LOCATION: 1500 MILES FROM ANY POINT OF LAND
We passed the halfway mark last night on our journey to the Marquesas. We have about 1500 miles to go. We have been “on the road” for 8 days now (Monday) and have been going 170-200 miles a day. The first 2 days, there was no wind at all, and we were getting worried. We only have fuel for 1200 miles of this 3,000 miles trip, and much of it was used in the first 2 days. The wind finally kicked in, and has been a steady 15-20 since. If it keeps up, we might make it in by next Wednesday or so.The motion of the boat has been pretty erratic. The waves kick it around, so that the ride is not as smooth as we would like. Mostly, we stay out in the cockpit, unless we really have to be below. Cooking has been challenging, but we have managed to have some pretty decent meals. We have been eating a lot of rice, cabbage, sunflower seeds and hard-boiled eggs. I’ve been missing bread, chocolate, Pepsi and apples.
Home school is simply not happening on this trip. The motion is too boisterous, and no one can concentrate very well. We have been doing a lot of reading, and playing road games: “I am going on a trip, and in my suitcase I have…. an aardvark, a balloon, a cyclops…”, and other brain-stretching games. Any suggestions?
I would like to report that the ocean is simply teeming with life, but I can’t. The only thing we see on a regular basis is flying fish. They look like big dragonflies, or very small birds, and leap out of the water in one accord – about 50 at a time, and fly through the air to some pre-determined destination. They can make u-turns in mid-air, and fly a long way. One of them hit the mainsail and dropped back in the water. I’m sure he never knew what hit him. We have found a few on deck, but have not been desperate enough to try to eat them.
There won’t be any new pictures in the media gallery for a while. We are sending this update via e-mail through a friend in Seattle, and can’t send pictures. If we could, all you would see is blue sky, blue water, and 5 slightly crazed people who have been looking at only each other for too many days in a row…
Our e-mail is working well out here in the middle of nowhere, so drop us a note and tell us all the things you have had for dinner!