I awoke to hot coffee perking. How nice. I wonder what hotel I am in? My watch this morning is 0800-noon and the water is slick- fog with some patches of blue sky. The jelly fish were floating everywhere. It is brisk and cold. I do love being on the water early in the morning with a mug of hot coffee. Sailing the Sound will be a new experience.
After my midnight watch last night I came down and explored fuses and switch panels for one hour. Mike had taken watch, so we decided to look today.
As I was on later watch, Jean was taking morning LOP shot, 1 nm off DR. Mike started tracking short.
Compass, stereo, and VHF out, Strobe, spreaders light ok today.
Gremlins making havoc? NO, he discovered the wire to the panel for these items had worn through as it went down the 90° angle to go to main fuse panel. The water had dripped on itt and shorted it out. The SSB was ok. He repaired the wire with butt connector, but I should replace it when settled.
We motored sailed all day. Transferred 10 gallons of fuel to aft tank. We have 194.5 liters remaining. Used slightly less than 1 liter/hr, which gives us a 778nm range at 4 k. The sinks are draining today with no heel. Using salt water to brush our teeth. It makes my mouth feel good-gums like it or maybe brushing one’s teeth in anything feels good?
Jean fixed breakfast- chili cheese omelet with toast. At lunch I fixed grilled cheese sandwiches. At 1600 hrs. we had asparagus and artichoke salad and at 2030 hrs we had fresh albacore sashimi. We had caught 2 and lost one. They make better sashimi than ahi or mahi.
Finally got thru on KMI and woke my mother up at 0100 El Paso time and midnight to my friend Bambi who is waiting for us in Wa. State. She will join us when we reach Port Angeles, Wa in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.It is a relief to get a call thru. Mike tried to get a call thru to his sweetheart, Lynne, but the line continued to be busy.
The high continues to remain stationary over the majority of central and northeast pacific. We had to tack north again at 1945 hrs- port tack 30 CC. Our 2200hrs position is 42.42N, 149.03W. Engine running nicely. I do wish we would get some wind-1078nm to the Cape. I started reading up on the Strait and Neah Bay marina.
18 July- Had a nice watch 0400-0800 hrs. Still on motor. Opened another Windsong gift after breakfast of macadamia nut pancakes that I cooked. The sun was out for the first time in 2 days, so we celebrated with their gifts of party hats/balloons/whistles/ and plastic leis. What timing. They are so thoughtful and what a great idea it is to have these special fun filled gifts to open on certain days. Took movies of us. Caught another albacore but threw it back.
0800 hrs- Loran now on Alaska chain 7960. Position 43.20N, 148.36W. We now have NW wind at 10-12, holding 50CC with engine off, vane on, main down with 160 up and we will wait to see if we can carry 130 also.
