Plodding Away the Miles
September 8, 2019
Days at Sea: 279
Days Since Departure: 344
Noon Position: 70 52N 146 50W
Course(t)/Speed(kts): WxN 6
Wind(t/tws): SE <10
Sea(t/ft): SE 1
Sky/10ths Cover: Overcast. Clear earlier, rain later. 10
Bar(mb): 1009+
On-deck Temp(f): 43
Cabin Temp(f): 65
Water Temp(f): 36
Relative Humidity(%): 40
Magnetic Variation: 17.6
Sail: Motoring, main up.
Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 146
Miles since departure: 35, 453
That’s the thing about the Figure 8–there are just so many many miles of it…
A not very interesting stretch of water, this. The sky is hung with cloud that now and then sends down enough rain to wet the boat without giving it a rinse. The wind, when there is wind at all, is so light as leave the main unperturbed as it hangs from the mast like so much laundry. Sometimes there is a seal to break the smooth surface of the water. If ever there is a bird, it’s a seagull, the pigeon of pelagics.
A good breeze briefly this afternoon. We sailed for twenty minutes with the engine off. Such sweetness, a hull sliding silently through the water. Then calm again and on came the engine.
Overnight, auroras through a thin haze, green curtains undulating above the mast. It is surprising how fast they move, whipping a whole length of sky in mere minutes. Sadly, they make poor pictures.
One domestic joy: only recently have I learned to toast bread on the diesel heater, a watershed moment on Mo! Sure, one can use the galley oven for this, but it’s a fiddle. Now, every morning I have buttered toast with jam.* For lunch, I spread on some of the Danish delicacies that were my last purchase in Sondre Upernavik, liver pate and pickled cabbage.
At this pace, twenty-four hours to Barrow. Then the fun begins.
*I departed San Francisco with enough jam to sink a ship, all homemade and by two very good friends, Jim and Kelton. Each friend gifted me with a quantity from his own kitchen that was, alone, enough for the voyage, and I thought for sure I’d return with a hold still full of jam. I will not. I may actually run out.
Great progress Randall, left that wheel barrow behind, all on one page now. I could almost taste that toast and jam! Cheers & best wishes for a safe completion!
Looking good Randall. Looks like you’re going to find nice pressure for the foreseeable future starting tomorrow. Goodbye placid waters, hello noisy hull crashing through the water! You’re getting close man. Looking forward to you closing the loop!!!
Small joys, thinking about running out of jam!
Mmm… toast and jam, how civilised. I think I may be copying your extra baffle on the worktop that stops mugs and jam-jars sliding about 🙂
One more devotee of toast here. In the ringing words of Wallace, “That’s cracking toast, Grommit!”