0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 103-104-105

Total miles sailed so far=14,118 NM.
Miles sailed last three days=456 NM.
Miles left to go to Cape Leeuwin=390 NM.
Top Speed so far=14,1kts.

THE REST OF THE STORY

Day-103.
24hr.Run=170NM. Pos. Lat.44*52’S. Long.95*39’E. Weather=Winds Gale35-45+WSW. Seas=15-20Ft.WSW. Bar=1003mb Cabin Temp=53*-55*.

Feeling much better today, and we are sailing with double reefed mizzen and Patches the [Genoa].  Wind and seas are gradually building now blowing 30-40 knots with seas 15-18 feet and Patches had to be furled in and then hoisted the stay sail in place of it.
When I went forward to hoist the stay sail, I was shocked to see the winch handle had been flipped over board, and this is the second locking handle I have lost. I have never lost a handle in all the years of sailing, until this trip, and the reason it’s happening now is the new shallow boots that hold the handles I recently replaced them, and should have realized these were no good.
Now that leaves me with just two handles left, and neither locks in place making them dangerous, because when they pop out of the winches on the mast they can very easily take your teeth out. Sometimes you have to hang on to the handle to keep it in position by the mast, and that will not work with a handle that pops out. For now, I will not leave any more handles in the main mast boot.

Later in the afternoon I found myself hanging over the stern replacing a pulley wheel at the bottom of the wind vane, as the old one was hanging up and chafing the lines.
Day-104
24hr.Run=146NM.Pos. Lat.44*54’S. Long.102*28’E. Weather= Winds 35-40kts WSW. Seas=15-20 WSW.  Bar=1010mb Cabin Temp=55*-57*.

Today we are in the second day of the gale and charging along under staysail alone.
Yesterday when taking a shower, I noticed I have lost some weight, a difficult thing to notice with all the clothes I normally wear. I can’t help but wonder why, as it seems I eat a lot.
To some up my explanation of the weight loss, comes down to three theories I have:

1)     That because I’m cold all the time I find myself shivering at times, and that requires lots of calories to be spent.

2)     The second logical thing is the “Whiskey Shakes”, but without them there would be days where I got no exercise at all.

3)     My third, and possibly the biggest contributor to the weight loss is, being Scared. Like you have heard of people being scared straight, Well, I think just possibly you can be “Scared Skinny”.
Now just think of what a great new sailing term this is, like when you come in from a wild day of sailing on the bay, and someone asks, ”How was the weather out there?” You can simply reply “Scared Skinny”!

Day-105

24hr.Run=140NM. Pos. Lat.45*09’S, Long.105*43E. Weather=Winds WSW30-40kts. Seas 15-20ft. Bar=1012mb

Today is the third day in gale force conditions, and since we are running under stay sail alone requires very little sail handling. The one thing I did have to do was drop the stay sail down and reattach a couple of hanks that were flipped out during a couple of hard pops that that sail endured.

We are pretty accustomed to dealing with such weather, but the only problem is the seas are up pretty good now and it looks like something worse is headed our way, and should arrive in about 36 hrs. so “HANG ON”.
I realize now I should have put an external antenna on the AIS unit, as down here at 45* south the satellite coverage is not so good and occasionally the AIS loses its position setting off a very loud alarm.

Last night while I tried to sleep the alarm was going off every minute and I had to get up to cancel it, after about 15 alarms I shut the FFFEN thing off, then an hour later turned it on only to have the same thing happen again. I must assume I’m in a bad area, and that things should improve as I close on Australia. I did find a way to cancel the alarm for no GPS position and that is fine as it gets the position back within a minute anyhow.
“Scared Skinny” the Jefe’.

 

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 100,101,102

Total Miles sailed so far=13,662 NM

Miles sailed last three days=424 NM

Miles left to go to Cape Leeuwin, Australia=840 NM
Top speed so far=14.1NM

THE REST OF THE STORY:

DAY-100

24hr.Run=137 NM. Position=Lat.46*08’S. Long.89*24’E.  Weather=Wind=W.25-40kts.  Seas=15-20ft. Cabin temp=48*-53*. Bar=1007mb

It seems amazing to me that we have been at sea now for “100-days”.

Today I dropped Main down sailing under staysail alone in 25-35kts. I pulled the radar screen off and opened it up looking for an obvious problem to find that the silicone rubber key pad seal was cracked and allowed indoor water fall to breech the seal, taking out the radar. Mystery solved, and all the time I was thinking it was the fault of my indoor waterfall. I loved this radar unit as it was small and required little power to run and had operated perfectly for over twenty years.
Day-101.

24hr.Run=145 NM. Pos. Lat.45*37’S. Long.92*42’E. Weather=Wind=WNW.15-25kts. Seas=WNW 8-12ft. Cabin Temp=51*-56*. Bar=1004MB

I am now sailing with double reefed mizzen and staysail with squalls about.
I worked over the wind vane changing out a servo rudder line that was showing signs of chafe and I tightened the two bolts at the bottom supports on the vane as they were working loose.
Next I dug way back into the drive unit on the auto pilot, and re soldered the three butt connection splices hoping to get it up and running, but no “joy”. I then pulled the E drive out to the center steering position and adjusted the heading to whatever, but once I turn it on it just retracts and shuts off.  So I’m still looking for bad connection somewhere.
I am feeling somewhat better and it is a little warmer now that we are moving a little to the north.

Last night on the SSB radio I could not hook up to sail mail through Africa, as we are getting to far away from that area, but tonight I was able to get through Australia, although weak, it worked.
Today I opened my sealed container on my last 3.5 dozen eggs to find that the storm managed to break eight of them. They were well packed in there but when one broke the others got moving about.

Day-102

24hr.Run=142 NM Pos. Lat. 44* 52’S. Long.95* 39’E. Weather=Wind=WNW.12-20kts. Seas=8-12 ft.  Cabin Temp 53*59 Bar=1000mb

I have decided that since losing the drogue in the last storm, that in the next one I will drag my “Balls” off the back.

Now let me further explain that I have these Two Fiberglass Fishing Floats about 20 inches in diameter in a weaved line bag that I will shackle to 35 ft. of 3/8″ chain hung on the end of the four hundred feet of line, and I believe they will create a fair amount of drag. They are perhaps the only thing I could put out that would survive.

Sailing the ocean blue, “the Jefe”

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 97,98,99

Total miles sailed so far=13,238 NM.

Total miles sailed last three days=417 NM.

Miles left to go to Cape Leeuwin, Australia=975 NM.

Top speed so far=14.1 kts.
DAY 97  24hr Run=117 NM. Pos.Lat.46*17’S Long.80*15’E Weather=Wind=10-65 knots Bar=994 mb  Seas 18-40+ ft. Cabin temp=51*-53*

DAY 98 24hr.Run=158 NM Pos. Lat.46*55’S Long.83*35’E. Weather=Wind WSW 20-35kts squalls. Seas=15-20ft. 997 mbBar=Cabin Temp= 49*-53*.

Day-99 24hr.Run=142NM. Pos. Lat.46*35’S Long.86*24’E. Weather=Wind=SW-SE 12-20kts. Bar=1005mb Seas=8-20ft.W.
THE REST OF THE STORY:

DAY-97. THE STORM RECAP:

First let me say I never seen this one coming, as it just appeared to be another 30-35 kt day. In reality the 35 knots was just the beginning of a 48 hour battle of survival. Once I had set up the Staysail and mizzen I figured we were ready to handle what was to come our way “Wrong”!!

I became suspicious when I noticed the barometer plummeting down, and the waves were gradually growing larger and One of these waves catapulted Sailors Run ahead at 14.1 kts.

I knew the mizzen must come down, and once out on deck it was obvious the staysail also must be struck, and we would continue along under bare poles alone. It was while I was lashing the staysail on deck that a huge wave broke over the deck, as I hung on and was thoroughly drenched to the core by this one, and later required a complete change of clothing.

We sailed under bare poles for 16.5 hrs. and by this time we were seeing gusts to 65 kts, and sustained winds in the 50+kt range. The waves were becoming monstrous and the top 10 feet was breaking off and rolling down the face of some of these waves.
At one point during the day I looked out upon the sea and swore I was in the mountains, as it appeared that there was snow covered peaks everywhere, with avalanches plummeting down their steep faces.
We had been fairly successful in keeping our stern to the waves, but there are always a few rogue waves that will come in on your beam. One such wave took out one of our solar panels support struts, tearing the bracket from the cap rail.
It was while I was replacing that support that I looked up to see a huge wave break and its coke bottle blue frothing top come charging down upon me, and Sailors Run. I grabbed a life line post and a nearby shroud and just hung on to be drenched for the second time to the bone.

During the Storm Sailors Run was engulfed by more than a dozen large waves. One such wave took away our man overboard pole.  Another one came in over the stern not only filling the cockpit but forcing green water through the louvers on the companion way doors, then hit the two storm boards I had in place, and came up over the top like a waterfall cascading down into the galley and sloshing about 10-gallons of water, about the cabin sole, until I could get it bailed out. The waterfall also bathed our water proof radar unit that has now stopped working. This is yet another big loss.

It was 2:30pm when I deployed our Delta drogue on 400 feet of 5/8 inch nylon rode to slow the boat, as now we were surfing bare poles at over 9-knots. This slowed us to 3-4kts and made things feel more under control. We stayed on the drogue for 15 hrs. It was the next morning that I pulled in the line to find the drogue had failed and all three factory nylon straps that attached it to the swivel had parted and it was gone.
I actually believe I know when it happened; I was writing Debbie, when we were catapulted ahead by yet another huge wave and I saw the speed jump up to 9.1kts, and then noticed several other high speeds shortly thereafter. The total duration of the storm was about 48-hrs.

I truly hope not to encounter another storm like that one any time soon. Over the next few days I hope to get further north for better weather if that’s possible.

DAY-98.

Today we are sailing through many squalls, hoping to get north. It is kind of a lick your wounds day, and I woke up with a sore gland in my neck, and felt chilled, so I started antibiotics as I cannot afford to be sick.I believe I have captured some great film and shots of the voyage, and do plan to produce a video, although not sure what to sell it for until I access the final damages to Sailors Run.

It’s amazing when you do battle with nature how fast she takes away your, electrical and mechanical advantages and it becomes you, and the boat, and your will to survive.

DAY 99

Today we are working through many squalls and making some progress to the north. We are still experiencing 20 ft waves as they refuse to lay down, and the squalls keep breathing life back into them. The really big waves took about 18-hrs to quit breaking and then started subsiding. It seemed amazing to me that running bare poles and towing a drogue we still managed to cover 117 NM.

The gland in my neck is still sore and I feel very sensitive to the cold. I’m pretty sure in a couple of days I will be fine

Getting a little more religious as we go, The Jefe’

 

0 AROUND ALONE UPDATE 2/05/2016

“GOOD NEWS FROM JEFF THIS AM 2/05 THIS IS WHAT HE WROTE ME:

   Now that was one hairy ass ride.The winds died down in the late morning here and at 5:30 am I pulled in the drogue ,only to find it GONE !!
Apparently the three straps that connect it to the swivel failed under the horrific conditions.The four hundred feet of line helped me through the night, If I have another storm i will just drag two of those balls with a piece of chain hooked to them.
Tonight I will sleep well, well pretty good as the radar had died. I turned it on this am and it started to work then faded out, just dead !! that will make my job harder watching for traffic although there shouldn’t be much until Peru.
That storm was unreal at one point I thought I was in the mountains as every where I looked were these big peaks with avalanches cascading down them.
I will try to stay further north until New Zealand where I must go to forty eight
and I’m hoping i don’t catch Pneumonia after what I have been through.
Hugs,your Jefe

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 94.95.96

Total Miles sailed so far=12,820 NM.

Miles sailed last three days=433 NM.

Miles left to go to Cape Leeuwin=1,500 NM.
Top speed so far=New Record=14.1kts
THE REST OF THE STORY:

DAY 94
24hr.Run-147 NM. Position= Lat.46*16’S Long.71*3’E.

Weather= Wind=W 8-25kts. Seas=8-12 ft.W. Cabin Temp=46*49*. Bar=1002mb

Today we find Sailors Run sailing over the top of the Island Kerguelen some 130 NM to the south of us. Kerguelen is a French Possession and geographically a very interesting Island, because of all the amazing amount of waterways and anchorages all around it. The Island is very large some 70 miles by 60 miles, making it much larger than Hawaii. It is volcanic and popped up out of the ocean 35-million years ago, shortly before I got my first boat. The Island has a very harsh environment, with snow and glaciers as well as winds that are clocked at 105-kts regularly every year. Mostly scientists and a few tourists visit each year.

The sailing has been good the last three days but another low will arrive tomorrow.

Also the cargo ship Tokyo Bunker passed 18 miles north of me on this day bound for Australia.

 

Day 95.

24hr.Run=153NM. Position=Lat.46*46’S. Long.75*04’E.

Weather= Wind=20-30kts.NW. Seas=8-15 ft. Bar=994mb Cabin Temp=46*49*

Today A gale approaches and I drop the main and hoist a double reefed mizzen and run the stay sail and we are now sailing pretty well in 30 knots.
I replaced a chafed line on the wind vane and when I went to use the electronic auto pilot it now doesn’t want to work, it appears that it is jammed and kicks it’s breaker like it does when it is hard over and can’t steer. I will have Debbie call on this one and see what she can find out.
Later in the day I popped my last popcorn and enjoyed it very much. I was kicking myself for not bringing more as my crackers are also almost gone. Then I decided to take one more look in the popcorn locker and there at the very bottom I discovered 5- more bags ‘Yahoo’!!

As evening came on so did the storm and this is much worse than predicted. I got soaked getting the mizzen down and the stay sail so I could run under bare poles.

DAY 96

24hr.Run=143NM. Position=Lat.46*51’S. Long.77*41’E.

Weather=Wind=W 50-65Kts.  Seas=20-40+ft   Bar=990mb

The storm rages on and it is sustained 50+knots and gusting 65-knots.

I have gone to the drogue as I was hitting 9 knots bare poles. The drogue a 6 ft. delta slowed the boat to about 3-4 knots and made things seem a little more under control. One large breaking wave took away my man overboard pole, fortunately I had no name on it.                       Another breaking wave tore one of the struts off the solar panels so I improvised another one out of schedule-40-PVC

This is by far the worst storm I have encountered at sea, the waves are getting monstrous at 40+ft. and the wind is screeching and howling and I pray it will let up soon. I see a slight rise in the barometer and pray it keeps moving up.

Hanging in there in the “Big One” The Jefe

 

 

 

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 91-92-93

Total miles sailed so far=12,387 NM.
Miles sailed last three days=437NM.
Miles left to go to cape Leeuwin, Australia=1930NM.
Top speed so far=12.3 kts.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

DAY 91- 24hr Run=125 NM=Pos-Lat. 46*52’S. Long. 61*2’E.

Weather=Wind 5-40+knots N-NW; Seas=15-20 feet NW; Cabin Temp= 47*-52*; Bar=1009mb

Yesterday’s blow continues at a sustained 40-kts. gusting 50-kts. These winds are caused by what is called a squash zone, we are caught between the high pressure area rotating counter clockwise and the low pressure area rotating clockwise, and where they push into each other the isobars become compressed causing the strong winds.

It was about noon when suddenly the winds died from, gusting 50 to about 6kts. Things immediately became chaotic aboard Sailors Run, as she began to roll gunnels to gunnels in the twenty foot seas, with just a staysail up.
I was quick to put the main up to reduce the rolling, and soon regretted my decision, as the popping and banging of the sail appeared to be threatening the rig and sail. I took it for about 15-minutes then put my foulies back on and went top side to drop the main. I no more got out in the cockpit and the wind started to fill in settling the sails down once again.
I’m currently attempting to sail us up in the direction of the Forty-five degree latitude as the last twenty hours of severe winds had forced us down near the forty-eight degree latitude.

DAY 92  24hr.Run=160 NM=Pos- Lat. 45*53’S.  Long. 65*04’E.

Weather=Wind=NW.15-20 knots; Seas=8-12ft; Cabin Temp= 51*56*; Bar=1005mb

One might wonder why our mileage made good doesn’t go up with the high winds.

There are several reasons;

1. Is that you are sailing up and down over the huge waves and not on a straight line course forcing you to go further to get your mileage

2. Is you must err on the side of caution with just how much sail you have up. And in my case with no boom I can’t go to the second reef in the main, so it must come down in over thirty knots

3. The other problem is “Patches”[the genoa]; normally in heavy wind, I would run the staysail with the genoa rolled out about 15-25%, as this works great keeping the sail area forward making sailing off the wind easy to steer, but if I roll Patches out she would just start disintegrating on me immediately.

This is very frustrating for me as it adds days to the Voyage and the time it will take me to get back to Debbie.

Day 93. 24hr.Run=152NM- Pos- Lat. 45*52’S. Long. 68*12’E.

Weather=Wind-NW-SW.6-30 knots =Seas:W-SW.10-15 feet; Bar=1002mb

The sailing today was great and these are my thoughts from the Southern Ocean:

To sail into the Southern Ocean with all its fury and remoteness requires much expertise in many areas, assuming we remove stupidity as an area of expertise.

To circumnavigate in that same ocean will test the” Mettle” of even the best sailor.

You must first accept the possibility that you might not return from such a voyage, or failing to complete such a voyage is not uncommon, and many beloved sailing vessels have been lost in the attempt.
Such a voyage is all encompassing, and you will experience every emotion known to man, as you travel along a very remote route far-far from assistance and loved ones in a most hostile environment. Here in the Southern Ocean you are just a visitor, which becomes engulfed in all that nature sends your way.

There are times you will feel sheer exhilaration, and others that you will question the entire odyssey and most days pass rapidly as you live your sailing life with passion, yet other days will leave you bored and questioning why you ever came.

You see down here there are no distractions to the thoughts that might surface in your mind. Some of these thoughts might be about the “Ice Berg” that you nearly collided with that could have ended your life here on earth as you know it, Or possibly during a 50 knot blow and your rig is under tremendous pressure and it moans and groans, and you wonder what if the mast goes over the side, and you immediately start to work through that scenario in your mind, before you finally ask yourself why fight ghosts that have yet to appear?

My reasoning brings me to believe that the longer you are in such a hostile environment the greater the odds that one of your greatest fears might find you.

“Beating Feet” for the next Cape, The Jefe’

 

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS,88,89,90

 

Total miles sailed so far= 11,950 NM
Miles sailed last three days 364 NM.
Miles left to go to cape Leeuwin, Australia=2220 NM.
Top Speed so far=12.3 knots

THE REST OF THE STORY:

DAY 88.
24hr.Run 111 NM.

Position Latitude 45*50’S. Longitude 53*52’E.

Weather: Wind SW 8-30 knots N   Seas: SW 8-15 feet

Cabin Temp 46*50* Bar: 1022mb

Today was a busy and, mysterious day

After breakfast I looked into a problem I was having getting the auto pilot to engage.

Now of course that evolves pulling lots of gear out to get at it, including the 60lb. CQR anchor.

The fix was easy as the Morse cable had slipped where it was clamped down, and just needed adjustment and tightening.

It is very important to have a back up to the wind vane, like when you must work on wind vane and there is nobody to steer, could be a big problem.

The high is moving over us and the winds are going light, so I roll out “Patches” the Genoa and see another rip in it!!

I pull it off the furler and look it over on deck, finding Three total rips requiring patches. Fortunately, today the winds are light. The seas down and the sun is out.

Things got mysterious as I was sewing on the last patch, suddenly I started hearing what sounded like muffled explosions, and rumbling that went on continuously for several minutes.

I scanned the horizon looking for thunder clouds but there was only blue sky, then I searched the sky for a jet-plane nothing, then the sea for a boat, still nothing. My mind tells me that it was either a volcanic eruption under the sea, although I saw no steam, or possibly an earthquake. The truth is I don’t know what it was.

Now getting back to the Genoa “Patches” I even have composed a song for it and it goes like this;

Patches oh, what should I do?
I swear I’ll always fix you,
Though it may not be right,
I’m coming for you tonight,
Patches, I’ll always need you.

[See you can go “nuts” out here.]

DAY 89.

24hr.Run 122 NM.

Position: Latitude 46*02’S. Longitude 56*31’E.

Weather: Wind N. 6-12 knots  Seas: N. 6-8 feet

Cabin Temp: 48*53*. Bar: 1018mb

Today we sailed in light air that started slowly building over night from the north.

I can’t begin to tell you, how confusing it is when it gets light about 20-minutes earlier every day, and then you are on a Bahia time schedule, it just seems really strange to wake up in the morning when it gets light and realize it’s now 9pm.

The food supplies are holding up well with the exception of the Coke 0=0 now, and there are but 6-onions left, and one apple.

I have tons of food in cans etc. but messed up by not buying a lot of popcorn as I love it and was afraid I might break a tooth eating it. Oh well next time more popcorn.

I hope now to keep radio communication the rest of the way. It is very important, not only to feel connected, but my weather comes to me through Sailmail.

I want to invite all of you and any of your friends that want to travel along on this adventure, to check out our blog site at WWW.SAILORSRUN.COM

Debbie has been posting not only this adventure there but also photos of us living the cruising life style over the past 17-years, so enjoy!

DAY 90

24hr, Run 131NM.

Position: Latitude 47*12’S Longitude 59*12’E.

Weather:  Wind N. 12-40 knots, Gusting 50 knots.  Seas:15-20 feet NW.

Cabin Temp:49*-56* Bar: 1000 mb

Stronger north winds to 40+ knots are coming today and will be on our beam

I want to thank the “gang” at Latitude38*.com for coming along on this voyage and keeping the readers up-dated as to our progress through, that Great Magazine out of San Francisco, California

It’s funny how things work out, like the effects of the failure of the wind generator was cancelled out by the failure of the refrigeration, so maybe two wrongs can make it right.
The three solar panels more than keep up with all our other electrical needs, like, Radar A.I.S., electric auto pilot when needed, lights, vhf radio, single side radio, computers etc.

I have been impressed how well they have done especially the two solar panels that are hung on the one- inch life line rail on either side.

Twice they have been knocked loose of one of their supporting legs but I merely had to put the stainless steel leg back in the socket mounted on the cap rail and tighten the Allen screw that attempts to keep them in place.

Last night like always, I looked forward to crawling into my berth and getting some rest, one of my favorite times of the day.

I had been asleep for about 15-minutes when I smelled something burning. I opened my eyes and the cabin was pitch black, that being strange as normally the A.I.S. illuminates it with a soft light.

I jumped out of my berth and turned on the light. The entire cabin was filled with smoke as we had an electrical fire.

Fortunately, I smelled it when I did as the air was awful, that I had been breathing. I opened up the hatch and aired out the cabin all the time coughing my lungs out.

Luckily the breaker had tripped and there was no ongoing fire. In the darkness I was able to close the breaker back in and seen where the wire was shorted out.

As it turned out this was a 12 volt wire that we no longer used and for some reason the connection on the end of it had shorted out, melting it down to where I could not even recognize where it might go.

Sucking up some fresher air in the Southern Ocean, the Jefe’

 

 

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 85,86,87

Total Miles sailed so far=11,586 nautical miles
Miles sailed last 3-days=404 nautical miles
Miles left to go to Cape Leeuwin, Australia=2640 nm
Top speed so far=12.3 knots

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Day 85
24hr. Run 149NM.

Position: Latitude 45*17’S. Longitude 45*23’E

Weather: Wind 10-40 knots NW.  Seas: 8-15ft.

Cabin Temp=51-55*. Bar: 994mb

Sailing in the Southern Ocean requires staying on top of the ever changing environment.
A typical day aboard Sailors Run involves four to eight sail changes. The reason so many are necessary is the rapidly changing strength of the wind from 10-40+knots.

The weather here in the “Roaring-Forties” brings a deep low to your area every two to three-days, and normally gale force winds or worse.

DAY-86

24hr. Run 140 nautical miles

Position:  Latitude 45*35’S. Longitude 48*36’E.

Weather: Wind=45kts Gusting 55kts.N.  Seas: 18-30ft.NW.

Cabin Temp.53-55. Bar: 984mb

Day-86
Today the low that we have been sailing in has deepened and appears to be moving over top of us as the winds are now 30 knots  and the Sailors Run has just turned up into the wind and an obvious steering problem has come up.

I scramble to get my foulies on and out into the cockpit. Immediately it is obvious what is wrong, as we have that silver looking salmon dragging along behind the boat, which in reality is the servo- rudder of the wind vane. I put the boat on the electronic auto pilot and go below to manufacture a new tube section to get the wind vane going again.

The wind vane does an amazing amount of work steering the boat and is perhaps the most valuable addition ever put on Sailors Run.
Thank God I got the wind vane fixed when I did as now the barometer continues to fall and is reading 984 mb.

The winds are now blowing 45 knots gusting 55 knots the seas are running 20-30 feet and now I’m forced to sail more south than east to keep these huge waves on my stern.

Before I turned more South Sailors Run was being slammed every 20-minutes on the side by breaking waves, and some water was finding its way below. Now that they are on our stern the only thing that happens is the cockpit is filled on a regular basis.
This Gale/storm is one of the worst we have seen on the voyage so far. It stayed on us hard for 18-hrs then the center passed over us after about 1-1/2hrs, and then we rode out the back side of the system.
A storm such as this has amazing amount of rugged beauty, with all the colors of the sea and the white foam of the breakers cascading down the face of the waves.

Although frightening it may be, it also makes you feel so totally alive, and you find yourself just staring at these amazing forces in action for hours.

DAY 87

24hr. Run 115 nautical miles

Position: Latitude 45*44’S. Longitude 51*16’E.

Weather: Wind SW 8-35kts.  Seas: 15-20ft.

Cabin Temp.46-55* Bar=1010mb

“Today is very special day as we have arrived at the half way point of our circumnavigation!! Yea!!”

Well, at least mileage wise I believe this to be half-way, time wise could be different as no two days sailing are the same.

All things considered this should put me across the finish line at Bahia Caraquez on or about the 22nd of April,2016.  I will have also celebrated my 70th birthday on the 17th of April. Of course the real party will be in Bahia with Debbie and friends.
Aging along the way, the Jefe’

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 82,83,84

Total miles sailed so far 11182 Nautical Miles
Miles sailed last three days 401 Nautical Miles
Miles to go to Cape Leeuwin, Australia 3,050 NM.
Top speed so far 12.3 knots

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Day-82

24hr.Run 135 NM.

Position: 44*58 S. Longitude: 36*14’E.

Weather: Wind SW.12-35 knots

Seas: 8-15ft.

Cabin Temp: 53-57*.
Bar: 1006 millibars

Today was one of those days, where many sail changes had to be made and in the end we were under staysail alone in 35+knots

Wow!! 82-days Totally Alone, not another sole to lay eyes upon, this all seems pretty strange.

I’m definitely a prisoner of this voyage, and Thank God it is by my own doing.

I must admit the sunny days are my favorite as it is warmer and the Ocean that we are sailing upon looks so much more beautiful.

The radio is still not hooking up to Sailmail, and I just hope friends and family understand, things are fine aboard Sailors Run.

I search the radio for news but all I get is African news, and that is a whole new level of depressing info

Day-83.

24 hr.Run 138NM.

Position: Latitude 45*01’S. Longitude 39*16’E.

Weather: Wind 12-22kts SW-NW.

Seas: 6-12ft.

Cabin Temp: 49-55*
Bar: 998 millibars
It appears that I’m about 4-days from the half way point mileage wise.

I’m sailing as hard and fast as I can with the vulnerable Genoa sail, which I only fly all the way out in winds of less than 17 knots

The weather has not been very severe the last few days, “knock on wood”[my head].

The boat is going to need lots of TLC wants we make Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador.

Today we sailed over the top of Prince Edward Islands about 90-miles to the south of us; there are only two Islands there and they are quite small.

Day-84.
24hr.Run 128NM.

Position: Latitude 44*56’S. Longitude 42*07’E.

It seems I’m finding a rhythm with the Southern Ocean.

I had originally planned to sail across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at 48*-latitude, but it seems to be more productive at 45*-latitude.

The winds and cold fronts seem less violent, and the temperature is about 10-degrees warmer.
Another system of when to add or reduce sail has evolved.

I now use the 30-minute rule when I think a sail change is needed, because if I don’t wait 50% of the time the choice is wrong. Of course if you are pounced upon by a huge squall there is no waiting to reduce the sail and take the load on the rig.

During this day I watched the barometer plummeted from 998 to 992 then rebound to 1004 mb, all within 24 hrs and all the winds became very strong when they switched from NW to SW, and once again we sailed along under staysail alone with winds gusting 40 knots for some 13-hrs.

Trying to get there your amigo, the Jefe’

 

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS 79,80,81

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’