Current Position: 12 05.569’S 96 52.904’E; Local Timezone: UTC+6.5; SOG: 0 kt; COG: N/A; TWS: ? kt; TWD: ?; Distance to Waypoint (Cocos): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 11577 nm; Engine Hours: 248; Estimate Fuel: 56+15+50;
Comments: Greij, Paradise Falls, and Chinook all left about 7:45, about the same time I hooked a black tip shark. I took me 5m to catch it with half a flying fish using a piece of SS piano wire as a leader. I got six large steaks out of the shark. I plan to simply sear the shark and boil it with Raman noodles to make simple broths and quick meals. I had four beef sausages left over, so made a lentil curry with carrots and onions for another four meals. I have one leftover meal from a pasta dish last night. Together, this should make enough meals for the passage. I also made a large batch of instant oatmeal with walnuts and dates. The nasty weather rolled in at least a y early. Early in the morning a front moved in. By midday we were have light showers and it was very dark. It is 11:30 and I have finished the cooking and all the dishes are waahed. I have about an hour of work putting things away and getting the boat ready, then I am going ashore to get some exercise walking the interpretive trail I am wearing my swimming trunks as I expect to get wet. The hike was fantastic, especially on the windward side of the island where the ruins of the cable station were strewn across the coast. I got back to the boat about 3:30, fixed a couple of portions of the shark and rice, dropped one off at the 5.80 boat of Jasmine Harris (whom I had helped earlier in the day to furl a spinnaker), then went to Mike’s boat where Ertan had prepared a lovely meal with a green salad (green all the way from Darwin) and a beef and rice dish that was very tasty. We were joined by a German solo sailor, Karl, who had arrived yesterday on Rosinante, a boat that was built by his father who sailed it for 50 years before Karl inherited it. I made it back to my boat just as it was getting dark, just in time to stow the dinghy. It was a struggle to do so in the wind. I have about an hours work to do in the morning before taking off.
Comments: Greij, Paradise Falls, and Chinook all left about 7:45, about the same time I hooked a black tip shark. I took me 5m to catch it with half a flying fish using a piece of SS piano wire as a leader. I got six large steaks out of the shark. I plan to simply sear the shark and boil it with Raman noodles to make simple broths and quick meals. I had four beef sausages left over, so made a lentil curry with carrots and onions for another four meals. I have one leftover meal from a pasta dish last night. Together, this should make enough meals for the passage. I also made a large batch of instant oatmeal with walnuts and dates. The nasty weather rolled in at least a y early. Early in the morning a front moved in. By midday we were have light showers and it was very dark. It is 11:30 and I have finished the cooking and all the dishes are waahed. I have about an hour of work putting things away and getting the boat ready, then I am going ashore to get some exercise walking the interpretive trail I am wearing my swimming trunks as I expect to get wet. The hike was fantastic, especially on the windward side of the island where the ruins of the cable station were strewn across the coast. I got back to the boat about 3:30, fixed a couple of portions of the shark and rice, dropped one off at the 5.80 boat of Jasmine Harris (whom I had helped earlier in the day to furl a spinnaker), then went to Mike’s boat where Ertan had prepared a lovely meal with a green salad (green all the way from Darwin) and a beef and rice dish that was very tasty. We were joined by a German solo sailor, Karl, who had arrived yesterday on Rosinante, a boat that was built by his father who sailed it for 50 years before Karl inherited it. I made it back to my boat just as it was getting dark, just in time to stow the dinghy. It was a struggle to do so in the wind. I have about an hours work to do in the morning before taking off.