Chapter 789 - 358: Crossing the Gulf Stream (Part 3)

Chapter 789: Chapter 358: Crossing the Gulf Stream (Part 3)

This is like crossing a swift river, requiring exceptional skill and focus.

He steadied the helm, eyes fixed on the distant compass and the surging waves, his body swaying slightly with the ship’s motion, as if he had fused with the vessel.

"Steady now," Mike gave a low reminder beside him, "Don’t fight it head-on, feel its strength, and then use it."

Riven was nearby, constantly monitoring the data stream on the multi-function display, continuously reporting precise speed, wind speed, and yaw angle to Lin Yu’an.

"Speed 7.2 knots, wind speed 18 knots, we are approaching the reverse current area you planned!"

"Got it." Lin Yu’an glanced at the chart, confirming the location.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he decisively turned the wheel, steering the Polaris right into the area that appeared no different from its surroundings, yet had a completely opposite current direction.

The hull shook violently as if it went from a crowded reverse-flow highway onto a smooth, unobstructed express lane!

The speed-over-ground (SOG) on the GPS surged from 7 knots to 9.5 knots in just a few seconds!

"Beautiful!" Captain Mike praised from his heart, eyes sharp as he watched the changes in sea conditions, "You really found it! We’ve entered the reverse flow!"

Riven also kept her eyes glued to the screen, swiftly pulling up detailed navigation data, her face filled with excitement and curiosity.

"Incredible," she looked up at Lin Yu’an, her blue eyes shimmering with light.

"Last night’s satellite image showed only a slight temperature gradient change here. How did you determine that a stable vortex would form here?"

This question was very professional, showing that she had also studied meteorological data but had not reached such precise conclusions.

Lin Yu’an calmly answered while steadily steering:

"You’re right, surface temperature alone is insufficient for the determination. So I cross-referenced with altimeter data."

"The central surface of the Gulf Stream, due to the Coriolis effect, is slightly higher than its sides."

"Last night’s data showed a slight depression in this area, a typical sign of vortex formation."

He pulled out a 3D hydrology model on his iPad, showing a clear, slowly rotating cold water mass.

"The flow speed of this vortex is about 1.2 knots, direction 175 degrees, almost purely southward. While the main stream speed is 3 knots, northward."

"Earlier, our speed through the water was 7 knots, but due to opposing main flow, the speed-over-ground (SOG) was only 4 knots."

Mike immediately picked up the conversation, his eyes filled with the shrewd calculations of a seasoned captain:

"And now, our 7 knots through-water speed, boosted by the 1.2 knots downstream, the speed-over-ground directly soared over 8 knots! Our navigation efficiency has doubled."

"Exactly right." Lin Yu’an nodded, smiling at Riven.

"First mate, please calculate how long it will take us to cross this vortex zone with a diameter of about ten nautical miles at our current speed?"

Riven almost instantly tapped a few keys on the navigation computer, immediately giving the answer.

"About 1 hour 15 minutes. Whereas continuing in the main stream at 4 knots SOG would take 2 hours 30 minutes."

She looked up at Lin Yu’an, sincerely saying, "We’ve saved over an hour of navigation time."

"More importantly, we’ve avoided the steep triangle waves potentially caused by the main stream in reverse wind conditions, greatly enhancing navigation comfort and safety."

While reporting, Riven quietly watched this man’s focused profile.

She was still amazed by Lin Yu’an’s strength, not in how fast he learned, but in how he views the world.

He can find the regulations and optimal solutions from chaos and disorder that seem ordinary to others.

This is a talent, an alluring, even... somewhat enviable talent.

Finally, after wrestling with the ocean’s mighty current for nearly three hours, with Lin Yu’an’s guiding skill, the Polaris successfully traversed the core of the Gulf Stream.

These three hours were a severe test for everyone onboard.

The first hour and a half was spent navigating against the strong current, the hull being mercilessly pushed northward, every course correction taxing vast energy.

While the next section was spent speeding through the reverse flow Lin Yu’an found, with minds highly focused to handle potentially changing hydrological situations.

When the last ruffled wave stirred by the Gulf Stream was completely left behind, the hull suddenly lightened, and the continuous tension of resisting great force began to diminish.

After successfully crossing the core region of the Gulf Stream, Polaris entered a brand-new sea area.

The tension from resisting the mighty ocean current gradually faded away, replaced by an unparalleled smoothness and calm.

The color of the seawater transitioned from the awe-inspiring cobalt blue to a clear, radiant sapphire blue.

"We’re out." Captain Mike let out a long breath, relaxing entirely as he took three bottles of chilled soda from the cooler, handing them to Lin Yu’an and Riven.

"Well done, Captain. You’ve conquered the Gulf Stream in the smartest way possible. Now, let’s enjoy the rewarding break we deserve."

Lin Yu’an took the soda, gulping a large mouthful down. The cool liquid slid down his throat, dissipating the fatigue from prolonged focus.

He glanced at the steady course on the autopilot, telling Riven, "First mate, you take over for a while, I need to rest my eyes."

"No problem." Riven easily took control of the helm.

The afternoon sun was no longer scorching, becoming warm and gentle. Polaris entered the most pleasant cruising time of this journey.

Lin Yu’an did not go to rest but sat together with Mike on the teak bench in the cockpit, feeling the sea breeze and chatting about maritime navigation topics.

Mike, like an old mentor spilling secrets, began imparting the kind of experience that couldn’t be learned from books to Lin Yu’an.

"See that cloud over there?" He pointed at an isolated cumulus cloud on the horizon, "In tropical seas, underneath this kind of cloud, there are usually isolated wind fields and rain."

"If you want to speed up, you can try approaching it and using its force. But if you wish to sleep soundly, it’s best to steer clear."

Lin Yu’an listened carefully, memorizing all these valuable experiences.

Meanwhile, Riven effortlessly steered, playing her favorite rock music through a Bluetooth speaker.

The strong rhythm mixed with the sound of the waves, rather than being noisy, added a touch of rebellious freedom to the vast blue world.

Navigating no longer felt like a tense task but more like a moving sea-sightseeing tour.

They saw shoals of flying fish leap from the bow waves like startled silver arrows.

They also encountered curious families of dolphins, playfully guiding them at the ship’s bow.

Around four in the afternoon, as Mike was explaining how to judge distant weather by the wave patterns, Riven suddenly shouted excitedly:

"Look! Starboard, ten o’clock direction!"