As I type this sentence, my GPS reads 200 nm to go. Finally. So much talk about wind and fronts and weather, but very little has come to fruition. As of now, I am in the midst of a broad stationary front; the skies have been thickly overcast all day, a very light rain falls from time to time, and the wind remains light from the northwest. It actually started to blow nicely yesterday evening, fifteen to eighteen knots. I sailed under reefed main and reefed jib until about 0400 when it began the process of easing to the six to eight knots that has accompanied me throughout today. I've been under full sail since then and it's all I can do to keep boat speed above three knots. Still, it's progress.
I've run out of all fresh provisions except for a precious few onions and some potatoes. Of course, I've still got enough food for a few months on board and enough water for another month even if I didn't collect rainwater, but things are getting pretty bland. Pasta-making went very well so I repeated it the following day, adding a bunch of cayenne pepper into the second batch, so that was exciting. I've eaten all of the banana bread by now, too. I really long for something other than breads and starches. If I could take my pick, it would be breakfast: a bacon omelet with fresh chives and mushrooms, a large bowl of berries- blue, black, ras, straw, should do it- and some nice yogurt with honey. Yes, yes, that would do just fine. Not a problem, though. I will be back in civilization, real, proper civilization for the first time in a long while, in less than two days.
I spoke with my parents on the satellite phone today and they asked what I would do when I got there. It's a good question. After clearing customs, food and exercise will be my top priorities. In the following days there will be much celebration: we'll have a party for Thanksgiving and for Alex's birthday and for arriving, surviving. I plan to buy a bicycle and insurance for my boat. I have a lot of laundry and cleaning to do; when Saltbreaker clears and we make it to a secluded anchorage in the Bay of Islands, we'll have a bonfire to destroy the articles that have seen the end of their days on this Pacific crossing. I will be burning my pillows and pillowcases, a cockpit cushion and whatever other ratty, smelly, mildewed things I find; I am pretty excited about getting new pillows. That's really it, though. In some ways it is the end, but in many ways we just keep on living and cruising. There is a lot to see, many places to take the boat, many things to do. It will be nice to live aboard, cruise to as many secluded anchorages and surf-spots as I want while always able to drop in to well-stocked stores and towns and marinas whenever I feel like it.
I was watching the chart-plotter today as the little caricature of my boat sauntered across the screen right between the labels, one reading "Pacific Ocean" and the other "Tasman Sea". It sort of shook me for a moment. I realized that if I can just manage to keep myself aboard this boat for a couple more days, keep her pointed in the right direction, stay in deep water and away from collisions then that's it. That was the goal. Two more days. Pacific crossed. Almost. I don't want to jinx it. Almost, though. It will have been just one day shy of ten months. Just two more days. Not exactly how I thought it would go, but it went and it's been a hell of a ride. Almost. It's almost been. Gonna wear that harness on deck, for sure. No more games, light winds be damned. I'll break out of this front eventually and the wind will pick up and clock to the southeast and I'll have to go on the foredeck and get the pole down and I'm going to clip in, for sure. Didn't clip in when I put the pole up, I'll admit it, Pops, wasn't wearing my harness; just shirtless and barefoot as I've been for a good long while now. I promised I would this time though and I will. Then, a day or so close-reaching and into the Bay of Islands. 198 to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment