Moonbows and Fishing Nets

We invite the sailors to include news with their mandatory daily check-ins. (See them here).

For July 22, we were struck by two items. First, at least a half dozen have reported running into abandoned fishing nets. These hazards can get stuck on the boat, slowing progress and making engine propulsion difficult if needed. In most cases, heading straight into the wind and letting the boat back up will clear the problem. In severe cases, someone needs to go over with a knife. No cases of that have been reported.

The nets are, more tragically, also a hazard to marine life. Critters get stuck in the nets and simply cannot escape, so they die there. Our friends at Ocean Voyages Institute operate a program to collect these discarded materials from the ocean, and have collected over 700,000 pounds, with efforts ongoing.

MOONBOWS! When the Moon is fairly full and low on the horizon, and the atmosphere is laden with droplets, a lunar rainbow, or Moonbow, can be seen. It's a rare phenomenon (this writer has only seen two in 60,000 miles sailed), and many of our racers were blessed with the sight last night. Although a moonbow theoretically contains a full spectrum of colors, it usually perceived as a pale silver arch or ring in the sky. It's an awe inspiring sight. We're glad they saw it.