Tuesday April 20, Day-5, Distance to Fiji 1319 nautical miles
The sails were un-reefed this morning, for more speed to power through the waves they are full and flying great.
For dinner we had left over bow tie pasta in a marinara sauce with onions and peppers then I wilted 1/4 of a cabbage adding it to the mix.
*Iridium Go Notes*
Steady as She Goes
Tue 20/Apr 15:02 GMT-10
17º 28.583 S 158º 18.109 W
Course: 266° true, 5.6 kts
Good sailing today with winds 15-20 knots. Maintaining a course almost directly at Fiji. We are sailing a little up into the wind, rather than directly downwind, to keep the boat speed up and manage the waves better.
Absolutely no projects accomplished on the boat today!
The solar panels work done back in Tahiti provides more power, yet it seems still not enuf… back to the drawing board.
Figured-out the Moon’s Motion
Tue 20/Apr 15:02 GMT-10
17º 28.583 S 158º 18.109 W
Course: 266° true, 5.6 kts
I finally grasp the motion of travel, the dance, between earth and its moon. It’s easier to understand out here with no mountains, buildings or trees in the way.
Okay, the moon pretty much orbits around earth’s center equator about once a month (actually 27.32 days).
Meanwhile, earth spins around once a day, so like the sun, the moon appears to rise in the east and set in the west every day, but at different times each day, about an hour later than the previous day.
What’s interesting is the moon spins on its axis as well. It spins much slower than earth, only one rotation a month (actually 27.32 days). The moon’s spin is synchronized in such a way that the same surface of the moon always faces earth. We never see the other, the far side of the moon.
Meanwhile again, our distant Sun is shinning on both spheres, and depending on where the moon is on its monthly orbit, either all or only part of its surface can be seen lit-up from our vantage point here on earth.
Good thing we only have one moon, not like Jupiter having 63 moons!
The ocean is about 16,400 feet deep beneath us out here.
Oh… smooth sailing tonight. We now see s/v Ocean Sapphire, 5 miles ahead. She is a catamaran that left Tahiti before us, also going to Fiji.
Sailing Trance 