Make and Mend
Date: February 21, 2018.
Day: 100 (I was off by two days in last post).
Noon Position: 45 46S 65 01E.
Course/Speed: E7 Wind: NW15.
Sky: Clear.
Temps: Cabin got to 62 today. Amazed. Miles last 24 hours: 133.
LMG: 128.
Total F8 Miles: 13,389.
The southern ocean has dealt us a kind hand the last three days. Winds have been consistently light to moderate and the skies, Bright and open. Except for the Wandering Albatross, one might say he was transiting a trade wind belt. Nights have been clear too. Orion marching high. Sleep has been deep and long. Last night, a full eight hours in two-hour stints. I Am feeling much myself again.
Mo is mostly back to her clean and ordered self. The soggy towels have been hung to dry two days in a row and are now simply damp, making them useless. I’m still digging glass from between floorboards, but we’re down to the small shards. Repair is also underway. I have removed the shattered solar panel and gifted it to the sea. The section of rail that bent in and over the winches, making them almost has been cut away and a lifeline reeved in its place.
As to electronics, troubleshooting today appears to have put back into service the satellite compass, wind instruments, autopilot, and tank levels, and to have revealed that the AIS transmission unit is faulty and was crashing the other instruments. Not sure the fault as yet. Radar is still offline. Its router was waterlogged and so far the spare has failed to boot at all. FleetBroadband is still offline. I have disassembled the AA battery charger, rinsed its parts in fresh water and am letting them dry. These small batteries power my headlamps and other flashlights, without which night work and engine work are difficult. Ditto the Iridium GO. I’m pleased. Feels like progress. Now it is dusk.
Winds have risen this afternoon to 20 knots and the forecast calls for 30. So I took a second reef in the main. I crave another long, calm night. Winds have responded by dropping to 12 knots. The main is even starting to slat. Welcome to the south, where nothing is ever the same. (End)
Heads up from Team F8. If you’re watching Randall on the tracker please note that the tool he uses to submit both these blog posts and his location charges it at night. When it’s charging it’s not sending us his coordination. As of today he’s almost exactly 12 hours ahead of the US so when we’re awake the tracker is waiting. Go figure. Anyway, didn’t want folks to think it was broken. #teamf8
Randall, fine work you have done. Your seamanship is exemplary and your courage is remarkable. Testing your mettle is perhaps one of the reasons one chooses to do a solo circumnavigation and you have answered the challenge well. I am truly enjoying your documentation and am embolden by will. Godspeed to you as you continue your journey. All the best.
Randall/Jo:
Is Randall going to land in Perth? Or is that too far North? Merriman has a high school friend who lives there and could be helpful….
We’re still here, reading and waiting to hear you are okay. We are all on your side. Go, Randall!
Yea Randall…” came out the other side”. Continued prayers for steady breezes and following seas…. i do not know how i started/stumbled following you, maybe cooking on a boat? Site? but look forward to your posts and teams… posts and messages.
I cannot fathom the harrowing events you have survived through. I have see angry seas. They can swallow you whole! 😱⛵️😱😱😡⛵️🏖” but you can out the other side “”””” where the other side got it’s name”
I am A Coastal Sea Girl and have seen bluewater go gray… calm to rogue, and back again. Our home and my RE office have views of Beaufort Inlet (NC Coast) i can see Cape Lookout light through my kitchen window! Between us/shakleford and Cape lookout/Cape Hatteras….Our coastal seas are called “graveyard of the Atlantic..”!. I respect ! We had fog roll in so fast the other day it was like pea soup in a blink! Ps/FYI we do have wild ponies roaming our islands! Little local knowledge!
So keep posts coming! Stay safe dear new seafaring friend… and you have a homeport in Beaufort NC if you sail up east coast of USA 💞❤️ Keep posting! We are sending good vibes your way! Stay the journey!