04/23/2007, 2373 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 05deg 14'S 134deg 24'W
I finally got out of those nasty squalls and found the southeast trades. They are not as strong as the northeast trades but I am not complaining, the boat is moving along quite nicely at 5.2 knots and the swell is comfortable. Last night the wind went flat so I had to motor for 12 hours. Let's hope it keeps blowing all the way to the Marquesas, another 390 miles.
Landfall is likely on Friday April 27 in the morning, either at Hiva Oa or Fatu Hiva. I will decide as I get closer. The fishing has been lousy and I do not see many birds. I think it will improve as I get closer to shallow water. All else onboard is well. The frozen food is gone so now I am eating canned stuff. Could use a nice tuna about now. I think I'll put out another line.
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04/22/2007, 2263 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 03deg 43'S 133deg 15'W
The good news is that I finally got the wind I was waiting for, and lots of it. The bad news is that it is coming in small parcels accompanied by torrential, horizontal rain, some lightening and confused seas. I have been passing through these squalls for the past 18 hours and had little sleep last night but feeling well today. Sand Dollar, of course, is no worse for wear and keeps plunging on. After I pass through the present system, the radar shows no squalls for at least the next 24 miles. I could use the break.
The lightening is what concerns me the most. I put one of the GPS units in the oven for electrical protection in case the boat gets zapped. If that fails and I lose all electronics, I will be doing a crash course in sextant navigation so that I can shoot the sun and stars just like in the old days.
My noon-to-noon distance for today is an unimpressive 98 miles for an average speed of 4.1 kts. There is enough fuel for another 12 hours of motoring and that's all. The Marquesas lie about 500 miles to the southwest and I am looking at arriving in the next 5 days, around the 27th. All else onboard is well.
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04/21/2007, 2165 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 02deg 21'S 132deg 19'W
Here's the routine: motor along at 5 knots because there is no wind; 8 knots from the east so put up the light air sails; rain squall ahead so take down the light air sails and put up the jib; rain squall passes bringing good wind for half an hour; back to 8 knots from the east so put up the light air sails; no wind so take sails down and run motor. Repeat the above until tired and ready for a nap.
As I write this the boat is only doing 1 knot. That is bad enough but the 1 knot is in the wrong direction! My diesel supply is dwindling so I am now using the motor sparingly. I should be thankful. There is a boat several hundred miles behind me that has had an engine failure and has been drifting around for 7 days. They have plenty of food and water but are getting frustrated. The weather guru says this should all change by Monday.
My distance for today is 113 miles for an average speed of 4.7 kts. I'll be lucky if I make 80 miles tomorrow. All else is well. I am working my way through the 14000 songs on my Ipod. Maybe I will make some popcorn and watch a video.
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04/20/2007, 2052 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 00deg 39'S 131deg 38'W
Shortly after midnight this morning I crossed the equator for the first time by boat and was elevated from the lowly status of "pollywog" to that of "shellback" but not without some small ceremony and tribute to King Neptune. Custom has it that one must offer him a wee dram of the most expensive libation onboard. Some contend that it can be filtered through the kidneys but I took no chances and threw my offering of Grand Marnier into the deep blue. Then I opened a bottle of cheap Mexican champagne and toasted Neptune and my good fortune.
The wind has been on and off. Yesterday I could only manage 5 hours under sail. Today I am hoping to better that and am off to a good start. My noon-to-noon distance for today is 116 mi. for an average speed of 4.8 kts. At present the wind is fair and the sea is calm making for very comfortable sailing. All else onboard is well.
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04/19/2007, 1936 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 020eg 56'N 130deg 37'W
Early this morning I found some wind, not much but enough to move the boat. After 2.8 days of almost non-stop motoring, 6 kts of wind from the east was most welcome although boat speed is less than 4 kts. I hope it keeps up. Fuel consumption has been less than expected because of low operating speed and a very favorable "South Equatorial Current" pushing west. If necessary, I could motor for another 2 days.
Last evening on the radio I spoke to a man from Pitcairn Island, the famous settlement of the Bounty mutineers. I declined to discuss his lineage. He told me that I was exactly due north of him and that he could see my lights. I grabbed my binocs and sure enough there it was, 1500 miles due south, a high craggy rock, just like I remember reading about when I was 12.
My daily distance is 111 mi. for and average speed of 4.6 kts. All is well onboard and I hope to "cross the line" (equator) before sunrise tomorrow.
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04/18/2007, 1825 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas at 02deg 31'N 129deg 46'W
There is not much wind, maybe 5 kts or 10 kts after a squall passes. Even then it lasts less than an hour. I have been motoring all but 3 of the past 24 hrs. There is enough diesel for another 46 hrs or about 200 mi. I hope that gets me out of the doldrums. If not, Sand Dollar will bob like a cork until the wind comes.
Under the best of circumstances I could be in Hiva Oa, Marquesas by April 26. More likely it will be the 28th. What's the hurry?
My noon-to-noon distance for today is 109 miles for an average speed of 4.5 kts. The water temperature is 83 while the cabin air is 84. The relative humidity is 80%. The boat motion is very comfortable and I am able to work on some maintenance projects.
I ate my last apple - should have brought more (Granny Smith). There are plenty of limes and lots of cabbage so I am not worried about scurvy.
All else onboard is well.
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