Page 74

16 April 2001

Now the winds are stable and the day before yesterday so much(/to the extent) that I had to reef all(/right down) and averaged 4.9 and yesterday an average of 4˝ knots.

Now I have covered(/travelled) just about(/around) a third (of the journey, edit) with the prospect of twice the distance I have already covered left. Right now that seems to be (in) a very distant future.

I couldn't(/we're able to) get petroleum for my stove so now I'm running dry, I just don't know when it'll happen? And at the same time I'm having problems using my small(/little) gas torch and I'm running dry(/out) of gas too, so I'm economizing as much as possible. When I'm cooking hot meals, I also boil some water for tea of coffee. Inside a vacuum jug it can stay warm(/hot) for 24 hours.

I was hoping that I had bought plenty of bread but soon it'll be gone. And the quality of the vegetables was so poor that I threw everything away. Some of it I didn't even get to try before it was rotting (away). But I have number of cans so I'll e alright.

I have also been reasonably lucky with the fishing and have caught three tunas until now, so if only that could continue.... I tried eating one raw and surprisingly enough I enjoyed it and ate it all. Isn't that what you call "sushi". I just wish that I had some English or soya sauce....

I celebrated that I have covered a third of the way(/journey) by making "candy". I think that I need the sugar. I'm not really hungry but from time to time I'm craving for something sweet that my fingers are shaking. I poured the sugar onto(/into) a pan and poured the oatmeal in when the sugar had melted. I had a bad conscience when I did it and I might regret it too when I run out of oil, but right at this moment I'm enjoying it, but it's going to be nice to get my teeth brushed. It's a bit sticky.


17 April 2001

My speed the last 24 hours has been the best on this trip(/navigation) so far, 5.2 knots. That's 138 miles in 24 hours. I'd wish that it would continue, but now the wind is poor again. But then at least the comfort is better. There are pros and cons(/advantages and disadvantages) with(/about) everything.........

I wanted to check on the line. The cup was on the floor when I woke up. And then the forerunner was gone, dammit.

Around 5 p.m. I got a turn. I was (lying) in my berth reading or half asleep, when suddenly a giant TOOOOTTTT..... A fishing vessel was right beside me and everybody, about 15 persons, was standing and waving (at me). They're fishing for tuna. I have often seen them. They always have a 30-35 ft boat standing on the deck. They're using it for steering the net. They also have a big turret on (board) the cutter(/fishing vessel). I think they're at sea for long periods of time. The boats are very big and mostly look like factory-made ships.

We yelled different greetings back and forth and they just kept continuing(/at it).


21 April 2001

Many nights I wake up and have dreamt about running on (dry) land. Many times I'm so disappointed when I wake up in the middle of the ocean. I almost run daily when I'm ashore and it's a big problem for me to do without the running all this time at sea. I'm dependent on it and miss it unbelievably(/incredibly) much.

This morning I saw whales, three of them. The biggest was abut 12-13 metres long.

I caught a 6-7 kilogram tuna. I ate some(/a part) of it raw for breakfast and here late afternoon I ate the rest (of it). I dipped the fillets in milk (powder(ed)) and breadcrumbs and fried them in oil. I don't think I have (ever) eaten this much in a day before, I'm stuffed.

It's not raining any longer(/more). The last couple of days there there have only been a few drops and I have gotten dried most things again, even my bed is now dry.
 

 

Stille dage i Stillehavet

Calm days at the Pacific Ocean

 



Threre's a reasonable wind (blowing) and I now have about 1400 miles left - a couple of weeks I guess - by this speed.

I have thought a lot about how I would feel about breaking off my journey now(/at this time). In a way I feel that it has only just begun (after reaching the Pacific Ocean). There are so many things I want to see - or there's so much I have planned for a long time and has been looking forward to seeing. I think that I'm beginning to have my doubts. Maybe it'll help when I'm with Nat again. Maybe it's just because that I have been alone for so many days and away from Nat.
Maybe I'll forget all about sailing any further when I see her again???

To Page 75

From Esbjerg, Denmark to Tahiti aboard a Junker 22