BLOGDATE 5 JUL 2009

It’s your intrepid First Matey with her second blog entry!

Sometimes this adventure feels a bit like a cross between Star Trek and Gilligan’s Island. A lot of high tech equipment to help us along on our journey and well, you know, a bumbling crew to handle it all. I must say that we are becoming more and more like Captain Kirk and Spock than the Skipper and Gilligan.

Jack has kept you all pretty well posted on our travels so I thought I would write a bit about what’s emerging as “a day in the life” on board Windleblo.

Most days start out with getting up when we are ready. Could be 7 am or like today it was 9:30 am. Mornings are bright as the sun has already been up for hours. Breakfast ranges from Swedish pancakes with jam and applesauce to Muesli with fruit, yogurt, and milk. Juice, tea and coffee are also on the menu.

Next on the agenda is getting the boat ready for departure. Dishes are washed and put away. The bed is made and anything lying around is stowed. I was worried that we would not have enough places to stow things on the boat. However, so far we have only used about 25% of capacity. Over time, I’m sure we’ll manage to fill the space with items yet to be procured (folding bikes, sewing machine, etc.).

We have our course for the day plotted on paper charts, which we transfer to the Furuno navigation system. This is a computer screen up in the cockpit that we watch along our way. It tells us the course we want and where we are in relation to that course. It also gives us the water depth and identifies any known hazards (Star Trekkish). I spend much of my time while underway monitoring the Furuno. It would be very easy to rely solely on this system but we know we have to be ready in case the electrical system fails. Hence the paper charts and compass.

We cast off and motor away from the dock or anchoring location. Then, if the wind is right we set sail. This has been a bit of a problem for us because we have been heading west and the wind has been coming from the west. That means we have had to use the motor more than we want. My favorite times so far have been when we are sailing out away from shore and the rocks. The wind has been mild mostly so I haven’t been nervous or panicky. And even when we sailed back in Sweden in a 30 knot breeze, Jack kept the boat from heeling too much.

We usually have lunch while underway. Fresh bread, delicious lunchmeat and cheese, and soup are the usual fare.

We have usually been arriving at our destinations in the late afternoon. We have had to dock, moor, and set anchor. Can’t say which one I like the best (or dread the least) but I think we are getting the best at anchoring. After we are secure we launch in dinghy (yet to be named) and go exploring. There are islands everywhere waiting for us to hike. After a bit of exploring and a swim for Jack (I did take a dip but am not too fond of ocean water – too many things slithering beneath!), it is time for dinner. We have been just buying what is available at the markets and coming up with dinners on the spot. One night I made pizza dough and we had homemade pizza. Tonight, Jack is making his famous curried eggplant and potato dish. We have been eating quite late. It is as if we are waiting for the sun to begin to set before we are ready for dinner. Well the sun doesn’t really set here this time of year. So about 8 or 9 we realize that we are hungry and should eat.

I am afraid that Happy Hours are almost a thing of the past. All you Beer Clubbers might be interested to know that Jack went grocery shopping and bought an inexpensive 6-pack of beer. The cost…$27! We haven’t even gone to the state liquor store to check out the prices of hard liquor and wine.

After we have cleaned up from dinner we sit back and relax; reading manuals about bow thrusters and bilge pumps and discussing the next day’s plan. There has been time for reading novels and of course knitting.

Well Trekkies…it is time to relax. (This blog writing is hard work!) I have the EPRIB and Weather Fax to figure out tonight.