News Archive
27 April 2006
What's baking? Some clothes and a sailor!
Crossing the Equator. I expected a mixed bag of calms and squalls – typical doldrum weather. Then the NE trade winds would give me a smooth ride in balmy conditions for 3000 miles towards Hawaii. Not so! The ride so far from the Equator has been nightmarish. The sea state at times has been massive with 40 ft waves pounding me.
Yesterday I woke at daybreak. Lying in my bunk staring up at the sky through the saloon hatch, the boat seemed stable. I could tell by her motion and the rush of water past the hull that the wind was 16-18 knots and we were making 5 knots through the water. Furthermore the sky was blue. At last, a decent day! Suddenly an almighty bang reverberated around the starboard side. Green water cascaded over the deck as an enormous wave crashed in to us. Blue sky was obliterated. Thankfully all the hatches and the companionway were closed. Although the cabin is sweltering, this precaution is because we have had waves breaking over us for 10 days.
As I prepared for my 180th day at sea, I looked around my small living space. It would be a photo finish as to which was the bigger – my space or a prison cell! The fore and aft cabins are full of fuel, stores, sails and my accumulated garbage. I live in the central section comprising the saloon and chart table with the heads (toilet) on the port side and the galley on the starboard side. I have the choice of 2 beds – either the port or starboard saloon banquettes depending on the heel of the boat. For the moment I’m on the port side, the low side of the boat. My bed measures 21” wide and 78” long. My mattress comprises cushions each of 3” thickness laid side by side and which allow access to the separate storage spaces beneath.
Between the banquettes is the saloon table with leaves permanently folded. Just behind the port berth is the chart table and just after that the heads. The companionway steps are between the chart table and the galley and lead up to the cockpit.
Because of the slightly crazy sea state and the tendency for winds to kick up to 30 knots, spray is constantly strafing the deck. I did have laundry out but it is now ruined with saltwater and will have to be done again. Other laundry is festooned around the saloon. Items have to be bone dry before they are packed away in to waterproof bags otherwise mildew will take hold. With the loss of the heating system, and thus my drying cupboard, I now ‘bake’ clothes in the oven on the lowest heat leaving the oven door ajar to create heat flow.
If this all sounds like a down-side, the up-side is this: In a metal boat in the sweltering tropical heat with all the hatches battened down and the oven on, I get a free sauna!