Captain's Log

October 28, 2002

Hello all,
 
One of the reasons that a person might get involved in long distance offshore sailing, solo or otherwise, is to avoid, or dare I say escape from the normal rhythm and routines of land that can become repetitive and wear you down in their normalcy. Catch the same train, hit the same traffic every evening on the way home, have an occupation that is predictable in its daily tasks. Excitement is found in the unpredictability of sailing the big blue. BUT........
 
.......guess what ?? to those of you who think you can escape routine, or the desire for it, by going offshore, wrong, sometimes its exactly what you want. Let me explain. Since leaving the UK all of us have been looking for a little pattern that can normalize the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, occupation that we are in. Sleep. Would it not be nice to be able to have a nap from 1 - 3 p.m. every day and perhaps even another 90 mins after midnight, rather than just 20 min naps whenever possible. Today was the first day in 8 days since the UK ( forgetting Bayona ) that I could do that. Even then, I was waking and adjusting the pilot on the 15 degree wind shifts. Shipping traffic has been so heavy that our Radar alarms go off constantly, so much so that you just turn them off and get up every 20 minutes instead. Always thinking just give me a clear 90 mins of no alarms or traffic to rest or make a meal without interruption. Diet and Exercise. The last 24 hours have provided ' life at less than 25 degrees heel '. Your appetite increases, as you hear from my friend Kojiro he had a rice feast, I had a pastafest and threw an amazing combination of ingredients in the bowl. Make sure that I do my press ups and squats in the cockpit 2 times a day to keep the muscles working. But I digress a little, what was I wishing yesterday was for some normal wind that would not mean sail and course adjustments every 15 mins a normal sunset period so I could make a meal and eat it with the sun up rather than by the light of my headlamp. The search for normalcy.
 
Other routines. Every 6 hours do a bow to stern check of BTC Velocity looking for wear and tear and checking all systems to insure there is no imminent breakages. Sunset check of all halyards and running rigging incase of sail changes during the night ensuring no tangles. Sponging up the small condensation and other minor leaks every six hours. Preparing breakfast at sunrise. Charging of the batteries in 12 hour intervals. Noon navigation and daily run calculations. Ensure that your 2 liters of water is put aside and that you have consumed at least 2 liters in the past 24 hours to avoid dehydration. Sending and answering emails to family, friends and the Race Committee.
 
So you leave land to escape daily routines ?? maybe, but you desire and need the discipline that routines bring to offshore sailing that makes this adventure what it is. A combination of the immediate need to address an issue along with the hope that a pattern or routine can be established to help get in tune with the Rhythm of the Sea......
 
Alan
BTC Velocity