Total miles sailed so Far= 407nm.
Miles left to go 4,593 nm.
Top speed =9.1 kts.
Day-1
24hr.run=130 nm.
Pos. Lat. N 18*49′ Long. W 106*98′
Weather: Wind 0-25kts. NW. Sea State-NW-5-8ft. Barometer 1008mb. Cabin Temp=76*
The Rest of the Story:
Departed Barra De Navidad for the Marshall Islands at 8:30 am and with the good blessings of the wind God’s We will hopefully arrive in 33-days. Please remember when I refer to “We” it is the Jefe’ and Sailors Run. So it appears to me that we should arrive on the 33rd or 34th of March. Now as you well know strange things happen on these adventures.
Getting underway on any sail boat takes lots of preparation and there are always those last minute things like taking all anchors off the bow and stowing them below. This helps the bow to ride up better when heading into head winds and steep seas, something that I truly hope not to see much of on this adventure.
I motor sailed out onto the turbid green waters off the coast of Mexico and was not to surprised to see a very large “Green Sea Turtle”.
It was a long 7.5 hrs before I was able to turn the motor off and turn the steering over to the very efficient Monitor wind vane. Soon Our 4-kt speeds were up over 6kts and my world had some all come together once again.
I have decided that one drink a day should serve me well and there shall be no exceptions to that rule unless the “Captain” should deem it necessary and the remainder of the crew were also in agreement.
Good news from the editing department on my up coming book “Patches” the story of the around the world solo via the five great capes. It is totally edited by the first and second editors whom I owe a great deal of gratitude and the book should be available to all by mid summer. I will get out a special email at that time or just check on my blog site at www.sailorsrun.com.
Day-2
24 hr. run=138 nm.
Pos. Lat. 18*23′ N Long. 109*08′ W
Weather: Wind NNW at 7-15kts. Seas-3 ft.NW. Barometer 1011 mb. Cabin Temp-76*
The Rest of the Story.
The winds stay light much of the day then increased over night and all our miles on this day were sailing miles. The conditions are wonderful and the shipping traffic is disappearing thankfully as this weary sailors is thinking about catching a few “winks”.
The seas are now a light blue as we venture deeper into the Pacific. This all brings to mind a wonderful dream I had some 40 -years ago about having a magic carpet and all I had to do was stand on it and it took me where my mind willed it to go. It seems to me that sailing off to foreign lands aboard the Sailors Run is not so very much different.
I had pre-cooked three chicken breasts before putting to sea, just to help keeping me nourished those first three days a little bit easier. I had a chicken salad the first night out then cubed one up and threw it in a pot with some Top Ramon soup and a can of peas that caused it to become so much food it will last for two meals.
I did see one ship on that first night out that came within 3-miles of me and was transmitting no AIS signal and that seemed a little strange. AIS is a collision avoidance system that all ships are to use and many yachts also have the same system, for me it is very comforting.
I awoke at 5-am this morning after 1.5 hrs of sleep and glanced up at the A.I.S. unit and felt comforted to see no ships on the screen. Reluctantly I crawled from my berth and on the way to check the radar screen I was “shocked” to see lights out a port hole on my port side. Sure enough on the radar screen there was a vessel 1.5 miles away and headed towards me. I jumped out into the cockpit and determined that the vessel was a large commercial fishing boat headed at my port beam. I also determined that our courses would take us clear of each other as I was sailing at 6-knots and he was soon to pass astern of me.
Oh heck, I should have just stayed in my berth[wrong] next time it will be much easier to crawl out after that close call.
The only other thing that happened noteworthy on this day was the steering drum for the wind vane broke free of the wheel spokes when two of the three hose clamps that hold it on failed. Soon I had the electronic below decks auto pilot steering and took the wheel below to replace the hose clamps. It wasn’t but twenty minutes later the monitor was back effortlessly steering Sailors Run along her course line using the wind and drawing no energy from the battery banks.
Sleep or not to sleep the Jefe’
Day-3
24hr. Run=139nm.
Pos. Lat. N 17*50′ Long. W 111*25′
Weather: Wind N at 7-15kts. Seas N. at 4 ft. Bar.1010mb. Cabin temp=78*
The Rest of the Story.
The close encounter with the fishing boat last night gave me the perfect opportunity to site in my new radar that thus far has not been done. The 1-5 mile range of the boat made it a perfect target and after about 15-minutes I felt much better about the accuracy of the position of objects that show up on the screen.
This afternoon I started to not feel my energetic self and soon my eyes were watering and I was sneezing with a nose that started leaking like a faucet with a bad seal in it. Normally at sea you will never get sick unless you bring something with you. Oh well, I just have to remember to put an extra wrap on the winch so the lines don’t slip from the stuff leaking from my nose.
My fingers are crossed that by tomorrow Sailors Run will be “hauling ass” and pounding out some serious miles, but for now I’m content just to rest and get well again.
Last night I sailed below the Socorro Islands and had four Boobie Birds take up residence on the bow pulpit for the night. I thought about shooing them off but was afraid then they would land on the top of one of the two masts breaking my wind-x and using me for target practice.
One snotty sailor just hanging in there.