20 Years Ago Today -- April 30, 1996 -- Day 22

Tues. 96-04-30 - Day 22 - 0° 28' S  130° 58' W  Log: 1,968nm

We took the main down before I went off watch this morning in order to try to reduce the heeling so that watermaker would run, as its water intake is too close to the waterline on the port side. Still sucked air occasionally. We turned and ran off the wind for a few hours, but the occasional hard roll would still introduce air into the system -- so it's essentially useless. After I got up at 1800Z, we decided to hell with it, got the main back up and back on course. As neither of us was in the mood, we skipped the contest today.

Beautiful day, but I was still feeling tired. John too, and he's having trouble sleeping. I've been sweating a lot in bed, not from the heat. Finally I had a two-hour nap this afternoon (without getting sweaty) and felt a bit better afterwards. I'm aware that I'm dreaming a lot, although I don't remember them.

Still fishing 'round the clock and catching nothing -- it's bugging me. 

Finished reading Dark Channel -- I didn't much like it, although John had enjoyed it. Thinking of writing another letter tonight, but not sure to whom. Maybe my brother or sister.

Ropework: a couple of night watches lately, I've practiced some rope work, and have become proficient at the Monkey Fist and Turk's Head knots, as well as a couple of less decorative ones.

John baked bread today and made chicken and rice with green beans for supper. The meals are getting boring.

CDs:

• Various -- Really Free sample disk
• Miles Davis -- Bitches Brew (disk 2) -- I don't much like this album!
• Miles Davis -- Seven Steps to Heaven -- sooo nice!

Wrote a 2-page letter to my brother and his wife.

[Ed.: I find it really odd that we crossed the equator and I didn't even comment on it in the log. It was the first time for both John and me by boat, and should have been a pretty big deal.]

20 Years Ago Today -- April 29, 1996 -- Day 21

Mon. 96-04-29 - Day 21 - 1° 02' N  129° 44' W  Log: 1,853nm

Another sunny day in paradise. Up at 1800Z, took sun sights for our contest and worked out my EP -- not good at all -- even my LOP was quite a bit off, and we had run WAY further than either John or I imagined using our WAG log record.

Lottery: John: 19 miles off, Dave: 44 -- John wins 5:2. With less than 150 miles left in leg 2, John obviously won. In addition, that's 2 out of 3 legs for him, so I owe him dinner.

I was feeling tired today, and grumpy/down. It kind of surprises me that I have mood swings out here when the weather is so consistent. I expect partly it's the increased boat motion, now that we've been reaching in 15 knots day and night. The doldrums were a refreshingly softer ride, although not nearly flat.

After working out my EP, I cooked myself up a great breakfast of French toast cheese sandwiches, using the bread I had baked. Although it wasn't a great bread alone, it made great French toast.

Had a nap in late PM (as I have most days) and slept hard -- had trouble waking up. Our great circle course to Hiva Oa is a beam reach so far -- I hope the trades get less South in them rather than more. Only about a week to go to the Marquesas. We'll be crossing the equator sometime in the middle of the night tonight. Making good time.

I'm quite frustrated at my lack of success fishing, despite changing lures every day or two. For supper, I heated a can of chili, and opened a can of peaches, and John cooked up a brownie mix for dessert.

Not in the mood to spend my watch in the cockpit, so I think I'll write a letter or two. It was cool today -- t-shirt required in the shade (with 15 knots of breeze), and a sweatshirt is likely not enough to spent my watch outside -- ironic as we're at the equator. All in all, sailing in the tropics is much cooler than I imagined.

The boat's CD player loading mechanism seems to be malfunctioning, so I played my cassette tape "Thalia -- In Ecstatis" at supper. Luckily, I've still got my portable CD player. CDs:

• Miles Davis -- Kinda Blue (dawn)
• Manteca -- Perfect Foot

Wrote a 4-page letter to my ex-wife on my 1st watch and a 2 page letter to my buddy Yves and his gang on the 2nd watch