Richard
Wed May 5 13:01:00 EDT 2010

If anyone knows a source of information about where the Gulf Stream is now (the center and width vary), or where it is forecast to be, please post a comment (blog comments are forwarded to me at sea now) or email me via the blog (my normal email address does not get to me at sea).

I thought this information was part of the (USA) National Weather Service High Seas Forecast, but I don't see it there now. Possibly Herb Hilgenberg mentions it on his broadcasts (12353kHz at 2000 UTC, I think), but I haven't been able to pick those up yet.

I am looking for something that preferably describes in words (ie, lat/lon) the current position of the Gulf Stream, or, if nothing else, a small (50kB or less) picture showing it.

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Richard
Wed May 5 12:01:00 EDT 2010, Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil

Aboard a Maceió ferryboat, Issuma is in the background. Only one oar is used to propel the boat. The motion of the oar takes a while to learn (I spent about twenty minutes learning, at the end of which was just able to move the boat along slowly), and is hard to describe in words. Rowing is always done standing up, to be able to put more force into it. Note the cigarette in his left hand--he has been doing this for years, so he is able to smoke and row at the same time :).

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Richard
Tue May 4 12:01:00 EDT 2010, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil

Sturdy wooden rowboats like this one are used to ferry people, ice, fish and supplies to and from the fishing boats moored in Maceió harbor. Note the notch in the transom (back of the boat) where the oar goes--only one oar is used to row these boats.

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Richard
Mon May 3 10:01:00 EDT 2010, Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil

Maceio, mainly known for its beautiful beaches, had a colorful harbor. The harbor is mostly full of small fishing boats, but also has tankers and cruise ships docking in it.

The sail on the right is on a traditional type of boat, still used for fishing today, called a jangada. More about these later.

I am a long way from Maceio, still enjoying the good winds of the stationary front I am near.

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Richard
Sun May 2 10:01:00 EDT 2010

Got some very welcome wind the last couple of days, passing thru a stationary front. The wind is getting lighter today, but it was very nice to sail quickly for a change.

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Richard
Fri Apr 30 10:01:00 EDT 2010

Rather than describe again that the winds are still light, I thought I'd mention some details of Issuma's lifting keel. Lifting keels are not common, but are somewhat popular on offshore and expedition-type sailboats. At the price of additional complexity (and cost), they allow the boat to motor into shallow water when the keel is up, and to keep the ballast (weight) low when sailing (when the keel is down) so it can still sail well.

Here is Yann's picture of the keel before being installed in the boat. The keel weighs 4.5 tons and also carries up to 600 litres of fuel.

On the lower left is the pin on which the keel pivots when raising and lowering. The upper left corner is the top of the keel (or the top aft corner of the keel when the keel is lowered all the way). The square shiny things are pieces of zinc, welded onto the steel keel to prevent corrosion.

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Richard
Tue Apr 27 10:01:00 EDT 2010

I've had mostly light winds for the last several days, hot, sunny skies, and seas like this.

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Richard
Mon Apr 26 10:01:00 EDT 2010

This is a picture from about when I was crossing the Equator, and what seemed like one hundred dolphins swam by the boat. Some stayed as long as an hour, playing nearby. I've never seen so many dolphins together before.

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Richard
Sun Apr 25 0:01:00 EDT 2010

The Trade Winds have been great, gentle to moderate breezes from behind, pushing the boat along pleasantly. Today the Trade Winds got tired and decided to rest, so the seas are calm and I am doing a bit of motoring.

Comments [1]

Richard
Sat Apr 24 10:00:00 EDT 2010, Cajaiba, Baia de Camamu, Brazil

House in Cajaiba, on the corner of the main road and road to the highway.

To answer George's comment, no, I have not seen any sign of the Amazon's discharge...no trees, branches, dirt, etc.

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