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American Spirit II - Day 243; The Boobie Strikes and Green Flash #16; Friday, September 5, 2014



David and I stayed on watch until 1:30 AM and then Joel relieved us. Around 5:00 AM we had reached the waypoint at the northeast corner of the Sahul Sand Banks and turned left to an approximate heading of 270 degrees. Joel went to bed then and Jeanine took over watch duties.



David got up at 6:00 AM and I followed at 7:00 AM.



We had another blood red sunrise at 7:10 AM.



At 7:30 AM I cut an empty Folgers coffee canister in half, put water in it and laid it up on the bimini for the large boobie to drink from. The bird was pruning itself at this time.



At 8:15 AM we had a ship on our starboard bow, the Seven Eagle, which the AIS labeled as a 'dive' ship over 400 feet long and doing 11.3 knots.



At 8:20 AM the bird had been on the boat for just over 24 hours.



The wind was 5/6 knos and we were doing 5.8 thru the water and 6.1 over the land. It was very warm, early, at 84 degrees. It was 90 degrees a little while later and the water temperature was 84.6.



At 8:35 AM I stood on the transom and pushed the water container closer to the bird and it bit me with its 4 inch beak. Ouch! It drew a little blood, but at least I had all 5 digits. I immediately sanitized the wound and put a band aid on.



The bird flew then flew around the boat and landed in the water behind the boat. Good riddance.



Charlie on Celebrate hosted the 9:00 AM net. As usual, he was very entertaining and gave us a homework assignment to have ready for the evening broadcast. Some sort of trivia question.



The auto pilot turned itself off at 9:05 AM. What else is new?



Breakfast was at 9:35 AM after the net, and consisted of bacon, scrambled eggs, chilled pear pieces and raisin bread.



Boingo Alive came on the radio and announced that they had encountered a floating buoy attached to a fishing net(?). They gave its position as 11 degrees, 20 minutes and 9 seconds South; and 124 degrees, 6 minutes, and 30 seconds East.



Our noon position was 11 degrees, 6 minutes South; and 123 degrees, 53 minutes East.



At 2:09 PM we fueled the boat, emptying 8 jerry jugs into our main boat fuel tank. 40 gallons of diesel.



At 2:14 pm a small black and white breasted sea bird landed on the bimini.



Joel shouted Land Ho! at 4:00 PM, sighting Roti to starboard 20 miles away.



At 4:19 PM the same bird landed on the foredeck, port side in front of the dodger. It was 8 inches long, had a black head from the eye level on up; black beak; white breast and feathers and outer body. A very pretty bird. At 4:45 PM the bird flew to the water, then back to the boat trying to land on the life line starboard. Fell off the lifeline and into the water. Then flew around the boat and landed on the bimini again; or what we now call the 'poop deck' due to the accumulating bird poop there. We'll have to hose that area down when we get into Bali. The bird flew off the boat again at 5:11 PM but then came right back.



Dinner was at 5:35 PM and consisted of Blackened chicken cooked on the grill by Joel; baked potato; a green bean recipe cooked by Jeanine and very Italian; and chilled pears.



Charlie from Celebrate hosted the 6:00 PM net; and every boat submitting an answer to the 'homework assignment' was told that they will receive a prize when they get to Bali. No wonder Charlie's net broadcasts have such high ratings!



The sun set at 7:14 PM and we had Green Flash #16. Everyone but Joel saw it.



We put up a low side pole at 9:00 PM. The wind was 13-15 knots and our speed 6.0 knots;.



At 10:00 PM a ship called the Bison Exp Ress, 400 feet and going at 13.7 knots, passed us port to port at 3.8 miles.



At 11:31 PM the Go Sirius, a 246 foot tug boat, passed starboard to starboard at 6.1 miles. At 11:32 PM the Yamatai, a 532 cargo ship, was scheduled to pass us at 12:10 PM off our port side at 5.5 miles.



At 11:38 PM the wind was 10/12 knots and our speed thru the water was 4.4 knots and over the ground 5.9 knots, a helping current of 1.5 knots.



We turned the engine on at 12:10 AM and at 12:35 AM I started sending our SSB messages. Because I kept getting disconnected, I didn't finish until 1:35 AM. I then showered and went to bed at 2:00 AM.



Brian Fox


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