Captain's Log

January 16, 2003

Hello All,
 
Well not exactly a Spa, but consider the following contrasting conditions; for the past 32 days BTC Velocity and I have been in the Southern Oceans and all except for 3 of those days the conditions have been from boisterous to down right hairy and scary, in particular the most recent front that blew through creating waves that I will remember always.
 
Today and last night, the winds are 6 - 8 kts from the SE, skies are partly sunny, barometer steady and the seas are  1- 3 feet. The cabin hatch is open for the first time in I can not remember, my foul weather gear is actually dry, my sea boats are also dry enough to note the salt stains. Last night I slept through my alarm 3 times !! these being the first 3 times I slept through the alarm this leg, ( obviously my sub conscious is also relaxing )
 
Had a large breakfast this morning with one of my remaining long life Milk cartons and a cup of coffee sitting in the cockpit. I have not had a meal in the cockpit since my approach to Cape Town last year. Even typing this email at 5 degrees of heel rather than 25 degrees with occasional 40 degrees thrown in, is bliss. After I finish this I will be having a hot shower ( for those of you who may remember from an earlier message I have a heat exchanger on the engine led to a small pressure pump so that when the engine is on I can get some hot water - total weight 10 lbs, worth it ) the first shower in 32 days !!
 
Today can be a day to attack my repair list which contains only two items, my head ( toilet ) which now appears just to be a thread that has unwound and most important of all, the handle on my coffee cup broke off in a knockdown so out comes the epoxy putty to repair this crucial item !!
 
Now all I need to do is find some seaweed floating in the water and not around my keel and I could have for free, one of those very expensive treatments that you pay for at fancy spa's...... you guessed it, a seaweed wrap !!
 
Regards from an unwinding sailor,
 
Alan
BTC Velocity
60 nm off the coast of Tasmania