We reflect on Part 1
Position - 08º02S x 136º23 (a little over 200 miles to go)
Reflection - This was the perfect day for reflection on Stage one of our journey. The sun finally came out, the sea calmed to a reasonable swell and the wind blew consistently from the South East. This is what the trip is supposed to look like on the travel brochure. The autopilot is steering, and we are relaxing on deck after hanging all the wet and musty clothes up to dry out. How many people are there who have sailed 3000 miles across the Pacific Ocean? We realized how fortunate we were to have the opportunity to make such a trip. Seasickness, sleep deprivation, missing meals and showers... this was all part of the experience was more than made up for by the challenge, excitement, beauty and awe of the sea. This morning an pod of pilot whales came to greet us. It seemed fitting.
The Iron Chef - Mark had asked us each to come prepared with a signature dish to cook. I guess mine has become the breakfast oatmeal.
Today, we all learned Kurt’s terrible secret... In his other life, he is a sushi chef!!! In the afternoon, he made sushi with the tuna he caught and for dinner he topped it all with a seared ahi dinner that was absolutely amazing. We dined like kings under an almost full moon while the boat swished quietly forward through a comfortably calm sea. This was better than the travel brochure.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Day 23 Taking stock
We’re doing OK
Position - 06º08S x 135º20
The Puddle Jump Fleet - We get three radio reports of the progress of the other Puddle Jumpers. Some are doing well and others - not so well.
Two boats have turned back. One had mechanical problems with their autopilot and the second returned to Mexico to seek medical help for a broken finger.
Our friends on Cardea ripped their mainsail in two and may have to return to Mexico and may no be able to make the trip this year.
Every boat has reported some form of mechanical problem, most due to the length of the trip or the harshness of the weather.
We have had half a dozen small issues that we have had to solve during the passage. This morning’s challenge was a seriously frayed jib reefing line. (This is a rope that allows us to make the jib smaller when the wind gets too strong).
No Regrets gets the prize for being first to sight land and will reach the Marquises Islands this afternoon. Their lightweight Cal 39 was able to speed ahead whenever there was light wind. On the other hand, they had green water on the deck when the weather was heavy. Green water on deck means that the deck of the boat was under water whenever they encountered a large wave. This kind of thing happens to the America’s Cup racers all the time but is usually not the thing that ocean cruisers like to see.
This afternoon, we passed a tug boat traveling Eastward. The Dutch captain said they were delivering it from Guam to Mexico. He was a sailor at home and was delighted to see a sailboat this far out in the pacific.
Conclusion of the day - At the end of the day, Kurt seared some tuna steaks and we ate the best and freshest tuna you could ever taste. The best restaurants in the world could not top that.
The first destination - We are getting close now and expect to make our entry to French Polynesia on Sunday. Our first port of entry will be the town of Atuona on Hiva-Oa. We will check in with the gendarmarie and then find a beer and a Laundromat - in that order. We expect to be a bit wobbly at first. We need to do a thorough cleaning of everything and to dry out the wet things. We will also re-provision as needed and do some necessary repairs.
From there, we will visit several other islands in the Marquises - Fatu-Hiva, Tahuata, Ua-Pou and finally Nuku-Hiva.
For those of you with geometry skills, you can calculate our distance to Atuona at 09º48S x 139º02W if you know how to find the hypotenuse of a right triangle knowing that each minute of longitude and latitude is one nautical mile and there are 60 minutes in one degree. Happy calculating.
You will also be able to determine the total length of this fist part of our journey knowing that each nautical mile is 1.1 statute miles. (If you get close to 3,000 stature miles, you’ve got it right.)
Position - 06º08S x 135º20
The Puddle Jump Fleet - We get three radio reports of the progress of the other Puddle Jumpers. Some are doing well and others - not so well.
Two boats have turned back. One had mechanical problems with their autopilot and the second returned to Mexico to seek medical help for a broken finger.
Our friends on Cardea ripped their mainsail in two and may have to return to Mexico and may no be able to make the trip this year.
Every boat has reported some form of mechanical problem, most due to the length of the trip or the harshness of the weather.
We have had half a dozen small issues that we have had to solve during the passage. This morning’s challenge was a seriously frayed jib reefing line. (This is a rope that allows us to make the jib smaller when the wind gets too strong).
No Regrets gets the prize for being first to sight land and will reach the Marquises Islands this afternoon. Their lightweight Cal 39 was able to speed ahead whenever there was light wind. On the other hand, they had green water on the deck when the weather was heavy. Green water on deck means that the deck of the boat was under water whenever they encountered a large wave. This kind of thing happens to the America’s Cup racers all the time but is usually not the thing that ocean cruisers like to see.
This afternoon, we passed a tug boat traveling Eastward. The Dutch captain said they were delivering it from Guam to Mexico. He was a sailor at home and was delighted to see a sailboat this far out in the pacific.
Conclusion of the day - At the end of the day, Kurt seared some tuna steaks and we ate the best and freshest tuna you could ever taste. The best restaurants in the world could not top that.
The first destination - We are getting close now and expect to make our entry to French Polynesia on Sunday. Our first port of entry will be the town of Atuona on Hiva-Oa. We will check in with the gendarmarie and then find a beer and a Laundromat - in that order. We expect to be a bit wobbly at first. We need to do a thorough cleaning of everything and to dry out the wet things. We will also re-provision as needed and do some necessary repairs.
From there, we will visit several other islands in the Marquises - Fatu-Hiva, Tahuata, Ua-Pou and finally Nuku-Hiva.
For those of you with geometry skills, you can calculate our distance to Atuona at 09º48S x 139º02W if you know how to find the hypotenuse of a right triangle knowing that each minute of longitude and latitude is one nautical mile and there are 60 minutes in one degree. Happy calculating.
You will also be able to determine the total length of this fist part of our journey knowing that each nautical mile is 1.1 statute miles. (If you get close to 3,000 stature miles, you’ve got it right.)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Day 22 Big tuna
Counting down at midnight
The Highlight of the day
Position - 04º04S x 133º56W
A day of variety - The mist closed in at dusk last night and the squalls started shortly thereafter. We hand steered through the night as the autopilot was overpowered by the wind. Around dawn when Mark was on watch, a ship passed within a half mile of our starboard going in the opposite direction. Mark tried to hail them on the VHF radio but got no response. Through the binoculars, he could pick out people on the deck of the ship. In the gloom, it looked like another Japanese fishing boat. We assume they are after tuna.
The rain and squalls continued throughout the morning and although we enjoyed deck rainwater showers, our mood was tempered by the fact that the cabin was a hostile place of turbulence, heat and wet and dirty clothes.
In the early afternoon there was a brief respite as we sailed between storms. Suddenly the fishing reel sang out and Kurt belted up for battle. For the next 30 minutes, it was man against fish. This was our eighth fish but it was clearly larger than anything we had caught before. At the beginning, the fish was taking out line even though Kurt struggled to control him. Finally the fish tired and was brought little-by-little closer to the boat. When we finally caught a glimpse of him under the water, we knew we were in for a treat - a yellowtail tuna - and a big one. Mark helped bring him on board with the gaff and filleted him on deck. Tuna are an amazing animal. It seems that 90% of the animal is muscle but when it is cut into strips it is unimaginably tender - it melts in your mouth. Also surprising is that the meat is warm to the touch - warmer than the water from which it was taken. When we finally got everything cut into steaks, we had 24 steaks that were at least one pound each. The fish must have weighed close to 35 pounds. We have big plans for sushi, seared ahi steaks, tuna salad and tuna casserole. See the “Big Tuna page for more pictures”
Although the rest of the day was rainy and squally, our fishing success helped our mood even though we our dinner was once again cup-o-soup.
The Highlight of the day
Position - 04º04S x 133º56W
A day of variety - The mist closed in at dusk last night and the squalls started shortly thereafter. We hand steered through the night as the autopilot was overpowered by the wind. Around dawn when Mark was on watch, a ship passed within a half mile of our starboard going in the opposite direction. Mark tried to hail them on the VHF radio but got no response. Through the binoculars, he could pick out people on the deck of the ship. In the gloom, it looked like another Japanese fishing boat. We assume they are after tuna.
The rain and squalls continued throughout the morning and although we enjoyed deck rainwater showers, our mood was tempered by the fact that the cabin was a hostile place of turbulence, heat and wet and dirty clothes.
In the early afternoon there was a brief respite as we sailed between storms. Suddenly the fishing reel sang out and Kurt belted up for battle. For the next 30 minutes, it was man against fish. This was our eighth fish but it was clearly larger than anything we had caught before. At the beginning, the fish was taking out line even though Kurt struggled to control him. Finally the fish tired and was brought little-by-little closer to the boat. When we finally caught a glimpse of him under the water, we knew we were in for a treat - a yellowtail tuna - and a big one. Mark helped bring him on board with the gaff and filleted him on deck. Tuna are an amazing animal. It seems that 90% of the animal is muscle but when it is cut into strips it is unimaginably tender - it melts in your mouth. Also surprising is that the meat is warm to the touch - warmer than the water from which it was taken. When we finally got everything cut into steaks, we had 24 steaks that were at least one pound each. The fish must have weighed close to 35 pounds. We have big plans for sushi, seared ahi steaks, tuna salad and tuna casserole. See the “Big Tuna page for more pictures”
Although the rest of the day was rainy and squally, our fishing success helped our mood even though we our dinner was once again cup-o-soup.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Day 21 Welcome to the Southern Hemisphere
Stormy Weather
Position - 02º20S x 132º37W
No need for sunblock - The squalls started yesterday and went on non-stop all day. We took showers in the rain using fresh water collected from the end of the boom. That was the best part of the day. It went downhill from there. Neophyte got seasick (first time ever); the boat was tossed around continuously; below decks was hot and steamy as we had to keep the hatches closed to keep out the rain and spray and the only thing we could cook was cup-o-soup.
One hand for the boat - This is a good time to comment on the one rule of sailboats under sail: “One hand for whatever you are doing and one hand for the boat”. This means hanging on at all times. If something takes two hands, you have to wedge yourself into a space where you can brace with your feet and control motion in both the forward/back and side-to-side directions. The galley is kind of set up for this. By splaying you feet, one can use two counters and the bulkhead to create a stable platform at hip level. This leaves both hands free and by swaying from the waist, you can keep your upper body more-or-less upright as the boat pitches and rocks.
Pouring hot liquids is another matter. By bracing against the sink and wrapping one arm around the vertical post at the end, it is possible to hold the cup over the sink with one hand while pouring from the kettle that is held onto the top of the cup with the other hand. So far, no one has been injured and the only spills of hot water have been into the sink.
Another interesting facet of living with this boat motion for a few weeks is that you learn where the places to hold on are. Of course, some are obvious. There are handles on the edge of every counter, handles on some of the walls and handles on the ceiling. Moving from one place to the other has two aspects. One is a bit like a ballet. With experience, you learn to wait until the boat moves in the direction you want to go and then move with it. This involves a fairly graceful flow of moves compared to the other type of movement. Type two is the “orangutan method”. It involves swinging from handhold to handhold while always having two hands firmly a hold of the boat. Even though your feet are on the floor supporting your weight, the motion looks a bit like our primate cousins in the wild.
Position - 02º20S x 132º37W
No need for sunblock - The squalls started yesterday and went on non-stop all day. We took showers in the rain using fresh water collected from the end of the boom. That was the best part of the day. It went downhill from there. Neophyte got seasick (first time ever); the boat was tossed around continuously; below decks was hot and steamy as we had to keep the hatches closed to keep out the rain and spray and the only thing we could cook was cup-o-soup.
One hand for the boat - This is a good time to comment on the one rule of sailboats under sail: “One hand for whatever you are doing and one hand for the boat”. This means hanging on at all times. If something takes two hands, you have to wedge yourself into a space where you can brace with your feet and control motion in both the forward/back and side-to-side directions. The galley is kind of set up for this. By splaying you feet, one can use two counters and the bulkhead to create a stable platform at hip level. This leaves both hands free and by swaying from the waist, you can keep your upper body more-or-less upright as the boat pitches and rocks.
Pouring hot liquids is another matter. By bracing against the sink and wrapping one arm around the vertical post at the end, it is possible to hold the cup over the sink with one hand while pouring from the kettle that is held onto the top of the cup with the other hand. So far, no one has been injured and the only spills of hot water have been into the sink.
Another interesting facet of living with this boat motion for a few weeks is that you learn where the places to hold on are. Of course, some are obvious. There are handles on the edge of every counter, handles on some of the walls and handles on the ceiling. Moving from one place to the other has two aspects. One is a bit like a ballet. With experience, you learn to wait until the boat moves in the direction you want to go and then move with it. This involves a fairly graceful flow of moves compared to the other type of movement. Type two is the “orangutan method”. It involves swinging from handhold to handhold while always having two hands firmly a hold of the boat. Even though your feet are on the floor supporting your weight, the motion looks a bit like our primate cousins in the wild.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Day 20 Equator Day
Counting down at midnight
Position - S 00º41 x W 131º38
Crossing the Equator - Last night at 27 minutes after midnight (U.S. Central time i.e. PV time) Kurt and I watched the GPS count down to 0º North and begin counting upward in degrees South. Mark and Andy were asleep resting for their 3 AM to 9 AM watch.
Equator Day - Sometime after 3 AM, the wind picked up and the sea became much more active. Mark and Andy had their hands full staying on course so by the time Kurt and I got up, they were ready for a nap. Before that, Neophyte cooked up a batch of his now-famous breakfast oatmeal. No sooner did we finish it than the fishing reel began to sing and Mark spent the next 15 minutes fighting a fish that we estimate was a 4 foot long Wahoo. An estimate is the best we could do because just as he got it to the boar, Mr. Fish put all of his skill into the battle and cut the leader thus getting away with our lure. How does the saying go? “There are other fish in the sea.”
Deck showers - Our reward for crossing the equator was to all get showers on the deck. Unless it rains, there is only enough fresh water for a shower every third day with sponge baths in between thus the real thing is really a treat. In addition to the washing, we got our first look at a full moon in the Southern Hemisphere as the picture testifies. From the look of the onlookers, I think we could have done without it.
Position - S 00º41 x W 131º38
Crossing the Equator - Last night at 27 minutes after midnight (U.S. Central time i.e. PV time) Kurt and I watched the GPS count down to 0º North and begin counting upward in degrees South. Mark and Andy were asleep resting for their 3 AM to 9 AM watch.
Equator Day - Sometime after 3 AM, the wind picked up and the sea became much more active. Mark and Andy had their hands full staying on course so by the time Kurt and I got up, they were ready for a nap. Before that, Neophyte cooked up a batch of his now-famous breakfast oatmeal. No sooner did we finish it than the fishing reel began to sing and Mark spent the next 15 minutes fighting a fish that we estimate was a 4 foot long Wahoo. An estimate is the best we could do because just as he got it to the boar, Mr. Fish put all of his skill into the battle and cut the leader thus getting away with our lure. How does the saying go? “There are other fish in the sea.”
Deck showers - Our reward for crossing the equator was to all get showers on the deck. Unless it rains, there is only enough fresh water for a shower every third day with sponge baths in between thus the real thing is really a treat. In addition to the washing, we got our first look at a full moon in the Southern Hemisphere as the picture testifies. From the look of the onlookers, I think we could have done without it.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Day 19 Last Northern Hemisphere sunset
Who can sail the fastest?
Position - N 01º30 X W 131º05 (90 nm from the Equator)
A race - We have been at sea for 20 days and are getting cabin fever. Maybe it is because we are getting close to one of the key milestones - crossing the Equator. We have played cards and dominos, told each other our stories, read some books, listened to music, tried solving puzzles, etc, etc. To break up the day, Mark proposed that we take turns hand steering the boat for 10 miles to see who would have the fastest time. Using the GPS to pick a longitude and latitude 10 miles away, we can see who can hit a set waypoint (target location) in the shortest period of time. Neophyte showed his mettle (and his Irish luck) by beating the captain by one minute and the rest of the crew by much more. Oh, the satisfaction!!!
Equator - There is an old sailing tradition that when a sailor (a pollywog) crosses the Equator the first time, there is a celebration and a bit of hazing. Since we will cross at about 11PM tonight, we decided to declare tomorrow “National Cross the Equator Day”. I guess that only applies to the nation of Southern Star.
Sunsets - I can’t stop taking pictures of the sunsets. They are spectacular. (For proof, look at the photo page “Sunsets”). Also, today is the last sunset we will see in the Northern Hemisphere for many months to come.
Position - N 01º30 X W 131º05 (90 nm from the Equator)
A race - We have been at sea for 20 days and are getting cabin fever. Maybe it is because we are getting close to one of the key milestones - crossing the Equator. We have played cards and dominos, told each other our stories, read some books, listened to music, tried solving puzzles, etc, etc. To break up the day, Mark proposed that we take turns hand steering the boat for 10 miles to see who would have the fastest time. Using the GPS to pick a longitude and latitude 10 miles away, we can see who can hit a set waypoint (target location) in the shortest period of time. Neophyte showed his mettle (and his Irish luck) by beating the captain by one minute and the rest of the crew by much more. Oh, the satisfaction!!!
Equator - There is an old sailing tradition that when a sailor (a pollywog) crosses the Equator the first time, there is a celebration and a bit of hazing. Since we will cross at about 11PM tonight, we decided to declare tomorrow “National Cross the Equator Day”. I guess that only applies to the nation of Southern Star.
Sunsets - I can’t stop taking pictures of the sunsets. They are spectacular. (For proof, look at the photo page “Sunsets”). Also, today is the last sunset we will see in the Northern Hemisphere for many months to come.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Day 18 Puddle Jump friends
Our long lost friends
Position - 03º26 X W130º09 in the SE trade winds
No Regrets - We signed on to the ham radio net this morning and there was No Regrets. After days of silence, they finally sighed in. They had broken their forestay (One of the cables that holds up the mast) and had spent their time fixing it. They reached the Equator today but are about 120 miles East of us. We may still get to the Marquises before they do.
Luck - Every day we sign on to three ham radio nets - two in the morning and one in the evening. We get to compare notes with others about the weather and how they are getting along. Sometimes we pick up a pointer, like Golden Lion’s use of the staysail. When we started the voyage, we plotted out our course to the Marquises but as we travel, the winds and currents change so we must continuously update our plan. The big decision was where to cross the ITCZ in order to minimize storms and calms. From the reports of other boats, we had an amazing piece of luck in crossing with just half a day of squalls and no area too calm for sailing. Another Puddle Jumper named Dirigo is 2º latitude (120 nautical miles) behind us. They had two days of squalls and are now under motor power because they have now wind. We will take all the luck we can get.
Position - 03º26 X W130º09 in the SE trade winds
No Regrets - We signed on to the ham radio net this morning and there was No Regrets. After days of silence, they finally sighed in. They had broken their forestay (One of the cables that holds up the mast) and had spent their time fixing it. They reached the Equator today but are about 120 miles East of us. We may still get to the Marquises before they do.
Luck - Every day we sign on to three ham radio nets - two in the morning and one in the evening. We get to compare notes with others about the weather and how they are getting along. Sometimes we pick up a pointer, like Golden Lion’s use of the staysail. When we started the voyage, we plotted out our course to the Marquises but as we travel, the winds and currents change so we must continuously update our plan. The big decision was where to cross the ITCZ in order to minimize storms and calms. From the reports of other boats, we had an amazing piece of luck in crossing with just half a day of squalls and no area too calm for sailing. Another Puddle Jumper named Dirigo is 2º latitude (120 nautical miles) behind us. They had two days of squalls and are now under motor power because they have now wind. We will take all the luck we can get.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Day 17 Sweet water
Oh glorious rain
Position - N05º07 x W128º58
Rain - Finally, we are clean. The rain came for three hours this morning and the sea was calm enough for us to take wonderfully refreshing rain water showers and to wash the whole outside of the boat with sponges and Simple Green. By the end of the storm the whole boat was squeaky clean. It was pleasant to sit on deck or to make your way around the boat and not come away with sticky hands.
Tuna Boat - Before dawn Mark and Andy saw a glow on the horizon in front of us that seemed like the lights of a small city. They could not see the source but by afternoon we came upon a boat that we assumed to be a tuna fishing craft. It was lolling in the waves and to prevent it from intersecting our path, we hailed it, and asked for its identification and intended path. The Japanese accented voice that responded said they did not speak English but as we identified ourselves the boat began moving quickly away from our course. We all wondered if they could have been violating some sort of International fishing rules and just did not want to be discovered. It did seem obvious that they were the source of the bright lights.
Position - N05º07 x W128º58
Rain - Finally, we are clean. The rain came for three hours this morning and the sea was calm enough for us to take wonderfully refreshing rain water showers and to wash the whole outside of the boat with sponges and Simple Green. By the end of the storm the whole boat was squeaky clean. It was pleasant to sit on deck or to make your way around the boat and not come away with sticky hands.
Tuna Boat - Before dawn Mark and Andy saw a glow on the horizon in front of us that seemed like the lights of a small city. They could not see the source but by afternoon we came upon a boat that we assumed to be a tuna fishing craft. It was lolling in the waves and to prevent it from intersecting our path, we hailed it, and asked for its identification and intended path. The Japanese accented voice that responded said they did not speak English but as we identified ourselves the boat began moving quickly away from our course. We all wondered if they could have been violating some sort of International fishing rules and just did not want to be discovered. It did seem obvious that they were the source of the bright lights.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Day 16 Squalls
We have reached the ITCZ
Our position - N06º50’ X W128º11.
Squalls - At the ITCZ, there is always some turbulence as the winds from the north meet the winds from the south. In addition, the solar heating causes evaporation columns that can result in tall cumulonimbus clouds. As the water vapor rises and cools it re-condenses and becomes rain. This mixing of warm and cold air can also result in violent lightning and thunderstorms called squalls.
At about 9 PM, I was sitting in the stern keeping watch to make sure the autopilot kept us on course and scanning the horizon every now and then for other boats. We were sailing south east in light winds of about 10 knots and making a SOG (speed over ground) of about 3 ½ knots when suddenly a 35 knot gust hit us from the port quarter (the back left side). It knocked me out of my seat and swung the boat about 90º to the left. I jumped up and grabbed the wheel to put us back on course and for the next two hours steered through a gale with 20 to 30 knot winds and horizontal rain. Mark and the crew scrambled to close all our portholes and hatches. When Kurt came on watch at 11 PM the storm was still blowing but had calmed a bit. Throughout the night there were several more squalls and we knew we had finally reached the ITCZ.
Our position - N06º50’ X W128º11.
Squalls - At the ITCZ, there is always some turbulence as the winds from the north meet the winds from the south. In addition, the solar heating causes evaporation columns that can result in tall cumulonimbus clouds. As the water vapor rises and cools it re-condenses and becomes rain. This mixing of warm and cold air can also result in violent lightning and thunderstorms called squalls.
At about 9 PM, I was sitting in the stern keeping watch to make sure the autopilot kept us on course and scanning the horizon every now and then for other boats. We were sailing south east in light winds of about 10 knots and making a SOG (speed over ground) of about 3 ½ knots when suddenly a 35 knot gust hit us from the port quarter (the back left side). It knocked me out of my seat and swung the boat about 90º to the left. I jumped up and grabbed the wheel to put us back on course and for the next two hours steered through a gale with 20 to 30 knot winds and horizontal rain. Mark and the crew scrambled to close all our portholes and hatches. When Kurt came on watch at 11 PM the storm was still blowing but had calmed a bit. Throughout the night there were several more squalls and we knew we had finally reached the ITCZ.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Day 15 Water, water everywhere
…but not a drop to…
Our position - N09º33’ X W124º47 in NE wind still with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
All water is not the same. When salt water dries, it leaves a sticky surface that transfers eventually to everything. It also absorbs water from the atmosphere making things like bedding feel damp.
There are 3 sources of fresh water on the boat - what we brought with us in the tank, what we can make from sea water when the engine is running to power the water maker and what falls from the sky.
There has been no rain since we left PV 15 days ago and it seems every surface is sticky and every fabric is damp. Today we uses some of our fresh water from the tank to do laundry and to clean the inside of the boat. Somehow, it still is not enough and stickiness reigns.
Yesterday, we took a salt water bath on deck and rinsed with fresh water. While we may be clean, the soap never quite gets sudsy in the salt water and it still leaves a slightly sticky residue. Maybe a rain dance would help.
Fish & turtles - In lieu of the rain dance we caught two tuna and a wahoo. We kept the largest tuna and had a marvelous sushi dinner. We expect that our photo record of the wahoo will be enough to win the largest fish competition with No Regrets. (see the photo page Fishing) While we were eating a 3 foot diameter sea turtle swam by going eastward. We wondered what he was doing all alone and over a thousand miles from any land. I guess that’s what turtles do.
Waves - Toward evening, we sat on the deck and watched the succession of 10 foot waves come up behind us and pass under the boat. (see Big Waves photo page). They were like a hoard of strangers who never gave us a glance but continued hurrying on their way to some important appointment far away.
The feeling of being on top of the wave looking far off to the horizon was like being on a mountain top and surveying the ground way below.
Dolphins - Just as the sun was setting we saw a pod of dolphins in the distance. There seemed to be dozens of them - all black and about 5 or 6 feet long and headed Southeast. With military precision, they leapt out of the water clearing the huge swells by several feet. It was a very impressive sight. Somehow they looked very solemn and determined - unlike the playful group that we sometimes see alongside at night.
Our position - N09º33’ X W124º47 in NE wind still with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
All water is not the same. When salt water dries, it leaves a sticky surface that transfers eventually to everything. It also absorbs water from the atmosphere making things like bedding feel damp.
There are 3 sources of fresh water on the boat - what we brought with us in the tank, what we can make from sea water when the engine is running to power the water maker and what falls from the sky.
There has been no rain since we left PV 15 days ago and it seems every surface is sticky and every fabric is damp. Today we uses some of our fresh water from the tank to do laundry and to clean the inside of the boat. Somehow, it still is not enough and stickiness reigns.
Yesterday, we took a salt water bath on deck and rinsed with fresh water. While we may be clean, the soap never quite gets sudsy in the salt water and it still leaves a slightly sticky residue. Maybe a rain dance would help.
Fish & turtles - In lieu of the rain dance we caught two tuna and a wahoo. We kept the largest tuna and had a marvelous sushi dinner. We expect that our photo record of the wahoo will be enough to win the largest fish competition with No Regrets. (see the photo page Fishing) While we were eating a 3 foot diameter sea turtle swam by going eastward. We wondered what he was doing all alone and over a thousand miles from any land. I guess that’s what turtles do.
Waves - Toward evening, we sat on the deck and watched the succession of 10 foot waves come up behind us and pass under the boat. (see Big Waves photo page). They were like a hoard of strangers who never gave us a glance but continued hurrying on their way to some important appointment far away.
The feeling of being on top of the wave looking far off to the horizon was like being on a mountain top and surveying the ground way below.
Dolphins - Just as the sun was setting we saw a pod of dolphins in the distance. There seemed to be dozens of them - all black and about 5 or 6 feet long and headed Southeast. With military precision, they leapt out of the water clearing the huge swells by several feet. It was a very impressive sight. Somehow they looked very solemn and determined - unlike the playful group that we sometimes see alongside at night.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Day 14 Keep blogging
That slightly pale look
Our position - N09º33’ X W124º47 in NE wind still with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
Blogging - When I started the blog, I decided to use my Apple “dot Mac” account as the host. I did this so I could easily add pictures and text using an Apple program called iWeb. Unfortunately, this only works when I can connect to the Internet. Here at sea, the only connection we have is a very slow and tenuous e-mail which travels though the a ham radio signal to a land station where it is plugged back into the Internet.
In order to keep up the blog, I arranged with Tim to send him an e-mail with the text part of the blog and he would post it to the website. Once I get to the first landfall with an Internet connection, I will post all the photos.
Now that we are so far from the North American continent, the best radio connection is to Hawaii although that has also been weak. In addition, we need to make sure the boat’s batteries are charged since sending these radio transmissions takes a lot of juice.
The batteries get charged from our solar panels, from the generator and from the engine. Lately, the generator has not been working. Mark speculates that it is due to air in the fuel line. Fixing this involves bleeding the line which must be done under the rear locker and could involve some spillage of diesel fuel. With seas so rough and seasickness still factor, we elected to hold off on sending e-mail for a few days.
Note: It is OK to comment to the blog but please do not send e-mails to the boat address. The connection is so slow and the preamble to the e-mail is so long that it takes a lot of battery power to receive it. If you answer the blog, Tim will consolidate the comments into one e-mail.
Our position - N09º33’ X W124º47 in NE wind still with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
Blogging - When I started the blog, I decided to use my Apple “dot Mac” account as the host. I did this so I could easily add pictures and text using an Apple program called iWeb. Unfortunately, this only works when I can connect to the Internet. Here at sea, the only connection we have is a very slow and tenuous e-mail which travels though the a ham radio signal to a land station where it is plugged back into the Internet.
In order to keep up the blog, I arranged with Tim to send him an e-mail with the text part of the blog and he would post it to the website. Once I get to the first landfall with an Internet connection, I will post all the photos.
Now that we are so far from the North American continent, the best radio connection is to Hawaii although that has also been weak. In addition, we need to make sure the boat’s batteries are charged since sending these radio transmissions takes a lot of juice.
The batteries get charged from our solar panels, from the generator and from the engine. Lately, the generator has not been working. Mark speculates that it is due to air in the fuel line. Fixing this involves bleeding the line which must be done under the rear locker and could involve some spillage of diesel fuel. With seas so rough and seasickness still factor, we elected to hold off on sending e-mail for a few days.
Note: It is OK to comment to the blog but please do not send e-mails to the boat address. The connection is so slow and the preamble to the e-mail is so long that it takes a lot of battery power to receive it. If you answer the blog, Tim will consolidate the comments into one e-mail.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Day 13 Fish caught +
Dorado for lunch?
Our position - N10º25’ X W122º43 in NE wind with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
Fishing - We trail two fishing lines behind the boat during the day. One is the line from a fishing pole set in a holder on the starboard stern (the back of the boat). The other is a short piece of fishing line (the static line) with a bungi cord shock absorber that is tied off to a cleat on the port side of the transom (the vertical part of the back of the boat)
Today we actually caught not just one but two fish. The first was a small dorado (mahi mahi) that Mark reeled in with the pole. After it was landed, Andy noticed that we had been towing a fish on the static line. This one was a small skipjack that we releases.
We filleted the dorado and had a nice sashimi snack.
See the photo page “finally a fish” for more pictures.
Seasickness - When we left Punta de Mita on the 8th, I put a scopolamine patch behind my ear. They are supposed to last three days so by the 12th, I removed it and I was fine until Monday the 19th. That is when the big waves started (see Big waves photo page). These are 8 to 10 foot waves that throw the boat in a fairly violent figure 8. Cooking is really tough and just being below trying to do anything causes dizziness and nausea in Mark, Andy and me. No one has chummed yet but we tend to sit in the cockpit looking pale and not saying anything. I would be pleased to see calmer seas.
Oh, that sail.. Late in the day, we called Golden Lion to see how they were doing since they are the closest boat to us and are probably experiencing the same sea. They are also smaller than Southern Star being only 30 feet long. To our surprise, we found they were flying their main, staysail and a storm jib. The seemed like a lot of sail since we only had the main up and had it reefed as well. After a bit of conversation, we realized that their reason for putting out the staysail was to control the rocking of the boat. Quickly thereafter, we did the same and found at least partial relief from the rocking motion. Whew!!!
Notes on sails for those interested. Southern Star has one mast to which is attached the mainsail. A cable called the forestay is connected between the top of the mast and the bow (the very front of the boat). This cable helps to hold up the mast but also holds the luff (front edge) of the jib sail. Between the mast and the forestay is a second stay that goes between a point near the top of the mast and the deck a few feet back from the bow. This stay holds an additional sail called the staysail. It does little to propel the boat but if erected, it acts as a damper when the boat rolls and reduces the roll.
Our position - N10º25’ X W122º43 in NE wind with 8 to 10 foot following sea.
Fishing - We trail two fishing lines behind the boat during the day. One is the line from a fishing pole set in a holder on the starboard stern (the back of the boat). The other is a short piece of fishing line (the static line) with a bungi cord shock absorber that is tied off to a cleat on the port side of the transom (the vertical part of the back of the boat)
Today we actually caught not just one but two fish. The first was a small dorado (mahi mahi) that Mark reeled in with the pole. After it was landed, Andy noticed that we had been towing a fish on the static line. This one was a small skipjack that we releases.
We filleted the dorado and had a nice sashimi snack.
See the photo page “finally a fish” for more pictures.
Seasickness - When we left Punta de Mita on the 8th, I put a scopolamine patch behind my ear. They are supposed to last three days so by the 12th, I removed it and I was fine until Monday the 19th. That is when the big waves started (see Big waves photo page). These are 8 to 10 foot waves that throw the boat in a fairly violent figure 8. Cooking is really tough and just being below trying to do anything causes dizziness and nausea in Mark, Andy and me. No one has chummed yet but we tend to sit in the cockpit looking pale and not saying anything. I would be pleased to see calmer seas.
Oh, that sail.. Late in the day, we called Golden Lion to see how they were doing since they are the closest boat to us and are probably experiencing the same sea. They are also smaller than Southern Star being only 30 feet long. To our surprise, we found they were flying their main, staysail and a storm jib. The seemed like a lot of sail since we only had the main up and had it reefed as well. After a bit of conversation, we realized that their reason for putting out the staysail was to control the rocking of the boat. Quickly thereafter, we did the same and found at least partial relief from the rocking motion. Whew!!!
Notes on sails for those interested. Southern Star has one mast to which is attached the mainsail. A cable called the forestay is connected between the top of the mast and the bow (the very front of the boat). This cable helps to hold up the mast but also holds the luff (front edge) of the jib sail. Between the mast and the forestay is a second stay that goes between a point near the top of the mast and the deck a few feet back from the bow. This stay holds an additional sail called the staysail. It does little to propel the boat but if erected, it acts as a damper when the boat rolls and reduces the roll.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Day 12 Ode to a flying fish
Poetry to pass the time?
Of all the things you might want to do
to swim in the sea would be number two.
Most everyone’s number one wish would be
to fly through the air like a bird or a bee.
But only the smallest of all the great fishes
is lucky enough to get both of his wishes.
Apologies to Gillespie and anyone else who really can write poetry.
Of all the things you might want to do
to swim in the sea would be number two.
Most everyone’s number one wish would be
to fly through the air like a bird or a bee.
But only the smallest of all the great fishes
is lucky enough to get both of his wishes.
Apologies to Gillespie and anyone else who really can write poetry.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Day 11 No news is no news
We have to make our own news?
Position: N12º31/W119º44 - 24 hr distance covered 127 nm
Whenever I fill out one of those surveys that ask you how you get your news, I always fill out all the boxes - newspaper, TV, radio, Internet. Here we have none of those. The nearest people are over 100 miles away and our only contact is the morning ham radio net and any e-mails sent to Mark. We have not even had our daily contact with No Regrets in several days because our radio connection is not good enough. In some ways, this feels cut off from the rest of the world and in others, it becomes its own world of watching the waves and the sky change throughout the day. I am on watch as I write this and every 20 minutes I scan the horizon for lights of another ship. In the intervening time, I read or write or simply watch the stars rotate around the sky. We are pointed just to the left of Orion with the Southern Cross now clearly visible to out left and the North Star slightly behind us to the right.
Meanwhile, Southern Star continues to push forward at about 6 knots in her rock and roll sort of way. With each surge through the water she pushes aside a foam trail flecked with the sparkling lights of photo plankton (at least I think that is what causes the phosphorescent glow in the water).
This morning I wondered how it will feel to sleep in a bed that is not rocking so violently that if it did not have sides, I surely would have been thrown onto the floor before the night was over. We have only been sailing for 10 days and I have become comfortable enough with the motion of the boat to sleep very soundly.
Since the sun shines every day and the wind and waves come from the Northeast, each day can be much like the one before so we have to make out own news.
Today was washing day. We cleaned the inside of the boat and washed a few clothes. Showers were done on deck so that we cleaned ourselves and the deck at the same time. I will definitely get a picture of that the next time. It it pretty hilarious. (No there is no nudity for those who wondered)
Position: N12º31/W119º44 - 24 hr distance covered 127 nm
Whenever I fill out one of those surveys that ask you how you get your news, I always fill out all the boxes - newspaper, TV, radio, Internet. Here we have none of those. The nearest people are over 100 miles away and our only contact is the morning ham radio net and any e-mails sent to Mark. We have not even had our daily contact with No Regrets in several days because our radio connection is not good enough. In some ways, this feels cut off from the rest of the world and in others, it becomes its own world of watching the waves and the sky change throughout the day. I am on watch as I write this and every 20 minutes I scan the horizon for lights of another ship. In the intervening time, I read or write or simply watch the stars rotate around the sky. We are pointed just to the left of Orion with the Southern Cross now clearly visible to out left and the North Star slightly behind us to the right.
Meanwhile, Southern Star continues to push forward at about 6 knots in her rock and roll sort of way. With each surge through the water she pushes aside a foam trail flecked with the sparkling lights of photo plankton (at least I think that is what causes the phosphorescent glow in the water).
This morning I wondered how it will feel to sleep in a bed that is not rocking so violently that if it did not have sides, I surely would have been thrown onto the floor before the night was over. We have only been sailing for 10 days and I have become comfortable enough with the motion of the boat to sleep very soundly.
Since the sun shines every day and the wind and waves come from the Northeast, each day can be much like the one before so we have to make out own news.
Today was washing day. We cleaned the inside of the boat and washed a few clothes. Showers were done on deck so that we cleaned ourselves and the deck at the same time. I will definitely get a picture of that the next time. It it pretty hilarious. (No there is no nudity for those who wondered)
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Day 10 The cargo ship
The Star Heranger
Position N13º00/W117º40
St. Patrick’s Day started out like every other day. We sailed 100+ miles South West, fished without catching anything, read and napped.
At about 4 PM, Mark spotted a ship on the horizon. (see the photo page for views of it approaching). As it got closer, it appeared to be on a collision course. When it was about 2 miles away, it turned to port (left) so it would give us a wide berth.
As it came closer, we could see it was the type of ship that carries dry cargo like iron ore or grain.
We hailed it on the VHF radio and got a very nice reply. They had come through the Panama Canal and were headed for Japan by way of Hawaii. The speaker on the other end sounded Japanese. He made one comment we got a kick out of. He said with some surprise in his voice, “You are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean”. It was as if he did not expect such a small craft to be here.
As a conclusion to the day, we dined on corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots - a traditional Irish meal.
By the way, the photo pages cannot be published until we get to land and find an Internet cafe, so stay tuned.
Position N13º00/W117º40
St. Patrick’s Day started out like every other day. We sailed 100+ miles South West, fished without catching anything, read and napped.
At about 4 PM, Mark spotted a ship on the horizon. (see the photo page for views of it approaching). As it got closer, it appeared to be on a collision course. When it was about 2 miles away, it turned to port (left) so it would give us a wide berth.
As it came closer, we could see it was the type of ship that carries dry cargo like iron ore or grain.
We hailed it on the VHF radio and got a very nice reply. They had come through the Panama Canal and were headed for Japan by way of Hawaii. The speaker on the other end sounded Japanese. He made one comment we got a kick out of. He said with some surprise in his voice, “You are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean”. It was as if he did not expect such a small craft to be here.
As a conclusion to the day, we dined on corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots - a traditional Irish meal.
By the way, the photo pages cannot be published until we get to land and find an Internet cafe, so stay tuned.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Day 9 The birds and the fishes
Where are the fish?
Position N13º12/W116º20
Each morning and evening we are visited by several streamlined sea birds. Mark says they are boobies although they are not the blue-footed variety. We watch them diving for and catching fish that are near the surface. They are very graceful flyers and do some amazing aerobatics once they spot a snack. Since we are several hundred miles from any land, we wonder where these birds go when they leave us.
Schools of flying fish are also visible from the boat. In the morning we usually find several of these little blue fish dead on our deck. This morning we talked to No Regrets and heard a hilarious account of a flying fish that flew through a port and landed in Dave’s bed with him. I wish I could have gotten some pictures - or better yet a video - of that.
We have trailed two fishing lines every day but have had only one strike and it got away. I brought along sushi making materials but have not gotten them out of the cupboard. We head that No Regrets caught a tuna so we are hoping we encounter the same luck.
Position N13º12/W116º20
Each morning and evening we are visited by several streamlined sea birds. Mark says they are boobies although they are not the blue-footed variety. We watch them diving for and catching fish that are near the surface. They are very graceful flyers and do some amazing aerobatics once they spot a snack. Since we are several hundred miles from any land, we wonder where these birds go when they leave us.
Schools of flying fish are also visible from the boat. In the morning we usually find several of these little blue fish dead on our deck. This morning we talked to No Regrets and heard a hilarious account of a flying fish that flew through a port and landed in Dave’s bed with him. I wish I could have gotten some pictures - or better yet a video - of that.
We have trailed two fishing lines every day but have had only one strike and it got away. I brought along sushi making materials but have not gotten them out of the cupboard. We head that No Regrets caught a tuna so we are hoping we encounter the same luck.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Day 8 Always something to be fixed
Boat captain makes trip in locker
Although Mark said that cruising means fixing your boat in beautiful places, it is clear that it also means fixing it almost all the time. Here are two examples of fixings under way.
Being a good boat captain means hearing every sound that is unusual. While the rest of us may hear these sounds when they are pointed out to us, Mark will wake up out of a sound sleep whenever the normal boat sounds change. There is a strange noise around the helm. We spent over an hour emptying the aft lockers so Mark could crawl in with a flashlight and see if anything was amiss.
Following that, he put on his snorkeling gear, tied a rope around himself and went over the transom to inspect the rudder and prop. We put the boat in a position called “heave to” to lower our speed and steady the boat’s movement but even in this orientation, we were still making several knots of speed so we made sure the rope around El Capitan was good and snug. Losing your captain is considered bad form in the sailing community.
Upon re-boarding he reported a minor looseness in the rudder that made a slight noise but would not create any hazard. He also said the being pulled through crystal clear water that is thousands of feet deep is really awesome.
A second problem we tackled was chafing on the lines that reef the main. Mainsails are equipped with a means to partially pull them in (or reef them) in order to make them smaller when the wind is very strong. On Star, this is done by pulling on a line that is attached about 15% of the way up the sail. By pulling in this line and dropping the top of the sail 15%, the sail has less area and the boat leans less. This was the proper set-up for the strong trade winds but after two days of sailing in this orientation we noted that the reefing line was being chafed by the boom. If the line broke when the wind was really strong there would be a sudden and very large force on the mainsail, boom and mast. Under such an impact, you can imagine what bad things could occur.
Mark rigged a temporary line and pulley arrangement to take the load off the reefing line and still allow us to have a reduced area sail.
Boat Bites. Imagine being in a small room cluttered with furniture and having the room rocked quickly back and forth by 30º. Eventually, you and the furniture collide. The points of collision are usually elbows, shins, ankles and knees. Once the first collision occurs, Murphy’s law takes over and all subsequent collisions will always strike the same body part. Try stubbing you toe sometime and then walking around barefoot. Although it could have been years since you had stubbed you toe the last time, from now on, you will stub your toe at least once a day and it will always be the same toe.
Although Mark said that cruising means fixing your boat in beautiful places, it is clear that it also means fixing it almost all the time. Here are two examples of fixings under way.
Being a good boat captain means hearing every sound that is unusual. While the rest of us may hear these sounds when they are pointed out to us, Mark will wake up out of a sound sleep whenever the normal boat sounds change. There is a strange noise around the helm. We spent over an hour emptying the aft lockers so Mark could crawl in with a flashlight and see if anything was amiss.
Following that, he put on his snorkeling gear, tied a rope around himself and went over the transom to inspect the rudder and prop. We put the boat in a position called “heave to” to lower our speed and steady the boat’s movement but even in this orientation, we were still making several knots of speed so we made sure the rope around El Capitan was good and snug. Losing your captain is considered bad form in the sailing community.
Upon re-boarding he reported a minor looseness in the rudder that made a slight noise but would not create any hazard. He also said the being pulled through crystal clear water that is thousands of feet deep is really awesome.
A second problem we tackled was chafing on the lines that reef the main. Mainsails are equipped with a means to partially pull them in (or reef them) in order to make them smaller when the wind is very strong. On Star, this is done by pulling on a line that is attached about 15% of the way up the sail. By pulling in this line and dropping the top of the sail 15%, the sail has less area and the boat leans less. This was the proper set-up for the strong trade winds but after two days of sailing in this orientation we noted that the reefing line was being chafed by the boom. If the line broke when the wind was really strong there would be a sudden and very large force on the mainsail, boom and mast. Under such an impact, you can imagine what bad things could occur.
Mark rigged a temporary line and pulley arrangement to take the load off the reefing line and still allow us to have a reduced area sail.
Boat Bites. Imagine being in a small room cluttered with furniture and having the room rocked quickly back and forth by 30º. Eventually, you and the furniture collide. The points of collision are usually elbows, shins, ankles and knees. Once the first collision occurs, Murphy’s law takes over and all subsequent collisions will always strike the same body part. Try stubbing you toe sometime and then walking around barefoot. Although it could have been years since you had stubbed you toe the last time, from now on, you will stub your toe at least once a day and it will always be the same toe.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Day 7 Running with the waves
Rock & Roll boat style
The good news is we found the wind. The bad news is it comes with waves. The waves are about 3 to 5 feet peak to trough and are moving south at about 15 to 20 knots. Peak to peak distance is about 1 ½ to 2 boat lengths. Watching the waves pass under Star and march off toward the horizon would be hypnotic except for motion they affect on Star. As an approaching wave catches up with us, the stern is thrust upward and causes the boat to turn right. Once the wave is under the middle of the boat, we turn left again. The net effect is that the boat makes a big figure eight - rise up, turn right, plunge down, turn left. Each cycle is about 12 to 15 second long.
Those of you have seen this type of motion know it is a 10 on the scale of things that cause motion sickness. Andy has been very troubled by it and I find that if I am below decks too long I also feel a little queasy. Thanks for the scopolamine patches we brought along.
An additional effect is that it makes cooking very challenging. The stove is gimbaled so it swings with the rocking of the boat but boiling water or hot bacon fat could be really dangerous if spilled by the rocking of the boat. Some of the changes from leaning right to leaning left are quite sever and we quickly find out what is not tied down properly. This is especially noticeable in the galley. Anything round rolls, Anything flat slides. Cooking requires bracing one’s self between the stairs and the counter and holding on one hand while performing all cooking motions with the other. (is that the way I will cook when I get home?)
Another effect is that the motion makes a really good ABs workout. Maybe this is the genesis of a new business in fitness machines.
For more pictures, see the Big Waves picture page.
The good news is we found the wind. The bad news is it comes with waves. The waves are about 3 to 5 feet peak to trough and are moving south at about 15 to 20 knots. Peak to peak distance is about 1 ½ to 2 boat lengths. Watching the waves pass under Star and march off toward the horizon would be hypnotic except for motion they affect on Star. As an approaching wave catches up with us, the stern is thrust upward and causes the boat to turn right. Once the wave is under the middle of the boat, we turn left again. The net effect is that the boat makes a big figure eight - rise up, turn right, plunge down, turn left. Each cycle is about 12 to 15 second long.
Those of you have seen this type of motion know it is a 10 on the scale of things that cause motion sickness. Andy has been very troubled by it and I find that if I am below decks too long I also feel a little queasy. Thanks for the scopolamine patches we brought along.
An additional effect is that it makes cooking very challenging. The stove is gimbaled so it swings with the rocking of the boat but boiling water or hot bacon fat could be really dangerous if spilled by the rocking of the boat. Some of the changes from leaning right to leaning left are quite sever and we quickly find out what is not tied down properly. This is especially noticeable in the galley. Anything round rolls, Anything flat slides. Cooking requires bracing one’s self between the stairs and the counter and holding on one hand while performing all cooking motions with the other. (is that the way I will cook when I get home?)
Another effect is that the motion makes a really good ABs workout. Maybe this is the genesis of a new business in fitness machines.
For more pictures, see the Big Waves picture page.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Day 6 Finally... wind
The Northeast trade winds
The answer to my question about the depth gauge is that it is likely to be fish swimming under the boat. I am told that sometimes they follow a boat for hundreds of miles. We have been towing a fishing line during the day since we left hoping that one of them would wander back and snack but so far we have only had one bite and no fish caught.
Our course from PV is intended to take us South West so that we cross the equator at about 127º32’ West longitude. This route is predicated on finding the narrowest part of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) otherwise known as the Doldrums.
A moment on wind. The air over the equator is warmed by the sun and rises pulling in the air from the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Near the Equator, this rising air is moved sideways by the rotation of the Earth and becomes the Northeast and Southeast trade winds. Where these two wind systems meet (the ITCZ), there is very little wind so we are seeking the narrowest part.
Every day at 6:30 AM PST, a ham radio operator named Don Anderson from Oxnard, California broadcasts a report of weather conditions in the Pacific including a 6 day forecast. By combining his report with an e-mail from the National Weather Service, we can guess several important things: 1. Shape and location of the ITCZ and 2. Location of the Northeast trade winds.
Until today, we have been North of the trade winds. Our wind has been from 1 to 10 knots and the seas have been relatively calm. Our boat speed over ground (SOG) was from 1 to 4 knots meaning we were making about 80 nautical miles per day. From PV to Hiva Oa in the Marquises is 2810 nautical miles (~3000 statute miles) so this would take us 33 days at that rate.
In the early afternoon, today, we found the NE trade wind. The sea became much more active and the wind picked up to 15 to 20 knots. Our boat speed improved to 6 to 7 knots. At that speed and with a remaining distance of about 2400 nm, we would reach the islands in about 16 days. It is nice to feel this wind but the downside is the boat rocks a lot making cooking and sleeping a bit difficult. It’s the silver lining and the dark cloud effect.
The answer to my question about the depth gauge is that it is likely to be fish swimming under the boat. I am told that sometimes they follow a boat for hundreds of miles. We have been towing a fishing line during the day since we left hoping that one of them would wander back and snack but so far we have only had one bite and no fish caught.
Our course from PV is intended to take us South West so that we cross the equator at about 127º32’ West longitude. This route is predicated on finding the narrowest part of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) otherwise known as the Doldrums.
A moment on wind. The air over the equator is warmed by the sun and rises pulling in the air from the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Near the Equator, this rising air is moved sideways by the rotation of the Earth and becomes the Northeast and Southeast trade winds. Where these two wind systems meet (the ITCZ), there is very little wind so we are seeking the narrowest part.
Every day at 6:30 AM PST, a ham radio operator named Don Anderson from Oxnard, California broadcasts a report of weather conditions in the Pacific including a 6 day forecast. By combining his report with an e-mail from the National Weather Service, we can guess several important things: 1. Shape and location of the ITCZ and 2. Location of the Northeast trade winds.
Until today, we have been North of the trade winds. Our wind has been from 1 to 10 knots and the seas have been relatively calm. Our boat speed over ground (SOG) was from 1 to 4 knots meaning we were making about 80 nautical miles per day. From PV to Hiva Oa in the Marquises is 2810 nautical miles (~3000 statute miles) so this would take us 33 days at that rate.
In the early afternoon, today, we found the NE trade wind. The sea became much more active and the wind picked up to 15 to 20 knots. Our boat speed improved to 6 to 7 knots. At that speed and with a remaining distance of about 2400 nm, we would reach the islands in about 16 days. It is nice to feel this wind but the downside is the boat rocks a lot making cooking and sleeping a bit difficult. It’s the silver lining and the dark cloud effect.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Night watch
Some things cannot be explained
Our watch schedule has Kurt and me on deck from 8 PM to 2 AM and Mark and Andy on watch from 2 AM until 8 AM. Kurt and I split our watch so I take the first 3 hours and he takes the second 3. Tonight, I am still on deck and it is almost midnight. The stars are like a blanket over the boat. We can steer easily by keeping Orion just to the right of the mast. The North star is over our starboard beam (right side) and the Southern Cross is over our port beam (left side). The Milky Way is a wide ribbon of light overhead that stretches from horizon to horizon.
Now here is the strange thing. The charts say that the water is between 3500 and 4000 meters deep. That is approximately 11,000 to 13,000 feet. Most of the time the depth gauge just has three dashed lines indicating that the depth is greater than it can read. However, every now and then, it will register a number like 3.5 feet or 5.1 feet. Since the keel of the boat is deeper than that so obviously it is not something that stretches the width of the boat. Of course there could be a large fish or perhaps several smaller fishes swimming along under us but there is no way to see if there really is anything under the boat without going into the pitch black water – it’s not likely I will do that.
Does anyone know what would cause such a reading to occur?
Our watch schedule has Kurt and me on deck from 8 PM to 2 AM and Mark and Andy on watch from 2 AM until 8 AM. Kurt and I split our watch so I take the first 3 hours and he takes the second 3. Tonight, I am still on deck and it is almost midnight. The stars are like a blanket over the boat. We can steer easily by keeping Orion just to the right of the mast. The North star is over our starboard beam (right side) and the Southern Cross is over our port beam (left side). The Milky Way is a wide ribbon of light overhead that stretches from horizon to horizon.
Now here is the strange thing. The charts say that the water is between 3500 and 4000 meters deep. That is approximately 11,000 to 13,000 feet. Most of the time the depth gauge just has three dashed lines indicating that the depth is greater than it can read. However, every now and then, it will register a number like 3.5 feet or 5.1 feet. Since the keel of the boat is deeper than that so obviously it is not something that stretches the width of the boat. Of course there could be a large fish or perhaps several smaller fishes swimming along under us but there is no way to see if there really is anything under the boat without going into the pitch black water – it’s not likely I will do that.
Does anyone know what would cause such a reading to occur?
Day 5 Repairs at sea
What does b.o.a,t, mean?
Mark says that cruising is just another word for “fixing you boat in beautiful locations.” and “boat” means “bring on another thousand (dollars)”.
Two days ago, we tried to “fly” the spinnaker, which is a very thin fabric sail that is attached to the very front of the boat, and balloons out even in very light wind. It is used when the wind is low and the boat is sailing away from the wind.
The spinnaker is stored in a sock and is deployed by hoisting it to the top of the mast and pulling off the sock. We proved that this can be a tricky maneuver and managed to put a 5 foot long tear in the spinnaker in the process.
Today the winds were calm again so we got out the sail tape and the sewing machine and patched the tear. (see photo page for pictures). By the time we were done, the wind came up again but we are ready the next time the wind slackens.
We have two radios on board, a marine VHF and a ham radio. The VHF is on 24X7. Channel 16 is monitored by coast guards around the globe and is the emergency channel. Channel 22 is the agreed-upon “hailing channel” for the South Pacific. We are always tuned to channel 22 where we can hear our name if anyone wants us. Several times a day, we hear calls from No Regrets, Golden Lion or other puddle jumpers who have not left yet. Everyone wants to know each other’s position (lat long) and the wind and wave conditions.
The ham radio has a longer range and follows more the protocol of amateur radio community. Every morning there is a “net” call where a moderator asks participants to check in with their position and any news. These are very handy ways to find out who is in the vicinity and also to compare notes on the best heading to find the wind.
At 8:15 every morning there is a detailed weather report with a forecast for the next 6 days.
In addition, we can send and receive e-mail via the ham radio. One very important e-mail every day is a weather map showing wind and current conditions in the entire Pacific Ocean. This report comes from a U.S. Government agency and is provided for military and commercial ships.
So can you find us on your map? Look on the side for the latitude and longitude markers. You will find us at 17º50’N and 109º55’W on a bearing of 200º SW. We expect to pass Soccorro Island tonight and head for an Equator crossing at about 130ºW longitude.
Mark says that cruising is just another word for “fixing you boat in beautiful locations.” and “boat” means “bring on another thousand (dollars)”.
Two days ago, we tried to “fly” the spinnaker, which is a very thin fabric sail that is attached to the very front of the boat, and balloons out even in very light wind. It is used when the wind is low and the boat is sailing away from the wind.
The spinnaker is stored in a sock and is deployed by hoisting it to the top of the mast and pulling off the sock. We proved that this can be a tricky maneuver and managed to put a 5 foot long tear in the spinnaker in the process.
Today the winds were calm again so we got out the sail tape and the sewing machine and patched the tear. (see photo page for pictures). By the time we were done, the wind came up again but we are ready the next time the wind slackens.
We have two radios on board, a marine VHF and a ham radio. The VHF is on 24X7. Channel 16 is monitored by coast guards around the globe and is the emergency channel. Channel 22 is the agreed-upon “hailing channel” for the South Pacific. We are always tuned to channel 22 where we can hear our name if anyone wants us. Several times a day, we hear calls from No Regrets, Golden Lion or other puddle jumpers who have not left yet. Everyone wants to know each other’s position (lat long) and the wind and wave conditions.
The ham radio has a longer range and follows more the protocol of amateur radio community. Every morning there is a “net” call where a moderator asks participants to check in with their position and any news. These are very handy ways to find out who is in the vicinity and also to compare notes on the best heading to find the wind.
At 8:15 every morning there is a detailed weather report with a forecast for the next 6 days.
In addition, we can send and receive e-mail via the ham radio. One very important e-mail every day is a weather map showing wind and current conditions in the entire Pacific Ocean. This report comes from a U.S. Government agency and is provided for military and commercial ships.
So can you find us on your map? Look on the side for the latitude and longitude markers. You will find us at 17º50’N and 109º55’W on a bearing of 200º SW. We expect to pass Soccorro Island tonight and head for an Equator crossing at about 130ºW longitude.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Day 4 Second meeting at sea
Hello to Golden Lion
Each morning at 7:30 AM, we tune into a ham radio net. This is a moderated meeting by radio of all the sailboats in the vicinity including the ports of Puerto Vallarta, Paradise Marina and a few others plus any puddle jumpers. From this we learned there was another boat in our vicinity, Golden Lion from Victoria, BC. Jim and Steff and their cat are also headed to the Marquises. By calling them on our VHF marine radio and comparing positions we were able to arrange a meeting at sea. We are actually about 300 miles from land yet we could get close enough to say hello.
Some of you may be wondering how this works. Those who know about navigation can skip this part.
If you look at a globe you will notice two kinds of lines. Those that intersect the poles are called meridians (or longitudes) and there are 360 of them each one degree apart. The are numbered 1 to 180E and 1 to 180W with the starting being the meridian that goes through Greenwich, England. The date line is meridian 180.
There is a perpendicular set of parallel lines or latitudes starting with the equator and traversing 1 degree apart to the poles. Like the meridians, they are labeled by their direction so the first one North of the Equator is the latitude 01 degrees North.
Each of the degree lines are subdivided into 60 minutes and each minute is further divided in 60 seconds. One minute of latitude is equal to 1 nautical mile, which is equivalent to about 1.1 statute miles.
This system makes it possible to locate objects on the face of the Earth and also to easily determine how far apart they are. For instance if we are at 18ºN latitude and No Regrets is at 17ºN latitude and we are both at the same longitude then we are 1 degree or 60 nautical miles (nm) apart. Simple eh?
Now, how do you find out your longitude and latitude? If you are on land, you can look on a map or use the Internet to find you “long lat”. If you are at sea, it used to be a lot harder but it could be determined by measuring the angle of celestial objects like the sun, moon and stars using a sextant and marine almanac tables. Today it is much easier since the invention of GPS (global positioning system) satellites. Even an inexpensive hand-held GPS can tell your location within a few feet.
So, when we want to find the other boats, we both look at our GPS, read out our positions and through simple geometry we can determine how far apart we are and what angle we would have to travel in order to meet.
Each morning at 7:30 AM, we tune into a ham radio net. This is a moderated meeting by radio of all the sailboats in the vicinity including the ports of Puerto Vallarta, Paradise Marina and a few others plus any puddle jumpers. From this we learned there was another boat in our vicinity, Golden Lion from Victoria, BC. Jim and Steff and their cat are also headed to the Marquises. By calling them on our VHF marine radio and comparing positions we were able to arrange a meeting at sea. We are actually about 300 miles from land yet we could get close enough to say hello.
Some of you may be wondering how this works. Those who know about navigation can skip this part.
If you look at a globe you will notice two kinds of lines. Those that intersect the poles are called meridians (or longitudes) and there are 360 of them each one degree apart. The are numbered 1 to 180E and 1 to 180W with the starting being the meridian that goes through Greenwich, England. The date line is meridian 180.
There is a perpendicular set of parallel lines or latitudes starting with the equator and traversing 1 degree apart to the poles. Like the meridians, they are labeled by their direction so the first one North of the Equator is the latitude 01 degrees North.
Each of the degree lines are subdivided into 60 minutes and each minute is further divided in 60 seconds. One minute of latitude is equal to 1 nautical mile, which is equivalent to about 1.1 statute miles.
This system makes it possible to locate objects on the face of the Earth and also to easily determine how far apart they are. For instance if we are at 18ºN latitude and No Regrets is at 17ºN latitude and we are both at the same longitude then we are 1 degree or 60 nautical miles (nm) apart. Simple eh?
Now, how do you find out your longitude and latitude? If you are on land, you can look on a map or use the Internet to find you “long lat”. If you are at sea, it used to be a lot harder but it could be determined by measuring the angle of celestial objects like the sun, moon and stars using a sextant and marine almanac tables. Today it is much easier since the invention of GPS (global positioning system) satellites. Even an inexpensive hand-held GPS can tell your location within a few feet.
So, when we want to find the other boats, we both look at our GPS, read out our positions and through simple geometry we can determine how far apart we are and what angle we would have to travel in order to meet.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Day 3 Meeting at sea
Hello to No Regrets
The scenery is now just blue water to the horizon. No Regrets is no longer in sight. Their Cal 39 is faster in light winds than Southern Star so overnight they put about 17 miles between us.
With no wind we took the opportunity for another swim - this time with an intermediate soap up. The water is very refreshing and it is nice to feel clean.
Since we needed to charge the batteries, we hailed No Regrets and told them we would motor forward to close the gap.
After about 3 hours, they came into view and we circled each other for a while so we could chat. We had a book on board that they wanted to read so Pat rigged a pole with a bucket on the end so we could give them the book without getting the boats too close together. The whole thing made for some great pictures.
In light winds and calm seas, No Regrets again sailed away in front of us but not before getting some great pictures of the sunset. I wish I could take pictures of Southern Star but we have to settle for pictures of our companions.
Our current position is 18º14.754N by 108º01.495W or about 250 miles offshore. We are on a Southwesterly course that will have us clearing a wide margin around the Islas Revillagigedos.
The scenery is now just blue water to the horizon. No Regrets is no longer in sight. Their Cal 39 is faster in light winds than Southern Star so overnight they put about 17 miles between us.
With no wind we took the opportunity for another swim - this time with an intermediate soap up. The water is very refreshing and it is nice to feel clean.
Since we needed to charge the batteries, we hailed No Regrets and told them we would motor forward to close the gap.
After about 3 hours, they came into view and we circled each other for a while so we could chat. We had a book on board that they wanted to read so Pat rigged a pole with a bucket on the end so we could give them the book without getting the boats too close together. The whole thing made for some great pictures.
In light winds and calm seas, No Regrets again sailed away in front of us but not before getting some great pictures of the sunset. I wish I could take pictures of Southern Star but we have to settle for pictures of our companions.
Our current position is 18º14.754N by 108º01.495W or about 250 miles offshore. We are on a Southwesterly course that will have us clearing a wide margin around the Islas Revillagigedos.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Day 2 First day at sea
Where is the wind?
The day was pretty uneventful as there was almost no wind. We floated lazily in a calm sea for several hours. Since it was calm, Captain Mark declared “the pool is open” meaning it was time for a swim. The water was pleasantly cool and crystal clear. It is a strange feeling swimming in water that you know from the charts is over 11,000 feet deep. The protocol is for three of us at a time to have a pleasant swim leaving one person on the boat in case the wind comes up. I cannot imagine the feeling of being in the water 200 miles from shore and watching the boat sail away. With one person always on board, that cannot happen.
I read in the Puddle Jump book that the safe way to swim in the open ocean is by the 10 minute rule. It’s OK for 10 minutes as you will not attract attention from curious fish. That might be worse than watching the boat sail away.
I have the watch from 6 PM to 10 PM so I get to watch the sun set. Afterwards, I could see the mast head light of No Regrets about 7 miles ahead. Around 9:30, I saw a cargo ship about the same distance away moving in the direction of No Regrets. Moments after I watched the cargo ship’s lights cross the path of No Regrets, we were hailed on the marine radio. Dave (captain of No Regrets) reported that the cargo had to change its heading to avoid coming too close to him. Fortunately, the cargo saw him and veered. Often they are on autopilot and no one is watching so it is the sailboat’s responsibility to move out of the way.
The day was pretty uneventful as there was almost no wind. We floated lazily in a calm sea for several hours. Since it was calm, Captain Mark declared “the pool is open” meaning it was time for a swim. The water was pleasantly cool and crystal clear. It is a strange feeling swimming in water that you know from the charts is over 11,000 feet deep. The protocol is for three of us at a time to have a pleasant swim leaving one person on the boat in case the wind comes up. I cannot imagine the feeling of being in the water 200 miles from shore and watching the boat sail away. With one person always on board, that cannot happen.
I read in the Puddle Jump book that the safe way to swim in the open ocean is by the 10 minute rule. It’s OK for 10 minutes as you will not attract attention from curious fish. That might be worse than watching the boat sail away.
I have the watch from 6 PM to 10 PM so I get to watch the sun set. Afterwards, I could see the mast head light of No Regrets about 7 miles ahead. Around 9:30, I saw a cargo ship about the same distance away moving in the direction of No Regrets. Moments after I watched the cargo ship’s lights cross the path of No Regrets, we were hailed on the marine radio. Dave (captain of No Regrets) reported that the cargo had to change its heading to avoid coming too close to him. Fortunately, the cargo saw him and veered. Often they are on autopilot and no one is watching so it is the sailboat’s responsibility to move out of the way.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Day 1 Underway
Marquises 2810 nautical miles away
We all slept well as the boat wallowed peacefully at anchor in front of the elegant Four Seasons resort at Punto de Mita.
After breakfast of cheese & tomato omelets, we swam the quarter mile to No Regrets to exchange navigation and communication information.
Upon our return Kurt attached the rudder to the wind powered autopilot. We then stowed everything, retrieved the hook (pulled in the anchor) and set off following No Regrets toward our first way point 180 nautical miles away.
As we passed by the small Islas de las tres Marietas, we were treated to a last wave goodby from some humpback whales.
I stood the first watch from 6 PM to 10 PM and saw nothing on the horizon. I was hoping for a cruise ship or some porpoises but they missed the cue to show up on my watch and instead performed on the later watches.
At our current wind velocity, we will reach the Marquises Islands sometime in 2008. We are hoping to find wind.
For more pictures, see the photo page “Leaving P. Mita”
We all slept well as the boat wallowed peacefully at anchor in front of the elegant Four Seasons resort at Punto de Mita.
After breakfast of cheese & tomato omelets, we swam the quarter mile to No Regrets to exchange navigation and communication information.
Upon our return Kurt attached the rudder to the wind powered autopilot. We then stowed everything, retrieved the hook (pulled in the anchor) and set off following No Regrets toward our first way point 180 nautical miles away.
As we passed by the small Islas de las tres Marietas, we were treated to a last wave goodby from some humpback whales.
I stood the first watch from 6 PM to 10 PM and saw nothing on the horizon. I was hoping for a cruise ship or some porpoises but they missed the cue to show up on my watch and instead performed on the later watches.
At our current wind velocity, we will reach the Marquises Islands sometime in 2008. We are hoping to find wind.
For more pictures, see the photo page “Leaving P. Mita”
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Day zero Last contact for a while
Departure
I spent yesterday trying unsuccessfully to get a PC emulator working on my Apple computer so I could make an e-mail connection over the radio once we set sail. This will impact my ability to post blogs at sea although unless I can find another solution.
Today we cleaned the boat inside and out, stowed everything and picked up a few last provisions. Several people came to see us off including Robin & Michelle from Warrior, Gar from Sol Seeker and Jim from Cardea. We pushed away from the dock at about 1 PM. Once out of the marina we set the main and jib and aimed toward Punta Mita. Halfway across Bandaras Bay, we had to reef the main and jib as the wind was blowing over 25 knots. For those non-sailors, reefing means taking the sail down partway so there is less area and, therefore less effect from the wind. 25 knots is about 28 miles per hour.
The crossing took several hours and Mark said it was the roughest sea he had seen since September.
Mark is a good teacher. He showed us how to set the sails, how to reef and how to throw up over the side. None of the crew followed this last instruction but at least now we know how.
Once anchored in the lee of the point, we enjoyed the rotisserie chicken we had picked up just before we left. No Regrets showed up about 8:30 and anchored nearby.
The sun set, the stars came out and we all went to bed early. It was quite a change from the activity of the marina. No restaurants, no friends dropping by for a drink and to chat, no card game (although I am sure that will come.) As Kurt said, it’s time to adjust to boat time.
The picture page Leaving PV has all the photos.
I spent yesterday trying unsuccessfully to get a PC emulator working on my Apple computer so I could make an e-mail connection over the radio once we set sail. This will impact my ability to post blogs at sea although unless I can find another solution.
Today we cleaned the boat inside and out, stowed everything and picked up a few last provisions. Several people came to see us off including Robin & Michelle from Warrior, Gar from Sol Seeker and Jim from Cardea. We pushed away from the dock at about 1 PM. Once out of the marina we set the main and jib and aimed toward Punta Mita. Halfway across Bandaras Bay, we had to reef the main and jib as the wind was blowing over 25 knots. For those non-sailors, reefing means taking the sail down partway so there is less area and, therefore less effect from the wind. 25 knots is about 28 miles per hour.
The crossing took several hours and Mark said it was the roughest sea he had seen since September.
Mark is a good teacher. He showed us how to set the sails, how to reef and how to throw up over the side. None of the crew followed this last instruction but at least now we know how.
Once anchored in the lee of the point, we enjoyed the rotisserie chicken we had picked up just before we left. No Regrets showed up about 8:30 and anchored nearby.
The sun set, the stars came out and we all went to bed early. It was quite a change from the activity of the marina. No restaurants, no friends dropping by for a drink and to chat, no card game (although I am sure that will come.) As Kurt said, it’s time to adjust to boat time.
The picture page Leaving PV has all the photos.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Day minus 1 Provisioning
Satisfaction of work accomplished
I had spent several days compiling the input from two books, Mark’s list, my list and Penelope’s list into one master provisioning list organized by the types of food we would need and their location in a U.S. supermarket. The books recommended we buy 30 days of normal provisions plus a 50% excess and another 50% of survival items like rice, flour and canned meats, vegetables and fruit.
We made two trips to Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart and filled a taxi on each trip. The boat is now about 3 inches lower in the water.
Buying the items was only part of the project that took all day. The second was removing all paper and cardboard as they harbor the eggs of various insects which could hatch later once we were at sea. The book tells some rather unpleasant stories of cruisers who purchased stores in third world countries only to find they had also brought on board some uninvited guests.
The last job was stowing everything. Southern Star has an amazing amount of storage space but not all of it is easy to access. As you can see, some unnamed member of the team had to get things into the under-floor spaces.
I had spent several days compiling the input from two books, Mark’s list, my list and Penelope’s list into one master provisioning list organized by the types of food we would need and their location in a U.S. supermarket. The books recommended we buy 30 days of normal provisions plus a 50% excess and another 50% of survival items like rice, flour and canned meats, vegetables and fruit.
We made two trips to Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart and filled a taxi on each trip. The boat is now about 3 inches lower in the water.
Buying the items was only part of the project that took all day. The second was removing all paper and cardboard as they harbor the eggs of various insects which could hatch later once we were at sea. The book tells some rather unpleasant stories of cruisers who purchased stores in third world countries only to find they had also brought on board some uninvited guests.
The last job was stowing everything. Southern Star has an amazing amount of storage space but not all of it is easy to access. As you can see, some unnamed member of the team had to get things into the under-floor spaces.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Day minus 2 Up the mast
View from the top
The preparation for the Jump included a few maintenance items in the rigging. On the aft side of the mast is a slot that holds the sail. It needed lubrication so Andy hoisted Kurt aloft with a spray can of silicone. From the top of the mast, one can see the entire harbor and even the ocean beyond. He looks pretty serious but I think he really enjoyed the ride.
A second item was done by a rigger named Westin. Star has a fairly large jib sail and when it is fully deployed, it overlaps the mast spreaders that hold the stays. This could cause chafing of the jib so Westin went aloft to sew leather chafe guards on the ends of the spreaders. He first wet the leather to make it soft, then stretched it and sewed it into place. If there is anyone in port who looks like the riggers from old, it is Westin.
The preparation for the Jump included a few maintenance items in the rigging. On the aft side of the mast is a slot that holds the sail. It needed lubrication so Andy hoisted Kurt aloft with a spray can of silicone. From the top of the mast, one can see the entire harbor and even the ocean beyond. He looks pretty serious but I think he really enjoyed the ride.
A second item was done by a rigger named Westin. Star has a fairly large jib sail and when it is fully deployed, it overlaps the mast spreaders that hold the stays. This could cause chafing of the jib so Westin went aloft to sew leather chafe guards on the ends of the spreaders. He first wet the leather to make it soft, then stretched it and sewed it into place. If there is anyone in port who looks like the riggers from old, it is Westin.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Day minus 3
Sailing on Warrior
Not much to report for Day 14. I spent much of the day on the computer making up the provisioning list, trying unsuccessfully to install Winlink so I can communicate at sea and successfully installing the new Adobe photo editing program LiteRoom.
Day 15 was much more interesting. I checked out of the hotel and moved onto the boat and said goodbye to hot showers and a big bed. I am now stowed in the V-berth next to the cockpit in the stern.
Kurt’s parents have been here for a few days to say bon voyage and Kurt wanted them to get a taste of sailing. Star is not ready to leave the dock so Robin of Warrior generously agreed to take them. Andy and I tagged along to keep them company. Warrior is a 50’ boat built in 1970 that Robin and Michelle purchased in Santa Cruz. Next year they will probably do the Puddle Jump. I think Robin looks like the quintessential sailor.
We sailed along the PV waterfront and then turned Northwest toward Punto Mita. At one point when we were about 3 miles offshore we were beset with a swarm of about 30 bees. How they got there was a total mystery. Andy and Frank got stung but nonetheless, Frank and Kathy Talke (Kurt’s parents) had a great time as you can see.
Attached also is one of the rare views of Neophyte complete with UV proof shirt, hat and SPF 50 sunblock.
Not much to report for Day 14. I spent much of the day on the computer making up the provisioning list, trying unsuccessfully to install Winlink so I can communicate at sea and successfully installing the new Adobe photo editing program LiteRoom.
Day 15 was much more interesting. I checked out of the hotel and moved onto the boat and said goodbye to hot showers and a big bed. I am now stowed in the V-berth next to the cockpit in the stern.
Kurt’s parents have been here for a few days to say bon voyage and Kurt wanted them to get a taste of sailing. Star is not ready to leave the dock so Robin of Warrior generously agreed to take them. Andy and I tagged along to keep them company. Warrior is a 50’ boat built in 1970 that Robin and Michelle purchased in Santa Cruz. Next year they will probably do the Puddle Jump. I think Robin looks like the quintessential sailor.
We sailed along the PV waterfront and then turned Northwest toward Punto Mita. At one point when we were about 3 miles offshore we were beset with a swarm of about 30 bees. How they got there was a total mystery. Andy and Frank got stung but nonetheless, Frank and Kathy Talke (Kurt’s parents) had a great time as you can see.
Attached also is one of the rare views of Neophyte complete with UV proof shirt, hat and SPF 50 sunblock.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Day minus 4
More boat fixing
We got the repaired jib back today and completed washing and furling it. Now the only remaining work to be done on the “standing rigging” (everything above deck except the sails) is to re-attach the repaired stanchion and the lifelines that run through it.
Mark is still struggling with the alternator. When we are at sea, the power for anything electrical comes from the 12 volt batteries. There is a bank of batteries on the each side of the boat and a smaller backup battery in the bow area that can be used to start the engine.
The batteries can be charged from shore power but when we are at sea, the charge comes from the solar cells or the engine alternator. (Some boats also have a wind generator but Star is without such an device). If it is cloudy or stormy the protocol is to run the engine for an hour a day to restore the battery charge. During this process, the alternator is supposed to put out over 80 amps. Although the rating on the alternator is 100 amps, it seems to put out only about 14 amps which is not enough to fully charge the batteries. Mark and Jim Todd have had things apart several times since I got here and been unable to locate the problem. A few days ago Mark took the alternator to a shop and they determined that it was defective. He will install the back-up but we need to have a spare before we set sail and that may require a rush shipment from the U.S.
I am working on the provisions list. We will provision for 60 to 90 days although we expect to be in the Marquises in less than 30 days. Anyone who has read stories of people marooned at sea will know why we provision for more than we expect to need.
I will use a few books that Mark has collected plus my backpacking list and the suggestions from Penelope an Alex. There is a Sam’s Club and a Wal-Mart where we expect to buy most of what we need. Dave Kelly will lend his “fireman experience” to our shopping excursion. Cruising is a cooperative experience. Everyone helps those in need.
Thanks to a donation from Higher Ground Gear, I am able to work very easily on the boat. Their computer case gives me the feeling of security against water splash and some amount of impact and the rubberized bottom is very helpful in preventing the computer from sliding around. Once we get at sea, I think I will appreciate this even more.
We got the repaired jib back today and completed washing and furling it. Now the only remaining work to be done on the “standing rigging” (everything above deck except the sails) is to re-attach the repaired stanchion and the lifelines that run through it.
Mark is still struggling with the alternator. When we are at sea, the power for anything electrical comes from the 12 volt batteries. There is a bank of batteries on the each side of the boat and a smaller backup battery in the bow area that can be used to start the engine.
The batteries can be charged from shore power but when we are at sea, the charge comes from the solar cells or the engine alternator. (Some boats also have a wind generator but Star is without such an device). If it is cloudy or stormy the protocol is to run the engine for an hour a day to restore the battery charge. During this process, the alternator is supposed to put out over 80 amps. Although the rating on the alternator is 100 amps, it seems to put out only about 14 amps which is not enough to fully charge the batteries. Mark and Jim Todd have had things apart several times since I got here and been unable to locate the problem. A few days ago Mark took the alternator to a shop and they determined that it was defective. He will install the back-up but we need to have a spare before we set sail and that may require a rush shipment from the U.S.
I am working on the provisions list. We will provision for 60 to 90 days although we expect to be in the Marquises in less than 30 days. Anyone who has read stories of people marooned at sea will know why we provision for more than we expect to need.
I will use a few books that Mark has collected plus my backpacking list and the suggestions from Penelope an Alex. There is a Sam’s Club and a Wal-Mart where we expect to buy most of what we need. Dave Kelly will lend his “fireman experience” to our shopping excursion. Cruising is a cooperative experience. Everyone helps those in need.
Thanks to a donation from Higher Ground Gear, I am able to work very easily on the boat. Their computer case gives me the feeling of security against water splash and some amount of impact and the rubberized bottom is very helpful in preventing the computer from sliding around. Once we get at sea, I think I will appreciate this even more.
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