The Motion of the Ocean

Friday

Well. That's better. For most of the night a strong breeze out of the southeast has contended with an easterly current (winds are identified by the direction from which they blow, currents by the direction toward which they flow), holding our boat beam to the 3- to 5-ft. seas.

That makes the wheelhouse a pretty rolly place to be.

That current has been slackening under the wind's steady assault, and about an hour ago I moved our mooring line from the port stern bitt to the starboard side.

Most crewboats, unlike a lot of other vessels -- including many OSVs -- ride easier stern to the seas. It would be a real hassle to try to hold our huge, foc's'l bow into a head sea.

Anyway, we're hanging right now, and the motion has eased considerably. Might be time to climb up top and change a spotlight bulb.