Grey - thick grey, like rabbits' fur that you feel, that you can touch, that its wrapped around you. No form, no structure, just dark grey and the boat is flying and the rush of water you can feel but not see and then it goes dark. Really dark. And the boat leans further and the noise of the wind starts to howl and the rain crashes against the tiny Berri dodger you are trying to shelter under and the generator goes into overdrive and the headsail leech starts to flutter then roar and you're in a tunnel of dim light and reflected sheets of rain - all around is noise and confusion but you can only feel it and the windspeed goes up - only 25 knots but the effect is magnified by the blackness and the noise. Your knuckles go a bit grey too.
And then the lightning starts and the cold green clammy fingers squeeze your heart and your guts churn....
Just been there and there will be more of them before tomorrow. But the phosphorescence is back - subdued but intense to leeward and barely visible astern. Wonderful.
Trouble is, the wind it now taking us way way left of where we want to go - local effect of the last squall or a change in the gradient? Don't know and to tack would be premature. We're only sailing at about 55 - 60 degrees off the wind because we don't want to pound into the seas and potentially break something so a tack would not help much anyway. Early days but might be a need to think about staying west until we get above the ITCZ. Kimbra is checking for us.
