June 29. 2008
Current Position (as of 9:23pm PT): 21.33 N, 138.14W
Another slow day. Light winds and smaller swells made for a relaxing day. Did the usual boat maintenance and chores. I set another fishing line today as I have been looking forward to some fresh fish. While I was checking email the reel started to scream (something on the line). I ran up to reel it in. My pole was bent way over like it was something big and then it just went loose. Again my lure was still there but whatever it was got away again! I tried increasing the drag on the pole and will see if next time the hook sets better. Looking forward to a nice Mahi Mahi or tuna or who knows what?
It looks like the tropical storms off of Mexico have not become anything to worry about and will not turn into hurricanes. My problem seems to be not enough wind. I have had about 8 knots all day. It is still a little flukey. The ClearPoint Weather forecast shows more of the same for the next 2 days so I am heading further south to pick up the stronger winds there. Photo ©2008 GizaraArts.com
When you all pray that the hurricanes don't travel too far north, please add that I would really appreciate some wind. At least more than 8 knots.
Cheers,
Zac
PS. This photo was taken while anchored at Catalina. We'll try to add some photos taken during the preparation phase until my photos from the journey are gathered in the Marshalls.
posted by Zac at
9:48 PM
32 Comments:
Z,
Prayin for some knots. Hope they come soon and stay long.
Best!
Ricardo
Hey Zac,
How cool. charting you on Google Earth, it looks like you moved West, or directly toward Hawaii? So tomorrow, it should show you moving more South?
Praying for just the right amount of wind. Okay, I wasn't doing that. My prayers will change course too!
Love the picture. I think its the first of you on board with a smile on your face that I have seen. That is a great way for all your supporters here to be reminded of you every day you are out there. It looks like that shot was taken during your boat preparation stage. Caulking tubes and paint on your hand and arm! You obviously did not just start your journey when you left MDR.
Sorry for the slow day, but I'm glad you got to relax on your Sunday. I hope you have a great week ahead Zac,
Regards,
Peter
great pic Zac, until i read the caption i thought maybe i had found the person who keeps messing up your boat
praying for wind
rock on
j
Hey Zach-
We're fellow sailors from MDR that have been following your journey since the start. We are parents of 3 teenagers and cannot imagine any of them taking on such an awesome adventure. We look forward to reading your blog every evening to see how you are doing. Keep up your spirits and enjoy your journey!
You are doing something that most sailors dream about, but never get the chance to do. Take care.
Sending wind and good thoughts your way,
Andrew & Jodi- Cup A Jo
Zac,
I cant wait for you to land a fish. I read your blog everynight. Keep up the good posts. I'll be praying for some good wind.
Ryan
Hi, Zac.
Great progress! You're halfway to Hawaii. And that's halfway to Majuro!
Can you tell us a little more about your course? What is your point of sail? When do you expect to hit the trades? How will you sail, then? (Do you have a spinnaker? I have to admire someone who can sail with a spinnaker single-handed, but I have never been on a run or reach for 3,000 miles!)
From what I can tell, the storms will have lightened up by the time you near their tracks. Boris has slowed its westward progress. Christina may be strong.
How far south are you going? What is your next waypoint?
Good fishing and best regards,
Jim
U will catch fish! I did a similar trip from SD to Costa Rica. I lost a few lures though. Additionally I didnt have a gaff. A small baseball bat helps too (we always believe that in Chicago). When U finally are eating your mahi mahi it will be the best meal of your life. I too had major cravings for In and Outs. However the cravings quickly vanished when the Mexican navy started shadowing me one morning and just before sunset decided to board and have a search. All I kept thinking was I should have studied harder in my high school spanish class. Anyway I have never seen a spanish text book that covers interrogations. However like all good 'C' students (I wish) I winged it. Sister Mary Holywater would have been impressed!!!
Rock on Zac
Hi Zac,
I read you blog everyday, yet I'll try to comment only about once a week. I found some sailors on youtube so I could see a little of what is going on out there on the ocean blue. They were three; and you are only one! So they could take turns cooking. I think usually a certain one cooked though. He seemed to enjoy that. Also, one was washing socks with a bucked and a toilet plunger. Interesting! LOL! It seemed like a lot of work for three! Some of the repairs that popped up would be really difficult for just one person to do. One fella cut his thumb pretty darn bad. One of the other fellas stitched it up for him. Also, they were each sick (at different times), until they got their 'sea legs.' Motion sickness. They were experienced sailors also. Is that why you didn't feel too hungry? Did you get a bit of motion sickness? They were about 10 days longer at sea due to lack of winds also. I thought it was interesting that one fella had a guitar that he played when they were filling time while crawling along with only 2 knots of wind. Do you have any instruments on board? They also had a reverse osmosis machine on board. Well, I think about you everyday. Be safe and I'll pray for a nice wind to help you get some distance behind you. And a prayer for luck with fishing!
Cheers~~
hi Zac,
cool tat u r doing fine !
p/s:nice pic ya got!
xoxo
mel
Zac, I've had this happen with a 'spinner' lure before. Sometimes they just get caught on seaweed or something floating just under the surface, then let go. Try putting some enticement out if you have it to spare, what we call burley but in the States it might be called something else ... this will attract the fish to your lure.
You're doing great Zac!
Best,
Glenys
Hello Zac
We like the picture it was a definately a nice touch. Since we read your updates and chart you daily it was nice this morning to see a face with the fishing report. We also like it when you tell us what your needs are so we can pray for you. We love Jesus and believe in you and your vision and we want the best for you. Your daily words give me a lift first thing every morning and seem to resinate with me throughout the day. Thanks for the daily uplift. Charley and Joshua Hasker
Zac,
In regards to the fishing, you need to do the total OPPOSITE of what you are thinking!
On my boat, as well as almost every tournament boat, we set the drags to the LIGHTEST setting we can.
First thing, tighten your drag and then let the lure out behind your boat. Put the rod in your rod holder and then loosen the drag until the forward movement of the boat starts to take the line off the reel. AS SOON as line starts coming off your reel, tighten the drag JUST ENOUGH to stop the line from coming off the reel and then tighten your drag 1/4 of a turn more and that is all the drag you will need.
What you are probably experiencing is Dolphin (Mahi Mahi) getting on your baits and then when they make a run with your bait/lure, your drag is SO tight, it is ripping the hooks right out of their mouths! This goes for all fish you are trolling for, the tighter the drag, the hotter the run, the easier it is for the fish to rip the hooks from his mouth.
With the loose drag, and the speed at which they strike your lure, and with the bite they will give it, the hook WILL penetrate and the "barb" on the hook will keep the fish on the hook.
Happy fishing and post photos of your results!
Great blog, Zac! Thanks for tending it so faithfully for us. Is it just me or have the position postings on Google Earth gone missing for the last two days? I can put in your coordinates myself and get a position marker but I like the little boats tracking your sail. You have become a part of my days. Thanks! Rose
Make sure to try and get some extra sleep while the weather's calm -- you never know when the swells will start building up again!
Great that the storms aren't looking like much.
Safe journey,
~Kate~
Hey Zac, We had the same problem catching fish at sea. It sounds easy but it isn't. On the trip home from Hawaii, the first time, my Dad got tired of losing lures so he made one out of a metal pull top off a pudding cup. He took a 1ft. piece of stainless steel wire, attached a two pronged hook to it and wired on metal lid. It flashed around in the water and he caught a nice 3ft. Mahi Mahi.
Zac,
You "did the usual chores" on board. The details are great stuff. Tell us what kind of daily "chores" are needed while sailing? After all, you don't have to clean a cat litter box, or go grocery shopping, or stop by the gas station & get gas for the car. I also agree with the other posts in that your photo is a good one. I used to spend two weeks during the summers in Catalina while growing up.
C-18
Hi Zac
Another day that looks like easy going but not enough wind to make real progress. When you start running good at nite the flying fish will be on your deck in the morning. What do you have for electronics and back up electronics. Keep the watches as a freind just lost his boat on a reef because he decided to sleep all nite and had nothing to alarm him that he was close to shore.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Gordon and Tina
Around The World In A 9 Ft Boat
www.aroundinten.org
This comment has been removed by the author.
Been reading the blog since I heard you on the raido. Sweet!
About the fishing...I was on a fishing trip trolling for tuna.... The deck hand showed us a little trick of the trade. He would let the line out to trolling lenght and then grab the line at the top eye of the pole and pull it down untill it reaches the bottom eye on your poll. He would then use a rubber band(or any light string) and secure the line to that bottom eye or poll in that area. When a fish would take the lure the rubber band would break away and the loose tension untill it would go taut would set the hook for you. Then fish on. Best of luck to you! Windy sailing.
Hey Zac.
I know some very great people in the Marshall Islands and they would do anything for you. They are well connected there and if you want their email address I can give it to you and alert them to your coming. I know they would be very reliable folks to get help from or just connect with. Let me know.
dougboudinot@hotmail.com
Ha, be careful what you wish for when it comes to wind out there :) Fish: Try taking a few wraps around your lifeline and hold it with a clothspin or using a bungy to allow the fish to hit the line, have some slack and then "bam", it sets the hook. Increasing the drag just on the pole could end with a problem and still lost fish; these tricks on sailboats allow the hook to set. Happy fishin.
I should have read other comments before commenting, sorry. Some good fishing tips there, but I'm assuming you are doing the "cruisers" fishing; set it and leave it till some rukus. If you loosing the drag on the reel you may come up from below and discover there is no more line on the reel. That's why i suggested the life line trick...take in 2-3 fit and let it hang outside the lifeline on the side you fish off of and hold the slack in place with a pin per last...you'll catch dinner next time they hit!
Nice picture of you Zac. I am happy that you are wearing the Zen good luck prayer beads that I gave you. If you look closely each bead has a prayer and a blessing from the Dali Lama. I hope they have been working in bringing you some better winds. Also in some fishing as well. You will love some nice fresh Tuna maybe. They put up quite a good fight too. That will be fun. Just be carful with those hooks dude. You don't need any injuries. Beat him over the head really good before you bring him on board. God bless.
Chris Carnaghi, Alhambra CA.
Your google-map current location used to be a link but not now. ??? (I do know I can use google-earth, but I do like the map, too.) Thanks.
Hi Zac!
I just found your story and I am so impressed. I am 16 as well and I just made the Olympic team in Open Water Swimming (10k). I swim alot in oceans so I can relate to your love of the water. I have never been sailing. We just moved to OC last fall and I travel the world swimming. Anyway, I am always the youngest at my competitions and it is so awesome to see someone my age doing something amazing!! You are definitely in my prayers! Chloe Sutton myspace.com/luvinswimmin2008 or facebook me
Hey Zac, I heard about your adventure on the news the other night and have been following your progress ever since. My dream is to sail the world, so you have given me more incentive to do so.
Keep strong and you will succeed.
TIAMI
BARBADOS W.I.
Zach,
I read your story in the Minneapolis Star/Tribune a while ago. I have been following your blog ever since. I look forward to reading it every night. You are an inspiration!
Hey Zac,
I've been reading your blog everyday... I hope you get some wind and a nice fish for you to eat!! How are you gonna cook the fish?
Best of luck,
Ali
Hi Zac,
I really enjoy reading your blog everyday. I hope in your next message that you tell us about the fish that you caught.
Do you ever get to talk to any of the freighters that pass you by?
I'll be praying for wind!
Robin
Zac, greetings again from 7 yr old sailor girl, Kylie and her mom, from Santa Monica. We check your blog every day and find it all very interesting, even on days that may seem blah to you. Hope you get some yummy fish soon!
Hi Zac,
I read about you in the Ventura Star. And couldn't believe what I was reading! Oh My Gosh! You have a lot of guts sailing all by your self! WOW! I'm Impressed! I'm also a sailor. When I sail with my Husband I'm always the Helmsman while he works the sails. I know you wished for some winds. But lets Pray when they do come, they are not too strong! Because you will....be very busy that's for darn sure! There's a hurricane just south of you. I looked at google earth. I don't see you for today! the 30th...I hope nothing happen to you. I'll be watching and saying some prayers for you! ....Karen, Ventura, CA. (Marina Sailing Club)
I don't think rubbing alcohol will work in the stove. It's mostly water...
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