Current Position: 33 01.449S 27 53.911’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 10; TWD: 220; Current Speed, 0.2 kt; Current Direction, 90 Distance to Waypoint (East London): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 15914 nm; Engine Hours: 324; Estimate Fuel: 51+15+50;
Comments: I got up at 4:30 and started getting ready. It started raining about 5:00 and I waited for it to stop, then called Port Control about 6:00. They were busy with another vessel. It was 7:00’before they had gotten back to me, checked my “flight plan”, and I had weighed anchor. In the basin I raised the main. With the rain, I had forgotten to get the storm sail ready, so had to do that once I left the harbor. It is 7:45, 19 nm to HB1, and the seas are big. I count at least 6 isolated rain storms, all low energy, but the wind is all over the place from 3-18 kt as I pass by them. I am using the TillerPilot as the wind direction and speed are unreliable. There is a 1.5 kn current to the W. I can see I got out of the port just before the tanker Hector N arrived at the pilot point offshore. It is 10:00 and as expected the wind has started to back. By the time I reach HB1 (10 nm away), I should have a good TWA to HB2. At 11:00, 5 nm from HB1, I tacked and made for HB2 in 3.4 kt current. I closed my eyes for a few minutes and was awaken at 11:30 by the sails slatting. There is a special bolt on the tiller that is ground to a ball on the end to which the TillerPilot is attached and it had sheared off, leaving the ball-end in the actuator arm of the TillerPilot. I am without a TillerPilot until I can have another bolt machined. I could probably do it onboard, but never in these sea conditions. This is going to become a serious problem later if I am becalmed and need to motor. I have a decision to make … carry on or stop in PE tomorrow. About noon I contacted the marina at PE and filed an amendment to my Passage Plan. I am going to PE to effect repairs. I have slowed the boat down a bit so I don’t arrive before dawn. The other reason I am diverting is I am not feeling 100%. My stomach is upset. It may have been something I ate.
Comments: I got up at 4:30 and started getting ready. It started raining about 5:00 and I waited for it to stop, then called Port Control about 6:00. They were busy with another vessel. It was 7:00’before they had gotten back to me, checked my “flight plan”, and I had weighed anchor. In the basin I raised the main. With the rain, I had forgotten to get the storm sail ready, so had to do that once I left the harbor. It is 7:45, 19 nm to HB1, and the seas are big. I count at least 6 isolated rain storms, all low energy, but the wind is all over the place from 3-18 kt as I pass by them. I am using the TillerPilot as the wind direction and speed are unreliable. There is a 1.5 kn current to the W. I can see I got out of the port just before the tanker Hector N arrived at the pilot point offshore. It is 10:00 and as expected the wind has started to back. By the time I reach HB1 (10 nm away), I should have a good TWA to HB2. At 11:00, 5 nm from HB1, I tacked and made for HB2 in 3.4 kt current. I closed my eyes for a few minutes and was awaken at 11:30 by the sails slatting. There is a special bolt on the tiller that is ground to a ball on the end to which the TillerPilot is attached and it had sheared off, leaving the ball-end in the actuator arm of the TillerPilot. I am without a TillerPilot until I can have another bolt machined. I could probably do it onboard, but never in these sea conditions. This is going to become a serious problem later if I am becalmed and need to motor. I have a decision to make … carry on or stop in PE tomorrow. About noon I contacted the marina at PE and filed an amendment to my Passage Plan. I am going to PE to effect repairs. I have slowed the boat down a bit so I don’t arrive before dawn. The other reason I am diverting is I am not feeling 100%. My stomach is upset. It may have been something I ate.