This week was much like last week in terms of sailing conditions. Winds were from the NE to the SE anywhere from 6 to 17 knots. We made good progress throughout the week, racking up a total of 965 miles for an average of 137 miles a day. Our best day was Monday with a total of 165 miles made good. The lowest mileage day was Wednesday with 116 - still a respectable day.
While the sailing went well, this week was still probably the most difficult of the passage just from a psychological standpoint. We were a long way from where we started but an even longer way from our destination. It was not until Saturday that we reached the half-way point in the passage - and we were still looking at 1500 miles to go. So even though everything went well, we found it hard to remain upbeat sometimes.
But by the end of the week we had reached the half way point and are now each day tangibly closer to Nuku Hiva. High points of the week included our 165 mile day, going below 2000 miles to go, reaching the half-way point, and seeing many dolphins and one sea turtle.
Some people have asked us what a day is like on a lengthy passage. So instead of giving a day by day log of a week that was basically sailing, we wanted to present a typical day.
We start our day at 6 AM when Kyle comes off the last watch of the night. The sun is coming up and usually there are some rain clouds around that time of day. We might have a sprinkle or two or sometimes something more substantial. Kyle enters in the 6 AM log entry and plots our position on the chart. When we are on the open sea, we usually only make one or two log entries and one plot a day. When we start getting closer to land we start making three hourly plots and if we are close to anything dangerous like a reef we make hourly plots. That helps to make sure that an unexpected current doesn't put us on a reef or rock.
Kathy is up by then and gets started making breakfast. She rotates between toast, pancakes, omelets, fried eggs on toast, and oatmeal. It is amazing the meals she can cook up in a galley that is pitching and rolling.
Shortly after breakfast we check in on the first cruisers net of the day. These nets are held on marine SSB frequencies and they give the cruisers a chance to touch base with each other. Each boat gives their position and weather conditions and then after the net anyone can go off frequency to chat. STAP ISI checks into two different nets each day. There is a group of boats ahead of us that has a net and a group behind and we are right in the middle so we check into both.
The value of these nets was demonstrated last week when the husband on one of the boats ahead of us fell seriously ill. Through the radio the wife was able to talk to a physician about his symptoms and they were able to arrange an evacuation for him to the hospital in Tahiti. The wife is in the process of bringing the boat in by herself.
After the nets we work on any of several tasks including laundry, email, equipment repairs, or changing the sails. Depending on what the wind is doing, trimming and changing sails might occupy a good part of the day. Other times we go all day without touching the sails. Some time each morning each of us tries to get a nap to catch up on sleep that was missed during the night watches. When all the jobs are caught up we read or just watch the ocean. We don't keep a formal watch during the day but whoever is on deck is supposed to keep a lookout for other boats and to watch the sail trim. The importance of the watch was demonstrated a couple of days ago when a couple on a boat (who apparently were not keeping a watch) were startled awake by a loud crash and found that a French boat (also apparently not keeping a watch) had run into them in the night. The French boat careened off their boat and kept right on going. It amazed everyone that two boats could run into each other in the middle of hundreds of thousands of square miles of empty ocean.
The afternoons are much like the mornings. Sails are trimmed, odd jobs are finished, baths are taken, and books are read. We also try to get in a short nap in the afternoon.
After supper (again usually a culinary miracle) we have devotions and get things squared away for the night. We have divided the night into four watches. Kyle sleeps from 6 PM to 10 PM while Kathy is on watch. Then he is on watch from 10 to 2 AM. That gives each of us a good block of four hours of sleep. Then from 2 to 4 AM Kathy is on watch and Kyle finishes up the night with the 4 to 6 AM slot.
When we first started cruising we were apprehensive about the nights but they have become our favorite time on the water. It is cooler and most nights there are a billion stars in the sky. Since we're sailing southwest we get to watch the Southern Cross on our port and the Big Dipper on our starboard rotate on the horizon. Also we have a challenge to see which one of us sees the first satellite of the night. Early morning just before light is the best time to watch for shooting stars. Occasionally dolphins swim along with the boat and some times we have gulls or other sea birds that fly around us. But the best part is that it is a great time to pray and think and read.
We have been amazed at how quickly the days go by on passage. One would think that with limited things to do the days would drag by. Instead we find that it seems like we are just getting up and it is time to begin another night watch.