Chapter Four

Frank's first watch.  First time on the helm of his new yacht.

Log entry: Date: 29/10/98
Time: 14:40 Seas: Smooth.
Pos: 18⁰.44' s Course: 220^om
174⁰.10' w Speed: 3kn
Weather: Fine: Very hot! Barometer: 1011.5mb
Wind: 5-10k SE At sea.

We turned the motor off at 14.40hrs after having a light lunch of fruit and salami. Frank wisely wearing some seasickness patches just in case. We have sorted out the watches for the first night as follows:
15.00-18.00hrs: Frank.
18.00-21.00 Kerry.
21-00-00.00 Jamie.
Then 2 hours each until 06.00 when we will institute a 3hrs on 6 off system. We had all better be careful of the sun as the burn time out here is about 12 minutes. Plenty of sun screen needed. We had a fiddle with the self steering and got that working and also the autopilot.

Great sailing. Several islands in sight on the starboard bow.(Late Is) 

1st dinner 1st night at sea.

Chicken omelette for tea, followed by coffee after which Frank took the first watch. Beautiful evening just slipping along in light breeze. Jamie takes all of 2 minutes to go to sleep, lucky bugger! Frank's a "happy chappie" while on watch singing softly away to himself. Something is not stowed properly as it is making a regular knocking sound. Probably a halyard so I will find it in the morning as it is keeping me awake.

Sunset first night at sea

After an uneventful night Jamie and I logged our position as:
Log entry: Date: 30/10/98
Time: 08:30 Seas: Slight/smooth.
Pos: 19⁰.17' s Course: 220^om
174⁰.46'w Speed: 4kn
Weather: Fine: Barometer: 1012.5mb
Wind: 2kn SSE

We cranked Methusula into life at 08.30 as no wind and had breakfast which consisted of Hubbards outward bound cereal and fruit followed by coffee. Already very hot so those off watch sought out any possible shade. Far too hot down below to sleep. Early this morning when I went up forward I spotted a large MahiMahi hiding in the shadow of the boat. When they spotted me they took off but soon came back. Just stunning colours. Frank was straight away into fishing mode. Out came the fancy lures, special traces, big game braided backing line and 2 meters of 8mm shockcord. The shockcord was in lieu of a rod and reel and designed to absorb the impact of the fish when the lure is taken. Well that was the theory anyway.

We discovered that UHT milk takes about 60 minutes to turn into whey in tropical heat. Still motoring; no wind! 14.00 motor off wind arrives. Sighted two sperm whales late in the afternoon heading across and away from our stern about 100 mtrs off. Wonderful sight but they are "bloody big". Wind dies at 17.00

Sunset Second night at sea

Baked beans with beersticks for dinner followed by fresh pineapple. YUM! (I guess we will have some wind one way or the other tomorrow!)

We have two islands in sight the "Tofua" group off the port bow and an extinct cone off the starboard quarter. There seems to be smoke being emitted from the Tofua group. Stunning sunset. As darkness fell we could see a red glow from this group and worked out that it was a lava flow. We should pass out into the Pacific proper tonight as we leave the last of the Tonga group behind. A light - moderate SSE wind filled in after sunset so we set all sail (Main, Yankee and Staysail). Sighted two ships lights in the distance tonight, both heading for Vava'u, and they passed us at about 6nm distance. Changed heading to 230⁰m as this will take us to the north of the north Minerva reefs. It is just beautiful at night when at sea in the tropics, stars everywhere, warm breezes, and flashes from the deep as some large fish chase their dinner. And a moon rise over the horizon! It just leaves you in awe of the beauty of our world.

Last night, we finally discovered what was making the tapping noise, no not a halyard nor a can rolling about, but Frank. As I mentioned before when he was on watch he liked to quietly sing to himself and to stay in time he tapped his fingers on the stainless steel boom crutch which went over the top of the spray dodger. This was made from 2" tube and bolted onto the deck and cabin sides aft of the rear windows. It transmitted the sound right through the boat and it emerged by the main bulkhead. Problem solved.

Panic! Last night as I was changing watch at midnight with Frank I felt something big run across my bare foot. "Holy shit what was that" was heard to escaped my lips as I grabbed my torch and turned it on, fully expecting to see a small rat or large spider. It was neither, but a cockroach about the size of one of Paul Leydon's jandals, well.... OK then, 2-3 inches long. We quickly caught it in some handy paper towel and threw it over the stern where hopefully some fish had a tasty treat.

Log entry: Date: 31/10/98
Time: 06:00 Seas: Smooth.
Pos: 19⁰.40' s Course: 240^om
175⁰.44' w Speed: 0.5kn
Weather: Fine: Barometer: 1013mb
Wind: 5-10k Southerly

The wind slowly dropped as the sun rose and all went dead calm. Swell coming in from the south. Seas oily and surface covered in what we called "whale vomit" actually an orange algae bloom of some sort mixed with volcanic ash. After another Gourmet breakfast of Hubbards grub, papaya and pineapple and the last of the toast we decided to start the engine at 11.00hrs. Rigged up the boom tent to try and give the watch keeper some shade as it was so hot and it is a real effort just to move. When crank starting the motor the person swinging the handle can only spin it over a couple of times before they are covered in sweat and out of breath. Just as well it starts on the first or second try, except when it is still warm that is!.

Fibreglass is bloody hard! Or our backsides are too soft as it is difficult to find a comfortable place to sit, or lay down. After a light lunch of fruit, crackers and cheese and a drink of water Jamie on watch, Frank is asleep on deck when a large Mahi Mahi jumps across the ocean and hits our lure. Ya Hoo! fresh fish for tea. The line goes tight, the shock cord stretches out to the thickness of a pencil lead as the load comes on the rig and starts to turn the fishes head then...........BANG, the bloody trace breaks and off through the ocean jumps our diner along with Frank's expensive lure, clearly trailing behind. When we recover what is left of the line, the part that is, that did not try to decapitate us when it broke and the shock cord returned at speed to it's normal size, we found that it had parted where it was attached to the swivel.

Steak for diner, large helping as it will only last until tomorrow night. Engine still on at 18.00hrs. Finally off at 21.00. Peace.

Log entry: Date: 1/11/98
Time: 06:00 Seas: Slight.
Pos: 20⁰.08's Course: 200^om
1760.58' w Speed: 3.5kn
Weather: Fine: Barometer: 1014mb
Wind: 5-10k Southerly

Another great day. We had a good nights sailing when the wind finally filled in, on a tight reach. Wind slowly dropping as the sun comes up. Where are these trade winds? Iron spinnaker on at 10.45hrs course 2150m, off at 16.00hrs. WIND WIND WIND, the SE trades have finally arrived!!!! We celebrate with steak curry for diner, fresh pineapple, more water, ( we are all drinking 2 litres per day plus what we have in coffee or tea. This is easily measured because of our bottled water.)

Honking along with that champagne sound.