AROUND ALONE DAYS-148-149-150

SAILORS RUN,JEFF MOVING ALONG HEADING TO ECUADOR

SAILORS RUN,JEFF MOVING ALONG HEADING TO ECUADOR

Day-148 24hr Run=125 nm. Pos.-Lat.43*41’S. Long.156*00’W. Weather:Wind: E-12-15kts. Seas=6-8 ft. Cabin Temp=60-63* Bar=1010mb
Day-149 24 hr.Run=152 nm.Pos.-Lat.41*48’S. Long.155*09’W. Weather:Wind: E-SE-12-15 kts. Seas=6-8 ft. Cabin Temp=60-62* Bar=1006mb
Day-150 24 hr.Run:172 nm.Pos.-Lat.41*14’S. Long.152*30’W. Weather=Wind: S-12-17 kts Seas=S-6-8 ft. Cabin Temp=63-66* Bar=1002mb
Total miles sailed so far =19,326.

Total miles sailed last 3-days=449nm.

Miles left to go till turn north=2960nm.

Top speed so far =14.1kts.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Day-148.
I awoke this am to Sailors Run moving along smoothly, and pretty much on course, but after I got up we had altered course and seemed to be going due north.
I go out on deck to ascertain what is happening, and realize we are surrounded by many micro wind systems, and to make it even worse “Patches has yet another 4-inch tear in her.
I feel like going below and looking in the mirror and asking my self is this really happening?
I decide “screw it” I’m going to have breakfast before tackling “Patches”.
After coffee and breakfast Patches is down on deck and I put on patch #44 and the sail goes back up quite smoothly.

Once we are sailing along at speed I decide to tack over as this course is almost due north, after the tack Sailors Run settles in on due south, and this is disappointing tacking through 180*, and it is obvious the seas on the nose and adverse current have virtually stopped all forward progress to the east.

I tack back to the north to get over the low that is to the NE of me. Once the sails are trimmed in I notice that “Patches now has an 18-inch tear in the middle of it, “Holy Shit” what next.

I refuse to bring the sail down again and the wind is rising, so I roll it in so that only 1/3rd is exposed and the tear is buried. I know this is hard on the sail, but at this point I just want to get some use out of It, and don’t care.

Day-149.
Today we are sailing fast and mostly to the north only making a little easting.
I have chosen to sail up alongside the low hoping to get a sling shot effect over the top of it in favorable winds.

Today at least there is no rain and I work below removing more mold from all surface areas, as God knows Debbie won’t want to be sleeping on no “moldy boat”.

My food supplies are dwindling as is my waist line. I have but two cereal breakfasts left and no more spam to go with the hot cakes to make my “Hawaiian” breakfast. I have but 6-packages of cookies left with four cookies in each one. The “propane” is a question mark and I just pray it makes it; “Sun Coffee ” anyone.
I soon will have to get creative with the breakfasts, like “Top Ramon” with a can of tuna and a can of vegetables in it as I have plenty of those ingredients and lots of canned fruit, as well as a piece of chocolate bar, for each of the remaining days.

Day-150.
“Wow” 5-months at sea and still 5000+ nautical miles to go.

We are now on top of the low and “hauling ass” in the right direction.

Our soon to be next big challenge is getting around the bottom of the very large South Pacific high as this can be tricky for three reasons:

First: It can move faster than we can,

Second: Often times there are lows embedded in its west side raising havoc with wind speed and directions.

Third: The Humboldt Current that runs up the coast of Chile can be a great asset or just plain dangerous should a high develop over the interior of Chile and then moves west onto the Pacific causing northern winds against this 2 knot current and square waves are formed in my path.

This only happens occasionally, and I pray we have a bit of good luck here.

Now that we are further north the world is a little fatter, and that is why our distance to the turn has decreased very little, but for now we are at least closer to Ecuador.

Somewhat traumatized by “Patches”, the Jefe”

 

THIS IS A T-SHIRT THEY GAVE US FOR WINNING THE BAJA HA HA RACE, WAS A SIZE EXTRA LG NOT SURE IF JEFF LOOKED LIKE THIS WHEN HE LEFT

THIS IS A T-SHIRT THEY GAVE US FOR WINNING THE BAJA HA HA RACE,
WAS A SIZE EXTRA LG
NOT SURE IF JEFF LOOKED LIKE THIS WHEN HE LEFT

 

THE SHIRT AFTER I ALTERED IT TO FIT JEFF & IMAGINE NOW HE IS SKINNIER THAN THIS LOOK

THE SHIRT AFTER I ALTERED IT TO FIT JEFF & IMAGINE NOW HE IS SKINNIER THAN THIS LOOK