The boat needs a good cleaning and the crew needs to stretch our legs on some firm ground. We expect to stay here for about 4 days before moving to the island of Hiva Oa for our formal check-in.
We have a battery problem that is making things less than pleasant. Apparently, one of the big house batteries developed a leak and leaked its fluid (yes acid) into the bilge. Once that happened it apparently overheated and cooked the water out of all the others. It was hard to notice since with the engine running, we had all the power we needed from the 200 amp alternator. As soon as we stopped the engine, the house bank went dead. I put a lot of water into the other batteries and am trying to bring them back. The icemaker is off and we are watching all energy use very carefully. I think the best I can hope for is to limp along running the generator a lot and get new batteries when I can find them. The next major port we come to is Tahiti.
Some voyage statistics follow:
Total miles covered - 2905 miles
Amount of diesel fuel at start of trip - 1170 gallons
Diesel fuel burned - 845 gallons
Amount of fuel remaining - 325 gallons
Average fuel burn at 1300 rpm - 1.64 gallons/hour
Number of minutes to change main engine oil & filter - 15
Courage needed to shut down the engine in the middle of an ocean - Lots
Home school lessons given - 7
Number of days sea-sick - 0
Number of days we wished we had flown - 10
Number of flying fish landed on deck - too many to count
Number of squid landed on deck - too many to count
Number of movies watched - 8
Number of buddy sailboats that beat us - All of them!
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. We all need a good nights rest.
Posted Via SSB
Tom
8 comments:
Tom
You must be proud of your self, your crew too. You're almost half around the world.
Love Mom
Hi, Crew -
Congratulations on reaching the Marquesas. Hope you can solve your battery problems quickly. Interesting to note that the sailboats beat you - could have told you that!
Any chance that you will eventually head north to the Marianas? If you do, visit Tinian. I spent 16 months there during WWII. I understand the island is quite different now than when I was there.
Best to all -
Uncle Joe
Tom, Kim, and Emily:
What courage and what rewards! We do keep praying for your safety as we put Evensong in at Mystic--on the other side of the world. Your pictures and descriptions are magical. Thanks for keeping us all in the loop.
Gene and Susie Bartley
Wow.. we are soooo envious. But, very happy to see your adventure progressing well.
Crew Istaboa
Nan and Barb are happy that you make it with little trouble.
Emily just to let you know Katherine now wears glasses too. She loves them.
I am thrilled to have found your blog! What a grand adventure. I send you good luck with your batteries, hope all that is solved by the time you read this comment. I spent some time in the Marianas myself, if you head that direction, see if you can find Truk, also called Chuuk, island. There is a fabulous crater/lagoon there with great WWII wreck diving, the lagoon is only about 70 to 100 ft deep at the most. Have fun out there, best wishes from "Mrs. Slug"
(Adventures of Mr. Slug and Friends)
Dear Tom, Kim & dear Emily,
Have been following your journey and just wanted to touch base and let you know I am still thinking of you and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. I wish I could give a hug for every pic I've seen of Emily as she grows more beautiful (and older). Miss sharing thoughts with you at the Groton Public Library - where I still am working (except for now, as I am on vacation for 2 weeks in Italy, then on to Austria and to Germany to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play which is performed every 10 yrs. Tom, your postings really are thrilling to read and as always, thoroughly enjoy your pictures. Hope all is well with the batteries and that you enjoy your visit in the Marquesas.
Our summer reading theme is Make a Splash - Read so I will definitely be thinking of you all as we get ready for that big program.
Take care. You are all amazing!
Fondly, Sue Palmieri (Miss Sue - and Rocco:-)
Wow!!! You'll never look back and say...."sure wish we could have and would have cast our fate to the wind and just sailed." How cool is that? Safe travels and enjoy your stay in American Samoa!!
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