AROUND ALONE DAYS 91-92-93
Jeff,Sailors Run are close to these Islands which are at 49’S 69′ E they are at 45’S 68′ E
Total miles sailed so far=12,387 NM.
Miles sailed last three days=437NM.
Miles left to go to cape Leeuwin, Australia=1930NM.
Top speed so far=12.3 kts.
THE REST OF THE STORY:
DAY 91- 24hr Run=125 NM=Pos-Lat. 46*52’S. Long. 61*2’E.
Weather=Wind 5-40+knots N-NW; Seas=15-20 feet NW; Cabin Temp= 47*-52*; Bar=1009mb
Yesterday’s blow continues at a sustained 40-kts. gusting 50-kts. These winds are caused by what is called a squash zone, we are caught between the high pressure area rotating counter clockwise and the low pressure area rotating clockwise, and where they push into each other the isobars become compressed causing the strong winds.
It was about noon when suddenly the winds died from, gusting 50 to about 6kts. Things immediately became chaotic aboard Sailors Run, as she began to roll gunnels to gunnels in the twenty foot seas, with just a staysail up.
I was quick to put the main up to reduce the rolling, and soon regretted my decision, as the popping and banging of the sail appeared to be threatening the rig and sail. I took it for about 15-minutes then put my foulies back on and went top side to drop the main. I no more got out in the cockpit and the wind started to fill in settling the sails down once again.
I’m currently attempting to sail us up in the direction of the Forty-five degree latitude as the last twenty hours of severe winds had forced us down near the forty-eight degree latitude.
DAY 92 24hr.Run=160 NM=Pos- Lat. 45*53’S. Long. 65*04’E.
Weather=Wind=NW.15-20 knots; Seas=8-12ft; Cabin Temp= 51*56*; Bar=1005mb
One might wonder why our mileage made good doesn’t go up with the high winds.
There are several reasons;
1. Is that you are sailing up and down over the huge waves and not on a straight line course forcing you to go further to get your mileage
2. Is you must err on the side of caution with just how much sail you have up. And in my case with no boom I can’t go to the second reef in the main, so it must come down in over thirty knots
3. The other problem is “Patches”[the genoa]; normally in heavy wind, I would run the staysail with the genoa rolled out about 15-25%, as this works great keeping the sail area forward making sailing off the wind easy to steer, but if I roll Patches out she would just start disintegrating on me immediately.
This is very frustrating for me as it adds days to the Voyage and the time it will take me to get back to Debbie.
Day 93. 24hr.Run=152NM- Pos- Lat. 45*52’S. Long. 68*12’E.
Weather=Wind-NW-SW.6-30 knots =Seas:W-SW.10-15 feet; Bar=1002mb
The sailing today was great and these are my thoughts from the Southern Ocean:
To sail into the Southern Ocean with all its fury and remoteness requires much expertise in many areas, assuming we remove stupidity as an area of expertise.
To circumnavigate in that same ocean will test the” Mettle” of even the best sailor.
You must first accept the possibility that you might not return from such a voyage, or failing to complete such a voyage is not uncommon, and many beloved sailing vessels have been lost in the attempt.
Such a voyage is all encompassing, and you will experience every emotion known to man, as you travel along a very remote route far-far from assistance and loved ones in a most hostile environment. Here in the Southern Ocean you are just a visitor, which becomes engulfed in all that nature sends your way.
There are times you will feel sheer exhilaration, and others that you will question the entire odyssey and most days pass rapidly as you live your sailing life with passion, yet other days will leave you bored and questioning why you ever came.
You see down here there are no distractions to the thoughts that might surface in your mind. Some of these thoughts might be about the “Ice Berg” that you nearly collided with that could have ended your life here on earth as you know it, Or possibly during a 50 knot blow and your rig is under tremendous pressure and it moans and groans, and you wonder what if the mast goes over the side, and you immediately start to work through that scenario in your mind, before you finally ask yourself why fight ghosts that have yet to appear?
My reasoning brings me to believe that the longer you are in such a hostile environment the greater the odds that one of your greatest fears might find you.
“Beating Feet” for the next Cape, The Jefe’