Day 45 – Leak, Scrambled Eggs

14 Apr, 07 – 21.30
16.4448N,36.5192W
24 hr progress: 21.3 Nautical Miles Distance to Antigua: 2499 Nautical Miles Distance left to Antigua (straight line): 1427 Nautical Miles ( 2640 km) (1 NM = 1.85 km) Wave height: 5-6 ft, Winds: 10-15 knots NE, Bearing: 240 - 280 degrees.

It's amazing how setting a routine gives a critical situation a sense of normalcy. I bail the water out twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening. About 3-4 liters in all. It's not last orders yet at the Ocean Bar. I think I can limp my way onto the shipping lanes.

A bit of good news yesterday. It's Antigua Yacht Weekend, so I'm keeping my eye out for any yachts heading that way. Some under water sealant would be nice.

I've tried another approach yesterday to fix the leak by layers of sealant and masking tape. Will see if that holds up. The boat does feels a bit sluggish with the leak. Not sure if its just psychological or if the wood has absorbed water. The stern is at about a slight decline angle to the water around. I've been wondering if there is any water trapped in the wood between the fiberglass hull and the watertight compartments, but there is no way of finding that out without drilling thru the wood, and this would be risking further damage.

I keep going through past scenes in my mind where the damage could have occurred. Was it when it was being lifted off the trailer? Was it when the trailer was being loaded onto Fred Olsen? I recall the back of the boat hitting the ramp. Or was it when the boat was moored at La Gomera and the storm hit? The mooring cleats at the stern were stressed at that time. It's all history now of course, but knowing would help me try to zero the leak down to a specific joint.

Making the most of the weather at the moment to get some progress in. Steady E – NE have been predicted until Wed, which gives me some time to get the mileage in.

In the absence of any wild life under the boat, god sent a welcome diversion in the form of Freeze dried Scrambled Eggs with Onions in my ration pack. It's basically dehydrated eggs, spices, vegetables, spring onion etc to which you add hot water to re-constitute the meal.
Anyway, every since the primus (cooker) turned up corroded with sea water about 6 weeks ago, I've just added cold water to all the food packs and left them in the sun. The eggs would not know the difference right? Wrong. I got the Scrambled part of the recipe correct, but the egg part tasted more like the packaged devil. And was promptly fed to the hungry jaws waiting below.

Fortunately, the other ration meal in the pack, was Chilli Con Carne (Expedition Foods), an onboard favorite. So although I was one meal short for the day, the menu did not turn out too bad taste-wise.
So, in case you are wondering, that's the only activity on board that resembles cooking. Quick, isn't it?
A warm meal when I'm back would be nice. Only 60 days left.

B

WOULD APPRECIATE NO MESSAGES OR CALLS VIA THE SATELLITE PHONE. THE LINE IS BEING KEPT OPEN FOR EMERGENCY USE UNTIL THIS LEAK IS FIXED.
Instead, please direct messages through the Messages section on the website at http://www.bhavik.com/crossatlantic/messages.asp. All messages are forwarded onto me at the end of each day.

Freeze dried ration pack. of Scrambled Eggs and Spring onions


Eggs done with my cold water recipe



Chilli Con Carne ration pack. Very good taste. 8 Year shelf life.