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20 May
2001
I have been drifting (ever) since dismounting(/taking off) the engine. A couple
of times I have thought that now I'm just about to take off and had set(/made)
sail - and every time I was let down(/cheated). My leg actually doesn't look all
(that) bad. Maybe it's because I'm now finally able to keep it at rest.
Beautiful morning at the Pacific Ocean
Turn off that lamp will you - the sun is already up
I spent some of the afternoon pilk fishing. After a couple of hours I got a
rise. But unluckily it was a barracuda and those you should(/ought) not to eat I
have been told. There's supposed to be a greater risk of getting(/catching)
the(/a) feared illness(/disease) because it eats all other fry, and especially
those who live at the reef(s) should be dangerous. After another hour (of
fishing) I caught a 5 kilogram tuna, which was just perfect. I ate some of it
raw and boiled the rest of it (along) with (some) rice. Gradually I have
acquired a taste for boiled fish. Something I earlier(/previously) never ate
unless it was my mothers boiled codfish.
21 May 2001
Well, now I would really like a little wind. The last 24 hours has given me
SEVEN MILES (an average speed of 0.2692307 knots/hour). With that speed I'll
arrive in 105 days so I guess I have to ration (somewhat) heavily. I have
shopped(/done shopping) for(/to last) 20 days and had expected(/counted on) 7 to
10 days of sailing.
The sea is sufficiently rough meaning I can't have my sails up(/set) without
them flapping. Lots of times a breeze comes(/passes) by so I hurry in getting
the sails up. And at the same instance they're up the wind has disappeared and
they have to come down again. I think someone is pulling my leg. It was really
tiresome last night. I do sleep best when Trojka is sailing. Then I seldom wake
up, but last night I woke up all he time and set sails I don't know how many
times, only to take them down a couple of minutes later (read = when I had laid
down (again)).
I would have liked to do this trip in eight days. In that case I could have met
Nat's mom before she travels back home in the morning of the 27th.
22 May 2001
If I had a little more experience as a sailor when I left Denmark, I would have
brought along a spinnaker(/chute). But (as mentioned, edit) that was caused by
my lack of experience and no knowledge of the Pacific Ocean. But just the name
(Danish: Calm Ocean, edit) in itself is a hint of how things are.
The most "difficult" sailing I know (of) is a "light wind" sailing, and 90 per
cent of the time (spent, edit) in the Pacific has been like this(/(/in this
way).
Anyone can (/would be able) sail with a lot of wind, but after getting out into
the Pacific I have learned even more concerning(/regarding) trimming of sails
and boat. Gradually(/Eventually) I have perfected it to an extent that now I'm
moving around the weight (water containers/bottles) (in order) to get the
"perfect trim". It's just a rather tiresome(/laborious) way of sailing, since
you always have to be(/stay) alert in order for it to sail to an optimum. Light
winds also change (directions, edit) quite a bit(/lot). I'm more suited(/up) for
rough wind(s) and a couple of ropes in the sails. Then the boat is D... stable
and will go on sailing by itself for weeks and I'm back in the role I care much
about(/for), just being (a) passenger who only occasionally(/from time to time)
check if everything is in working order. But I have learned a lot in under a
year. I suppose I was also forced to do that. I have sailed(/covered a distance)
of around two oceans (full) of nautical miles, and I guess that would be the
equivalent of 10 years of sailing back home. It's probably very(/only a) few who
are sailing 1400 miles or more a year. And they won't head(/go) out when there's
a strong breeze or more(/worse). Now I have tried(/experienced) the whole
repertoire(/repertory), which you sort of have to, when you're out there.
But light wind sailing requires(/calls for) patience and that's not my strongest
point. The last 24 hours have given me 65 miles. An average of 2.8 miles/hour.
For some periods (of time), I have been obliged to sailing by autopilot. There
simply hasn't been enough wind for my Windpilot. No accusing words about the
Windpilot, it's been just(/simply) fantastic. But when sailing under 2½ knots,
it really doesn't do much steering. Little Trojka is like a leaf on the water.
I'm going by as low as 1 knot('s wind). Who's able to do that? Everybody else
out here starts the engine when the wind drops to under 10 knots. But it's like
running with a rotten egg between your teeth. It's possible, but bloody
annoying......... |
