Skippers log #24
46 56s 90 58e at 14:15 GMT
After 4 days sailing with no mainsail set, today conditions finally allowed me to set the mainsail, and the staysail, while increasing some genoa to about one third. We have also been able to come onto a heading that is slightly north of east at last. The winds have eased off, but the seas are still lumpy. Hopefully they will go down soon. I was able to boil two eggs and have that at least, plus a cup of hot chocolate. It is raining outside, grey and very drab. I can't wait to see the sun again, but I guess that will be in about 3,000 miles time. I am coming north as there is a waypoint on the course called the gate. I need to be north of 46 deg between 105 and 120 deg east. That area I will enter in about 4 days time, so I might as well get positioned now. I passed the day reading Madiba, the children's story by Lionel Maxim of Nelson Mandela. Every young person should read this book. It is an inspiration of hope and dreams of a nation.
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Skippers log #25
45 57s 92 33e at 15:30
I have reached the midway mark between South Africa and New Zealand at last. It has taken 25 days. The gales for now have abated. Today I was becalmed again. My 24 hour progress was only 80 miles, and that was on a heading towards the northeast. During this same time, I only took 29 miles off the distance to Aukland. I am tempted to put into Hobart, Tasmania for a good meal. I fixed a pot of boiled potatoes while drifting. The seas are still big, shaking what little wind there is out of my sails. It has been drizzling non-stop all day, and is cold. I decided not to spend time on deck being cold and miserable, but to wait till the wind freshened. When it did, it came from the SE and went east, but was very light. To pass the day, I opened the computer and wrote an entire chapter. 12 chapters of Journey of a Hope Merchant are in draft form. Most of the content so far that I have written is covered in No Barriers. I am now getting to the new stuff. The barometer is very low. I think that when I was becalmed, I was in the center of the low. I really hope it does not take another 25 days to get to port. I do not want to have to endure so many gales. Yet I need to get used to it, as the next leg will be worse to the Horn. I am glad that the heater is working as it gives me some comfort. I have not been successful in drying out the entire boat yet. Doubt if that will happen till I get into some real sun, some day. With all these cold fronts my hip hurts. Lately I have been having pins and needles in my toes. I guess that is from wet socks and cold feet. I have gone from only headsails to full sail, and now back to a reef in the mainsail and some headsail out. The goal is to get east so that I can get the phone working again. I am missing contact with the outside world, and particularly contact with Gwen and my family. Financial deals with radio networks have also been finalized, awaiting the phone link.
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Skippers log #26
45 02s 95 45e at 13:45 GMT
Today when a frontal system passed through, I was trying to get my heater working. It had quit and nothing I did seemed to get it going again. I had my hand into an awkward place, trying to feel if the fuel for the heater was pumping. When we came off a wave on our ear, I got thrown. Unfortunately my hand was wedged into a compartment, and I nearly broke my arm. In pain I pulled my hand out, only for the boat to lurch again, catching me off balance, as I got thrown towards the chart table, landing on the edge. For a second I thought I had broken my ribs, as the wind was knocked out of me, but fortunately not. I just have a lot of sore flesh and a sore elbow, and still no working heater. I don't know what more to try. It has power, pumps cold air and smokes out of the exhaust, but the heat will not come. It is about 9 deg Celsius in the cabin, and colder on deck. I am going to stay north for a while I think. It would be nice to make some fast progress in the right direction, and get this leg over.
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Skippers log #27
45 42s 100 00e at 13:45 GMT
My last meal of 1998 and crossing the 100 deg longitude was celebrated with one of Gwen's infamous curries. The sun shone today as we sailed wing and wing east. I have had time to write, working on chapter 13 and recounting many of my experiences in Ireland, when a wave of homesickness came over me. I want to go back to the counry that gave me my first big break in solo sailing. I want go kayaking with my friend Malcomb Goodbody across Galway Bay, walking on the Burn holding Gwen's hand, sitting in the pub with Jim Fahy, sailing the South Coast with John Killeen, walking through the Four Courts with Ronnie Robins, drinking coffee at Gray's with Don Harris, plan sponsorships with Robin Deacy and talking about sailing with Bryan Lynch. These are some of my closest friends there, who I miss. So many friends were a part of the dream to help me sail around the world solo. Evey one of my friends contributed in some way. It is New Year's eve. 365 days ago, I sat drinking mulled wine on Innisher, a small Arran Island at the head to Galway Bay, with Enda O'Coineen, a friend who too attempted this race in '90. So many dreams are inter-twined with where I am tonight, as Gwen and I enter our eighth year together. I have not forgotten a nation who helped me get to the starting line of my career, enabling companies like Phillips Industrial Services, SC Port, Prudential, News Printing Company, Netcare, Passport Internationl, St. John's Rotary Club, Thompson Construction and Trucking and so many small donors to be a part of our growth. My wish for 1999 is to see the work of our No Barriers Education Foundation continue to impact peoples lives and make a difference. I will visit all of the countries this year who helped shape No Barriers and my life to say thank you for that on-going support. As I watch the albatrosses circling, I want to wish you all a prosperous and happy 1999, and say thank you to all who have supported me, in particular my sponsors, Gwen, and Diane and Bob Woodruff. May the great dreams of all of our youth, be the generous reality, with which we prosper as a human race.