snaps and other things that add a clinking noise to the mix.  All in all it's noisy and the gusts find ways to further vary the sound.

Today will be more of the same.  Winds on the coast are expected to rise to near 70mph, but the sound won't be hit as hard. We will get quite a bit of rain though!