Day-19
24hr.Run: 159 NM.
Position: Latitude-30*00’S. Longitude-114*04’W.
Weather: Wind 15-25kts.SE.
Seas:6-8ft.
Cabin Temp: 69*-73*. Today cloudy with rain and squalls.
Bar: 1020 mb
Day-20
24hr.Run:151 NM
Position: Latitude: 32*oo’S. Longitude: 115*47’W.
Weather: Wind 8-15 kts.
Seas: 3-5ft. cabin temp=68*-73*. Today squalls in the early am then clearing off with sunny skies and diminishing winds.
Bar:1022mb
Day-21
24hr.Run=125NM.
Position: Latitude: 33*01’S. Longitude-117*50’W.
Weather: Wind 8-13 kts SSE.
Seas:2-4ft. Cabin Temp=69*-73*. Today mostly cloudy skies as we attempt to sail through the high pressure.
Bar:1026mb
Total Miles sailed so far=3107 NM
Total miles last 3-days=435 NM
Distance left to go to Turning point for the Horn=168NM
Top speed so far= 9.9kts.
The rest of the story.
Day-19
Today I noticed a red light flashing on my Spot Locator [tracking device], I assumed it meant we were out of satellite contact range ,as I heard that can happen where we are. Later I noticed it was shut down altogether and decided to read the manual. Hmmmm!! The batteries that were to last up to 6-months were “Dead”. They were lithium batteries and had lasted 18-days, so now we do the test with Kirkland alkaline batteries and see what results we have
With the SPOT Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger, you can reach emergency responders, check-in with family or friends, share GPS coordinates and track your adventures, all at the push of a button.
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Today I’m fishing again with the cedar plug lure. I have not seen any flying fish or squid for several days now.
Have you ever headed on a long trip and a hundred miles down the road realized you forgot something very important? Well guess what I forgot to get, two hot water bottles. I had looked for them in Mexico and never found them, and they never made my preparations list. So once again it is time to improvise, as those cold ass nights in the southern ocean can be tempered a little with some kind of berth warmer. I’m thinking a plastic quart jar filled with hot water and sealed then wrapped in a towel, any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated?
Information to those of you that might be new-comers to the Solo-nonstop around the world adventure, what I have had to do after leaving Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador is sail first to the Equator entering the Northern Hemisphere, then to add distance to my route I have sailed SW leaving Easter Island to port and have a plan to turn for the Horn after lat.35*S and Long.120*W, and that is only if it is possible at that time which looks a little doubtful now, as I’m in the high pressure and must get down in the roaring 40s to take off for the Horn.
Once around the Horn I will be sailing at Latitude 48*S entirely around the world south of all the great capes, Australia New Zealand etc. I will then turn north when I arrive about 400 miles off the west Coast of Chile at Latitude 48*.
Day-20
I ate the last orange yesterday, so those apples are looking pretty good.
I have to admit I’m not the greatest cook as that has always been Debbie’s specialty and she is great. My meals tend to be basic like ham and egg for breakfast with a piece of toast or potatoes fried up or cold cereal then at Lunch time it is splice the “main brace” time a rum drink with chips or crackers. Dinner lately has been either a hamburger patty or chicken breast baked in a covered pan on the stove with cabbage tomatoes and onions with lots of seasoning and a glob of margarine for good taste. That takes about 30-minutes quick and easy.
In the evening I read from my Kindle, so far three books, and I always have a piece of chocolate.
Besides sailing cooking and cleaning during the day I enjoy very much sharing the adventure with you via Sailmail. One of my favorite times during the morning is plotting our position on the paper charts and seeing the progress. I also love reading the emails from Debbie and all of you.
Outside you must keep a watchful eye upon the sea or you will soon be taking a very cold salty shower especially when winds get over 20 kts. I seen one other ship a few days ago on the AIS and it got within 13 NM of my position but other than that there seems to be little traffic out here.
Day-21
Winds are down and this morning pulled myself up the Mizzen Mast to tear the wind generator apart as we were making less than 5kts on fairly smooth seas. I pulled the blades off, a real juggling act on a rolling boat in a bosun’s chair and the one and only nut that fits this wind generator dangling on the end of my allen wrench set in one hand and the big three blade drum in your other and just trying to figure out what the fxxk to do now, as you are swaying back in forth in your bosun’s chair safety strapped to the mast. Next I pull the three screws out of the face plate and pull that off and let it dangle with half the generator in it from the three wires that go to the brains of the thing. I cleaned the slip rings with a scotch pad and noticed a bare wire that could have been the culprit in it not working all the time. A little electrical tape cured that, and I sweat bullets until the whole thing was all screwed and bolted back together again. Of course there is not enough air to turn it now so don’t know if it is fixed yet, but I know for sure “I’m” done working on it.
Pretty soon the wind picks up and the wind generator still does not work. I’m sorry to think it but I’m afraid it is out of the picture for the rest of the voyage.
The Wind Generator on the Mizzen Mast that quit working
I have a lot of time to think and reminisce out here on the ocean and I was thinking about what an old sailing friend of mine once told me, about extending your fuel range with a diesel motor. He had worked at a refining company and swore that you could dilute the diesel with 15% gasoline if you had it and extend your range, and not damage your engine. So being the thinker I am, I wondered if when one of my Rum bottles gets down about 15% if I couldn’t use some of that big old bottle of rubbing alcohol I have in the medicine cabinet to extend my range a bit?
Then I was thinking if my water maker quits working while I still have water should every fourth glass of water that I drink be salt water there by extending my range, or maybe it would just be best to drink the gasoline!
Sorting it all out in the Pacific your Amigo, the Jefe’
PS. Found out the Kirkland alkaline batteries only lasted 3-days before needing to be replaced so those of you that are able to follow me on spot I will only be turning on the spot about every eight hours to send out my position.