Day 15 more of the same.
24 April 2011 | Out on the ocean
Bill Hudson
More of the same out here. Getting knocked around all the time with the winds from the Northeast and the swells from the North. We had winds up to 34 knots during the night and they are keeping steady in the high teens to low 20's ever since. We still have up jut a reefed main and our forestaysail and still are making great time having done 143 miles in the last 24 hours. That puts us up to 1866 miles total. We're on a course of about 260 and should hit the 06N 130W coordinates that our weather router wants us to get to before we head south about sundown today. So we'll change course and make for the equator. Not sure how many more days till we get there. Maybe three more. Guess we will find out when we gybe. We're currently at 06 57.14N 129 18.58W doing anywhere from 5.5 to 7+ depending on the swells that pass under us. Some are so high that when we are in the valley between them, all you see is a wall of water. Then Zephyr rides up the side of the swell and we are on top of a mountain of water. At least for a few seconds. This goes on all day and all night. Weather continues to be decent. The boats that went faster than us have run into far more squalls than we have. So far, only one big one and one small one so that's not too bad. I guess we will be getting more the closer we get to the equator. Snowshoe has wedged himself in behind our nav computer and the SSB radio so he's at a better angle when the swells roll through. Blue is up in her throne. She came outside last night and promptly went under a tarp that Tracy had bungied to the stern deck. We'd opened the hatch on the stern to try and get some fresh air into the stern berth so sleeping would be better. Well. Blue saw the hatch was open and just jumped on the screen and went right on going straight into the cabin. We've closed off the stern cabin to the kids just incase they get mad at us and start leaving us little presents in the berth. With so may miles to go, we don't want to have a berth that is unsleepable due to an unpleasant aroma if you get the jist of my words.
Most of the boats that left with us have already crossed the equator but that's alright. We will get there in our own time. No real reason to rush as long as we keep doing what we are doing and stay safe while we are doing it.
Tracy's two cents: One day blends into the next, not much going on different. Last night I heard a "BANG", I knew exactly what it was...the replacement block on the boom vang exploded again. It was a lighter block than the first one, so I knew it was only a matter of time before it went too. So, on the deck it stayed until this morning. We took the block totally out of the equation and attached the Spectra line that Brion Toss and Gordon, the riggers, put on. Shortened the line and reattached all, we see if this holds together, I hope so, not sure what else to do at this point. Going without isn't a viable option, the vang is what holds the boom down on a downwind run like we've been on for weeks now.
Bill made water earlier, we we have more than enough.
Lunch was a really simple affair, a tortilla with a slice of deli ham, cut up cheddar cheese, a small slice of tomato (our last one), chopped up cabbage with oregano, salt, pepper and a stripe of mayonnaise. I say a stripe because the Mexican mayo comes in pouches with a nozzle to squeeze the product out, really handy all in all and it takes up lots less space in the refrigerator. I think for dinner we will be having Waldorf salad and use up a couple of the apples we have in the bilge storage. That won't be too difficult to put together whilst being tossed back and forth.