Current Position: 12 14.324’S 122 58.918’E; Local Timezone: UTC+8 SOG: 0 kt; COG: 0; TWS: 14 kt; TWD: 95; Distance to Waypoint (Ashmore Reef): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 10003 nm; Engine Hours: 236; Estimate Fuel: 55+10+50;
Comments: I had an interesting tapas-like meal last night. I opened up my 5 lb keg of Greek olives and a can of dolmades from Trader Joe’s. The olives were fantastic and the dolmades were surprisingly good. I enjoyed them with some Australian Chardonnay. For dessert, I have been needing some pears, and one was perfectly ripe, so I enjoyed it with an Australian Merlot. It is not often on this trip that I enjoy such extravagances. After 36h without hit in my fishing line, the drag lets loose. I try to reel it in and the line was cut. I figure it is a parrot fish or something. Tomorrow I am going to build a new sparkler that has steel braid at the hooks. The sky tonight is the most spectacular that I have ever seen. I have to admit that I was uncertain that I had made good choice to stop here, especially after having to spend several days onboard because of the wind. But what I have seen today has convinced me that this is a very special place. I sorted out the mooring lines this morning so it is set up with a “trip line” for when I am ready to leave. I checked the weather forecast about 9:00 and learned there were still going to be gusts in the 20s. I tried to work on the prop, but just managed to get cut up by barnacles by the pitching boat. Will have to wait for a calmer day. I was able to determine the at the prop is not moving freely. It may be due to barnacles. They need to be scrapped off. Because of the crocodiles, I have not been able to clean the hull/prop since Vanuatu. I caught a small Trevally (using my steel wire rig), but let it go. Looking for something a bit bigger. The only task left in my list for today is tying a line to the blade of the watervane to allow it to be lifted. I put one on in Tonga, but it did not last. I’d like to use Dyneema, but the hole is small. I managed to put a Dyneema pendant on the blade. It has an eye splice on one end and an EStar Stopper Knot on the other. I will tie a piece of double-braid on the pendant. The Dyneema should last longer and the double-braid will be easier to tie off in the transom pulpit rails when I have raised the blade. I got banged up again trying to work from the dinghy by the waves, so I eventually worked by hanging off the windvane frame. It is noon. The only item left on my punch list for today is sending a PAR to the ABF at Christmas Island, which I just completed.
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Comments: I had an interesting tapas-like meal last night. I opened up my 5 lb keg of Greek olives and a can of dolmades from Trader Joe’s. The olives were fantastic and the dolmades were surprisingly good. I enjoyed them with some Australian Chardonnay. For dessert, I have been needing some pears, and one was perfectly ripe, so I enjoyed it with an Australian Merlot. It is not often on this trip that I enjoy such extravagances. After 36h without hit in my fishing line, the drag lets loose. I try to reel it in and the line was cut. I figure it is a parrot fish or something. Tomorrow I am going to build a new sparkler that has steel braid at the hooks. The sky tonight is the most spectacular that I have ever seen. I have to admit that I was uncertain that I had made good choice to stop here, especially after having to spend several days onboard because of the wind. But what I have seen today has convinced me that this is a very special place. I sorted out the mooring lines this morning so it is set up with a “trip line” for when I am ready to leave. I checked the weather forecast about 9:00 and learned there were still going to be gusts in the 20s. I tried to work on the prop, but just managed to get cut up by barnacles by the pitching boat. Will have to wait for a calmer day. I was able to determine the at the prop is not moving freely. It may be due to barnacles. They need to be scrapped off. Because of the crocodiles, I have not been able to clean the hull/prop since Vanuatu. I caught a small Trevally (using my steel wire rig), but let it go. Looking for something a bit bigger. The only task left in my list for today is tying a line to the blade of the watervane to allow it to be lifted. I put one on in Tonga, but it did not last. I’d like to use Dyneema, but the hole is small. I managed to put a Dyneema pendant on the blade. It has an eye splice on one end and an EStar Stopper Knot on the other. I will tie a piece of double-braid on the pendant. The Dyneema should last longer and the double-braid will be easier to tie off in the transom pulpit rails when I have raised the blade. I got banged up again trying to work from the dinghy by the waves, so I eventually worked by hanging off the windvane frame. It is noon. The only item left on my punch list for today is sending a PAR to the ABF at Christmas Island, which I just completed.
Sent from my iPhone