35 05N 51 49 W Heading 115 deg. 7.0 Kts
Pipedream
Mon 15 Jun 2009 19:05
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We are about 1100 miles from Horta, Azores and just
north of the middle of no where. Saw another sail boat on the horizon this
morning. We must be doing something right as we eventually pulled away
from him. Everyone is sitting in the cockpit, but even though we are
getting further to the north, it is still pretty toasty up there during the day
in the sun. We made 180 nautical miles yesterday for an average speed of
7.5 knots. Did 175 today with a little less wind.
Spotting lots of wild life. There are about
three different types of birds that seem to appear from no where and skim the
water looking for food. A larger brown and white one was following
Pipedream's wake and landing on the water repeatedly. Another smaller one
with a tail like a P3 circles the boat like it is going to land and never
does. A third is small like a sparrow or large bat and never seems to slow
down. So what is so unusual about a bird... we are about 500 miles from
anything they can really land on.
We had two flying fish land on the boat so
far. They are about three inches long and look like a rather large sardine
with wings swept back to their tails. I was cooking breakfast for everyone
this morning and spotted a dolphin pod through the side window. You could
here them squeaking pretty easily. Chris thinks he saw a shark along side
a few minutes ago. Lots of Portugese Men-O-War. We are doing between
6 and 7 kts too fast to catch fish but not hungry enough for fresh meat to slow
down.
People are asking why we don't write more? I
am down below at the galley table. We are healed between 10 and 15 degrees
to port and bouncing up and down with each wave crest. Remember those
following seas everyone was whishing us? We got em! Maybe 7 to
8 feet.
We have been sailing for about three weeks now and
stuff has started to break. Before we left George showed me this great
invention called a coffee press. So to save space we left all the bulky
coffee pots behind. The press broke yesterday. The boom vange block
let loose today. Popped the pin at the end of one of the Schaeffer
blocks. We were able to fit a spare. Our main can opener will not
open cans anymore. We had to resort to one of George's Swiss army specials
to get into the cans of stew we made yeast. I think I already talked about
the steering sprocket chain. We found the spare part this morning
and made a permanent repair. "If anything is going to happen it'll
happen out there!", Captain Ron...
I am having trouble raising the weather guy on
the radio. Lots of static and we are getting further and further
away. After listening to him telling other boats to say below 36
degrees north latitude to avoid a gale that
is forming, we have been heading due east for the last day or so and are having
a wonderful sail. I have also had to change my ham e-mail station to St
Johns, VI from Shreveport, LA. I suppose when we get closer to Europe
I'll need to change again. The satellite phone is still bullet
proof.
This is still better than a good day at work!
Just different opportunities to encounter. This has gone on too
long. Later.
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