Position 10°43’603S 099°45’565E
184Nm north east of Christmas Island, Java Trench, Tasman Sea, Indian Ocean.
Hi dear friends, thank you for following my journey. Here is this week’s update.
On day twenty my health problems are ongoing as indeed as is this passage, another thirty days or so to go before reaching Yemen.
Life Onboard:
Life onboard is a little difficult when one possesses no balance what so ever but, life must go on there is know one who is going to come along and help!
The trade winds have steadied and we are making good progress passing south (25Nm off) Christmas Island on Thursday. This is good news indeed for I do not want to be out here too long otherwise food might be running a little short by the time I finish this passage. That and a few low pressure systems have developed three hundred miles ahead of me. The lack of email is making obtaining weather information my biggest concern, well that and the ongoing piracy in the ‘Gulf of Aden’.
I was listening to the BBC World service last night, they mentioned another two pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden. One Egyptian merchant vessel, the other and more concerning for me was a sailing vessel. A retired French couple. My thoughts are indeed with them for after there country rescued the last French crew, they may well be in for a tough time.
The Boat:
A securing fitting holding one of the blocks used on the self-steering failed during the night. I made a jury rig using a 2m length of ‘whammy’ (small rope end) making an upside down pyramid shape, securing one end to a stanchion on the port side, another on the starboard side (either side of amidships, aft by the swimming platform), the centre was secured around the self-steering gears extension peace. The block was secured about 30cm up from that leading into the cockpit. It works okay.
Fair winds, calm seas.
David.