Day 81 Reflecting on my heroes 21/11/2013

Position:  42.44 S, 138.00 E

I lost a pair of good friends that were very close to me this afternoon – my high top sailing boots! While I was on deck doing some sail changes and performing some acrobatics getting the pole down and stored against the mast they both tore apart!  I’ll cut away the tops and recycle them into a pair of “romeo’ boots. I have my leather construction boots and at the moment have them filled with several chapters from my last novel to dry them out. We’re travelling over the waves at hi speed this afternoon, 6 – 7+ knots pushed along by a cool 20 knot wind from the South South East under a quilted sky with just enough light to tickle the solar panels and waves big enough to keep us dancing along. We’re on a broad reach with triple reefed main and a handkerchief jib rolled out. The motion is a little crazy and the main halyard has started its drum roll against the mast just to remind me it’s still there.

I’ve had a good day reading, going on deck, making cups of tea and great meals. I had some left over rice and stew which I heated up for breakfast. Then I had two scrambled eggs with fried shallots and salsa and a big pancake and maple syrup for lunch. For dinner I’ll have my ham stew with couscous. I snack on granola and spoonfuls of peanut butter throughout the day to keep the fire in my belly and the toes and fingers warm. With this wind blowing so strong and West Wind II making such good time right down the line, I have a feeling of great optimism in my heart that we are doing well despite some recent equipment failures. I think back to my heroes John Guzzwell, Miles Smeeton, Robin Knox-Johnston, Sir Alec Rose, Chay Blyth, and Joshua Slocum and draw strength from what they accomplished many decades ago in wooden boats without any modern conveniences.  They were successful because of grit and steadfast determination. I sail on with their rich stories firing my imagination and to this day I use them as examples of what can be overcome in order to succeed. 

A shout out to Harvey Nixon ZL2HN and his 8 year old grand daughter Jessica from Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast, north of Wellington, New Zealand who connected over the ham radio to Glenn when he was sailing past Banks Peninsula. Thank you both for reaching out and making the connection! Great to see young people interested in ham radio! 

Course 270 T Speed 6.5 knots Wind S 20 Waves 2 metres Cloud 100% Temp 11C Baro 1013 Miles in last 24 hrs: 155 nm Volts 12.80