Flying Fish in your Eye

I’m not in the habit of making much of my birthday. Back in Seattle I would sometimes throw a tax day party to keep my birthday in disguise.  I mean if I have a birthday and nobody knows I did, do I still get older?

Anyway that is different at sea.  One day melts into the next unless Something Happens.  Like crossing the equator. Or marking the halfway point on a long crossing. Or a birthday.  We ate well, and yes there was chocolate. Almost worth another year!

The wind continues to blow reliably from the NE.  Are these trade winds?  Big swells still rolling under our stern.  Glad the boat floats!

Tonight’s watch was unusual.  There have been flying fish throughout.  Sometimes flying squid.   But now instead of traveling in schools the flying fish are traveling in flocks.  One flew in and landed on my lap.  These are greasy beasts with serious skin slime and a very convincing fish smell.  Then another flew into my left eye.  OW!  Then he released himself back into the sea.  Now my left eye smells fishy.  Humph!

Weather Christian tells us that we are on track to make the doldrums minimally lame.  We’ll see in  few days if that plan can be made to fly.  In the meantime it’s getting warmer.  Who’d have thought we’d be wearing fleece jackets at 13 degrees North of the equator?  Should soon be the end of that.