Hopefully without going backwards. The peak of the eddy is around 17 degrees North and 56 degrees west. This is my goal. The weather is fairly calm. I am not able to move the boat quickly into the wind, but I am progressing at just over one mile an hour.
Some hours are better than others.
A month ago, this slow pace would have made me angry enough to chew on the hardware, but these days I consider each mile a small victory. To move the boat one mile takes between 1000 and 2000 strokes, depending on the strength of the headwind. When a rower takes a stroke, the blade of the oar leaves a small vortex in the water. Normally as one rows, one has the satisfaction of watching the puddles move past the stern. When my puddles begin to stand still or travel in the direction of the bow, I know it is time to stop rowing and to deploy the sea anchor.