Solo
but not Alone! ![]()
Newsletter
6: 12 December
2007
Day:
4
Position: 22:51.900N
24:53.207W
Approx Miles from San
Sebastion: 562
Approx Miles to go to Road
Town: 2256
Note:
All times are GMT time, and will be for the whole trip.
Hello Friends, and Supporters,
I
guess if you have been following my emails, you may have guessed it was going to
happen...capitulation...finally accepting that I am on Solone for two to three
weeks, with nowhere to go, nobody to talk to and just ocean around....not even a
moon at night either! Well it all happened last night, and I started today with
a new sense of freedom, peace and joy about being out here. Yes, it happened as
clear as that! I have had this happen before, and its probably a well
known human behavioural thing....longing for the comforts etc I had, rather than
embracing the freedom and peace of being out here....and then one day it
all clicks into place.
I
am sure there are other things that help the process, like a good night of no
problems and just routine hourly wake ups, great sailing conditions, sensing the
REAL tradewinds are right in my grasp now...etc. Doesn't really matter....all
the maters is I started the day fired up about life, my adventure, and the tasks
of the day ahead. Part of waking up like that means a whole lot of tasks get
generated.....more below!
Progress
has improved, with a better mileage day yesterday. I have this huge mental
barrier to overcome..... As you will see I am currently heading quite
south, rather than taking the direct virtually westerly course to Road Town. The
plan was to go to 20N 30W and then head west to Road Town. Well the wind
conditions I have been in the past day have meant I would have had a 'perfect
course' , and shortest distance, if I just filed the go south plan and head
west. My weather files tell me that would be a bad move as I would not be far
enough south to get REALLY into the tradewinds, and there would be potential
calm patches ahead associated with the huge high pressure. Its been very
tempting to take the short cut but discipline prevails, and after checking out
the weather files I received this morning, I have decided that I don't need to
go down to 20N before going west but 22N will be sufficient. So that's
where IO am now going as fast as I can....22N. On my present course
that should be about 10pm tonight....then wooophee, turn west and I should have
great sailing conditions...tighter reach angle so Solone should really enjoy
it! We all know about should haves, would haves and could
haves!!!!!
With
the probability of stronger winds ahead I decided to go up the mast again
first thing today. Conditions were not ideal, with the boat doing 8 knots and
rolling in the sea a bit. Well with capitulation behind me and a feeling of I
can do anything now, I went ahead. Took me a while as I had to adjust the
electrical connection which had come loose, but when I left the top of the mast,
the light was working again. I even took a few photos from the point 'the
furtherest point' I can go to from my bed for the next few weeks! These
conditions were still pleasant from what may have to be anticipated, but it
still really takes it out of the fifty year old me! I came back to terra
firma (sort of!) with my legs shaking and arms feeling like they had a serious
gym work out!
View form the top of the mast
The
blue 'thing' is my knee!
I
mentioned the moon above.... It's been really disappointing as there hasn't been
one since I set off, and yesterday I saw the first sliver of a new moon for two
hours in the early evening and then it set! Roll on the black
nights...!
In
yesterday's newsletter I mentioned dealing with the boredom...... Well its a
funny thing , not really boredom, just waiting for action, but not really
knowing in what form it will appear! When one thinks through the range of
things that could happen the level of relaxation reduces further!
Yesterday for example, the autopilot JUST seized...for no reason other than I
saw it had slightly unscrewed itself and as I tightened it back up it all
stopped working. A few hours later, with the help of the spare I then have the
problem solved and all working again. Set to challenge one...!! So
actually I REALLY wish I was bored with ABSOLUTELY nothing to do but sun
bath! We know that's not true, as we all know we need a healthy level of
stress to stay animated and motivated! I feel like I am at that point
now...hence the list of tasks for the day I produced.
One
of the tasks was to clean the inside of the boat, as started looking very 'boy
like'! So, being the woman onboard, I called up STORM, instructing
her to clean the place up...! Well, being the new age 'chick' she is,
she replied saying that's not why she is on the boat, and I must do it
myself! So that I did.... but I always knowing when it gets down to
cleaning the boat on a long trip, its a good sign that one is feeling at home
and relaxed....even the chore was therapeutic!. I'll get Storm
back!
Another
task was setting up a fishing line! My depth meter showed a depth of 2.8
metres last night...reminded me that there are fish out here, and big ones too,
so maybe a 'one that didn't get away' story soon!
Also
got BBC going, and listened to the news...two new bombings I see... Algiers and
Beruit......oh for the peace of the world at sea! Listened to an interesting
debate of Freedom of Speech! I wish my girlfriend had listened
too!
Ohh...
An important milestone last night.... I crossed the Tropic of Cancer. Second
time this year on my own steam.... One by yacht and one by bicycle!
I
am told that I was right in the middle of the rowing fleet, but haven't
seen one yet. This Ocean is a big place!
Lastly,
I feel excitement as I can almost see the REAL trade winds ahead...the winds
that will take me to the Caribbean at good speeds I hope!
Till tomorrow.....hope it continues this good.....and you take
care
Howard
