SailBlog

All Hail to a good sleep!! The winds settled down into a good sailing night, steady... We made northing to 39*S, improving our position for the gale arriving later this afternoon. The morning was blessed with a light rain and an incredible full spectrum, full horizon rainbow...Just breathtaking...OH what a wonderful sense of synchronicity.

I was able to catch water for my breakfast...but that's about all...a good start. The morning emails from overnight, your day if you are in the west world, included one from Bob McDavitt, a famed meteorologist in the world racing forum. I was blessed to meet Bob in 2006 through the then infant organization of OceansWatch, Pacific Guardianship...He generously help me with weather routing from NZ to The Great Cape Horn... Bob is again, generously sponsoring me to do the same for this trip, which will be even more crucial as I have way more 'CAPES' to traverse this time, all in his neck of the woods of expertise.

I will be able to send my position and he will let me know what the best route will be to max my sailing and avoid danger. I will continue to get the GRibs and weather charts so as to be informed at all times, but his veteran experise will bring great comfort to me as I try to get around Taz and S. NZ.

The rolling got the best of my computer ...I managed to break one of the hinges to the screen... I cannot close it and the pin broke so the screen is not totally attached to the hinge. I took the computer back off and could not discover why the hinge is impinged from closing so I will have to now guard it so carefully. I have it taped so the screen doesn't fall back...I am concerned that the wires from the monitor to the computer in the hinge might get damaged.

My phone is a backup as far as communication and email as my phone has the programs to do email and texting as well. But for writing and accessing Grib files, and doing my blog..I need the computer. So.. Onward ho...I will be tiptoeing with the computer until I get home.

I received an email from my oldest brother, Jeff...He is a wise guy and having read the scenerios of my past week with dealing with forecasts changing...and having been an integral part of my entire life, especially as a mentor helping me buy my boat in the beginning allowing me to embark on this new life, following all my travels through the last 5 years, when he sends words of advice to me...I listen.

He identified right away the stresses that all the 'elecronic information' surge was placing on my energy as I am focusing on 'what might be in the future' and reminded me of my original goals, gently suggesting that I allow my sailing to unfold naturally, instead of forced through agonizing over forecasts. It seems in the end, I just keep saiing on anyway. He suggests that the key is for me to make the experience manageable for me, not a rush, not a run for the end, and relax my pace, my concerns, the thinking, and just sail. I am going to survive. Good advice.

Acceptance and Balance: Accepting that it IS going to be hard when it is hard, and creating a balance of use of my energy in the process so that I am not exhausted from trying to manage the future...as much as the sailing in the present.

The weather is vamping up here. The winds are a bit to the SSE so I am struggling with winds a bit close to the nose for 25+ kts and the gusts. I am still making some NE way to get positioned to stay north of the center of the storm as I move east, keeping me in NNE to N winds tomorrow and the next day instead of easterlies on the nose.

I actually am not far from the Island of St Paul and Amsterdam...Bob did some research on these two islands. "Neither is permanently settled, but are home for many of the sea birds you have around your boat. As you approach them, you may see more birds. Both islands purport to be under French control. One of them has about 30 researchers that inhabit the place on occasion. The northern of the two islands is Ile Amsterdam. It is located at: 37* 49�' 33�" S, 77* 33�' 17�" E. It is 6 x 4 miles in area and the highest peak is 1600 ft. It is home to the Amsterdam Albatross. There does not appear to be any harbor or port as it is just a volcanic island.The southern one of the two islands is Ile Saint Paul. It is located at:38* 43�' 48�" S, 77* 31�' 20�" E. It is 2.3 square miles in size and has a interior basin that enters from the east. The channel is a few meters deep and allows for small ships to enter. The basin is 160 feet deep. There are penguins living there, mostly the Northern Rockhopper Penguins. It is also home to the Sooty Albatross, Fairy Prions and seals. The island is about 1000 fe et high. Both of these islands are in the high 30�'s latitude. You said you were considering going a bit north to get warm and calmer conditions. If you venture up to 38 degrees, you may see Ile Saint Paul."

I did see another of the Cape Petrels the other day with its very distinct white patches all across it's wings and their are Albatrosses that are not the typical Atlantic version, with a white body and dark brown wings...there are the GREAT Albatross but also others that are fully gray, smaller. I so so wish I had brought resources along to classify them. I will be keeping an eye out for new varieties...it is a bright blue gale day, full sun with big puffy clouds, a good day for bird watching...well from behind the dodger. Thanks Bob!!!

Through the day, the initial part of the storm came through...very manageable...and now, as the night falls, the winds are already diminishing as I am getting closer to the east boundary of the winds, unfortunately, probably not north enough to stay in real SW winds. I would have had to make it to 36 S to do that...so instead...I am going to have to see what happens over night. So far, I still have plenty of good wind to sail..so I will sail and then sail whatever is ... But going to get to bed and rest early while I still have some steady wind.

Keepin ON Sailin On a Dream.... many thanks to all those who continue to sponsor me monthly though PayPal and in all ways it comes.. prayers and best wishes. From April 09,2007 "Never Never Never Give Up Caring....faith is the realization of our dreams and draws our life to us so even in the doldrums, caring for all we can keeps us in the flow of life".

Fairest of Winds and the Love of the Ocean Only Gratitude Donna

�"Sent from my RedPort Aurora Satellite Terminal http://www.globalmarinenet.com/product/redport-aurora/ www.globalmarinenet.com www.ushuaialogistics.com www.xaxero.com www.transmarinepro.co.nz http://www.mwxc.com Chris Parker weather services www.jamestowndistributors.com www.bellplantation.om (PB2) www.caphorn.com www.marinemotion.com http://sayitright.com www.yoloadventure.com www.islandplanetsails.com www.baconsails.com