SailBlog

Good Evening, This morning began the second week of my trip, a monumental step, not in days but in my progress toward making the adjustment to being at sea. Over the last seven days, there has been a sampling of weather, sorting out of details of navigating and getting weather, and there has been the initial round of failures, breakages, and unforseen issues that result any time a sailboat has been in the yard and is now setting out. I can't count the number of times over this week that I have ravished my mind looking for the items that 'used' to be somewhere, should be somewhere, or I realize may not have made it back on board. It has been a daily discovery of the thngs I took for granted and will now have to manage to deal with for nine months. I regret not having bought higher quality flashlights and other items that when I look at what I have, it is obvious that the quality will probably not hold out that long...so. Not that I don't have redundancy...I can use the larger light that is rechargable...but we all know how much we love our headlamps.

Today I did not get on the computer in the morning. I had finally workked out how to get the surface analysis charts that I wanted over the Aurora email. I still will try to get them by SSB, yet there may be an interittent failure with the SSB that is part of my trouble using the radio. Again, I brought a second radio, but as my mind's eye considers the installation, I realized that I may not have enough copper flashing for the ground. For now I am still managing to check in with nets etc with the radio I have. I can get the charts I need for weather. This morning I woke feeling that relief of knowing those items were resolved.

AFter last nights wallowing, the wind did fill in and from midnight on, I enjoyed a pleasant sail, making good headway, calm seas, and a bit of real rest. That too may have added to my sense of settling in. The anticipation of gales, resolutions to information needs were all behind... Now it is time to make my ship a home.

The 'today's challenge list' had been growing each day, but instead of putting hand to tools to fix things, i was mentally engineering the fixes and stlll on the computer working through details. Today it was as if a switch was turned on. Today I would go to work. The day opened to some squall lines but then to a good sailing day and minimal seas.

Finally, I turned to the task of getting the batteries (80+lbs a piece) out of my icebox which is where they live, so that i could repair the shelf. It is amazing to me what I manage to pull off when the moment comes and I need to be strong and move heavy thngs in tight quarters. But somehow I was able to get enough advantage with positioning to get the batteries up out of the hole and onto the cockpit seat...I found the shelf broken in half. The cleats that had held it were broken as well. I had already gathererd up all the wood pieces on board that I havea saved just for uses like this. i would have enough. I managed to have a piece of plywood Bob had already cut and coated with epoxy for the aft lazarette...It would be cut down and fit well enough. I headed out with the hack saw (because my 'real saw' just didn't make it back on board...ugh), which did the trick to cut the board shorter. I have a battery powered drill. Cleats were installed. I screwed the board in place. T hen the challenge of getting that batteries back into their home. During the transfer of the first battery, it managed to slip from the ladder and took a tumble all the way into salon. I pray they don't break...AGMs...should be ok. I lugged it up one step at a time and finally it made its way back into place.Then the second one. I had labeled all the wires when I took them off so it was in no time at all that the power was back up and running on board. I figured that I was so impressed with myself that I would take the rest of the day off,...but

ONce that was done, the nagging need to rework the hanging closet I had made started to tug at me and I got out the sewing kit. I cut 20 short pieces of 1/8' line. I planned to sew the line to the front closure corners and then to the bottom corner of the next shelf so that I could then tie the covers closed. Just a few bloodied fingers, sore joints, and a couple of hours later, the closet was back in place and the fix is going to work. It is an amazing amount of storage space that comes in handy for clothes for nine months.

So...now the sun has set and I am too tired to make a 'spooge'. I cook up my favorite oatmeal with sweetened dried ginger and a little protein powder. Yum Yum.

It just finished cooking and a sound on the deck refused to let me ignore it....It was new and i had to check it out. As I popped my head around the dodger, I saw it right away. A part of the rigging had come lose. All I could think was that it was good timing as it was pretty benign and nothing broke. But I got the tools and fittings I needed and went at putting it back together. i took all the cotter pins i needed as well to finish tuning the rig and get the pins in. An hour later, and warm porridge waiting....

Here I sit. ... It feels great to be free from the computer issues and getting through the first round of things that need to be addressed on the boat. It seems that it takes a couple of weeks for most of the important things that are going to break to do so, then I learn how to manage without those things.

During my first half the world sail in 2005, by the end of the first month I had two short wave radios die, the alternator on the engine quit making power, and found out the refillable lighter I bought takes a different bottle of butane to refill ( can you imagine if I had to go to shore for matches?). I actually went around the boat and counted the matches I had...5 a day? I should get there on that...but I did find a sole lighter in a pocket somewhere that saved the day. My wind generator supplied my power. the satellite phone I had been donated would let me text and my ground crew volunteered to fill in the gaps with texts from Bouy weather and to allow me to share my position. I worked. Once the first round of things broke, we all found a way for me to manage.

So this time, I have so mcuh more experience and there are lots more gadgets on board, though it doesn't include a GPS...

Today was the beginning of my real training...why I chose to solo nonstop this time. I wanted time to develop a new way of being amidst an environment that would be challenging. ( LIke right now while the sails are flogging in low winds, banging) I know I can sail the world nonstop, so this is it.

This morning I was visited by two solo birds. One was a dark brown with striking white and black lines around its neck. I sensed my father visiting. He passed away at 60 of cardiac disease. Before he died, he and my mother took two charters on Traditional tall ships, The R;oseway and I don't recall the other right now. They also did a cruise to Alaska. Though we did't go to the ocean as chiildren often, I know my father is jealous of my life on the sea...so he comes. The while bird must be Stu Kahn. He sponsored my first solo sail and then passed away a few years ago...Last time he was on the other end of my satellite phone texting daily. this time he won't have to bother with the texts...His spirit and wisdom will come to me as often as I listen to hear them.

Keepin On Sailin on a Dream...doing the hard work and basking in the company, the sea herself. Sleep well, my friends Donna