Tuesday 12th March 2013
12.22am Tried to download 1915Z (12:15am LT) weather fax from Wiluna - current forecast for Indian Ocean - same message again, as last night... "THE SCHEDULED CHART IS NOT AVAILABLE" !!! .... why not?
8am Downloading emails - still plenty of advice on blocked cooling system coming through!.
Spoke to US W and E coasts earlier - near sunrise here... San Diego, Maine, Florida ... also Colorado.... Excellent copy, which quite quickly goes down, as sun here gets higher.
Wind is dying - speed down 4.5 kt or less and wind down to 10kt from WNW-NW... backing slightly. Expecting no wind by tomorrow - maybe earlier? Think we've turned into a seaslug... or maybe a turtle ...
5.30pm Very dull - foggy! And sea lying down - just 2m swell now .. very few birds seen - too calm for them! Was pleased to have confirmed that cooling water is definitely circulating OK and exiting via exhaust... impellor bits can wait until landfall, I hope - definitely not easy to retrieve! Getting to know my engine intimately!
Feeling decidedly chilly - sea temp has dropped to 11.7C, so whole boat is colder - cabin temp is only 15C - into several fleeces again. Went looking for base layer to add in under fleeces - no clean ones found - so later set to washing used ones... with fairly calm sea, doing laundry was possible - so lucky ... Presently dripping, hung on line in cockpit.
Did some cooking - had to throw away several more rotten potatoes - not taking kindly to being wrapped in foil - need air! Thick bean soup made, ready for some additions - ham etc - tomorrow. Had a beef stew with potatoes, sweetcorn and celery tonight.
Chatted on radio a few times over the day - all very sociable!
DMG: 117 n.ml. C.Agulhas: 2827 n.ml.; C.Leeuwin WP: 1450 n.ml. Ile Kerguelen: 530 n.ml. (231T) Ile St Paul: 359 n.ml. (331T); Ile Amsterdam: 405 n.ml. (334T)
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For my positions, see:
www.svnereida.com - 'Travels' - "Where is 'Nereida'?"
and/or:
http://www.exactearth.com/media-centre/recent-ship-tracks/tracking-nereida/