2013 September
Time we spent in San Francisco watching the most exciting race in history
Fine sailing on San Francisco Bay at the America’s Cup day
Total miles sailed so far= 15,783 NM.
Miles sailed last three days=389 NM.
Distance left to go to East Cape Tasmania=210 NM.
Top speed so far=14.1kts.
THE REST OF THE STORY:
Day-115.
24hr.Run=108NM. Pos. Lat.46*16’S. Long.135*36’E. Weather=Wind=0-20kts. WSW. Seas=8-12ft. West. Cabin Temp=58*-62*. Bar=994mb
It is Barometer Soup time as I watch the barometer as it plummets once again to 989 mb. A low has formed right in front of me and I have sailed into the center of it.
I go top side to harvest some much needed water as it is raining like crazy, and I get about 35-gallons before the rain stops.
I now wait for the wind to fill in again, and when it does I will probably have plenty.
It takes about an hour and the wind goes up to about 20kts or less for the remainder of this day
Day-116.
24hr.Run=139 NM. Pos.Lat.46*08’S. Long.139*06’E. Weather=.Wind=10-25kts. WNW. Seas=8-12ft. WNW. Cabin Temp=54*-62*. Bar=992mb
Today I awoke to sunshine and a NW wind that is driving me to the south so I jibe over, and get back on course.
I’m beginning to realize what it is like to live on a survival basis. It’s almost like an experiment, where you isolate yourself from all sources of replenishment, and interacting with other people hands on.
Mother nature provides the challenges you must deal with daily, and good planning on the food supply will determine how well you will be nourished over the planed duration of the voyage. What fascinates me the most is the opportunity to study survival up close on a personal level.
I know hunger is man’s strongest driving force with sex being the second strongest. I will cover “Sex of the single-handler” in the next adventure.
What I have learned out here so far is that with a year and a half to plan and obtain my needed supplies I still fell short in some areas, and that was with knowing I needed supplies for 5-7 months.
What is truly frightening about this is when you think of how ill prepared most families are for a prolonged isolation from food supplies. In the event of a catastrophe whether it be natural disaster, epidemic, war, meteor hits are planet, financial collapse etc.
I believe most people would be in trouble in three days and forced to go ask for provisions, and it would not be long after that, they would go take the stuff at whatever risk.
This is just food for thought, from an isolated sailor, with way too much time on his hands.
Day-117.
24hr.Run=142 NM. Pos. Lat.46*23’S. Long.142*25’E. Weather=Bar= Wind=45kts gusting 60+kts.WNW. Seas=15-30+ft. Cabin Temp=55*-58*. Bar=986 mb.
Today the winds are blowing 45 knots plus, and the seas are getting up to the twenty-foot range. I’m sailing under stay sail alone and exceeding 7 knots at times.The low continues to strengthen as it moves to the SE towards New Zealand.
At 1:30 pm I was forced to go to bare poles as the winds are gusting 60+knots and by 7 pm after recording 12.1 knots on the odometer, it’s time to set out the drogue.
I use the fishing floats in the net bag with a swivel and about 30 feet of 3/8″ chain and 400 feet of 5/8 three strand and never exceed 5-knots after that.
At 3:30 am I drag the drogue back in as the fierce squalls have abated, and stay under bare poles for another 5-hrs in 45 knots We spent 18 hours under bare poles and eight of that was with the drogue deployed, and the drogue dug in and did a great job.
The difference with this storm from the last, is that it was of shorter duration, and the sustained winds were a little less, not producing the enormous seas. Although we were slammed many times by breaking waves, and it was extremely dangerous sailing.
The squalls were producing spray that moved across the ocean towards us that looked like a cloud of smoke, pretty freaky. Some waves were over 30 ft.
Hanging on once again, the Jefe’.
US WATCHING ORACLE-EMIRATES RACING ON SAN FRANCISCO BAY
ON OUR FRIENDS BOAT BEING SO CLOSE TO TAKE THIS PICTURE OF ORACLE ON THE BAY
ORACLE COMING TOWARDS US AS WE WATCH
MANY BOATS ON SAN FRAN BAY WATCHING THE AMERICA’S CUP
WALKED THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ACROSS FROM SAUSALITO TO WATCH THE AMERICA’S CUP
Saw Google’s co founder Larry Pages yacht on San Francisco Bay