Position: We are just North West of the Galapagos Island in the Pacific Ocean. Our position is:
1 27.79N 94 31.30W
*Note: I am told you can copy and paste these coordinates into google earth and it will show you where we are.
Mileage:2842 – 2736nm= 106nm
Number of miles to go: 2736nm to go of approx. 3850nm. We are now headed out into the big expanse of the Pacific Ocean with no more islands for distraction until we get to French Polynesia.
Fish count: The count remains at 3 Mahi Mahi, 2 Cero and 6 tuna. One Marlin that we were happy got away! To rough today to safely get the rods out.
BIT OF A HOWLER LAST NIGHT
Wow! The winds really built up last night. Glad we decided to put a second reef in the main before dark. We go by the saying that ‘it is easier to shake out a reef than to put one in’. The winds were building, but it was hard to say if they were going to plateau or keep on building. Well they decided to keep on building to a screecher. Double reefed and a hanky of a foresail out we were booting along.
Eased a bit this morning and than built up again this afternoon. We have looked at the forecast models, not that they have been right so far, and they say it should ease this evening. So it will be a ‘one pot wonder’ for the humans tonight.
As a dog I hate it when white water is breaking over the boat. I have a bit of a delicate disposition, and although I love a good swim, being splashed in the face by a wave is NOT what I call fun! When the seas are like this, it is time to return to hogging up the sea berth on the humans. Maybe when I wake up after a nap, it will all be over and we will be anchored off a great beach with lots of coconuts to chase. The power of positive thinking.
I thought this was supposed to be the ‘down wind’ route around the world. No body said we were going to be battling strong winds and tides against the wind! Somebody go have a talk with Jimmy Cornell.
STOCKING UP FOR A LONG SAILING TRIP
Part 4 – Our last installment. Helpful tips we have learned along the way.
My humans are no authority on provisioning and, as they are mostly vegetarian, perhaps not the best role model for most cruisers either. But they have learned a few tricks along the way. They have also sent out ‘feelers’ to other cruisers asking them to share some tips they learned. I will pass them on as I get them back. But here are a few things we learned along the way:
BUY THE FRESHEST UNREFRIGERATED FRUITS AND VEG YOU CAN FIND
Lots of fruits and vegetables will last weeks and even months unrefrigerated, as long as they were not transported in refrigerator trucks (the practice of most supermarket suppliers). See if you can find a local market. Las Palmas, Canary Islands, has a great local market in the centre of town and Panama City has the same. If you buy them unripened, you can refrigerate them when they do ripen and they will last twice as long.
SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL FRUITS OR VEG
Once something starts to go off it promotes it’s neighbors to do the same. So keep an eye on your nets and eat foods that are bruised or starting to go off first. If you box or bag up root veg, like potatoes or onions, separate individuals by wrapping them in a little news paper. If one goes off the whole bag does not go too. I do the same for peppers, squashes and christophene.
NOT ALL FRUITS AND VEG ARE CREATED EQUAL
Some have longer shelf lives, out side the fridge, than others. This can help with your planning of meals in the last weeks of you sailing trip. Here are a few long lifers.
Potatoes
Onions
Pumpkin
Peppers
Watermelon
Cabbage
Christophene
Garlic
Zucchini
Limes
Lots of fruit and veg will last much longer in the fridge and a few you can get extra weeks from if you refridgerate after they ripen (eg. Pineapple and tomotoes)
TRY TO HAVE THE MOST USED THINGS CLOSE AT HAND
One tip we got from another boat is to keep your spices close at hand to make cooking easier at sea. We do the same with condiments.
MAKE YOUR OWN YOGURT
Only if you like yogurt, that is. It is so easy to make yourself with powdered milk and a bit of your last batch. Have a look at You Tube and try it at home first before the trip. You can make soured cream and even cheese from powdered milk. Check it out.
CANNED DAIRY PRODUCTS
You can get canned cheese sauces and even the cheese itself. Hard to find, but you can also get canned butter. None of these need be refrigerated until they are opened. You can also get canned evaporated milk. You can use it as a replacement for single cream. Makes great lobster fettucini alfredo with the left over legs and antenna.
EGG POWDER
So good for baking and it takes up no space. In a pinch they make OK omelets or scrabbled eggs.
CHEESE POWDER
The real stuff we are talking about here, not that stuff full of chemicals and colours. When you are short of fridge space and all else runs out, it is surprisingly versatile. My humans are cheese freaks.
We will stop ourselves there. Maybe the last three items are more for cruising ‘off the beaten track’ rather than long voyages, but they are something to look into before you go. I will send you any other ideas I get from other cruisers as it comes in to help out with your planning.
As for family and friends, that have no intention of sailing off across an ocean, I hope it has given you an appreciation of the difficulties of planning a long trip and a new love for the convenience of your corner shop. Next time you pick something up on the way home, think of us crazy people out in the middle of the ocean going ‘Shoot, that is the last of the lettuce’.
END
