July 12, 2010 Broken guy and other (t)issues

[from Bob...]

After that last email, I got seasick. We took the spinnaker down to reach up to a higher pressure isobar. It was a rough night with winds on the beam. We did get higher and set the chute the next morning. It is great fun flying the chute down wind. When the waves line up just right, the boat starts to surf. Normal speed is 8 knots. With a light surf we can get to 10 knots. If I am able to string a few waves together and there is good breeze, we can get to 17 knots. I am still working on 20.

I was a little apprehensive flying the spinnaker at night, but it wasn't too bad. I was just finishing my shift at 10 PM, and Nathan was on deck to take over the helm, when the guy broke. What a mess. In the resulting mayhem the lazy spin sheet flogged off. After getting it all back together, we tried launching again, and the spin sheet wasn't attached, or came off. With the reduced control, I rounded up, and then rounded down. So, finally about an hour later we were going again, and I was able to go to sleep. Nathan did an excellent job driving through the night. We have been trying to get a 240 mile day, but not yet. Maybe today.

We also had a miss function with the head. (Yuck). We thought it was fixed, but it was just filling the holding tank (now that is full). We have had a few creative solutions to this issue. One guy stuck his butt through the lifelines. One guy used a bucket. This morning I stood off the stern and leaned back. There are some "foot steps" in the transom like they were meant for this. It was a little difficult to concentrate on the business at hand, but it could work with a little more practice. And as a benefit, the stern wave gives a little salt water bidet action. The head is now fixed for now, so we will see...

There is much talk on the boat of a shower, but no one has had a real one yet. I leaned over the boat and splashed salt water on my face and hair. It felt good, and the weather is not too cold. (Everyone comes on watch with too much clothes.)

It seems the ice is starting to run out. We will need to eat in the next few days. Tonight we will have lasagna for dinner.

A few nights ago, there was a clear sky for my watch. The stars were incredible. They are so clear, and there are so many of them. The Milkyway galaxy spreads all across the sky from South to North. And there are so many shooting stars, that all your wishes will come true. THey must pay more for the sky out here... I should take my boys to the desert to see a real night sky.

We are 5 days out and have 1184 miles to go to Hawaii. We should be half way tomorrow, and are still trying for more than 240 miles a day. There may be some developing light air ahead, but hopefully we will get through it quickly.

-Bob