Day 81 – Log Unserviceable

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 4 Mar 2022 13:09
Noon Position: 41 53.2 S 000 39.1 W
Course: ESE Speed: 6.5 knots
Wind: NW, F5 Sea: moderate
Swell: NW 2 m
Weather: overcast with occasional sunny patches, mild
Day’s Run: 160 nm

The wind has remained a steady force 5-6 from the NW over the last 24 hours and we have continued running wing-on-wing, the wind off the port quarter, with two reefs in the main and 60% jib. The log (the device that measures speed through the water and distance travelled) stopped working yesterday afternoon so I have used the GPS figure for the day’s run. I was a little surprised to see that we have covered 160nm for the nautical day (noon to noon) because it doesn’t feel like we have been travelling at an average of 6.7 knots. Likely we have picked up a little current as we have moved south.
I suspect the log, which is also the depth sounder, has died because its internal battery has gone flat. It is one of these stupid devices that while it can be powered by an external supply, which it is, if its internal battery dies than the whole device dies. And unfortunately they are of course special batteries that are unique to the device (and expensive) so I can’t just change them out. However, I do have an old fashioned trailing log on board which requires no power stowed under the quarter berth (in fact I have two) so I will break that out later this afternoon, and I also have an old style depth sounder as a back up (not such a critical piece of equipment for this voyage).
The NW breeze is pushing us slowly back south again but that is fine as the weather system appears to be dominated by big high pressure systems to our north which, if we stayed north, would likely make for light and contrary winds. Also this S'ly route will follow more closely the great circle route to Amsterdam Island which, while it looks like a curve on the ubiquitous Mercator projection, is actually the shortest distance between two points on the earth’s surface (for the benefit of the non-nautical readers). A front is forecast to overtake us late tomorrow which will have the winds freshening further, and probably veering more into the NNW before backing into the SW. After the front passes through my plan is to gybe and head due east or slightly north of east.
All is well.