It must be because we are getting mid way between stations, but reception to Sailmail masts is becoming very difficult. We have been transmitting through Panama up to now; however, HPPM2 has been uncontactable for 2 days. Mahini on the Tuomotos is the next station west, a long way and too many people trying to use it (one user only at a time). Last night I just managed to get through via Honolulu! Hence I give you a 2 day update in one.
Day 11 and 12 have been fairly routine, if any day is routine. Spectacular sunrises are becoming the norm - we are still waiting for a really good sunset. Sun during the morning, then cloud, bringing more wind and big seas. The moon is ever increasing in size and dominated the night sky from 8pm until 4-5am. The big chop sends us one way then the other, causing the main and the headsail to flap and bang (technical terms!). Still maintaining a direct course to Hiva Oa (266*) with headsail on the port pole - goosewinged, or wing-on-wing as I have seen it described. We had a slow nights over Friday and Saturday, so the daily totals were down to 157 and 160. Some other shipping activity - one AIS contact, commercial vessel Southern Harmony passed within 30 miles at night, too far to see any lights. Pork steaks, and another beef stew, made for wholesome eating at supper time.
We are approaching the 2000 completed, 1000 to go mark soon, likely tomorrow lunchtime and sundowners. Will keep you posted - subject to clear airwaves!!
Sunday, 17 April 2016
Day 10: Thu 14th April - 08*52'S, 114*33'W (Midnight) Mid Way - Yeehaa!
Big seas are dominating our world at the moment. We are being rolled around by a big swell coming from the south, we know not why. The winds have been steady at 15-20 knots from the E/SE, and our daily mileage is still excellent (175nm today). Consequently, it's difficult to get a good sleep in the stern cabin as it suffers most from the turbulence of the swell. The 3/3/2/2 hour watch is still working for us, with catch-up time during the day when it suits.
The big news today is crossing the half way point. We captured the 1525 mile on camera at 1.35pm today, that's 9 days and 1.5 hours since leaving Galapagos. An average of 7.01 knots!! If ....... if we can maintain that average, we are due to arrive lunchtime on the 23rd, St George's Day! Those who have arrived in the Marquesas recently talk of light winds as they approached, so if the average slows we still have a good chance of being there by Tuesday 26th April, that's the 3 week point. That will be absolutely fantastic.
I haven't described how our provisioning has been panning out. The huge (I mean humungous) bunch of bananas have ripened far quicker than we could eat them. They suffered on the first night hanging in the gantry and bouncing around. That took care of a 1/4 of them. We have steadily eaten through another 1/4. We have discarded those going rotten (another 1/4), and we are desperately trying to do justice to the remaining 25! Red and green cabbage seem to be surviving the elements, as are the potatoes. Meat in the freezer has been just delicious, great cuts from fairly primitive butchers counters in the Santa Cruz market. We are 1/3 through our drinking water supply, and tonic and ginger supplies are holding up fine!
Washing day today, and sun plenteous enough to hang clothes out to dry. Cake baking, yes lime drizzle cake though without the icing (no icing sugar for love nor money in Galapagos). Tea at 3 just couldn't get any better. For supper, beef stew and mashed potatoes cooked, for the first time, in the new pressure cooker. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth.
If the seas could moderate just a tiny bit, we could live here.
The big news today is crossing the half way point. We captured the 1525 mile on camera at 1.35pm today, that's 9 days and 1.5 hours since leaving Galapagos. An average of 7.01 knots!! If ....... if we can maintain that average, we are due to arrive lunchtime on the 23rd, St George's Day! Those who have arrived in the Marquesas recently talk of light winds as they approached, so if the average slows we still have a good chance of being there by Tuesday 26th April, that's the 3 week point. That will be absolutely fantastic.
I haven't described how our provisioning has been panning out. The huge (I mean humungous) bunch of bananas have ripened far quicker than we could eat them. They suffered on the first night hanging in the gantry and bouncing around. That took care of a 1/4 of them. We have steadily eaten through another 1/4. We have discarded those going rotten (another 1/4), and we are desperately trying to do justice to the remaining 25! Red and green cabbage seem to be surviving the elements, as are the potatoes. Meat in the freezer has been just delicious, great cuts from fairly primitive butchers counters in the Santa Cruz market. We are 1/3 through our drinking water supply, and tonic and ginger supplies are holding up fine!
Washing day today, and sun plenteous enough to hang clothes out to dry. Cake baking, yes lime drizzle cake though without the icing (no icing sugar for love nor money in Galapagos). Tea at 3 just couldn't get any better. For supper, beef stew and mashed potatoes cooked, for the first time, in the new pressure cooker. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth.
If the seas could moderate just a tiny bit, we could live here.
Friday, 15 April 2016
Day 9: Wed 13th April - 08*59'S, 111*37'W (Midnight) Washing Machine Day
An unusual morning today. To put it into context, allow me to try to describe our sailing conditions, for we have now adopted a sailing rig which has endured unaltered for about 24 hours:
The wind is steady at around 18-25 knots. It's a SE blow, sometimes directly from the east, and we are sailing almost directly west, so the wind is coming from behind us, slightly over our left shoulders. With our main sail on the starboard side, right out, and the headsail on the opposite side (port side, left), we have a 'catch the wind' effect in the sails. It's not the fastest point of sail but pretty good. There are 2 disadvantages: first, you have to have a good helmsman, because if you go off course a bit, everything starts to fall apart. Luckily we have James (the autopilot) who is doing a sterling job (and we are training Aunty Marg, who's not quite their yet, or more precisely, she is but we're not yet!). The second is that the motion of the boat is like corkscrewing through the water, a little roll and a little pitch, mostly in harmony so it's reasonable but occasionally a big wave will knock us off tune, and Laros will pitch, or roll, or pitch and roll off the back of the wave. So we have pitch, and rock and roll, with plenty of drive. Elvis would be pleased.
Now, enter the washing machine. Shall we say 65 kgs in weight? Put into a locker back in 2014 which housed the water heater (25 litre size, so not big) and the back end of the HF radio equipment, something the size of a car CD payer on steroids. It was a tight squeeze to say the least. And, although Johnny did not fit it, he did all the planning work, so luckily knows where everything is and how it goes.
Let's put all this together. The problem (the dodging circuit, from yesterday) is, almost certainly (??), a damp connection at the point of supply to the washing machine and water heater (on the same switch) so that when you switch on, the RCD blows (the thing that registers there's something wrong in the circuit). And, as you know or perhaps have guessed, the connection is underneath the washing machine. So it has to come out of the locker, all 65 kgs of it - in this rock and roll effect. Luckily not at night! So there is J, stripped down to almost nothing with the sun blaring in through the hatch, not even with the consolation of gloves as the locker fit is too tight, ready for the fight. And ........ it couldn't have been easier ..... until the point he realised the washing machine needed to go on the floor, not just resting on the toilet seat. It was too late to wish he had put shoes on, as with one lurch at the wrong time, it could be blood on the carpet and broken toes. And would it fit on the floor anyway? It did, and J did it. The wiring I suppose was the easy bit. Not sure exactly what was wrong - a number of candidates, but easily fixed once the hard grind was over. Oh, did anybody remind J he had to put the whole thing back in again?
As if a bit-part in today's activity, Deb made pau pau chutney and a great cottage pie with peas for supper. It was the most brilliant sunrise of any yet, possibly even the first sunrise we've seen since our departure from the Galapagos, because of cloud. And the sun and the stars were all very welcome in their turn. A great Day 9.
The wind is steady at around 18-25 knots. It's a SE blow, sometimes directly from the east, and we are sailing almost directly west, so the wind is coming from behind us, slightly over our left shoulders. With our main sail on the starboard side, right out, and the headsail on the opposite side (port side, left), we have a 'catch the wind' effect in the sails. It's not the fastest point of sail but pretty good. There are 2 disadvantages: first, you have to have a good helmsman, because if you go off course a bit, everything starts to fall apart. Luckily we have James (the autopilot) who is doing a sterling job (and we are training Aunty Marg, who's not quite their yet, or more precisely, she is but we're not yet!). The second is that the motion of the boat is like corkscrewing through the water, a little roll and a little pitch, mostly in harmony so it's reasonable but occasionally a big wave will knock us off tune, and Laros will pitch, or roll, or pitch and roll off the back of the wave. So we have pitch, and rock and roll, with plenty of drive. Elvis would be pleased.
Now, enter the washing machine. Shall we say 65 kgs in weight? Put into a locker back in 2014 which housed the water heater (25 litre size, so not big) and the back end of the HF radio equipment, something the size of a car CD payer on steroids. It was a tight squeeze to say the least. And, although Johnny did not fit it, he did all the planning work, so luckily knows where everything is and how it goes.
Let's put all this together. The problem (the dodging circuit, from yesterday) is, almost certainly (??), a damp connection at the point of supply to the washing machine and water heater (on the same switch) so that when you switch on, the RCD blows (the thing that registers there's something wrong in the circuit). And, as you know or perhaps have guessed, the connection is underneath the washing machine. So it has to come out of the locker, all 65 kgs of it - in this rock and roll effect. Luckily not at night! So there is J, stripped down to almost nothing with the sun blaring in through the hatch, not even with the consolation of gloves as the locker fit is too tight, ready for the fight. And ........ it couldn't have been easier ..... until the point he realised the washing machine needed to go on the floor, not just resting on the toilet seat. It was too late to wish he had put shoes on, as with one lurch at the wrong time, it could be blood on the carpet and broken toes. And would it fit on the floor anyway? It did, and J did it. The wiring I suppose was the easy bit. Not sure exactly what was wrong - a number of candidates, but easily fixed once the hard grind was over. Oh, did anybody remind J he had to put the whole thing back in again?
As if a bit-part in today's activity, Deb made pau pau chutney and a great cottage pie with peas for supper. It was the most brilliant sunrise of any yet, possibly even the first sunrise we've seen since our departure from the Galapagos, because of cloud. And the sun and the stars were all very welcome in their turn. A great Day 9.
Day 8: Tue 12th April - 09*15'S, 108*49'W (Midnight) Time Zone Change
We have, at last, found on board time zones of the Pacific. Instead of 2.5 hours difference between Galapagos and the Marquesas, it is 4!! So we had better get on with a bit of time changing. Plus, sundowners at 6pm now isn't sundowners anymore. Bit of a giveaway really, I guess. So we went for a double hour in the afternoon, 3pm became 2pm. And, as if by magic, we were sipping our G&T and W&G as the sun was going down. Now we have to decide when to do the next 3 changes. The last one can be as we arrive, of course, so at least another 2. Maybe at 1750 miles and 2250 miles complete. Or maybe we just let the sun dictate!
Today was fairly routine. The wind has been blowing hard early this morning, but moderated enough to fill out the full head sail. We are still heading slightly south of west until we reach around the 9*S latitude (which we have done by midnight), and then we will head west and probably a little north of west. A big of a zig-zag pattern tomorrow perhaps, depending on how the headsail flies on the pole, out to port. Johnny cooked his rather superb spag bol (haven't had this for ...... oh ........ 5 days!). Enough left over to make something for tomorrow's supper, maybe cottage pie and peas. There seems to be a short-circuit of the water heater switch which came to light today when everything being run by the generator closed down. This is going to be painful, as I know the electrical connection is under the washing machine, in the tightest fitting locker you have ever seen. And, the w/m is not light! A joy for tomorrow. But essential as dirty clothes are beginning to pile up. One just cannot hand wash.
Lunchtime today marked our first full week. We are incredibly pleased that we have had good wind, for the most part, all the way through Week 1. The forecast looks reasonably settled for about the same in the next 3-4 days. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Today was fairly routine. The wind has been blowing hard early this morning, but moderated enough to fill out the full head sail. We are still heading slightly south of west until we reach around the 9*S latitude (which we have done by midnight), and then we will head west and probably a little north of west. A big of a zig-zag pattern tomorrow perhaps, depending on how the headsail flies on the pole, out to port. Johnny cooked his rather superb spag bol (haven't had this for ...... oh ........ 5 days!). Enough left over to make something for tomorrow's supper, maybe cottage pie and peas. There seems to be a short-circuit of the water heater switch which came to light today when everything being run by the generator closed down. This is going to be painful, as I know the electrical connection is under the washing machine, in the tightest fitting locker you have ever seen. And, the w/m is not light! A joy for tomorrow. But essential as dirty clothes are beginning to pile up. One just cannot hand wash.
Lunchtime today marked our first full week. We are incredibly pleased that we have had good wind, for the most part, all the way through Week 1. The forecast looks reasonably settled for about the same in the next 3-4 days. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
Day 7: Mon 11th April - 08*44'S, 105*57'W (Midnight) Day of Thirds (One Third/Two Thirds)
Today we crossed the 1000 miles completed line, at midday (give or take a few minutes). We were pleased as the last 24 hours had been ups and downs in the rain squalls. We have been communicating with others crossing the Pacific on the Pan Pacific net at 7am. Lots of sailing boats are sitting in the rain clouds with little wind, so we have been luckier having traveled sufficiently south to miss the worst of it. It is reassuring to hear the voices of others also crossing this huge expanse of ocean! One third down.
And two thirds to go. We have set the GPS to a waypoint at Hiva Oa, our port of entry in the Marquesas Islands. It registered 1999 miles to go just at 6pm as the sundowners were coming up into the cockpit. Timing is everything, they say, and today's could not have been better. Our weather has improved markedly, with sunshine and white billowy clouds, The characteristic SE Trades puff balls have yet to return. The grib file forecast looks good for moderate SE winds for the next 4-5 days at least. At some point tomorrow we shall head more west as we within 60 miles of the same latitude as Hiva Oa. And, more importantly, the paper chart on the chart table only reaches down to 11*s so we have to head west to stay on our paper world (aaahhh......that's why the early navigators thought they would fall of the edge of the world!!).
We are slowly eating into our provisions, though some, like the fresh bananas, are going to go out before we have the chance to do them justice. We are still enjoying baguettes from Santa Cruz supermarket which have kept well in the fridge. This evening we enjoyed a simple fried chicken dish with potato and salad - Deb needed her salad. Tomorrow, onto beef, I think, with a pau pau chutney freshly made, provided the weather will allow a stable enough platform to cook chutney!
I leave you with today's mileage - another cracking 174 nm.
And two thirds to go. We have set the GPS to a waypoint at Hiva Oa, our port of entry in the Marquesas Islands. It registered 1999 miles to go just at 6pm as the sundowners were coming up into the cockpit. Timing is everything, they say, and today's could not have been better. Our weather has improved markedly, with sunshine and white billowy clouds, The characteristic SE Trades puff balls have yet to return. The grib file forecast looks good for moderate SE winds for the next 4-5 days at least. At some point tomorrow we shall head more west as we within 60 miles of the same latitude as Hiva Oa. And, more importantly, the paper chart on the chart table only reaches down to 11*s so we have to head west to stay on our paper world (aaahhh......that's why the early navigators thought they would fall of the edge of the world!!).
We are slowly eating into our provisions, though some, like the fresh bananas, are going to go out before we have the chance to do them justice. We are still enjoying baguettes from Santa Cruz supermarket which have kept well in the fridge. This evening we enjoyed a simple fried chicken dish with potato and salad - Deb needed her salad. Tomorrow, onto beef, I think, with a pau pau chutney freshly made, provided the weather will allow a stable enough platform to cook chutney!
I leave you with today's mileage - another cracking 174 nm.
Monday, 11 April 2016
Day 6: Sun 10th April - 07*49'S, 103*13'W (Midnight) Our First Wind Hole
A night of strong wind found us down to 2 reefs in both the main and the head sail, and still romping along at 7 knots. We now had more west in the course, bobbing between 255-265*, still with Aunty Marg steering. We decided to put James back in control as Aunty Marg hadn't fully settled into her rightly place yet - more tweeking required. Not his fault, but soon the dark rain clouds we have been trying to avoid for the last few days rolled down on us from the north. Torrential rain, and a complete reversal of winds: now from the N to NW and variable in strength, sometimes down to 5 knots. By late afternoon, it was distinctly miserable to look outside our enclosed environment. By sun-downers, and Deb's first sniff of the strong stuff in her ginger this evening - things looking up, the wind had died. So, in search of better wind, we engaged the main engine (hasn't a name), and headed slightly further south, using precious diesel to get away from the rain clouds. At midnight ...........
Culinary delights are beginning to emanate from the galley. Some benefits of little wind! From a stable cooker came a magnificent creamy Parmesan chicken ...... dish, with butterfly pasta. Fantastic. Nothing left for tomorrow's lunch. And then into night routine, waiting for the wind!
We changed the card in our Navionics today, from Central America to Aus/NZ/Pacific. Seemed like the thing to do. Almost seems as if we are there, already. One pitfall: we lost our trip from Galapagos having to switch of the chart plotters. Never mind, we have the record of where we were, just a matter of resetting the trip at the 1000 nm point, and adding 1000 to the display. We ought to reach it sometime around midday tomorrow - one of THE milestones. And breaking 2000 nm to go can't be far behind that.
Culinary delights are beginning to emanate from the galley. Some benefits of little wind! From a stable cooker came a magnificent creamy Parmesan chicken ...... dish, with butterfly pasta. Fantastic. Nothing left for tomorrow's lunch. And then into night routine, waiting for the wind!
We changed the card in our Navionics today, from Central America to Aus/NZ/Pacific. Seemed like the thing to do. Almost seems as if we are there, already. One pitfall: we lost our trip from Galapagos having to switch of the chart plotters. Never mind, we have the record of where we were, just a matter of resetting the trip at the 1000 nm point, and adding 1000 to the display. We ought to reach it sometime around midday tomorrow - one of THE milestones. And breaking 2000 nm to go can't be far behind that.
Day 5: Sat 9th April - 06*52'S, 100*55'W (Midnight) Seems like it's drying up!
In all events, today has seemed to be a much better day. We have had quite some sunshine, marked by the solar panels pumping lots of amps (or should it be watts?) into the batteries. Fridge and freezer are now down to proper temperature, something that alluded us on the Atlantic crossing trip. Shower day today, by choice rather than restriction of water. Our tanks are pretty full, so it's a matter of wanting a shower, or will the brush go through the hair anymore? Adventure in the galley must wait until at least tomorrow, as the ride is still too bumpy for Deb, and Johnny has to rev up to culinary delights. Nevertheless, we enjoyed mashed potatoe (again, perfect) and salad nicoise, egg perfectly boiled. Sailing has been dominated by the SEasterlies on a beam reach, achieving over 7.5 knots/hour (178 nm today). By tomorrow morning we should have reached 7*30'S, which marks the southern edge of the rain storm belt. Then we can turn a bit more west. The Marquesas should then be something like 265* heading.
So, Aunty Marg. She was Johnny's elderly aunt who died in 2015. She was bright as a button to the end, let you know which way she was going, always in a quiet, thoughtful, calm and very precise way. We felt she would be an ideal guide across oceans. So, Aunty Marg is with now. She performed superbly for the whole day. Easy to engage her, once remote cord and pulley deployed, and her pins pulled out (not quite sure where that analogy lies), and steady as she goes all day and all night. A little hesitant either side of the intended course unless the boat is truly balanced, but without power consumption, and without murmur of dissent, and won't click off unbeknownst. A true rock. Oh, sorry ....... Aunty Marg is the Hydrovane wind vane steering gear.
Night watches needed tweeking, as witnessed by J's nodding head as Deb came on watch at 3am. Let's try that 3,3,2,2 hour routine we talked about, shall we?! A passing commercial ship, thank goodness on AIS (Auto ID Sys), and brilliant lightning way off in the north were the only events of the night. Goodnight Day 5. Good morning Day 6.
So, Aunty Marg. She was Johnny's elderly aunt who died in 2015. She was bright as a button to the end, let you know which way she was going, always in a quiet, thoughtful, calm and very precise way. We felt she would be an ideal guide across oceans. So, Aunty Marg is with now. She performed superbly for the whole day. Easy to engage her, once remote cord and pulley deployed, and her pins pulled out (not quite sure where that analogy lies), and steady as she goes all day and all night. A little hesitant either side of the intended course unless the boat is truly balanced, but without power consumption, and without murmur of dissent, and won't click off unbeknownst. A true rock. Oh, sorry ....... Aunty Marg is the Hydrovane wind vane steering gear.
Night watches needed tweeking, as witnessed by J's nodding head as Deb came on watch at 3am. Let's try that 3,3,2,2 hour routine we talked about, shall we?! A passing commercial ship, thank goodness on AIS (Auto ID Sys), and brilliant lightning way off in the north were the only events of the night. Goodnight Day 5. Good morning Day 6.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)