Breaking Through
Latest Position: 04/15/09 0 35.871S 28 38.202W
The winds filled in a little this morning and I have about 8 knots apparent with the wind on the forward quarter. The wind has built a little as the day has gone on and the forecast is for it to keep building over the next 24 hours. So it looks like I have broken through the convergence zone finally. As long as the winds hold I should be crossing the equator and picking up the NE trade winds sometime tomorrow. Once I cross the equator I will reach my half way point of this leg. The second half should go much quicker because of the strength of the NE trade winds blowing right on my beam.
It feels great to finally be on my way again and not be bobbing around in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean going nowhere with squalls and 100 degree weather all the time. In fact, I'd much rather be going trough a storm than be becalmed like that.
@Sarah: You should not be worried about sailing with your parents. I sailed with my family when I was 9-11. There were some scary times but life is different at sea, There are really bad times but really good times. Life on land is pretty predictable and steady. You don't have as bad of times but the good times are really great. Oh and there is life without the Internet. You can send email through your radio but no Internet at sea.
@Anita: My power problems have to do with the regulator that accounts for my power. My solar panels are charging and my wind generator would charge if there was wind. It isn't getting regulated well. I have run the engine to charge things up and I could turn off the radar during the day to save power if I really needed to.
@Anonymous: My fridge is an energy pig so I don't run it much after a week at sea. Nothing to keep cold really. Unfortunately, the water in the ocean is 85 degrees and not very refreshing. I don't try to cool off with ocean water because it makes me really salty and itchy. I don't have enough water to rinse off very well afterwards. I have 'showered' in squalls though. Sometimes the rainfall is so heavy it is like a shower!
@Anonymous: No stowaways on board. I have never had any mice or weird bugs. Only flying fish and booby birds! But that was a long time ago.
I have to get some sleep and rest up for crossing the equator tomorrow!
Cheers,
Zac
The winds filled in a little this morning and I have about 8 knots apparent with the wind on the forward quarter. The wind has built a little as the day has gone on and the forecast is for it to keep building over the next 24 hours. So it looks like I have broken through the convergence zone finally. As long as the winds hold I should be crossing the equator and picking up the NE trade winds sometime tomorrow. Once I cross the equator I will reach my half way point of this leg. The second half should go much quicker because of the strength of the NE trade winds blowing right on my beam.
It feels great to finally be on my way again and not be bobbing around in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean going nowhere with squalls and 100 degree weather all the time. In fact, I'd much rather be going trough a storm than be becalmed like that.
@Sarah: You should not be worried about sailing with your parents. I sailed with my family when I was 9-11. There were some scary times but life is different at sea, There are really bad times but really good times. Life on land is pretty predictable and steady. You don't have as bad of times but the good times are really great. Oh and there is life without the Internet. You can send email through your radio but no Internet at sea.
@Anita: My power problems have to do with the regulator that accounts for my power. My solar panels are charging and my wind generator would charge if there was wind. It isn't getting regulated well. I have run the engine to charge things up and I could turn off the radar during the day to save power if I really needed to.
@Anonymous: My fridge is an energy pig so I don't run it much after a week at sea. Nothing to keep cold really. Unfortunately, the water in the ocean is 85 degrees and not very refreshing. I don't try to cool off with ocean water because it makes me really salty and itchy. I don't have enough water to rinse off very well afterwards. I have 'showered' in squalls though. Sometimes the rainfall is so heavy it is like a shower!
@Anonymous: No stowaways on board. I have never had any mice or weird bugs. Only flying fish and booby birds! But that was a long time ago.
I have to get some sleep and rest up for crossing the equator tomorrow!
Cheers,
Zac
posted by Zac at
6:49 PM
26 Comments:
It's great to hear you're sailing again. I'm sure it gets somewhat depressing when you're just laying still on the ocean moving with a slight motion.
I'm glad to see you're answering more questions again. The detailed description you give to the answers are great reading material. Please make sure you keep those detailed descriptions while writing the book. I can't wait to read it!!!
Sail On,
Douglas Pistone
MDR, California
Pretty cool stuff must have crossed the equator by now?
Very interesting on Google Earth show's Zac about 100 miles South of a crop of rocks [The Saint Peter and Saint Paul Islets 0° 55′ 1″ N, 29° 20′ 7″ W ] and who should be the inhabitant of them. None other than the Booby Bird LOL!
Maybe Zac will have another visitor since he just mentioned that bird. Wow. Talk about coming full circle in circumnavigation :-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter_and_Paul_Rocks
Zac-
OK, dude....crossing the equator again. Be sure to thank Neptune for the good fortune of trade winds on your nose.
Kodiak Mike
Hurray, hurray! Hope this keeps up for you, that you cross the equator and sail on through to Grenada soon! Take good care out there... Peace, Your Oklahoma Well-Wisher
Hi I hope your doing well. I was curios what is your favorite time to be on the ocean? I pray for you and hope you make it on time.
Hi I hope your doing well. I was curios what is your favorite time to be on the ocean? I pray for you and hope you make it on time.
Robin Smith
omaha neb.
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing this entire experience. My son is inspired by it.
Way to go Zac!! Almost to the equater! I'm glad that the winds have picked up for ya. Ok what in the world is a booby bird LOL?!?! I'm not a sailer hahahaha!!!!
God Bless.....
Morgan
Montana
Zac,
So, what was the equatorial ceremony you dreamed up for the crossing?...glad you are sailing again....where is your next stop? I tell our mail carrier about your location each day....he is from Brazil and was hoping you'd stop in for a day or two to meet the people!...anyway....hope you get to enjoy more stopovers before getting to California.
Sending prayers your way,
Betty E., Lomita, CA
It wonderful to hear you're on the move again. Can't believe you're crossing the equator tomorrow. How will you celebrate that moment?
Zac - I knew the winds were coming! YEA! Glad you are moving again!
the second equatorial crossing of the trip. wow. What an adventure this has been - for you AND your Virtual Crew.
I too love having you answer questions - it is fun.
You will be to Grenada in no time.
Did you remember to wish your mom a happy birthday the other day? She is a great one! ALWAYS TELL HER SO!
Continued blessings on your trip as you remember the One who created it all.
Keep your harness on and keep alert and we will pray that the Enemy is thwarted at every attempt against you.
Beautifully perfect spring day in MN! We have been waiting! Been since early November last year that we have seen 70 degrees! We are ready!
Sail on, Cap'n!!
LA in MN
Welcome back to my hemisphere.
I understand that you are supposed to get drunk when you cross the equator.
Better hold off on that until your next crossing.
May the winds pick up and bring you ever so much closer to my shears.
I am off to the factory and then to Daves Hair Salon in Glendale to get a haircut as I am starting to approach your length. Actually I am going to get a whole bunch of them cut.
Have not heard much about the dental problems lately so I am hoping that everything is under control and you can wait until after the Mexican food in MDR and the In n' Out on Washington Blvd.
As we leave the holidays behind us, I wish you Godspeed in your travels.
As the Rivulets follow the waves to the Sea,
So may His blessings follow thee.
Flora B. Mann 1906-1975
Bill Mann
bill@barstools4u.com
Hey Zac,
It's great that you are beginning to move with the wind a bit again.
How are the wisdom teeth doing? I hope they are behaving for you.
The 'showers' sound great. Could we ever use a few rainfalls that are like showers here in what I call the 'Colorado desert.'
I hope you have been eating and resting well, since it sounds like you are about to be busy with sails once again!
Namaste~~
Hey Z
Thanks for answering my question :)
Happy yo hear you're on the move again!
I'm looking forward to getting "Wombat" ready for sailing season here. Hopefully I will pull her over to the house this weekend, get the new bottom paint on and wax her up! I'll send a photo via Facebook ~_/)
Enjoy the wind!!
Blessings
Anita
Waterloo, NY
Captain SV "Wombat"
Alright Sir Zac, you are about a week away from some GREAT Mahi Mahi and Wahoo territory!!! Of course there’ll be some pest Cuda’s too…
Anyhow, drag anything with some sparkle, a skirt if possible, and good hook. If you can rig up 100lb test leader or wire, all the better… If you get a hit and it’s a Mahi, it will run a bit and then jump so you’ll know what it is… If it’s a Wahoo, you’ll be afraid to touch the real and be thinking it’s going to catch on fire… With a Mahi, you can typically muscle up to the boat pretty quick… With a Wahoo, NO DEAL dude… set the drag less than you want, or they’ll run quick and snap the line, but don’t set it to loose or you’ll never win, lol…. A Wahoo will come up to the back of your boat 4-5 times before you can get-em in…
I hope you have a gaff, because I think you are FINALLY going to need one…
Good days are ahead………….
Daveh & Skipper
dave@davehickson.com
Did Zac have The Doors - 'Break On Through' cranked up as he made it...
...or did Mom and Dad ;-)
Meanwhile, where's Jenn?
Great news! Hope you've been keeping your upper body strength routine, 'cause from what I'm told about catching Mahi Mahi, your going to need it! Then again, hauling sails up/down, reefing them on occassion, you may already be well fit :) Hope you're able to enjoy a good Mahi Mahi steak soon!
Remember the offering to Neptune & a long heartfelt thanks to The One above.
You are still taking your anti-malarials regularly, yes?
Bear Hugs!
Tomi/ATL
PS -
A belated happy bday wish to Lady Marianne!
T.
Hey Zac,
Great to read your blog and learn that you are leaving the doldrums behind! Fresh fish sounds mighty tasty -- we never get it in the midwest unless from a river or lake and I hope that you are able to put Daveh's advice to use and catch some good eats! Best of Luck!
@ Bill Mann - thanks for sharing your beautiful prayer to Flora.
CindyinCincy
Zac:
Rather that risk redundancy, I'm, going to simply "second" Douglas Pistone's post of the 16th. I'll doublt second his suggestion to ... "keep those detailed descriptions (for) writing the book. "
I'll pose another suggestion: How about a series of "Top (and or Bottom) 10s" as "Top 10 Best Moments at Sea; Top 10 Worst Moments at Sea; Top 10 Best Moments in Ports; Top 10 Worst Moments in Ports; Top 10 Best Meals During the Adventure; Top 10 Worst Meals During the Adventure; etc. etc. etc. This could almost be an outline for the book with narrative to flesh out the whys and wherefores, you feelings about the item, etc.
Hey, listen to us, Captain Zac. We're the already sold market for the first edition. We'll be in line the day it comes out; however, I hope that for us Zac-Pacers there'll be a means for advance subscription so we won't have to stand inline.
Hope the NE Trades are beginning to greet you and send you smiling and happy onward toward home!
The Croaker
Hi There Zac...
Hey just remember when you catch that Mahi Mahi, to take your time in preparing and cooking it, and use your good dishes!!
The ZacPac Location Map continues to grow, it now has over 425 entries, and 5 pages of push pins. You can use the [Go Ahead] and [Go Back] arrows located at the top left corner of the map to see each of the map pages. By clicking on List you can read all of the comments that have been made and get the email addresses for the Pac.
Nothing like a little air moving over the deck. Enjoy the life of a sailor man. We are standing and cheering you on.
Blessings on your journey,
Bob in OKC
Malaria in the middle of the ocean?
Zac could have stopped taking malaria pills when he left StHelena...taking those pills for long periods is NOT good (liver), I know out of personal experience. Possibly one of the reasons that he sees mermaids....
If he starts taking them 2 days before landing in Grenada, he should be fine.
Myself had malaria and it is not a nice thing to go thru...
Go Zac !
Hi Zac,
Haven't posted here for quite some time. My son with autism has been VERY ill over the last month, but getting a little better.
Reading the posts written by you and your Mom have allowed my mind some respite. It's been great to log on and be part of the cyber crew that is with you in spirit and prayer as "we" cross the Atlantic. Thanks for letting me travel.
Maureen
Boise
Hope Zac's into some wind by now.
I don't post often here, but was wondering if anyone else has read the article "California Dreaming" (linked from the homepage of this site)? I've followed the story for some time and thought I'd kick in $5 for the eBook. It turned out to be a decent read, and it helps out Zac's cause as well. If you haven't, go download it, maybe even make a contribution.
Sail on Zac!
Maureen,
I think I can speak for everyone who reads and posts here.
We are family and when one has problems, we all share in those problems.
My prayers and I am sure the prayers of all aboard here are with you and your son as you go through this difficult time.
If it is meaningful for you, you may drop me an email.
With kindest regards
Bill Mann
bill@barstools4u.com
Last I read on Jen's facebook was from 4/6 and she was just heading out of Trinidad for the final leg of her trip - I guess directly to Fort Lauderdale FL. Her mom is there, I guess.
She cross the equator too by boat for the first time...
From her blog: "Jamie and I are a bit nervous about our invitations from King Neptune arriving in a few days, should be about 3 days out of Fortaleza. We have heard so many crazy stories and have no idea what's in store for us. This is one ball i'm not sure I want to attend ;)" ha ha...I think I need an update to what really ended up happening!
LA in MN
Thanks Bill -
You are very kind to think of us. Ian had a severe reaction to a medication that is taking a long time to get over and has endured quite a "storm." Fair winds are starting to fill his sails and we appreciate the prayers of Intrepid's cyber crew.
God Bless All and especially Zac !
Maureen
Boise
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home