Around Alone Days- 172-173-174.
Day-172.
24hr.Run=81nm. Pos. Lat.34*20’S. Long.112*14’W.
Weather=Bar=1012mb. Wind NNW 4-12kts. Seas NNW 4-6ft. Cabin Temp=71-73*
Day-173.
24hr.Run=49nm. Pos. Lat.34*30 S. Long.111*17’W. Weather=Bar=1016mb. Wind=4-12kts. NNE. Seas= N 4-6ft. Cabin Temp=71*-74*.
Day-174.
24hr.Run=129nm. Pos. Lat.33*53’S. Long. 109*02’W. Weather=Bar=1004mb. Wind=N 10-15kts. Seas= N 6-8ft. Cabin Temp.=71*-73*.
Total Miles sailed so far=22,090nm.
Miles sailed in last 3-days=259nm.
Distance left to finish line off Bahia=2,558nm.
Fastest speed so far =14.1kts.
The Rest of the Story.
Day-172.
Today we sailed on into dying winds that were nearly no existent by the end of the day.
It’s strange how things happen, as today both my Spot locator device and my outside GPS started acting up. The spot no longer has the right light configuration when you turn it on and seems to have failed. The Gps hot power terminal on the GPS for the external power source has corroded away, and now requires new batteries every 24 hrs. Fortunate for me they are double AA batteries and I have a bunch of them. These two pieces of electronic equipment are the 4th and 5th pieces of electronic equipment to have failed do to the harsh “Southern Ocean” environment.
Day-173.
The winds are staying light as yet another low forms right on top of us. This area seems to be the nurturing source where the warm moist winds coming down from the north tend to start circulating over these cooler waters, and forming into low pressure systems that move off to the SE..
This becomes the challenge to any sailor out on the open ocean, and that is to marry the forces of nature to his sailing vessel into a harmonious relationship that powers them together across vast oceans.
One can only find peace of mind far out on the vast ocean by being confident in the seaworthy ness of his vessel, and the knowledge and experience that he, the skipper always has a plan to deal with whatever nature brings his way.
Day-174.
Today the winds are increasing and from a direction that is propelling us along on a favorable course. We have been pounding to weather for the last week, having to stay close to the winds of varying strengths to gain distance towards our destination.
Debbie just informed me that she read in Latitude 38, that I’m the oldest American to Circumnavigate via the “5-Great Capes”. The oldest person to do it was a Japanese sailor Minoru Saito 71 years old on a 50-footer back in 2004-5, and the oldest women is British Jean Socrates 70 years young on a 38 foot boat just a year or two ago.
Now this is a great honor, but I was kind of hoping to be the “Hottest Guy’ to solo the “5-Great Capes” as Debbie says I am! HA HA!
Well I just hope this feat entitles me to 50% off on everything it’s going to take to put “Humpty Dumpty” [Sailors Run], back together again.
Now come on “Finish Line”.
Anxiously looking for the “end”, the Jefe’