Three Things
12/26/2014
Back to being thankful, but first -- I hope all who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful Christmas day, filled with food, family, friends, and presents from the heart. And I hope that all for whom December 25 is just another day that you too had a wonderful day -- visiting with Christmas revelers, or spending the day doing exactly as you wished, perhaps with food, family, friends, and presence with your heart's desire.
Three things for which I am thankful:
1. Grog. EW, formerly known as Captain Bligh, has a no alcohol rule under way. It's actually a good rule and one for which I'd never stage a mutiny. During one of the conversations on our SSB radio crossing net, the subject of alcohol came up; some boats had the same rule as we have aboard "La Luna", while others are a bit more flexible. "Hobnob" celebrated their halfway point with Gin and Tonics, and enjoyed a glass of Mediera with their Christmas dinner. As promised, we used up precious butane to make coffee, and to heat milk which was then whipped up to bubbles. The captain got into the holiday spirit by offering up a tot of rum in our coffee con leche. Merry, Merry Christmas!
2. Wind. Wind from just the right direction. We started Christmas Day with rain storms - no lightening and no heavy winds - just rain. Some dodged us, and that is just fascinating to see. Once they passed, they took the good wind and we had to choose between going north or south of our goal. I looked at the GRIBs -- which are not always reliable -- plotted, predicted, and postulated, and suggested we head dead down wind towards the south east. "In 24 hours we should have better winds, gybe, and head directly to our mark." I was right! In 23 hours, on the 26th, we gybed and are now reaching comfortably to the mark. Go me.
3. 150. As I "pen" this, it's 0331 UTC (that's 12:31 LLT (La Luna Time), and we have just 150 miles to go. Looks like we'll be anchored on the 28th. If the wind abates and we slow down, we'll anchor off of Marie Galant Island on the evening of the 28th, then head in to the harbor on the 29th. If the winds continue as they are supposed to do, we'll arrive at the harbor just around daylight and anchor there on the morning of the 28th. Either way, we only have one more night at sea after this one. The Endurance Crossing is nearly complete!
Last night in an effort to save the butane, I boiled water, took the pot off the stove and put pasta into it. Letting it sit, covered, in the sink while I made a simple tomato sauce. Now I know why you don't do that: the pasta cooked, but was very starchy. One of the women we met sailing in the Bahamas had owned her own small restaurant in Connecticut. Instead of cookbooks, she preferred a book about the science of cooking, which sounded a bit dry to me, but I bet she could have told me why one must cook pasta in boiling water. Now I know. Still we have enough butane for tea tomorrow and coffee on our last morning at sea. We win!
We are currently located at North 16 degrees 03.54 minutes, and West 58 degrees, 34.23 minutes, barrelling along at 5.5 knots (or 5.5 nautical miles per hour). I've learned a lot out here. Just keep getting smarter and smarter.
Three things for which I am thankful:
1. Grog. EW, formerly known as Captain Bligh, has a no alcohol rule under way. It's actually a good rule and one for which I'd never stage a mutiny. During one of the conversations on our SSB radio crossing net, the subject of alcohol came up; some boats had the same rule as we have aboard "La Luna", while others are a bit more flexible. "Hobnob" celebrated their halfway point with Gin and Tonics, and enjoyed a glass of Mediera with their Christmas dinner. As promised, we used up precious butane to make coffee, and to heat milk which was then whipped up to bubbles. The captain got into the holiday spirit by offering up a tot of rum in our coffee con leche. Merry, Merry Christmas!
2. Wind. Wind from just the right direction. We started Christmas Day with rain storms - no lightening and no heavy winds - just rain. Some dodged us, and that is just fascinating to see. Once they passed, they took the good wind and we had to choose between going north or south of our goal. I looked at the GRIBs -- which are not always reliable -- plotted, predicted, and postulated, and suggested we head dead down wind towards the south east. "In 24 hours we should have better winds, gybe, and head directly to our mark." I was right! In 23 hours, on the 26th, we gybed and are now reaching comfortably to the mark. Go me.
3. 150. As I "pen" this, it's 0331 UTC (that's 12:31 LLT (La Luna Time), and we have just 150 miles to go. Looks like we'll be anchored on the 28th. If the wind abates and we slow down, we'll anchor off of Marie Galant Island on the evening of the 28th, then head in to the harbor on the 29th. If the winds continue as they are supposed to do, we'll arrive at the harbor just around daylight and anchor there on the morning of the 28th. Either way, we only have one more night at sea after this one. The Endurance Crossing is nearly complete!
Last night in an effort to save the butane, I boiled water, took the pot off the stove and put pasta into it. Letting it sit, covered, in the sink while I made a simple tomato sauce. Now I know why you don't do that: the pasta cooked, but was very starchy. One of the women we met sailing in the Bahamas had owned her own small restaurant in Connecticut. Instead of cookbooks, she preferred a book about the science of cooking, which sounded a bit dry to me, but I bet she could have told me why one must cook pasta in boiling water. Now I know. Still we have enough butane for tea tomorrow and coffee on our last morning at sea. We win!
We are currently located at North 16 degrees 03.54 minutes, and West 58 degrees, 34.23 minutes, barrelling along at 5.5 knots (or 5.5 nautical miles per hour). I've learned a lot out here. Just keep getting smarter and smarter.
Go for it and it will be a Happy New Year with French Food!!
Congratulations a day in advance!!
Ann & brad, I.e. Breezingup
Posted by: Ann willauer | 12/27/2014 at 10:28 PM