Time: 2021/07/14 03:33:06
Latitude: 40-24.59N
Longitude: 172-25.66W
Speed: 4.3
Course: 27T
The calms seas and lack of wind continues for another day. We would like to see the wind fill in eventually and get the engine turned off, but I will admit the crew are enjoying the relaxed conditions while they last. I was told on good authority by someone in the know that we were in for sunny skies today. So I set my heart on doing a load of laundry as clean underwear is getting scarce. But when I dragged myself out of bed this morning I was greeted with overcast skies and drizzle. I decided to chance it and put on a load with the optimism that by the time the cycle was finished the sun will make an appearance. My optimism did not pan out. So we strung up the laundry in the port hull between the two cabin doors and directed a ceiling fan on to them. Not nearly as efficient as the tropical sun and warm breeze. How much more solar do we need to run a clothes dryer?!
Last night with the daylight fading fast, D noticed that there was a small-ish tear on the main sail below the second reef. We knew that we were pushing our luck by keeping this very tired sail for the passage to Alaska, but we really wanted to put off the expense of a new main so decided to chance it. It is why we rarely put the sail up fully or even at the first reef, we are keenly aware we are on borrowed time with this sail. So D knew that sail repair was on his agenda for today. Despite the drizzly morning, he clipped himself onto the boom and worked with some frustration from the slight roll of the boat to tape up and stitch the various areas that had chaffed from a reefing line. So now our main has more patches added to her canvas. I know she will get us to Alaska!!
The last of the news today is from our goal-driven eldest child. Ella had set a goal in Tahiti to knit a shawl during this passage. The pattern for this shawl was a gift for her 12th birthday in Guatemala from our knitting extraordinaire cruising friend, Kaiwen. Kaiwen is a gifted knitter with the patience of a saint. She spent countless hours patiently correcting mistakes Ella and I would make in our knitting during our time with her in Bonaire, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. The yarn Ella used was alpalca wool from our trip to Peru that D and I gave her for that same birthday. Basically Ella decided she really wanted to make this shawl prior to her 15th birthday in October so she decided the long passage to Alaska was the perfect opportunity. This girl shows some serious commitment when she sets herself a goal. She finished binding off the shawl today and we will try to find a truly sunny day to block it so she can be wearing it by the time we reach Alaska. Kaiwen, you would be so proud of how accomplished she is getting at knitting and even correcting her mistakes!!!
Oh and I almost forgot that we had another pod of dolphins come and play with Maple for awhile. Our reference materials on board for types of dolphins are not great, but I realize they are not bottlenose, but perhaps white-sided dolphins?! So here is hoping that our next update will include that we are finally back to sailing again!
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