UTC/Local 1800/1100 PSDT
Latitude: 03 24.115 N
Longitude: 127 05.689 @
Conditions: Big seas, mild winds, and lots of rain, Two hundred miles from equator, 1036 miles from Hiva Oa....Just around the corner :)
Our position today 4/26 at 1800 Z is 03 24.115 N; 127 05.689 W. It has been raining almost constantly since 3:00 a.m. this morning. It's 78 degrees and 98% humidity. The seas are 12 feet and are no longer following, but coming from the southeast, right on our bow. Fortunately they are not breaking. Rivers of water occasionally run down the deck as we plow headlong into a large swell, and our ship's bell rings itself when we slam down off a wave. We are motor sailing at present due to the lack of a consistent wind coming from the east. It's been an adventure. The Gribs look more promising later today. We might be breaking out of the rain. It looks lighter ahead and we might be able to start picking up the southeast winds.
Lehman (our engine) and Ray (our auto pilot) have been working hard for the last 24 hours. Occasionally, we rest Ray and hand steer particularly during the net as the auto pilot does interfere with our radio reception.
You may recall that on Thursday, April 8, our first full day at sea, we mentioned our friend Mike Rafferty, single handing, his boat Aquila, a 1978 Freeport 38B, out of San Diego. We left La Cruz on the same day, he earlier in the morning than us. We passed each other at 19 degrees 55 minutes N and 106 degrees 53 minues W, and took photos of each other's boats and talked on the VHF radio. We motor sailed for awhile and pulled a head, sure that he would eventually catch and pass us as his boat is lighter and swifter. Later that night we saw a mast light in the distance, but cannot be sure it was Mike's or one of the other Puddle Jump boats. We tried calling him on the VHF and got no response. Because he was single handing and we knew he would have to sleep sometime, we didn't want to be too close to his position during his sleep time. We had hoped to have some buddy boats close by and were sorry to lose contact with him. We hoped to hear him on the Puddle Jump Net or Sea Farer's Net, but haven't.
This morning on the net a welfare call came over the radio,onshore coast guard inquiry looking for Aquila. Either folks at home have not heard from him or he has not arrived at destination. He apparently does not have a single side band radio. Everyone was asked to try and call using their VHF radios today. We have done so, but are not getting any response. VHF is line of sight and this is one BIG ocean. He may have had a SPOT as one of the folks on the net thought his boat's name was Aquila Spot which may be the name he gave to a SPOT tracker. We hope he's having a good time and just not able to check in. None of the other alternatives are good ones.
Is our SPOT tracker still working? From our vantage point it looks like SPOT is sending and reporting, but we really have no way of knowing unless you tell us so. Maybe Mike thinks he is reporting but isn't reporting because of the lack of satellites in this area of the ocean. Since he does not have a single side band radio, he probably has no email contact either.
Our other Puddle Jump fleet boatd in distress, Sea Flyer continues to motor. On last night's net, he was at longitude 3 N and latitude 130 W. He had had some engine overheating problems during the day, but once he cleaned barnacles out of engine water intake, the engine cooled down. He had yet to start using the fuel from the Cuban tanker. Friends on Sailing Vessels Sula and Freezing Rain left Puerto Vallarta yesterday after a couple of false starts due to equipment problems. Had they not had to turn around and returned, they would probably be right behind us.
1412 - The sky is still grey, but we are beginning to see some patches of blue and some definition to some clouds. It's warm and muggy. Because of the rain and splashing seas, we've kept the boat on lock down and it's like a sauna on the inside. We've cracked the doors open a bit and are getting a nice breeze through the pilot house.
Russ has volunteered to serve as net control for the PPJ tomorrow. I hope we will be in a position to shut down the motor and all the other gadgets so he gets a clear copy for check ins. Well, it's nap time, game time, dinner time, then bed time on Worrall Wind. Our knees are doing fine. Russ has early watch. I have late watch. Garyn has night off.
0200 Zulu - We turned off the motor and are under sail, 10 knots of SE wind, but we have a strong equatorial counter current pushing us west faster than we are sailing forward, so we are turning the motor back on. It sure feels good to sail though. The boat is so much more gentle to the body under sail. Under motor we lurch and bash, but at least we will be moving forward in the right direction.
All is well on Worrall Wind.
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