Week 2 – West to Reunion Island

Friday September 17, Day – 8, Total nautical miles traveled 1299, 187 (3 days in a row, same distance) nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours. 46 days at sea since leaving Fiji.

A new time zone today, GMT+6. Same as Dhaka, Bangladesh. 7:30am Friday, 9:30 pm Thursday in Philadelphia.

Since departing Indonesia 8 days ago, we’ve had big winds, over 20knots gust even higher (based on observations)and big waves 9-12 ft with swells where the water breaks at the top like a surf. At least once a day a wave has crashed into the cockpit, basically like we’re sailing a washing machine. We’re on the edge of a Pacific high pressure system.

A 981 ft cargo ship past by going the opposite direction just under 2 miles away, became hidden behind the waves. To be honest, I’m not enjoying this passage at all!

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*Sourdough Notes* baked a Belle loaf, mixing ingredients requires 4 hands so things don’t spill. Dan additionally requested banana bread, this also is a two person task.

Saturday September 18, Day – 9, Total nautical miles traveled 1476, 177 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours.

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Sunday September 19, Day – 10, Total nautical miles traveled 1649, 173 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours. The gray areas below represent areas we did not download maps for, or there are no downloadable maps as it’s just water, no islands.

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Monday September 20, Day – 11, Total nautical miles traveled 1831, 182 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours.

Finally a little relief from the wind and especially the waves, blue sky and sunny too.

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For dinner, I cooked a chicken breast and shredded it, adding some Sweet Baby Rays barbecue sauce along with potatoes fried in Wegmans basting oil (yes, I have a little left!)

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Tuesday September 21, Day – 12, Total nautical miles traveled 2019, 188 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours.

Cookie bar baking day, one tray of chocolate chip, the other oatmeal raisin. Another 2 person task. I lined the cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.

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New noises need investigation. Dan found a loose nut on the autopilot, that fell off while tightening it, falling deep in the lazarette. I was able to find a new one in the box of nuts and bolts.

We are heading a little south for a few days to avoid the waves and high winds from a Pacific low system that is skirting west just north of us. Low pressure systems can develop into cyclones.

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For dinner we made Burrito bowls; chicken, black beans, roasted corn, salsa with Mexican spice over rice.

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Wednesday September 22, Day – 13, Total nautical miles traveled 2209, 190 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours. Still big waves and wind, ugh!

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Thursday September 23, Day – 14, Total nautical miles traveled 2394,185 nautical miles traveled in the past 24 hours.

It’s already been a fortnight, looks like 5 more days of this wind and waves. The plus is our speed.

New time zone GMT+5, same time as in Karachi, Pakistan. 1:30 pm Thursday, 4:30 am Thursday, Philadelphia.

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For dinner we made a vegetarian chill, using a dehydrated yellow pepper and some celery, topped with cheddar cheese. In the summer of 2019, I purchased a dehydrator to dehydrate vegetables and some fruit specifically for long passages, this being one, of our journey. They add an extra special added flavor when all the fresh produce has been consumed.