Miles sailed last three days=366 nm.
Total miles sailed so far=4,501 nm.
Aprox miles to go=465 nm.
Top speed so far 12.2 kts.
Day-31.
Pos. Lat. 10*41′ N. Long. 167*32′ W.
24hr.Run- 154 nm.
Weather: Wind. 10-15kts. E. Seas= 4-5ft. E. Bar.=1005mb. Cabin Temp.=83*-87*.
The Rest of the Story.
Sailing is going well but the fishing not so hot, but will keep the lure out there during the day time. When fishing after dark sharks are too often hooked up and not much fun to deal with. So far I have not lost any gear to a large marlin that does happen in this area, and what would I do with 1000 lbs. of Marlin. I think if I did get one and got him up to the boat it would be a great photo opt to lower my self over the side from the Mizzen mast in the boson chair and get a shot of me straddling him or more likely with me skewered on his bill.
I look ahead to my arrival in Majuro and wonder what changes have occurred over the past 14-years that I have been away.
I do know the prices have jumped that the Mayors of the outer atolls want to charge for you to visit. I just don’t know how much. Majuro is a crowded little town with like 20,000 people, but lots of fun as I remember. The attraction here is the 200 ft.+ visibility that is normal and the 86* water temperature making snorkeling lots of fun.
Our friends Carye and Karen live here on their boat Seal and run some moorings and provide marine services to cruisers, and Karen is the editor for the local newspaper or at least was 14-years ago, so we have some catching up to do.
All is well onboard as long as you don’t count that little slide I took across the cockpit slamming into the stern pulpit and taking a small chunk out of my arm while attempting to roll in the meat line. The boat slipped of an unusually large steep 10 ft wave and healed suddenly to Port and I looked like “Felix” the cat grabbing at thin air and not slowing down at all until arriving at the stern pulpit. “Ouch”, “Shit”! Oh well another week and I will be all good.
Day-32.
Pos. Lat. 10*35′ N. Long. 169*19′ W.
24hr. Run=125nm.
Weather: Wind. 6-12kts. E. Seas=2-3ft. Bar.=1004mb. Cabin Temp.=83*-87*.
The Rest of the Story.
It was this morning early when I had gone up on deck to do yet another gybe, and I peered over the side into a very early morning dawn and what I seen sent a cold shiver up my spine, there just 30 feet off my port side was a very black 18″-diameter black creosoted piling standing on end bobbing between the surface and protruding out of the water by more than three feet at times. Now I have not seen a vessel or anything else in over a week and now some how I happen to see this “hull-spear” nearly in the dark and up close. I can only say I’m glad the Sailors Run is built like a “tank” and not some thin skinned go fast boat.
Still after my second fish but no “joy” yet.
It was about 4am ad I had been awakened by sails snapping and being unruly up on deck. After just being down for less than an hour I go top sides to asses the situation. It was pretty clear what the problem was, basically the wave action and a very light-light breeze. I watch as the main sail tries to self destruct and no amount of course change or trimming is making one bit of difference.
I decide to go where I have been reluctant to go so far on this voyage and that is haul out the spinnaker and put it up. I fire up the diesel and slowly power along while I drop out the main sail and lash it to the boom, before it destroys itself. Next I role in the Genoa and haul the spinnaker up on deck and lay it out. I’m moving slowly and rethinking each and every move as it has been awhile since popping the chute. Pretty soon I hoist the spinnaker in its sock to the top of the mast and tie the halyard off using the winch that is normally used for the main. I know the main will not be used with the chute as the course is to down wind and the main would just shadow and screw up the spinnaker which is a monster anyhow and needs little help to power Sailors Run in Light airs. The mizzen will be flown with the spinnaker as they work well together.
I hoist the sock the spinnaker fills and sets and now I shut the diesel engine down and once again all is quiet aboard Sailors Run and we are doing 2.5-3.5 kts in a very light breeze that I hope will build some throughout the day.
The forecast is for winds 10 kts or less for the next three days.
After an hour I’m back in my berth recharging my battery.
Listening for things that “go bump” in the night.
The Jefe’
Day-33.
Pos. Lat. 10* 19′ N. Long. 170*42’W.
24hr.Run=87 nm.
Weather wind. 6-8kts. NE. Seas. 1-2ft, NE. Bar.=1004 mb. Cabin temp.=83*-87*
The Rest of the Story.
Sailing going very slow under spinnaker, but atleast we are on the course line. With the chute up and you are down below you can’t even feel the boat is moving making life below decks pleasant.
I’m still fishing but at this speed hold out little hope of catching anything.
With the “Big Mother” up any squall becomes an ominous threat to Sailors Run and crew.
I’m still not feeling 100% so I dive back in the medical bag searching for that magic potion. “Yep” by georg I believe I have found it. I have this one gigantic 400mg pill that is to be a one shot poison pill that will cure Ameiba, a parasite infection. I used one of these on Debbie once and it fixed her right up. Of course that was back in 2001 and I have been dragging this pill around since before then,but when have you ever heard of poison going bad. Wish me luck on this one. This is really no different than de-worming your pet, and I figure if I don’t get this under control I’m going to wear out the bottoms of all my shorts “scooting around” on the deck.
The Jefe’ still scooting across the Pacific.