ENJOYING THE LIGHT WIND SAILING
THE STORY:
Total miles sailed so far=18,246.
Miles sailed the last three days=218nm.
Miles left to go to turn north=3,413.
Top speed so far=14.1 kts
DAY 139 24hr.Run=145nm. Pos. Lat.44*32’S. Long.169*16’W. Weather Wind=10-18kts SW. Seas=6-10 ft. SW. Cabin Temp=57*-62*.Bar=1017mb.
Today is nice sailing in moderate winds.
I still have no sighting of the Sperm Whale as yet. The Sperm whale is different from most whales as it is not a filter feeder but is more carnivores and eats fish. It has also been known to attack sail boats and sink them after they had rammed into it by accident as the whale slept on the surface at night, and I guess that’s fair enough. I have never seen one and certainly would like to, especially if it were to be in my path, and before I hit it.
SHOWING WHAT A SPERM WHALE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW BIG IT IS, & NOT SURE IF JEFF WILL SEE IT
I have some concerns with the Monitor Wind Vane since it is the only thing between me and me having to hand steer the rest of the way back.
There seems to be excessive play in the shaft that the servo rudder is suspended from and swings back and forth on. Right now I’m just lubricating it regularly hoping to reduce the wear.
Of course I spent 7-hrs. sewing on “Patches”, oh well it makes the days fly by fast.
DAY-140 24hr. Run=43nm. Pos. Lat.43*53’S Long.167*59’W Weather= Wind=SE 0-10 kts. Seas=SW 4-6ft. Cabin Temp=59* 62*.Bar=1020mb.
Today I’m plagued by light SE winds that are forcing me more to the north and I need to get south to the 46* to stay in the wind.
After my normal 7-hrs. of sewing on Patches, I glued on 6-small patches with Hypalon Glue for patching the inflatable dinghy, and the glue seemed to work great, and I believe I will avoid future tears that would have come from these small holes that were developing.
I’m happy to report that I had my last green bread tuna sandwich today and discarded the remaining half loaf of 20-week old bread. Please don’t try this with organic bread as I’m sure you would need a jack hammer to tenderize it before eating after two weeks.
I AM ASSUMING THIS IS WHAT JEFF’S SANDWICH LOOKED LIKE WITH A BIT OF MOLD OR LOTS!!
I’m a little concerned that my cholesterol level is possibly getting to low, as I have no red meat, chips, eggs or none of the good stuff left to eat. I’m thinking that I can possibly warm up, like a half a cup of lard each day and drink it with a little sugar and cinnamon and it might be like eating pie crust without the crust. “I just don’t know what to think about this”. Oh well don’t worry as I might just be feeling the side effects of the last “green tuna sandwich”.
Day-141 24hr.Run=30nm. Pos.Lat.44*13’S Long.167*18’W Weather= Wind=0-5 kts.SW. Seas=0-2ft.SW. Bar=1022mb.
Spent most of this day becalmed in “glassed off” seas, all the time working on “Patches”.
THE KON TIKI AS IT WAS BEING RESCUED AND NOW FLOATING SOMEWHERE OFF THE COAST OF CHILE
You may have heard that a recent “Kon Tiki-2” expedition from Peru to Easter Island with two balsa wood rafts that had planned to sail back to Chile was cut short, they say due to the El Nino weather pattern that was forcing them to far to the south.
The two crews a total of 14-persons were rescued by a ship that was diverted to their location, after a Chilean military plane had located them.
Now what concerns me is that these two rafts could very well end up on my return route as they are drifting north in the Humboldt Current. I believe they left locator beacons on the rafts so I possibly will have their positions so they can be avoided.
Now if they left any “Rum” onboard I would surely go find them. Does anyone have a list of provisions?
Practicing my light to no air sailing skills, the Jefe’.