Solo
but not Alone! ![]()
Newsletter
5: 11 December
2007
Day:
3
Position: 24:14.939N
22:40.918W
Approx Miles from San
Sebastion: 376
Approx Miles to go to Road
Town: 2442
Note:
All times are GMT time, and will be for the whole trip.
Hello Friends, and Supporters,
Well
another 24hrs of sailing behind me......wonder what you have done in those
24hrs?? I've 'JUST' been on Solone, working, eating and
sleeping...ohh a bit of reading too! And all around me is just wide open
Atlantic Ocean... I can feel the peace of being out here returning...a few more
days yet!
Progress
yesterday was still not where I wanted it to be, as I was hoping to be having
200mile plus days. Yesterday was another 150- ish. The issue really is that the
wind is quite variable in strength, but coming virtually direct from behind
where I want to go! Sounds perfect, but those sailors of you will know
that this is not the easiest point of sailing and definitely not the fastest.
Solone is also not designed to sail well dead downwind, so I have to 'tack'
downwind, which means I do much more distance, and I have to do a manouvre
called a gybe every couple of hours. Anyway no complaints the miles are moving
by, and i could be a rower averaging 70 miles a day for the fast ones, and 25
miles aday for the slow ones!!!
I
should be in the rower fleet already, so maybe see one or two..that would be
fun! They do pose a hazard for me at night, as I can't see ethem and they
can't see me with radar, and I sleep quite a bit!! I'll just rely on a good
lookout each night.
WEll
yesterday I decided to go up the mast to fix the navigation light. Well my
planning let me down......halfway up I realised I hadn't swithed the light on in
the cabin, so I would not be able to test it!!! Hmmm...I could have kicked
myself as I had r'eminded myself to remind myself', but got caught up in the
moment of deciding to climb the mast! I had a new bulb, so decided to just
try my best and iif it needs another trip up the mast I'll just have to pay for
my mistake! The moment of truth came at sunset when i switched the light
on, and ....hey no light came on.....so disappointingly I'll be up again in the
next day or so!!
I
needed the navigation light last night as I had a ship bearing down quite close
on me at about 1am in the morning. I had rigged up my emergency navigation
lights and thought it a good idea I commisiion them for an hour while the ship
passed. All went well, as I gybed out of her path and showed her my new green
starboard light! The problem is that these run off torch
battteries!!
Soon
after that I had my next 'event'....the turning block for the mainsheet,
attached at the mast base, parted ways and I spent the next hour making
repairs....All good again!
Eating...well
after mymast climb yesterday I was ravenous, and ended up eating all my potato
salad in one day, plus, plus.....! The hanging 'Jamon' is probably the
best idea for solo sailing food I have come up with yet.....When I feel like
some tasty protein, I just go up front with a sharp knife and slice a few
delicious pieces straight off the bone...Not very sophisticated but real yummy,
and convenient!!
Got
greta news from Ruth yesterday, that she has 'decided to give herself a
Christmas present and travel to Tortola on the 26th December to (hopefully)
meet me. News like this definitely perks one up when 'you are out here on your
own'!!
I
am now going through the 'dealing with the boredom' phase. I know it all too
well, and within a few days I'll be relaxed and accepted my situation!! The goal
of sailing alone across the Altlantic is still the paramount driving force and
keeps me focused everyday.
Otherwise
all well...
Till tomorrow.....take care
Howard
