Wed., 7/22 Report

DAY 7 (at sea) Day 8 (of log) WED 0722

CURRENT POSITION: 38-36N, 159-23W, COURSE: 35DEG T, SPEED 6KNOTS

WOW!!! ONE WHOLE WEEK ALREADY AND WE'VE DONE ABOUT 1100 NAUTICAL MILES. THE
LAST TWO DAYS RUNS HAVE BEEN 135NM, AND 140NM RESPECTIVELY, SHORT OF OTHER DAYS
TOTALS, BUT GOOD IN TERMS OF NOT HAVING TO TURN ON THE MAIN ENGINE [THE IRON
GENNY AS SAILORS REFER TO IT...GENNY IS SHORT FOR GENOA WHICH IS A LARGE
FORESAIL...GEE, THE THINGS YOU LEARN SAILING WITH ME VIRTUALLY] I DIGRESS!!! WE
ARE AT THE SAME LATITUDE AS SAN FRANCISCO AND ARE GRACEFULLY TURNING WITH THE
WIND IN THAT GENERAL DIRECTION ALTHOUGH A LITTLE NORTH OF THERE. WEATHER AND
WINDS COOPERATING BEYOND ALL WISHES.
YESTERDAY'S REPORT ENDED WITH ME GOING OFF TO MAKE WATER. WELL, I DID...FOR
ABOUT 45 MINUTES, THEN ZINGO...WATER MAKER [WM] STOPS. THE WM REQUIRES THE
GENERATOR TO POWER IT AND NEEDS ALL THE POWER OF THE GENERATOR TO DO SO. I KNEW
SOMETHING WAS AMISS WHEN THE SOUND OF THE GENERATOR CHANGED SLIGHTLY. MY MIND
GOES...CRAP, THE WATER MAKER QUIT...WATER RATIONING MUST BEGIN IMMEDIATELY, NO
MORE SHOWERS...SMELLY CREW...DISHES TO BE WASHED WITH SEA WATER...GLAD I DIDN'T
TAKE MY SHOWER YET...AGAIN CRAP. ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS IN A SPLIT SECOND. SO
AFTER MY WATCH IT WAS ME BURYING MYSELF IN THE ENGINE ROOM AT AN UNCOMFORTABLE
ANGLE DIAGNOSING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION. TURNS OUT THE GENERATOR HAD
BLOWN 2 FUSES [25 AMPERS] OF WHICH I HAD SPARES, WHICH WERE NO GOOD. SO, I HAD
TO DANGEROUSLY BYPASS THE FUSES WITH SOME WIRE KNOWING THAT I STILL HAD A
25AMP BREAKER IN THE CIRCUIT. I RELOCATED AN EXTRA FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEXT TO
THE GENERATOR AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION. THE NET RESULT IS THAT I GOT THE WATER
MAKING WORKING, FILLED THE TANKS, HAD A SHOWER, SOME LUNCH AND WENT TO BED.
GOING TO BED HAPPENS A LOT SINCE THE SHIFTS ARE 3 HOURS ON 6 HOURS OFF...SO 3
TIMES A DAY...I THINK!!!
OH!!! THE CAN OPENER...THERE ARE 2 SWISS ARMY KNIVES ABOARD SO WE'RE GOOD, AND
APPARENTLY WHEN WE PULL INTO SAN FRAN, PAULA WILL FIND A CAN OPENER ON BOARD
FIRST THEN GIVE ME MY WELCOME HOME HUG AND KISS.
OK, I'M ON WATCH NOW...GOTTA GO!!!
ADRIEN