Current Position: 12 14.324’S 122 58.918’E; Local Timezone: UTC+8 SOG: 0 kt; COG: 0; TWS: 3 kt; TWD: 120; Distance to Waypoint (Ashmore Reef): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 10003 nm; Engine Hours: 236; Estimate Fuel: 55+10+50;
Comments: when I took the dinghy to the West Island the outboard stopped. The fuel line to the external tank was leaking. It was not the hose but the proprietary connector to the engine. I rowed back to the boat and replaced the line with a backup. Low tide will be at 15:43. I plan to go snorkeling starting about 14:30. I have completed my punch list for Ashmore, so I will spend the morning prepping the boat for the passage. I woke at 5:45. The ABFC Thaiyak had returned sometime during the night (I first noticed its anchor light about 4:00). Sunrise was 5:57. The wind was lighter than it had been since my arrival, 5 kt from 112. Because the wind was so light, it was unusually quiet except for the sound of waves hitting the barrier reef, which now sounded more like the roar of a jet engine. It is 8:00. Interesting … without a E/SE wind, the swells are coming from the N, rocking the boat. One of the challenges I have been facing are my eyeglasses. The plastic lens and coatings do not hold up well to the saltwater environment. I started out with two new regular pairs with photochromic lenses and two new pairs of sunglasses (that I almost never wear). I also had 3-4 pairs of old glasses in various states of disrepair. I had to retire one of the new pairs today because I could no longer see out them. I have been saving the other new pair for only when I am at anchor/shore. I had to Frankenstein and everyday pair out of old pairs today. I picked lenses that were relatively clear, but the left lens does have a deep scratch across it. I spent about an hour processing trash this morning. This involves cutting it up into small pieces with industrial scissors and packing jt into a 5L plastic bottle. I can usually get a couple of months of trash into one bottle. I have started cooking for the passage. I purchased a very large ham hock in Darwin to make soup. I didn’t realize it wouldn’t fit in the pressure cooker. I had to cut it in half with a sharp knife and a hammer. I was just going to make the broth for a 12 bean soup, but ended up completing the soup, which I will have for dinner. In the meantime, I tried to go snorkeling about 15:00. Low tide was going to be 17:17. I dove for about 15m, but the current was still strong and it did not feel safe. I will try again tomorrow, closer to slack tide (17:53) and will run a safety line. I would go at high tide, but the tidal range is 12’ and I would not have access to some of the interesting things I saw today … a lot of live hard and soft coral and an incredible array of fish. It is 16:00. A Loggerhead Turtle just swam by. There appears to almost no current in the deeper water were the boat is moored … not sure about the shallow water I was diving at.
Comments: when I took the dinghy to the West Island the outboard stopped. The fuel line to the external tank was leaking. It was not the hose but the proprietary connector to the engine. I rowed back to the boat and replaced the line with a backup. Low tide will be at 15:43. I plan to go snorkeling starting about 14:30. I have completed my punch list for Ashmore, so I will spend the morning prepping the boat for the passage. I woke at 5:45. The ABFC Thaiyak had returned sometime during the night (I first noticed its anchor light about 4:00). Sunrise was 5:57. The wind was lighter than it had been since my arrival, 5 kt from 112. Because the wind was so light, it was unusually quiet except for the sound of waves hitting the barrier reef, which now sounded more like the roar of a jet engine. It is 8:00. Interesting … without a E/SE wind, the swells are coming from the N, rocking the boat. One of the challenges I have been facing are my eyeglasses. The plastic lens and coatings do not hold up well to the saltwater environment. I started out with two new regular pairs with photochromic lenses and two new pairs of sunglasses (that I almost never wear). I also had 3-4 pairs of old glasses in various states of disrepair. I had to retire one of the new pairs today because I could no longer see out them. I have been saving the other new pair for only when I am at anchor/shore. I had to Frankenstein and everyday pair out of old pairs today. I picked lenses that were relatively clear, but the left lens does have a deep scratch across it. I spent about an hour processing trash this morning. This involves cutting it up into small pieces with industrial scissors and packing jt into a 5L plastic bottle. I can usually get a couple of months of trash into one bottle. I have started cooking for the passage. I purchased a very large ham hock in Darwin to make soup. I didn’t realize it wouldn’t fit in the pressure cooker. I had to cut it in half with a sharp knife and a hammer. I was just going to make the broth for a 12 bean soup, but ended up completing the soup, which I will have for dinner. In the meantime, I tried to go snorkeling about 15:00. Low tide was going to be 17:17. I dove for about 15m, but the current was still strong and it did not feel safe. I will try again tomorrow, closer to slack tide (17:53) and will run a safety line. I would go at high tide, but the tidal range is 12’ and I would not have access to some of the interesting things I saw today … a lot of live hard and soft coral and an incredible array of fish. It is 16:00. A Loggerhead Turtle just swam by. There appears to almost no current in the deeper water were the boat is moored … not sure about the shallow water I was diving at.