Date4 April at 2321

PositionS 31° 47’/E 14° 39′

Everything the Power of the World does is in a circle.
The sky is round and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball and so are all the stars.
The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle.
The moon does the same and both are round.
Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were.
The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood.
And so it is in everything where power moves.

Black Elk, Oglala Sioux (1863 – 1950)

Taken from the novel, ‘The Loop’ by Nicholas Evans

I felt this was most apt for this time in my journey. Today I have changed my Ocean region on the SatC, to Eastern Atlantic Ocean Region, which is the region I started out with last November. That is after changing through the Western Atlantic, the Pacific region and the Indian Region. Shortly I will be crossing my outgoing track and completing my own circle around the globe. I have nearly crossed all the longitudes of the world to return once again from where I started. Nearly all concepts of this voyage form a loop.

The Atlantic embraced Aviva and I today. We had flat water, clear skies, sunshine and breeze on the nose that was enough to keep Aviva and I moving and in the right direction. I was able to open hatches and allow the air to circulate without fear of waves of water piling in.

The stable conditions that arrived once I had left the stormy black clouds of yesterday behind allowed us to sail on a good course under a canopy of stars. There was a very bright portion of the moon in the sky for a short while and I look forward to balmy warm nights sailing under the spotlight of the moon. I was able to get some good rest during the early hours of the morning, which was much needed.

We are running parallel to the African coast about 40 miles offshore and that has helped reduce the traffic as well as giving me quieter nights. I also have a favourable current, courtesy of the Benguela current that is adding just over a knot to our boat speed. Every little helps.

My biggest disappointment over the achievement of yesterday was not having people to celebrate with onboard. There were no hugs and cheers, just my own hoops of delight and the big thank-you I gave Aviva.

Not sharing experiences with people around you as they happen I find very difficult about solo sailing. Another example was the sailing today was just exceptional, difficult to describe, yet there was no one else to experience how wonderful it was. I guess I will have to wait to share my jubilation for when I get home, that will be a party!

Dee and Aviva