Day-22
24hr.Run=142 NM.
Position-Latitude-34*51’S. Longitude-119*28’W.
Weather-Wind=8-14kts.
Seas=2-4ft.
Cabin Temp.65*-73*. Stratus clouds with some sun breaks.
Bar=1028mb
Day-23
24hr.Run=56 NM.
Position-Latitude 35*1’S. Long.120*11;W.
Weather-Wind 0-10 kts.
Seas=1-2ft.
Cabin temp=67*-73*. The high is on top of us and progress very-very slow.Today was sunny and perfect weather for lounging in the cockpit.
Bar=1028mb.
Day-24
24hr.Run=35NM.
Position- Latitude-36*06’S Long.120*05W.
Weather-Wind ESE at 0-7 kts.
Seas=1ft.Cabin Temp=69*-77* Sunny and warm just no wind.
Bar=1028mb
Total miles sailed so far=3351 nm.
Miles sailed last three days=230NM.
Distance to go to Cape Horn=2456 NM.
Top boat speed so far=9.9kts
The rest of the story.
Day-22
Took some time and looked for things that might needed my attention:
Found a steering line on Monitor wind vane that was ready to let go so just retied a new knot on end of line as I had extra line to work with.
Changed the way my jack lines are ran on deck, took one wrap of line off boom brake so it can be moved a little easier,
Found a couple of real small tears in genoa up where it rolls on to the furler by the feed in devise to the furler tracks, so applied patches there.
Trying to devise schedule as to when I might arrive off the Capes assuming things continue about the same.
Cape Horn- December-12th
Cape of Good Hope January-7th.2016
Cape Llewellyn, Australia February-5th.2016
The 180* Dateline east of New Zealand, February-22nd.2016
Arrival 400 NM west of Chile on the Latitude 48*S where I will be making the turn North to Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador
Arriving April-5th 2016.
You must remember my goal is to do all of this in 150-days so will be hoping to shave 6-days off this final arrival date at the finish line, this will be a real stretch for the Old Sailors Run and crew.
Had a hit on the fishing line when I was winding it in by hand, almost breaking my hand when it was slammed into the stainless steel stern pulpit. I often wondered what that would be like. “Hurts like hell”. At least there are fish and although he did not stay hooked up there is always manyana.
Day-23
Day started very pleasant although wind was down to 10-kts. or less,but sunny and felt warm so spent time out in the cockpit. It was about 1-pm and we hooked a beautiful 15lb.Big Eye Tuna.I got him aboard ok with the gaff in him, but by the time he was finished the cockpit looked like a scene from the
“Chain Saw Massacre”.
I love this variety of tuna as it is much like the yellow fin tuna. When it was all filleted out there were 14-dinners that went in the freezer, extending my meat supply out another two weeks. There is something truly amazing about farming from the sea.
This day is also special as we have arrived at our turning point for the “Horn”. Now all we need is this high to move off of us and we will get headed that way.
Day-24
Absolutely no wind at the start of this day and very trying to sail without wind, seems like lots of work for very little gain.
It won’t be to long and we will be crashing along at good speed with lots of wind. We are headed for the 45*S. to get the wind, that is blowing 45 kts gusting to 60kts with 8-meter seas. We will try to stay on the edge of all that
With glassy seas,and no wind I felt compelled to pull the coupler apart and secure the nut better on the prop shaft. Once I had separated the two halves and slid the shaft back, there was no way to loosen the nut without the socket that fits it. I was here and wanted to be sure this nut would not vibrate off if I needed so mixed up a big glob of Marine-Tex epoxy and filled the coupler with it. I’m pretty sure that nut is not coming off now or possibly “ever”, as a matter of fact I probably don’t even need the 4-bolts that hold the coupler together at this point.”Fixed”
Sometimes the solution is right in front of your face! As it turned out in the case of the Hot water bottles left behind. Since all single handers are hard pressed to overcome adversity, we tend to over accessorize, and there inlay the solution to the cool berth at night problem.
See I figured if I took “Little Penelope” the inflatable doll and filled her with salt water, well the tiny little thing couldn’t weigh over 110 Lbs full. Now,to make things perfect, Debbie and I always carried a “body bag” on board so as no crew would ever be left behind.
I figure slip little Penelope in that black body bag, then lay her out in the sun for 4 -5 hrs maybe with a little wind break, and come bed time she will be one “Hot Little Mama”.
Feeling sleepy and heading to bed, the Jeffe’
Ahhh feels great and fits nicely
Another new bean bag debbie made especially for this trip
Using my pressure cooker for great fast meals