There are all sorts of hints that it is time to leave. The fridge is so full it will hold nothing more, the immediate neighbor is playing with his tiller sans pantalones, and there is a west wind blowing when we are headed east.

 

You would think that with all the miles we have covered over the years the Med. would have been crossed off long ago, but we have avoided the crowds until today. As if to welcome us Aeolus has provided 15 knots of following winds, a favorable current, and surfable waves.

We previously  mentioned there did not seem to be a lot of traffic. We’d like to retract that comment. There were 138 targets within 24 miles listed on the AIS display when this photo of  our radar was snapped.

There have been several dozen ships lieing-a-hull, we assume awaiting orders from the office.

There are also a few  underway, like this 1000 foot (300m) tanker.

She is lightly loaded, and moving cleanly through the water at 16 knots per AIS. Not much of a bow wave here.

And the exit isn’t bad either. Sixteen knots computes to a speed length ratio (SLR) of .5, hence the lack of disturbance.

SLR and efficiency at various ratios is a function of displacement length ratio and the distribution of volume (prismatic) in the hull. The ship is probably optimized for a SLR of .8 or 25 knots.

With the combination of breeze and waves we need to make an SLR decision ourselves.

Do we maintain the original speed by dropping revs and saving fuel? Or, do we keep up the revs and go faster?

Running at 1800 RPM keeps us surfing – more fun – and makes it possible to anchor off Ibiza tomorrow evening and then proceed in the following morning to Palma de Mallorca. Save a few gallons of diesel or have a nice sleep at anchor. What would you choose?

If conditions are such that we can get the bow flying our answer is always going to be go faster.

In this case that means averaging twelve knots so far (as this is being written) with occasional surfs to fourteen.

There have been several treats so far in addition being at sea in such lovely conditions. One is a delicious fruit cobbler and cream fraiche.

The other are some wonderful leaping dolphins.