Poseidon read a book. It was a signing Time one, so he is very familiar with the words...I am an instructor and Laralei watches them endlessly if you let her. We dance around and sing the songs. Anyhow, it is simple sentences, but he did it. All by himself. :) He also started adding and subtracting thanks to some good games on his tablet. Though, now he steals Laralei's tablet and her coloring program and she takes his math program. She is either lucky, learning, or about 70% accurate...or some combination of all.
We saw another merchant heading who knows where the night before. Either we are too boring or they are too asleep to talk to us. And, we have seen three Transpac boats. They were all still pretty close to each other, so too close to call...only two days out anyway. But, best of luck to Pipe Dreams who was kind enough to meet us on Channel 10 so that we could ask why all the boats. For some reason, I have Transpac down as a fall thing. That would be the Newport to Ensenada. Oh well, I can't always be right no matter how much I hope to.
I am getting the laundry prepped...linens are going in bags to go to the coin machines at the marina after I kick everyone off. Hopefully, I will only have to do one round of loads with enough washers. I think I have about 5 loads of our clothes so that will be a two day process non-stop in the Splendide. But, I can handle that. It's seen worse. Ah, to a clean boat in 72 hours.
That is it for today. Oh, and we are under 300nm!! I am writing this one on the day, instead of the next as: a. Poseidon READ! :) and b. This will probably be our last HF out before we are pierside. I will keep writing them, but they may be posted the usual way, via internet. Yes, that thing that we have been without for so long.
Position at Writing: 31.56.612N 123.01.967W @1745 13.7.13
13.7.13
Day 21 - Hanging with Laralei
So, my blogging has become a routine apparently. I was chastised by the one year old for not sitting at the nav table and typing with her the one morning I wrote while still on watch. She sits next to me while I clack away. She brings her tablet, plunks it down and starts up (or continues) Super Why. I feed her jellybeans on the lid of the container while munching them myself. She tries to help herself to my coffee or tea. I move it to the other side out of reach. She tries to reach and ends up typing in the process. Then, she wants to push keys on purpose. She has a keyboard on her tablet case. That is not good enough. I have to delete a few random characters and occasionally find chunks of words that went missing when she clandestinely pushed an arrow key while proofing. I will miss this. Maybe they will blog with me when we get back. That may make it less sporadic. We will see. Eventually, I will give Poseidon access here to update once he is able. That should prove quite amusing, but guessing it is a few years out.
Stiff breeze at our backs and running in. Time to go make dinner.
Position at Editing: 31.56.814N 123.01.939W @1752 13.7.13
Stiff breeze at our backs and running in. Time to go make dinner.
Position at Editing: 31.56.814N 123.01.939W @1752 13.7.13
Day 20 - Knitting with Bread Pudding
Knitting by red headlamp is entertaining, especially when you are doing reversing panels on a pillowcase. They ended up beautiful though. Nine anchors on each side of a pillowcase using a soft sporting weight yarn in "tapestry." It's really a pale rainbow. Oh, it was made with yarn, not bread pudding.
The bread pudding was, you guessed it, made in the pressure cooker. It was quite tasty and sat well in my belly warming me up on watch while I knitted. Watch has been cold with piercing winds. Bundled up to the hilt, I am still at the point where I wrap a blanket around my legs. We are running 6-8 at night though, so I will take the chill. The days have been slow, but I think part of that is how close we are getting ot San Diego, things are starting to drag out. The good side is that I feel like I have been able to get more done in the hours I have.
I am almost done reading the first of the Percy Jackson series to Poseidon and Laralei. They are enjoying it this time. We read it to Poseidon when he was ten months old. Completely uninterested. If we don't keep reviewing the classics, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. These books are a nice intro. Debating on Hunger Games...we'll see. Great modern twist on Rome's demise. Read all three books on consecutive watches. I don't know how she elicits such a vivid picture in so few words, but she does. If Tolken had had that art, The Hobbit would have been 1/3 its size. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but it is a bit word heavy. Panem et (insert knitting here in latin) :)
Position at Editing: 31.56.281N 123.04.655W @1733 (up one hour to Pacific!) 13.7.13
The bread pudding was, you guessed it, made in the pressure cooker. It was quite tasty and sat well in my belly warming me up on watch while I knitted. Watch has been cold with piercing winds. Bundled up to the hilt, I am still at the point where I wrap a blanket around my legs. We are running 6-8 at night though, so I will take the chill. The days have been slow, but I think part of that is how close we are getting ot San Diego, things are starting to drag out. The good side is that I feel like I have been able to get more done in the hours I have.
I am almost done reading the first of the Percy Jackson series to Poseidon and Laralei. They are enjoying it this time. We read it to Poseidon when he was ten months old. Completely uninterested. If we don't keep reviewing the classics, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. These books are a nice intro. Debating on Hunger Games...we'll see. Great modern twist on Rome's demise. Read all three books on consecutive watches. I don't know how she elicits such a vivid picture in so few words, but she does. If Tolken had had that art, The Hobbit would have been 1/3 its size. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but it is a bit word heavy. Panem et (insert knitting here in latin) :)
Position at Editing: 31.56.281N 123.04.655W @1733 (up one hour to Pacific!) 13.7.13
12.7.13
Day 19 - It's a Biscuit Thing
I started the morning making biscuits and gravy, and finished it with chicken and dumplings. After some cold days, it was what we needed. There wasn't anything left to clean. I really only rinsed the pans.
Back in flight school we started a Friday night roaming dinner, with the non-cookers bringing the wine. We were fresh out of college, and looking to learn of the finer things in life...at least I was...wine and food. After the first week, the party became dinner at my house with others brining wine. I was great with that, and my Martha Stewart Living cookbook. I even think that was a few years before her jail stint. I used to feel guilty about using a cookbook...my mom shunned them. Then I remembered, there was a drawer full in her kitchen. Nana had so many, plus they each had those old index card recipe boxes. I kept it up and became fairly decent. I took a few years off when I was single and flying in the fleet, but starting a family brought me back to the galley (not so different from a kitchen after all). I think the reason I had spent time away is that many things take so long to make, and on a boat that is even more pronounced as you can't leave a pot on the stove and leave the house. Enter the pressure cooker...I have always wanted one. Even the old unsafe ones were really almost worth the risks. The modern ones have no apparent risk if used correctly. Even though I make five meals a day for the family most times, occasionally we snack or lunch out, I was limited in dinner options to 30 minutes of prep/cook time. If the hubby isn't home from work by 1800 he has to bring home dinner. I start prep at 1830 for a 1900 meal. Soups and stews have been few and only on weekends when we are staying in. Though, that does normally mean bad weather, and a soup is the best option anyways. Now, I have made a swarth of pressure cooker recipes from the cookbooks I bought, converted a few of my standbys and made up some new ones. This is how to be a great cook, a family and still have time to do everything else you can think of during the day.
Position at Writing: 31.13.797N 129.19.832W @1232 11.7.13
Back in flight school we started a Friday night roaming dinner, with the non-cookers bringing the wine. We were fresh out of college, and looking to learn of the finer things in life...at least I was...wine and food. After the first week, the party became dinner at my house with others brining wine. I was great with that, and my Martha Stewart Living cookbook. I even think that was a few years before her jail stint. I used to feel guilty about using a cookbook...my mom shunned them. Then I remembered, there was a drawer full in her kitchen. Nana had so many, plus they each had those old index card recipe boxes. I kept it up and became fairly decent. I took a few years off when I was single and flying in the fleet, but starting a family brought me back to the galley (not so different from a kitchen after all). I think the reason I had spent time away is that many things take so long to make, and on a boat that is even more pronounced as you can't leave a pot on the stove and leave the house. Enter the pressure cooker...I have always wanted one. Even the old unsafe ones were really almost worth the risks. The modern ones have no apparent risk if used correctly. Even though I make five meals a day for the family most times, occasionally we snack or lunch out, I was limited in dinner options to 30 minutes of prep/cook time. If the hubby isn't home from work by 1800 he has to bring home dinner. I start prep at 1830 for a 1900 meal. Soups and stews have been few and only on weekends when we are staying in. Though, that does normally mean bad weather, and a soup is the best option anyways. Now, I have made a swarth of pressure cooker recipes from the cookbooks I bought, converted a few of my standbys and made up some new ones. This is how to be a great cook, a family and still have time to do everything else you can think of during the day.
Position at Writing: 31.13.797N 129.19.832W @1232 11.7.13
Day 18 - Knocking on Wood
The winds have graced us with an overground speed of 5-8kts steady all day and night...closer to 8 during the night shift, but we have become quite accustomed to it. The good news is that it looks like even though we left six days after we intended, we should arrive only four later than anticipated. If we hadn't had to beat North like our lives depended on it at the beginning, we might have scratched those four days off. Unfortunately, that was not the case. But, I will let historical weather patterns remain history as long as we can keep this up. No complaints now. :)
And, miraculously, we have had very few repairs. Well, ok, it is really due to the fact that we put the time in that extra week to make sure we really were ready. This is much different than last crossing, when we just decided to work on the way. Which is better? Well, I really think it depends on the crew you take. Both times, I believe we chose right for the crew we had. I may have to put some thought into a separate post about choosing crew and boat preparations. So far this is all that has made the CASREP list:
1. Main Sail Bottom Batten: box tore out, recreated end, bottom then unstitched - waiting to get to port...it's not going to come out of there as I made an extra inner boot.
2. Watermaker Place in Service: this is a normal replacement of filters (and a membrane change was due) and run for a bit before using. (We haven't had a single issue with the watermaker. No extra filters, no pumps no lines run to the other side of the boat across the deck, which is nice compared to last time. A hard starboard tack pulls the scupper out of the water.)
3. Fuel Filters Replaced: some of our fuel is still from years ago - normal maintenance. (No engine problems either, just had to bleed after it ran about 30 minutes on the new filters. Interesting it took that long, but may be due to the completion of the last two lines of the polishing system while underway.)
4. Foot Pump: apparently someone forgot to open the faucet, stepped on the pump, and then continued to press down until it broke before realizing they hadn't opened the faucet. So far, the culprit has not come forward. :) No spare, so the faucet remains closed. (It is only normally a backup off to the side of the sink, but everyone had been using it to fill water bottles.) This caused a bit of consternation at first as after we secured it, someone reopened it (again no culprit)...letting air into the system constantly (as the bellows was broken)...and making the main water pump run non-stop. I just happened to be double-checking the entire system before we started tearing into it to find the air leak. I almost skipped it, as we had closed the faucet only hours ago, and found it open, again. Luckily, closing it worked, and before we ended up running through our collection of spare pumps trying to figure out while they all would have been broken. All's well that ends well. No new pumps!
5. Main Sail Second Batten: the pin either wore out or just fell out of the car/sail connection. So, we put it back together with a cotter pin as we have to look for the right box with the right pins. Not too big a deal as it is near the top.
6. Jib Furling Line: somehow we missed a roller along the side of the boat and it has been rubbing in one spot. Doh! I got to sew in stopper stitches...sure there is a more traditional name, but that is really what they do...one on each side of the rub. The core was showing about half way around, so I stuck a third in for good measure in the bulge. It's in a place that only sees tension when the jib is reefed (not out or furled) so, we are lucky. Tomorrow, we are going to cut the first few feet off and just re-tie the new end to the furler. Apparently, whomever placed the line grabbed twice what was really needed so we have plenty. (One of the few lines we haven't replaced so far. Looks like it may be on the list. Either that or we will just use the other half of the current line which normally sits around the cockpit making a mess until someone spends 15 minutes winding it all up.)
Keep your fingers cross for the wind at our backs this last handful of days!
Position at Writing: 31.14.163N 132.29.160W @0515 (fifteen minutes until I set the clocks ahead again...will be one off from Pacific then) 10.7.13 making 7.5 over ground in 17 knots of wind double reefed
And, miraculously, we have had very few repairs. Well, ok, it is really due to the fact that we put the time in that extra week to make sure we really were ready. This is much different than last crossing, when we just decided to work on the way. Which is better? Well, I really think it depends on the crew you take. Both times, I believe we chose right for the crew we had. I may have to put some thought into a separate post about choosing crew and boat preparations. So far this is all that has made the CASREP list:
1. Main Sail Bottom Batten: box tore out, recreated end, bottom then unstitched - waiting to get to port...it's not going to come out of there as I made an extra inner boot.
2. Watermaker Place in Service: this is a normal replacement of filters (and a membrane change was due) and run for a bit before using. (We haven't had a single issue with the watermaker. No extra filters, no pumps no lines run to the other side of the boat across the deck, which is nice compared to last time. A hard starboard tack pulls the scupper out of the water.)
3. Fuel Filters Replaced: some of our fuel is still from years ago - normal maintenance. (No engine problems either, just had to bleed after it ran about 30 minutes on the new filters. Interesting it took that long, but may be due to the completion of the last two lines of the polishing system while underway.)
4. Foot Pump: apparently someone forgot to open the faucet, stepped on the pump, and then continued to press down until it broke before realizing they hadn't opened the faucet. So far, the culprit has not come forward. :) No spare, so the faucet remains closed. (It is only normally a backup off to the side of the sink, but everyone had been using it to fill water bottles.) This caused a bit of consternation at first as after we secured it, someone reopened it (again no culprit)...letting air into the system constantly (as the bellows was broken)...and making the main water pump run non-stop. I just happened to be double-checking the entire system before we started tearing into it to find the air leak. I almost skipped it, as we had closed the faucet only hours ago, and found it open, again. Luckily, closing it worked, and before we ended up running through our collection of spare pumps trying to figure out while they all would have been broken. All's well that ends well. No new pumps!
5. Main Sail Second Batten: the pin either wore out or just fell out of the car/sail connection. So, we put it back together with a cotter pin as we have to look for the right box with the right pins. Not too big a deal as it is near the top.
6. Jib Furling Line: somehow we missed a roller along the side of the boat and it has been rubbing in one spot. Doh! I got to sew in stopper stitches...sure there is a more traditional name, but that is really what they do...one on each side of the rub. The core was showing about half way around, so I stuck a third in for good measure in the bulge. It's in a place that only sees tension when the jib is reefed (not out or furled) so, we are lucky. Tomorrow, we are going to cut the first few feet off and just re-tie the new end to the furler. Apparently, whomever placed the line grabbed twice what was really needed so we have plenty. (One of the few lines we haven't replaced so far. Looks like it may be on the list. Either that or we will just use the other half of the current line which normally sits around the cockpit making a mess until someone spends 15 minutes winding it all up.)
Keep your fingers cross for the wind at our backs this last handful of days!
Position at Writing: 31.14.163N 132.29.160W @0515 (fifteen minutes until I set the clocks ahead again...will be one off from Pacific then) 10.7.13 making 7.5 over ground in 17 knots of wind double reefed
Day 17 - Under 1K
We made it to the 1000nm from San Diego mark in the morning! :)
While I love being at sea, I am looking forward to having a clean and tidy home again. Keeping boat is much harder when you are cooking, cleaning and washing dishes for six. Four is ok. Oh, and to get back to a gym. That will be nice too. The first things I am doing when I get home:
1. Kicking everyone off the boat so that I can clean (after they get some sleep).
2. Eating the In N Out they bring back.
Oh. Yes. Starting to drool now. I have missed their food so much during the years in Hawaii, but no longer! If you can't tell this is the point where we all start dreaming about land based things. What we miss the most. Since I am well stocked in coffee, jelly beans, tea, gummy bears, chocolate and baking supplies, my daydreaming options are limited. ;)
Position at Writing: 31.14.242N 133.54.011W @1522 9.7.13 (yes, yes we are going more south than we want, but the winds are supposed to shift back further to help us get up north today)
While I love being at sea, I am looking forward to having a clean and tidy home again. Keeping boat is much harder when you are cooking, cleaning and washing dishes for six. Four is ok. Oh, and to get back to a gym. That will be nice too. The first things I am doing when I get home:
1. Kicking everyone off the boat so that I can clean (after they get some sleep).
2. Eating the In N Out they bring back.
Oh. Yes. Starting to drool now. I have missed their food so much during the years in Hawaii, but no longer! If you can't tell this is the point where we all start dreaming about land based things. What we miss the most. Since I am well stocked in coffee, jelly beans, tea, gummy bears, chocolate and baking supplies, my daydreaming options are limited. ;)
Position at Writing: 31.14.242N 133.54.011W @1522 9.7.13 (yes, yes we are going more south than we want, but the winds are supposed to shift back further to help us get up north today)
9.7.13
Day 15 - Cake No. 2
I forgot to mention that on watch last night I made croissant dough. For Poseidon's Fourth Birthday today, we started with fresh baked croissants. I then kept the oven hot making a chocolate carrot cake. He wanted carrot cake. I wanted easy for at sea. I settled on buying a delicious looking Duncan Hines double chocolate cake and decided to shred some carrots into it. It was worth a shot. Apparently, my oven did not think so. While stoves are gimbaled at sea...ovens with heavy things obey a few simple physics laws: 1. Force = mass (cake batter in metal pan) x acceleration (rolling boat in heavy swells) 2. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion; objects at rest tend to stay at rest. Yep, force versus oven door = cake all over the galley.
The strangest thing is, I was typing the previous day's blog, and looked at my husband and said, "Please check and make sure the cake is still in the oven." Apparently, there was some urgency in my voice as he went. Right when he arrived, G-ma was flying out of the galley. If he had not been there to catch her, she would have had a serious head injury. They half landed/half squatted against the entry to Laralei's room. The cake came flying out of the oven right after. At least she is uninjured. Maybe now, three times later, she will listen when I tell her it is not acceptable to wash dishes inside underway. She slipped on her own dishwater. You wash outside in salt, only rise in the galley and dry. Both for dryness and water conservation. Major disaster #1 averted. Major crisis #1 now. Poseidon's birtday; no cake.
I have arrived as a baker. I looked at a couple of cake recipes and decided I did not like either of them. I made one up from scratch. After putting it in the oven, I wrote it out in quick chicken scratch, not my usual writing, before I forgot what I did. I now have a greasy piece of small paper off of my Amsoil notepad with a recipe for "Crystal's Chocolate Carrot Cake"...just like Nana used to have on pieces of notepad real estate agents used to leave at her door. It tastes really good too. I made the Ghiardelli mocha buttercream frosting from the inside of the 100% cocoa wrapper. Mmmmmmm (This time I used the trusty bungee cord to hold the oven door shut.)
Poseidon enjoyed his new Ninjago and Avengers legos, a swath of new books, a Captain America shield and the Iron Man 3 doll...ahem...action figure...set. Laralei got a Care Bear and two tiny My Little Ponies so she would stay out of his legos for a day. The day was a success in the end, and we had a great party at sea. :)
Position at Editing: 31.32.042N 136.17.079W @1734 8.7.13
The strangest thing is, I was typing the previous day's blog, and looked at my husband and said, "Please check and make sure the cake is still in the oven." Apparently, there was some urgency in my voice as he went. Right when he arrived, G-ma was flying out of the galley. If he had not been there to catch her, she would have had a serious head injury. They half landed/half squatted against the entry to Laralei's room. The cake came flying out of the oven right after. At least she is uninjured. Maybe now, three times later, she will listen when I tell her it is not acceptable to wash dishes inside underway. She slipped on her own dishwater. You wash outside in salt, only rise in the galley and dry. Both for dryness and water conservation. Major disaster #1 averted. Major crisis #1 now. Poseidon's birtday; no cake.
I have arrived as a baker. I looked at a couple of cake recipes and decided I did not like either of them. I made one up from scratch. After putting it in the oven, I wrote it out in quick chicken scratch, not my usual writing, before I forgot what I did. I now have a greasy piece of small paper off of my Amsoil notepad with a recipe for "Crystal's Chocolate Carrot Cake"...just like Nana used to have on pieces of notepad real estate agents used to leave at her door. It tastes really good too. I made the Ghiardelli mocha buttercream frosting from the inside of the 100% cocoa wrapper. Mmmmmmm (This time I used the trusty bungee cord to hold the oven door shut.)
Poseidon enjoyed his new Ninjago and Avengers legos, a swath of new books, a Captain America shield and the Iron Man 3 doll...ahem...action figure...set. Laralei got a Care Bear and two tiny My Little Ponies so she would stay out of his legos for a day. The day was a success in the end, and we had a great party at sea. :)
Position at Editing: 31.32.042N 136.17.079W @1734 8.7.13
Day 14 - Inside with Minions
I don't want to go outside; I want to sleep and be warm. I settle for laying on the floor playing with the minions. Laralei and Poseidon have their first game of dominoes. Apparently, Poseidon is old enough to be bored with the simplicity of the game and wants to use them to create designs that topple over. Laralei beats him with three left in his hand. Yep. One and a half year old wins. She chose her dominoes, not me. I just reminded her occasionally that a one cannot play on a six. Yes, she counts to twenty at one and a half. It is my fault really. I started it with Poseidon. When he was in trouble, I made him count. Most parents give children to the count of three, five, whatever...I decided I was not the one in trouble. He gets a warning that something is not polite once, ever. After that he is told it is not acceptable and has to count. How high? Depends on the egregarity (Is that even a word?). Well, Laralei can now hit 20 on her own. Time to move the felonies up to 30. Poseidon is generally at 50, 100 for really bad ones. Oh, and in the language of the day. Yes, I am that parent.
My stomach hurts from an overdose of jelly bellies. Time to lay down again. :)
Position at Editing: 31.32.228N 136.21.147W @1704 8.7.13
My stomach hurts from an overdose of jelly bellies. Time to lay down again. :)
Position at Editing: 31.32.228N 136.21.147W @1704 8.7.13
Day 16 - Almost Swimming
I am working my way into my full body race suit. It may actually still fit. It is a 32, which in racing suits, is tiny. Fine for normal suits, not for full body. Anyhow, right as I am almost in it, and getting ready to pull my wetsuit on to dive on the boat, I get cancelled. It's like those flights when you know whomever is on the ready standby will actually get to do something cool.
We were getting ready to start the engine about twenty minutes prior. Luckily, the hubby noticed something of the stern. It was a large length of barnacled webbing, right by the prop. While he tried to get everything ready for me to dive, I got to go suit up. He said he was going in. I said I was the better swimmer. Besides knowing my crazy nature, he must have seen the glint in my eyes for adventure. He agreed. YAY. In trying to luff up by backing the jib (turning so that the wind is pushing the jib the wrong way so you almost stop in the water), he turned enough that it broke lose and floated off. ~sigh~ My day of glory was ruined. Now, to charge the GoPro and find those body boards...
We have hit the 20kt winds, and are heading fast in the right direction. Finally. We spent a day zigzagging like only a sailboat can. But, we were justly rewarded with the Northerlies we had been expecting.
Oh, and Fabian still lives. Though when we saw him on watch, he was small enough around to fit through the holes in the cockpit wood. Guess I have to take him a Babybel tonight. Maybe even a cracker. Poor little thing. Murphy still lives too, and the cabbage experiment still looks on track for Christmas.
Poseidon and Laralei are their usual rambunctious selves. Although, I could swear they are a foot taller each than when we started. And, Laralei's cheeks are getting a bit soft. Growing time AGAIN!
Time to go check the sail. On the home stretch, or so it would seem.
Position at Writing: 31.31.924N 136.15.731W @1753 8.7.13 heading 075 at 5-7kts. (double reefed and a few rolls on the jib)
We were getting ready to start the engine about twenty minutes prior. Luckily, the hubby noticed something of the stern. It was a large length of barnacled webbing, right by the prop. While he tried to get everything ready for me to dive, I got to go suit up. He said he was going in. I said I was the better swimmer. Besides knowing my crazy nature, he must have seen the glint in my eyes for adventure. He agreed. YAY. In trying to luff up by backing the jib (turning so that the wind is pushing the jib the wrong way so you almost stop in the water), he turned enough that it broke lose and floated off. ~sigh~ My day of glory was ruined. Now, to charge the GoPro and find those body boards...
We have hit the 20kt winds, and are heading fast in the right direction. Finally. We spent a day zigzagging like only a sailboat can. But, we were justly rewarded with the Northerlies we had been expecting.
Oh, and Fabian still lives. Though when we saw him on watch, he was small enough around to fit through the holes in the cockpit wood. Guess I have to take him a Babybel tonight. Maybe even a cracker. Poor little thing. Murphy still lives too, and the cabbage experiment still looks on track for Christmas.
Poseidon and Laralei are their usual rambunctious selves. Although, I could swear they are a foot taller each than when we started. And, Laralei's cheeks are getting a bit soft. Growing time AGAIN!
Time to go check the sail. On the home stretch, or so it would seem.
Position at Writing: 31.31.924N 136.15.731W @1753 8.7.13 heading 075 at 5-7kts. (double reefed and a few rolls on the jib)
Day 13 - 360 Degrees Squared
I am not doing the mental math. That is where the water was. Everywhere.
I saw sunlight outside, but was too busy napping. Once I woke up, the clouds were coming in. Determined to catch the last few rays after our fun with the pressure systems, I rolled myself outside and laid back down. Within 30 seconds it was drizzling. By the time I sat up and was debating on running for the hatch, the winds had jumped from 14 to 23kts. We had the full main up and the full jib out. (i.e. Not a pleasant place to be.) I jumped to the jib winch, and started depowering it while asking my Love to toss me my pants (foul weather gear, already in my blue ninja suit). I gave up after three wraps on the furler. Old jibs and some small ones drop. Most larger moderns ones (the sail at the very front) roll up around themselves: furling. By furling the jib, you decrease the surface area = less power = slower speed, but less keel at high wind speeds. Normally four wraps is good in 20-28kts, with the main double reefed. (Where the jib furls, the main drops down part way and ties to itself to decrease area. There are two different heights where this can be done.) Again, no reefs. Oh, and the swells decided to shift to the beam, again.
My better half comes out, we start the engine, turn into the wind and bring in the jib. I told him I had started packaging the jib nicely for shipping. (It had rolled so tight that, while I had three wraps on, I really don't think we had lost any sail area.) UPS would have been proud. The boat was not. As the weather started declining, I decided we might as well have been swimming. Within an hour we decided to give the newbies the night off. It was going to be bad, and they did not have the gear for the weather. The things we do to get some quality time alone together out here. :)
Once we had the jib in and the main double reefed, we settled into 7-8kts vaulting over ridiculous swells. This is what we live for. This is sailing. Yes, perhaps we are nuts. But, we are nuts together. Poseidon and Laralei are chasing each other through the companionway. G-ma is yelling at them to crawl. I am more than slightly amused when I return inside. My other half stays outside to watch while I make dinner. Chili with rice. After feeding everyone and cleaning up, I head back out to join him on watch for the night. We plan on taking turns dozing. We are still doing 8-9kts on a double reefed main alone. He is drenched. I still think the Pacific was drier than the air. Most definitely warmer. He lays down, and within 20 minutes, I realize that he is shivering. He NEVER shivers. I tell him to go inside. He doesn't even argue. It is cold. I am sure he realizes that I intend to stay out all night, even though he tells me to wake him at midnight. It is 1830. He had been out there since 1630. By midnight, I was counting down the 30 minutes until our normal watch shift at 1230. Then it would be even watches, just backwards from normal. I was a popsicle. I was so happy to curl up between Poseidon and Laralei that I passed out almost immediately. I think I was still cold when I woke up in the morning.
Position at Editing: 31.32.344N 136.22.907W @1650 8.7.13
P.S. Why some of these are edited days late is that we go lengths of time without having good HF spectrum to connect over SSB. So, I tend to review them before they all head out en masse.
I saw sunlight outside, but was too busy napping. Once I woke up, the clouds were coming in. Determined to catch the last few rays after our fun with the pressure systems, I rolled myself outside and laid back down. Within 30 seconds it was drizzling. By the time I sat up and was debating on running for the hatch, the winds had jumped from 14 to 23kts. We had the full main up and the full jib out. (i.e. Not a pleasant place to be.) I jumped to the jib winch, and started depowering it while asking my Love to toss me my pants (foul weather gear, already in my blue ninja suit). I gave up after three wraps on the furler. Old jibs and some small ones drop. Most larger moderns ones (the sail at the very front) roll up around themselves: furling. By furling the jib, you decrease the surface area = less power = slower speed, but less keel at high wind speeds. Normally four wraps is good in 20-28kts, with the main double reefed. (Where the jib furls, the main drops down part way and ties to itself to decrease area. There are two different heights where this can be done.) Again, no reefs. Oh, and the swells decided to shift to the beam, again.
My better half comes out, we start the engine, turn into the wind and bring in the jib. I told him I had started packaging the jib nicely for shipping. (It had rolled so tight that, while I had three wraps on, I really don't think we had lost any sail area.) UPS would have been proud. The boat was not. As the weather started declining, I decided we might as well have been swimming. Within an hour we decided to give the newbies the night off. It was going to be bad, and they did not have the gear for the weather. The things we do to get some quality time alone together out here. :)
Once we had the jib in and the main double reefed, we settled into 7-8kts vaulting over ridiculous swells. This is what we live for. This is sailing. Yes, perhaps we are nuts. But, we are nuts together. Poseidon and Laralei are chasing each other through the companionway. G-ma is yelling at them to crawl. I am more than slightly amused when I return inside. My other half stays outside to watch while I make dinner. Chili with rice. After feeding everyone and cleaning up, I head back out to join him on watch for the night. We plan on taking turns dozing. We are still doing 8-9kts on a double reefed main alone. He is drenched. I still think the Pacific was drier than the air. Most definitely warmer. He lays down, and within 20 minutes, I realize that he is shivering. He NEVER shivers. I tell him to go inside. He doesn't even argue. It is cold. I am sure he realizes that I intend to stay out all night, even though he tells me to wake him at midnight. It is 1830. He had been out there since 1630. By midnight, I was counting down the 30 minutes until our normal watch shift at 1230. Then it would be even watches, just backwards from normal. I was a popsicle. I was so happy to curl up between Poseidon and Laralei that I passed out almost immediately. I think I was still cold when I woke up in the morning.
Position at Editing: 31.32.344N 136.22.907W @1650 8.7.13
P.S. Why some of these are edited days late is that we go lengths of time without having good HF spectrum to connect over SSB. So, I tend to review them before they all head out en masse.
Day 12 - Pressure Systems
Two reasons I slept most of Tuesday - first, I was becoming a grinch from lack of sleep. Second, and more importantly, we were coming up on a low pressure. After our accidental, but quite useful, run into the cold front a few nights ago - it just happened to be moving south faster than predicted (was over 100nm South of where it should have been so we had disregarded it) and we had to head North to keep on track - the winds put us right on the 030N line...along with a low pressure system. Lows are good and bad. Good winds, but the North West quadrant tends to be the roughest, and this one was already at developing gale force. I had spent two days rereading weather and on the sat phone with San Diego. For those who don't know: Lows make hurricanes (not very likely out here - nearly impossible), they rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern hemisphere, and they always tend to move South. This one spent 48 hours moving due West. Its projected path was West. Weirdest thing ever to me out here weather-wise. After 2 days of me scouring weather faxes, HF being too out of spectrum to download weather into our plotter, and sat phone liaising (?) with the San Diego area forcasters (thank you Lance!) we decided to hold course. Oh, and the always requisite review of Bruce and Coles, or now Coles (aka Heavy Weather Sailing). We could always drop South if need be. Among other things, I am the Navigator (as long as the Captain agrees) and the Weather guesser. Eight years of aviation weather overlapped by four with eight years of surface weather (12 years of weather) apparently makes me the expert out here. G-ma is nice as a back up now, but doesn't know the surface impact - just the air side and how to read the chart (always useful).
The men entered the low on their watch and saw steady upper twenties to thirty. I was thirty when we took over and slowly dropping. We entered in the north west quadrant. Never, never trust a weather guesser over a low lol But, it never got over the "developing" stage so we just crossed in a bit of an elongated u-shape with 3m swells. If you haven't been on a boat driving up a wave, then down the other side for more than a second, it takes some getting used to. I think my watch mate just hid in her bivy sack afraid they were going to eat us. She came out when we were running 8.5kts in 25kts of wind with following seas. Running, with the winds behind you, makes it very quiet. Following seas can either do something similar or rock you in every direction. I explained it was not the least dangerous situation to be in. Anyhow, we cleared the low and are now trying to sleep. Again.
Position at Writing: 30.48.538N 144.17.327W @0848 (clocks moved up one hour) 4.7.13
The men entered the low on their watch and saw steady upper twenties to thirty. I was thirty when we took over and slowly dropping. We entered in the north west quadrant. Never, never trust a weather guesser over a low lol But, it never got over the "developing" stage so we just crossed in a bit of an elongated u-shape with 3m swells. If you haven't been on a boat driving up a wave, then down the other side for more than a second, it takes some getting used to. I think my watch mate just hid in her bivy sack afraid they were going to eat us. She came out when we were running 8.5kts in 25kts of wind with following seas. Running, with the winds behind you, makes it very quiet. Following seas can either do something similar or rock you in every direction. I explained it was not the least dangerous situation to be in. Anyhow, we cleared the low and are now trying to sleep. Again.
Position at Writing: 30.48.538N 144.17.327W @0848 (clocks moved up one hour) 4.7.13
5.7.13
Day 11 - The Grinch
Sometimes you just need to sleep a day. And, I did. Now I am better. Back tomorrow. :p
3.7.13
Day 10 - Bed Bugs
Seas were up and winds were 20kts. The children spent the day in bed. We watched IronMan twice, IronMan 2 once, so many renditions of Super Why on the tablet, and built everything under the sun out of hero factory lego parts.
Poseidon has decided that he wants to drink raw eggs in the morning as that is what Captain America does. We haven't watched Avengers in ages, yet he still remembered. I told him that habit had been discontinued due to food borne diseases which should be cooked out. That would not change his mind. Luckily, it will be a while before he can open the refrigerator. He wants to be Iron Man. Apparently, as soon as we finish up the alphabet we are moving onto physics and metallurgy. I think his late birthday present when we return to the states is going to be a breadboard/robotics kit. So excited!
Laralei just tries to be a daredevil. We went outside just to get a little break from the bed, and she was trying to swan dive from the lazarette to the floor on the pillows. If I get grey hairs, this is where they are from. :)
Position at writing: 30.09.687N 147.44.021W @1627 2.7.13
Poseidon has decided that he wants to drink raw eggs in the morning as that is what Captain America does. We haven't watched Avengers in ages, yet he still remembered. I told him that habit had been discontinued due to food borne diseases which should be cooked out. That would not change his mind. Luckily, it will be a while before he can open the refrigerator. He wants to be Iron Man. Apparently, as soon as we finish up the alphabet we are moving onto physics and metallurgy. I think his late birthday present when we return to the states is going to be a breadboard/robotics kit. So excited!
Laralei just tries to be a daredevil. We went outside just to get a little break from the bed, and she was trying to swan dive from the lazarette to the floor on the pillows. If I get grey hairs, this is where they are from. :)
Position at writing: 30.09.687N 147.44.021W @1627 2.7.13
Day 9 - Return of the Blue Ninja
Oh yeah, baby, the blue ninja is back!! I put on the blue last night for watch, forgetting it was wool, without an under layer. ITCHY! Anyhow, I was rewarded with a chilling drizzle on watch, some motoring while watermaker setting up, and tent camping in the cockpit for quiet time with the kiddos.
Tent camping is worth writing about. We took the single size down comforter and hung it over the cockpit table, put the body pillows we have been using as seat in the floor and put down two pillows. Only our heads were covered from the sun. I wish I had a picture of the three of us crammed in there. Laralei was downhill, with with arms and legs sprawled everywhere sound asleep in minutes. Poseidon was refusing to nap, so kicking things, rolling around and getting himself into trouble. But, he liked the tent and would not leave. I started out with my head with theirs, and ended up climbing up on the lazarette after being curled up in a ball at their feet with no room.
Position at Editing: N 30.09.691 W 147.45.126 @1619 02.7.13
Tent camping is worth writing about. We took the single size down comforter and hung it over the cockpit table, put the body pillows we have been using as seat in the floor and put down two pillows. Only our heads were covered from the sun. I wish I had a picture of the three of us crammed in there. Laralei was downhill, with with arms and legs sprawled everywhere sound asleep in minutes. Poseidon was refusing to nap, so kicking things, rolling around and getting himself into trouble. But, he liked the tent and would not leave. I started out with my head with theirs, and ended up climbing up on the lazarette after being curled up in a ball at their feet with no room.
Position at Editing: N 30.09.691 W 147.45.126 @1619 02.7.13
1.7.13
Day 8 - Waxing Poetic
You knew it was coming. I had to remake a batten box on the main. Luckily it was the first one, so we were able to keep sailing. Unluckily, it was the first one, so we were able to keep sailing. Boaters will understand this. My feet are sore from trying to keep balanced against random protrusions while not getting beaten up excessively by the sail. Anytime I work topside, I tend to reflect while working:
I love being on the water. Watching the endless blue just go gliding by when under sail...feeling the salt air. Laying out in the cockpit soaking up the sun and watching the swells in front of the rainbow sunrise. How do people not love this life? Playing on the foc'sle with Poseidon and Laralei. Watching a movie with water slapping the porthole as we are keeled over and the swells are hitting that far up. Spotting birds and naming them as they fish alongside a few days, and maybe even eat our scraps.
And the repairs. I know people who loathe, and go to great lengths to avoid, underway repairs. I love fixing things, maybe that is why I started a boat maintenance business. Which, by the way, now has a shop for those of you whose boats we don't already work on. (http://shop.poseidonmarinemanagement.com) Sail repair is a simple chance to let my mind wander, and appreciate the finer points of sailing. Sometimes drifting to trim scenarios, others to improving rigging design. Working on the interior systems, electric to water to engine...at least, when I can get my Love to give up his turn on them. The only problem with two engineers in the family: Who gets to fix it? In the end it doesn't really matter as the other one gets to play with the children. Or, try to force them to finish some school work. :)
I can't wait for the day when we have enough people running the day to day business that we can do as much of this as we want!
I am going to go have a cup of coffee on the bow.
Cheerio!
Position at Writing: 31.18.904N 151.53.926W @1916 20.6.13
P.S. Less than a week now until Poseidon turns four!
I love being on the water. Watching the endless blue just go gliding by when under sail...feeling the salt air. Laying out in the cockpit soaking up the sun and watching the swells in front of the rainbow sunrise. How do people not love this life? Playing on the foc'sle with Poseidon and Laralei. Watching a movie with water slapping the porthole as we are keeled over and the swells are hitting that far up. Spotting birds and naming them as they fish alongside a few days, and maybe even eat our scraps.
And the repairs. I know people who loathe, and go to great lengths to avoid, underway repairs. I love fixing things, maybe that is why I started a boat maintenance business. Which, by the way, now has a shop for those of you whose boats we don't already work on. (http://shop.poseidonmarinemanagement.com) Sail repair is a simple chance to let my mind wander, and appreciate the finer points of sailing. Sometimes drifting to trim scenarios, others to improving rigging design. Working on the interior systems, electric to water to engine...at least, when I can get my Love to give up his turn on them. The only problem with two engineers in the family: Who gets to fix it? In the end it doesn't really matter as the other one gets to play with the children. Or, try to force them to finish some school work. :)
I can't wait for the day when we have enough people running the day to day business that we can do as much of this as we want!
I am going to go have a cup of coffee on the bow.
Cheerio!
Position at Writing: 31.18.904N 151.53.926W @1916 20.6.13
P.S. Less than a week now until Poseidon turns four!
30.6.13
Day 7 - Cabbage
It's been a slow day. Not much getting done, and not much wind in the right direction.
Murphy has been living on a cabbage head since we left. It lives in the fridge, and I give him part of a leaf at a time every few days. He is a very, very spoiled snail. I am waiting for him to try to find a bigger shell. That could be funny. So, about cabbage...I have never really been a fan. I like good coleslaw with some mustard in it. That is about it. Cruisers always talk about cabbage being great. I will eat canned spinach first.
Anyhow, back to the point. The cabbage hasn't changed. It looks just like the first day. I am scared to eat anything that doesn't change. I am quite tempted to see if we can use the entire head for Murphy before it goes bad. This will probably mean a science experiment until Christmas. Literally.
Does anyone know the half-life/decay rate of cabbage?
Murphy has been living on a cabbage head since we left. It lives in the fridge, and I give him part of a leaf at a time every few days. He is a very, very spoiled snail. I am waiting for him to try to find a bigger shell. That could be funny. So, about cabbage...I have never really been a fan. I like good coleslaw with some mustard in it. That is about it. Cruisers always talk about cabbage being great. I will eat canned spinach first.
Anyhow, back to the point. The cabbage hasn't changed. It looks just like the first day. I am scared to eat anything that doesn't change. I am quite tempted to see if we can use the entire head for Murphy before it goes bad. This will probably mean a science experiment until Christmas. Literally.
Does anyone know the half-life/decay rate of cabbage?
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