Wind NW 10 knots, Course NE, Speed 3 to 4 knots, Position 23° 46' S by 113° 05' W

I was thinking today about not sharing again my crazy life long passion with the rainbow, but it came and told me step by step to have no doubts.  I've written about this before so you know I'm a “rainbow lover” and also answer to the name Roy G. Biv, the seven colors of the rainbow spectrum; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. I have been shaken by larger than life experiences with the rainbow all my life, but especially since I started ocean voyaging.  The rainbows seem to come to me at auspicious moments and answer questions that are coming clear out of my deep psyche.  The colors enter me and relax, heal and empower me.  I know well double rainbows, fierce rainbows, crystal rainbows, horizon rainbows, whirlwind rainbows, night rainbows, circular rainbows and more, because they come to me day after day and I spend more time with them.  Today I looked up from my work on deck to be greeted by a very intense rainbow and it immediately made me sing out loud songs with words that just came to me, words from the far universe and animal songs.  The dancing rainbow colors came in me and made me feel great and I studied them with scientific, religious scrutiny.  I knew I had to share this even if some people didn't understand and though I was “funny”.  The rainbow started to arc across the back of the boat so I walked to the bow to better take in the symmetrical balance of the schooner and the rainbow.  It became a double rainbow over the schooner and I kept singing.  Then as the rain began the rainbow became a complete circle landing on me.  Then it faded in a grey drizzle and I got back to work replacing chaffed ropes. When your spirit starts to soar through space and across waters, look out for the Rainbow Man!

Reid

Wind WNW 15 knots, Course NE, Speed 3 knots, Position 24° 35' S by 114° 03' W

Another three days without seeing the sun and beating against a NE wind left me feeling damp and grey with rain and too much spray.  I powered away against it watching three little tears in the mainsail get bigger.   Yesterday evening the wind shifted to W and our course shifted with it to W of N.   I decided it was time to lower the main sail for repair and I would still be able to keep sailing by turning off the wind under foresail and staysail.  With the shift of the wind there came a break in the clouds and a big violet squall headed in our direction.  I had never seen anything like it.  I think the sky cleared above the low grey layer and sunset violet on high clouds reflected down into the rain.  I could see there was wind in it so I quickly lowered the main sail. As the squall passed I saw through the rain a swath of sunset horizon that was intensely  red, the reddest red I have seen in a sunset. ”Red sky at night sailors delight”.  These colors remain brilliant in my mind's eye.  Magical moments in nature never cease to amaze me and there is something in them that rejuvenates me again and again.  It's a beautiful brisk day.

Reid