SailBlog

Vessel Name: Inspired Insanity
Vessel Make/Model: Southern Cross 28
Hailing Port: Virgin Islands
Extra: First American Woman to Solo Sail Nonstop Around the World
Home Page: www.donnalange.com
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10 July 2016 | Bristol RI
15 June 2016 | 35 00'N:75 05'W, Another wild few days ahead... deja vu.
13 June 2016 | 30 00'N:79 35'W, in the Gulf Stream off Jacksonville Fl
01 June 2016 | 41 24'N:71 25'W, Just arriving in Lake Worth... leaving again tomorrow in my car back to RI
29 May 2016 | 41 24'N:71 25'W, Bristol RI: Herreshoff Museum Dock
26 May 2016 | 41 24'N:71 25'W, a day to tidy up...
25 May 2016 | 40 54'N:71 52'W, starry night sky, farewell dance for now...
25 May 2016 | 40 28'N:72 30'W, ?? Arrival to bay tomorrow afternoon: 2 days to events
25 May 2016 | 40 28'N:72 30'W, ?? Arrival to bay tomorrow afternoon: 2 days to events
24 May 2016 | 39 47'N:73 16'W, 4 days to arrival..incredible to imagine...
23 May 2016 | 39 11'N:74 00'W, 4 days to arrival..incredible to imagine...
22 May 2016 | 38 10'N:73 30-'W, 4 days to arrival..incredible to imagine...
21 May 2016 | 36 37'N:74 03'W, 5 days to arrive... made 157nm yesterday..only 300nm to go
21 May 2016 | 36 37'N:74 03'W, 5 days to arrive... made 157nm yesterday..only 300nm to go
20 May 2016 | 35 15'N:74 45'W, 6 days to arriving!!!
20 May 2016 | 34 27'N:75 19'W, 7 days to arriving!!!
18 May 2016 | 32 12'N:77 32'W, 8 days to my arrival... keep an eye on the tracker!!
17 May 2016 | 30 26'N:79 01'W, 9 days to my arrival... keep an eye on the tracker!!
16 May 2016 | 27 45'N:79 48'W, 11 days to my arrival... keep an eye on the tracker!!
16 May 2016 | 26 'N:79 48'W, 11 days to my arrival... keep an eye on the tracker!!
Recent Blog Posts
10 July 2016 | Bristol RI

Journeying On

The summer has barely begun in Rhode Island and the mornings already seem to be cool, almost a scent of autumn air… How is that possible? There is so much to do. Each day seems to begin and end with a sense of having been floating on air, my feet barely touching the ground. “What is it like now, [...]

15 June 2016 | 35 00'N:75 05'W, Another wild few days ahead... deja vu.

Passing Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras!!!

There was no warning�... the day touting varying winds from the SE to SW, the sails trimmed in and let back out over and over to keep us moving as fast as we could, the engine called upon when we weren�'t moving fast enough. I was making breakfast when Bob went up on deck responding to a sound�... next [...]

13 June 2016 | 30 00'N:79 35'W, in the Gulf Stream off Jacksonville Fl

Offshore once more: SV Calyspo is heading north!

It seems endless, the need to keep pressing, keep moving, from one point to another, the whole world of details needing to be dealt with upon returning after so long offshore, after having completely detached from the world system. Yet, there is a dream state that wants to believe I would not reattach�... [...]

01 June 2016 | 41 24'N:71 25'W, Just arriving in Lake Worth... leaving again tomorrow in my car back to RI

the MISSING BLOGS: are coming

Hang in there... I am enroute to Florida to get my car... a busy week. I am getting the 'missing blogs' going. I just realized that I didn't write any blog the days I was knocked down...though Bob did an incredible job of keeping you updated and with the details...He was totally accurate and you all [...]

29 May 2016 | 41 24'N:71 25'W, Bristol RI: Herreshoff Museum Dock

Magnificent Welcome Home

PHOTO: after knockdowns at Cape Horn and heading for Panama WATCH FOR NEW BLOGS : FROM FEB.14- MAR 28�... HANDWRITTEN UNDERWAY AFTER MY COMPUTER BROKE, TO BE TRANSCRIBED AND POSTED OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS�... STAY TUNED!!!

Yes, I finally got the rain

11 September 2015 | 08 30'N:18 30'W, ITC Zone for REAL now, Squallsville
Donna
Yes, I finally got the rain ITC Zone for REAL now, Squallsville

Yes, I finally got the rain...and it was all night from 2300 to 0600 fine tuning ways to catch it. First thing I had to do was slow the boat right down otherwise the rain blows off the sail. I already had the boat reefed down as I was becalmed, which is normal, right before the squall �'hit�'. I even turned sideways, on the beam to make sure the water would be caught in the sail. At one point, when the wind kicked up�...I went more downwind.

So I ended up with a good catch where the boom meets the mast. I was able to use the reef line to lift the aft end of the boom up and with the reefs in the sail, the water was lead forward to a bucket I had on the mast. This water is the nicest�...clear and clean.

Then I plugged the scupper and used a dingy bilge pump in the scupper and got 'lots' of water there...not perfectly clear but good enough. Definitely potable. I was able to pump it right into my bladder tank (Thanks Scott Brockmeyer) that we have hooked up to a deck fill.

So at that point I was all full except the buckets themselves from last night. I have smaller 5 gallon jugs that I filled and a 2 gallon. But I was absolutely exhausted by morn between sails and water. Interesting that the rain is moderate, not a real downpour so it takes a good while to collect the water. Luckily the squall line was big enough and I wasn�'t really sailing anywhere.

I finally got the boat on a course of 150* and went below�... had some breakfast and tea�...but then the Sargasso weed became wild�...huge areas of dense deep weeds. Literally hundreds of feet and in long lines. When we would hit a batch, the boat would slow down to a hush just sliding through the deep weeds, barely making headway. I thought I remembered reading something about a dense weed issue thhis year. JOan Conover was able to get the details. I wil get in touch with the group. .there is a Sargasso Weed Commission studing the tremendous growth of the weed as it impacts the caribbean.

The steering vane rudder couldn�'t handle that at all�...of course. It kept breaking away. So all morning I spent hung over backwards off the stern cleaning it off and putting it back on�...absurd thng to be doing. finally I had to do something about it�...it wasn�'t staying on at all anymore.

I had been mentally working on a fix for the rudder for a while as it has been coming off too easy. I already did a fix after talking to Yves Gelinas, the creator of the vane. But it wasn�'t working still..so I got out the drill and hopefully placed a bolt thru at a point where it will prevent the vane shaft from kicking out of place and falling off (of course I have a lanyard to it so it can�'t �'really�' fall off and away).

Drilling stainless is hard and I don�'t have a punch so the bit had a hard time digging in..So the holes aren�'t exactly where I wanted them�...So far, the older teak rudder has stayed on really well since the fx. I will try the newer one when I get a chance. The rudder has been a concern as when I am in heavy seas and big swells, the rudder can�'t just come off. So I am feeling much better it. I had to do the fix anyway. But today??

This afternoon, I got some more rain�...and here I sit, night two�...becalmed in the middle of a squall waiting for all heaven to break loose. Actually, the wind has come up�...it seems to be steady so the main squall may be past and the rain stopped. I have got to get some rest but could be another all-nighter...All dayer... all nighter...just all ways.

So�...finally things are put away and cleaned up. I had a nice chicken soup for dinner earlier. I am not making a lot of headway south as the winds are from the SW or SE. It could take me a while to get past this Zone and the squalls. It is always a trying place. It was odd that this time I was so set on needing water that I was looking for squalls. But then again, I have never been offshore for nine months�...a long time to store water for. And this has been a strangely dry sail. There is really no rain seen in the rest of the S Atlantic still.

OK�...I am off to try to lay down�...I hope everything just settles down.

Keepin On Sailin On a Dream�... and doing the next thing that has to be done. The ocean is like a three year old, Tantrums, squalls, but so beautiful and whimsical that you can�'t but love her.

Fairest of winds and the love of the oceans Only Gratitude, Donna
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