Around Alone Days-79-80-81.
Total distance sailed so far: 10,781 NM.
Distance sailed last three days: 430 NM.
Distance left to go to Cape Leeuwin,Australia: 3,292 NM.
Top speed so far=12.3 Knots
THE REST OF THE STORY
Day-79.
24hr Run 154 NM.
Position: Latitude 44*02’S. Longitude 27*19 E
Weather: Wind WNW 12-15 knots
Seas: 6-8 ft.
Cabin temp: 57*-63*
Bar:1008 mb
Today I actually had some rain with not to strong of winds, and was able to collect about 6-gallons in the second tank. That’s a start!
The more challenging thing right now is trying to stay hooked up to Sailmail.
Chile a great station is now over 3500 miles away and contact seems to be too weak. The next station is in Australia at least another 3500+ miles away and way weak at this time.
I assumed I would be able to use the Africa station, but come to find out they use a directional antenna and it is facing NE, not down into the Southern Ocean.
Debbie has been alerted that I have a radio problem and follows me on the Spot Locator, but that is all she has to go on. You can contact her at sailorsrun01@yahoo.com Also she will be posting to our blog site
www.sailorsrun.com
This is a huge problem for me as I get most of my weather info from Sailmail, so will now be getting my weather from the barometer and looking out the “port hole”.
Day-80.
24hr.Run 138NM.
Position: Latitude 44*35’S. Longitude 30*25’E.
Weather: Wind SW 12-25kts.
Seas: 6-8ft.
Cabin Temp: 53*-57*.
Bar: 1000mb
The night before last the high pressure system was located on top of me causing shifting winds, and at one point I awoke after two hours to discover I was headed back to the cape of Good Hope, fortunately the winds were light and we were moving slow.
Here in the southern Indian Ocean I have seen some of the largest Albatross so far, some with wing spans that must be 7-8ft. and it never ceases to amaze me how well they can fly in the heavy winds.
I have been truly enjoying my kindle for making lots of books available and so user friendly.
I have been struggling with the time change, as the further East I go the earlier it gets light.
Now the sun is rising at 9-pm and sets at about 1pm. I find myself just taking two hour naps whenever I feel like I need it.
I run the Radar 24/7 and the AIS the same, and have seen no shipping since the vicinity of cape Horn, and the last thing I seen was the “Ice Berg” that I almost hit.
Day-81.
24hrRun 138 NM
It feels strange to have no communication, but I know that within a week or two I should be able to get back on.
I still have the spot locator and that lets some people know where I’m at, and I can let Debbie know I have lost radio communication through the spot.
Once I get a good Sailmail signal again, I will get all the adventures out so you can get caught up.
I’m looking for the big “Radio Skip” in the Southern Ocean. “Breaker Breaker” the Jefe’