The Full Monty and More
Latest Position: 04/03/09 1400Z 09 21.974S 015 16.813W
I have been able to keep moving pretty well until this afternoon when the wind finally died some. It should be picking up later tonight so hopefully I can keep moving. I had a surprise today. I opened a can of food that I bought in St Helena called The Full Monty. Inside was the most amazing thing. It was chopped sausage, 2 whole sausages, chopped mushrooms, a hunk of steak all surrounded by baked beans. Awesome! This really beats canned curry or canned macaroni and cheese. I also ate a whole package of chocolate digestives. These are English biscuits that we always eat when visiting my dad's family in England. They are a seriously hot commodity if we ever have them at home, especially with 2 brothers and 4 sisters to fight...I mean share them with.
A few more questions today:
How do I sleep and how much sleep do I get?
I sleep pretty much on and off through out the day. When I go to sleep I set the alarms on my radar to warn me of any ships within 4 miles. If there are many ships I have a bad nights sleep but right now there is not much shipping so I have been sleeping well. If it is rough or the wind picks up I just have to get up at night. I have gotten to the point that I can wake up as if it is daytime right away while at sea. No time for being sleepy sometimes.
Have I seen any pollution out here and are there any differences between the oceans?
I haven't seen any pollution out here except when I was off of the coast of California. Also the air is super clear out here. No smog. At night when the skies are clear the stars are amazing. There hasn't been much difference between the oceans except that the Indian Ocean was inky black and the Pacific was more blue.
Have I seen any wild life?
I have had a few sharks trailing the boat about 500 miles off of Australia. I have seen a lot of dolphins and was followed into St Helena by a huge pod. I haven't seen many birds since Boris, the Booby Bird who landed in my cockpit after Hurricane Boris passed through. I have seen a strange bird that looks like a swallow with a split tail but is grey and has a long beak like other ocean birds. I have seen them as much as 300 miles off shore. I thought I saw a mermaid once, but when I looked back she was gone!
What do you think you will do after you get back (asked at least 10 times!)?
I do actually have to finish high school still. It would be a drag to sail all the way around the world alone and have my mom kill me for not finishing school. So that will be one thing. I would like to do some speaking to schools and yacht clubs or something like that and tell people about my trip. Before too long, I really want to get back out here. Maybe not another circumnavigation but to explore some places I missed this time and stay other places longer. I am interested in adventuring. I hear there is already a 17 year old about to climb Mount Everest so not that but....
A special 'Hello' to Parker and his class at the Maple Creek Elementary School. Hang in there Parker. My family and I are praying for you and your doctors.
Peace,
Zac
I have been able to keep moving pretty well until this afternoon when the wind finally died some. It should be picking up later tonight so hopefully I can keep moving. I had a surprise today. I opened a can of food that I bought in St Helena called The Full Monty. Inside was the most amazing thing. It was chopped sausage, 2 whole sausages, chopped mushrooms, a hunk of steak all surrounded by baked beans. Awesome! This really beats canned curry or canned macaroni and cheese. I also ate a whole package of chocolate digestives. These are English biscuits that we always eat when visiting my dad's family in England. They are a seriously hot commodity if we ever have them at home, especially with 2 brothers and 4 sisters to fight...I mean share them with.
A few more questions today:
How do I sleep and how much sleep do I get?
I sleep pretty much on and off through out the day. When I go to sleep I set the alarms on my radar to warn me of any ships within 4 miles. If there are many ships I have a bad nights sleep but right now there is not much shipping so I have been sleeping well. If it is rough or the wind picks up I just have to get up at night. I have gotten to the point that I can wake up as if it is daytime right away while at sea. No time for being sleepy sometimes.
Have I seen any pollution out here and are there any differences between the oceans?
I haven't seen any pollution out here except when I was off of the coast of California. Also the air is super clear out here. No smog. At night when the skies are clear the stars are amazing. There hasn't been much difference between the oceans except that the Indian Ocean was inky black and the Pacific was more blue.
Have I seen any wild life?
I have had a few sharks trailing the boat about 500 miles off of Australia. I have seen a lot of dolphins and was followed into St Helena by a huge pod. I haven't seen many birds since Boris, the Booby Bird who landed in my cockpit after Hurricane Boris passed through. I have seen a strange bird that looks like a swallow with a split tail but is grey and has a long beak like other ocean birds. I have seen them as much as 300 miles off shore. I thought I saw a mermaid once, but when I looked back she was gone!
What do you think you will do after you get back (asked at least 10 times!)?
I do actually have to finish high school still. It would be a drag to sail all the way around the world alone and have my mom kill me for not finishing school. So that will be one thing. I would like to do some speaking to schools and yacht clubs or something like that and tell people about my trip. Before too long, I really want to get back out here. Maybe not another circumnavigation but to explore some places I missed this time and stay other places longer. I am interested in adventuring. I hear there is already a 17 year old about to climb Mount Everest so not that but....
A special 'Hello' to Parker and his class at the Maple Creek Elementary School. Hang in there Parker. My family and I are praying for you and your doctors.
Peace,
Zac
posted by Zac at
9:09 PM
17 Comments:
Zac:
The "Q & A" section of the this and the previous entries is very good. Perhaps it'll get enough endorsements to make it a permanent feature.
... and the "Full Monty" did sound rather tasty. It also sounded like some of my original recipes that I concocted while in college or during my bachelor years. What kind of sausage was included? Was it and the chunk of steak precooked before it was put together with the baked beans? Thank God, I survived my own cooking and I do thank him for inspiring the development of peanut butter and Bush Brothers Baked Beans.
Also, what have you learned about food preservation without refrigeration? What lasts the longest without spoilage? What is too fragile to bother with?
Impressed with the fact that you've put 20K miles under the keel. How many more miles will get you back of MDR? Mike Perham has just noted that he has covered 7K miles with TotallyMoney, but that racing boat with such a long water line seems to really flying along. I'd still opt for Intrepid -- she has more charisma and more experience -- and there's a lot to be said for that!
Happy with the mostly good news on this leg. May you continue with such blessings.
Keep up the good work. We're awaiting that right turn just past the Panama Canal.
The Croaker
Zac,
Great questions and answers. How much longer before you make it into Grenada? stay safe and enjoy every minute of your journey. This will be memories for a lifetime.
Rodney
What a great lot of answers.
Entertaining too...love the mermaid story and chocolate digestives! Now if you really want some scrumdidlyumpsious biscuits
(note not cookies)try chocolate Hob Nobs...yum yum.
Have you got any more tins of The Full Monty...hope so!
Do hope the wind picked up for you and you are making steady, safe progress.....if not,it's not all bad, you can relax and dream of mermaids and chocolate digestives!
UK friend
HI Zac!
Sounds like you are well. It must be a mixture of happiness and sadness as you head back to the states. Happy that you will be with your famiy and friends and that you've completed such an amazing adventure. Perhaps a little sadness that you've had to leave so many new friends along the way.
I was glad to hear that you would like to do some speaking engagements. How blessed some young ladies and men would be to hear of your adventure; good parts and bad, and how your faith has pulled you through.
I would agree that finishing your school work would be a good move....no one wants to read "Zac Sunderland completes his solo journey around the world! Claims title as the youngest to do so then promptly is grounded by mum" Not good, LOL!!!
I'm probably 3 weeks from launching my little sail boat "Wombat" on Seneca Lake here in central NY State. I have a few projects to attend to, then in she goes!! It has helped to make the winter go by checking to see how your trip was going!
Well Zac, sail on...fair winds and following seas.
Blessings and a big hug!!
Brush and Floss!!!
Anita ~~_/)
Waterloo, NY
Xaptain SV "Wombat"
Zac, you are too funny! Made me chuckle a few times. Humor is good to have and express. Humility is also another virtue that is vital. I think you have it.
God bless!
KG
An interesting Blog from another Sailor who was in St. Helena at the same time that Zac was.
http://www.tripsailor.com/blogs/2320-a-true-blue-outrageous-adventure/posts/11230-st_helena
Zac,
1. thanks for reply re: pollution. There is still hope for this world !
2. Tell us more about the Mermaid that you saw. You know, reading about "The Full Monty" and "Mermaid" brings up some "male" questions!!
Did the mermaid resemble a girl/woman that you know? You owe us a very detailed description here !
Greetz,
Will
Always interested in canned foods. Never found anything of real interest in North America, so had to look up your Full Monty. Not much info other than made by the maker of HP sauce. Looks like just taken over by Heinz. But some pictures of the can. Must be a big can or what?
Why do I somehow get the feeling Zac ate this cold LOL!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/11/96752330_a78d265bd0.jpg?v=0
Zac,
Thanks for taking the time to answer the many questions you must be inundated with. You have become part of my classrooms daily ritual and a wonderful opportunity for teaching geography to those who may otherwise never have an chance to see the world as you have. Consider just how important your visits would be to those students.
We all hope to meet you at some point in the future.
Craig Schreiber
St. Gregory Elementary School
Houma, LA
Hey Zac, you don't have to go as far as England to get chocolate digestives. We have them in Canada. Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate?
Enjoying your posts, as always, and praying for a safe and swift passage.
Tricia
Great photo of The Full Monty anon. Somehow I also think that Zac ate this cold.
Happy Easter Zac and to those who observe it, Good Pasach.
Bill Mann
bill@barstools4u.com
Hey Zac,
I'm glad you have something like the 'Full Monty' to eat out there. I hope you got a few cans of that!
I looked up chocolate digestives and Wikipedia says..."The US travel writer Bill Bryson described the chocolate digestive as a British masterpiece."
If I have any question, it may be about any language barriers you have run into, and what languages are you fairly fluent in, or what languages are you trying to be more fluent in.
Well, you still have a long stretch ahead of you. Stay safe and I am still wishing for you enough wind to keep you moving quickly, yet comfortably forward to Grenada.
Namaste~~
Hey Zac!!
Do you think that you will be speaking in Montana LOL!?!?! I bet you will have alot to tell.
The Q&A section was a really good idea!! I was just wondering what is the first place among your travels that you would visit again, and what is the first thing that you are going to do when you get home (like see friends, go skare boarding or something like that.) I am glad that this leg of the journey is going well!!
Keep in there and God Bless!!!
Morgan
Montana
Zac,
It's great to be hearing from you directly and to know you've been having some "chill" sailing. Your answers to questions are great.
Well, maybe after you finish high school you can start your own "Full Monty" brand in Ventura County -- calling it Zac's Intrepid brand, of course. And you can sail from place to place to promote it.
I just noticed that my mousepad has a quote on it I'd forgotten about -- but I think you know it in practice a thousand times better than I do: "Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it--but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor." -- Oliver Wendall Holmes (a good reminder for all of us).
Sail on with blessings,
Jack M. in the L.A. South Bay
P.S. I'm sure we all need to join you in praying for Parker ...
Zac,
I was wondering if you ever see the space station out there? They say it's now the second brightest object in the sky, after Venus. It should be spectacular in a clean ocean sky.
The 'Heavens Above' website says there are multiple passes over your last reported position.
Ed
That was cool Zac! Thanks for my special "Hello!" I emailed the link to my teacher and principal! :)
That canned meal sounded pretty good! I bet you'd like a nice big Cheeseburger about now?!! :) Oh...and an ice cream! I like Dindy Moore Beef stew from the can. Have you tried that?
My big treatment is in 4 days. :( I'm kinda scared. I wish I was sailing the world instead!
Stay safe!
Your buddy,
Parker
caringbridge.org/ca/parkerfritsch
"I also ate a whole package of chocolate digestives."
You gannet - I'd NEVER do that... never have, never will: nope, honest!
Hmmm... well ok, maybe once or a hundred times for breakfast on a Sunday after a heavy night out before - in my defence, that was 20 years ago when I was a highly active twenty-something at uni.: I'd never get away with it now (although I occasionally try!).
Milk chocolate or plain chocolate?
;-)
PS The "Full Monty" cans are in abundance at all local grocery shops here in England - so I guess you (& all the family) might be planning a visit to grandma pretty much as soon as you can? Heh heh
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