Worrall Travel R's

Worrall Travel R's
Roz and Russ

Worrall Travel R's - Kicking the Bucket List

Friday, April 30, 2010

Worrall Wind Update - Marquesas Bound

Day 24 - Friday, April 30, 2010

UTC/Local -8: 0000/4:00 p.m.

Latitude: 02 01.731 S
Longitude: 131 43.645 W

Conditions: Picking up speed in sun filled days and moonlit nights.

1200 Zulu/4:00 a.m.: As we have dropped into 01 degree south, our southeast trades have filled in to 14, sometimes up to 18 knots. Our course over ground varies between 211 and 220 degrees southwest, boat speed now between 5-6 knots. Would be faster and more comfortable if we were not so close to the wind angle, but it is what it is. Our starboard rail is only a foot or so off the water and we are bracing our bodies at a 45 degree angle to port to stand upright. It's an exhilarating bound now!

1300 Zulu/5:00 a.m.: I started to get sleepy and decided it was time to get up from my seat, turn on my exercise music and do some exercise. I could just see the sky beginning to light up in the east. Unfortunately, my morning routine met with an accident. On one of my leg kicks, my foot struck the companion way threshold going from the pilot house down to the lower saloon, putting quite a gash under my two outside toes on my right foot. I think I may have dislocated the toes as well as they seemed to be pointing sideways. I didn't want to wake everyone up so I stifled the scream, stopped the bleeding, and sat in the captain's chair with my leg propped up across the steering station. Stupid. Stupid. I'd kick myself, but it would hurt too much.

1430 Zulu/6:30 a.m.: Garyn and Russ rolled out of bed. We took the morning readings for the net. Garyn checked the rigging and let out some of the jib that we had pulled in during the night. Russ got out the first aid kit, cleaned up my foot, disinfected the cut, put gauze between my toes and wrapped toes so they were at least pointing in the right direction. I've been keeping my foot elevated. It's a pretty good ouch. I'm glad I will have tonight off and keep the weight off my foot.

1600 Zulu/8:00 a.m.: All around our 360 degree view of sea and sky, clouds fringe the horizon. This morning they look a little closer and darker. Nothing shows on the gribs, but it looks like we could get some showers later today.

2200 Zulu/2:00 a.m.: We listened to Sea Wolf from breakfast to lunch. I drifted in and out of sleep. Sea Wolf is an interesting character study, but not exactly riveting. We all tried to stay as comfortable as possible as Worrall Wind continues to bound forward on a close reach through 6 foot wells about 9 seconds apart almost on our nose. With the swells 30 degrees off our forward reach, our speed has been slowed as we lunge through sending out a continuous white water wake on our starboard side. Russ is outside reading. Garyn is taking a nap. Me....foot up, reading and writing.

2400 Zulu/4:00 p.m. So far on day 24 since midnight we have traveled 73 miles. If we stay on this pace we should break 109 miles. We only have 630 miles to go (6-7 more days). We'll get there faster if the wind shifts a little more east and the sea swell lessens.

All is well....with the exception of some toes, on Worrall Wind

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