Im actually on my 6 to 9 am shift Wednesday morning but will
review the events of yesterday…before I forget.
The seas on Wednesday were a bit bumpy with a 2-3 foot
ground swell from the north and short wind chop from the south. These two
opposing forces make for mixed seas and a somewhat bumpy ride. However, the
bumpiness was in a forward and back direction compared to the previous side to
side direction which the crew agree is worse given a choice. We had mixed fog,
high clouds and some sun.
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| "Im too sexy" pose |
Still no luck in the fishing department. Im not sure if we
are moving too fast at 5 knots or have the wrong choice in lures but will keep
at it. I hope to land at least one fish on this leg of the trip. After all,
fishing is in my blood and my grandfather, Big Al, would have been proud. I
forgot to mention that back in Coos Bay we met another sailboat (“The Office”)
heading south for Long Beach who caught a 30# tuna and shared some sashimi and
also some rum cake …yummi!!!
Sealife included a brief visit by some Dals Porpoises which
look like mini orcas with their black and white coloring. They dart around the
boat at faster speeds then dolfins and are smaller in size. I ran to take video
but they were soon gone. I kept getting the feeling like whales were sounding
in the distance but had no confirmed sightings. Sitting in our “plastic bubble”
of a full cockpit enclosure I need to remember to look outside for no only for
boat traffic but wildlife at sea. When its warm and the sun is out I head up to
the forward deck to soak in the sun, fresh sea air and observe any sea life,
which is why we are out here in the first place. However, the enclosed cockpit
is great protection from sun, rain and wind.
Boat Systems, Installment 2:
Okay, lets get the dirty topic out of the way. The one you
all have been waiting for: the head (bathroom). I converted Mariah’s toilet
from a standard marine toilet which flushes salt water and “stuff” into a 20
gallon holding tank which is either pumped out at a pump out station at a
marina or pumped overboard when at sea. I grew tired of the smells and
maintenance of this system so I installed a Air Head “composting head” that
separates liquids from solids. The liquids are captured in a one gallon
container and pumped overboard daily. The solids go into a “bucket” in the unit
and are mixed with peat moss and turn into fertilizer which can be added to
your garden. It reportedly can take 80 uses prior to the need to be emptied
which is not a fun job. The unit has worked great for occasional seasonal use
but we will see how it works with full time use at sea. The space for the old
sewage tank was converted into a 40 gallon freshwater tank; don’t worry, I
didn’t use the same tank but a new water bladder tank.
On the cleaner side of the head is a sink with hot and cold
pressure water (when there is hot water). The faucet pulls out of the sink and
attaches to the wall for a shower. Ive sealed the floor and added a drain to
the bilge for the shower and there is a curtain that can be pulled around to
protect the walls which were not designed for water (painted wood and not
fiberglass). Some people are quite “put
off” by sitting on a toilet while showering but I find it quite convenient. For
bathing I often just fill the sink with hot water heated on the stove and take
a sponge bath; it uses less water and is less of a mess, but doesn’t get the
hair clean.
Okay, so we finished with the galley and the head. So the
next topic could include sleeping, sailing, navigation/electronics, engine
propulsion, electricity, safety equipment, heating/temperature regulation,
entertainment…the list goes on. I hope to post these when I get to San
Francisco.
Cheers for now. Ken
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