can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

American Spirit II - Day 199; Rough Weather Stretch & Cousin/Crewman Richard Volz Passes Away; Wednesday, July 23, 2014



Might as well start with the bad news first. When opening my emails tonight I found out that cousin and crew member Richard Volz died in his sleep July 22nd. Richard was to join American Spirit II on August 6th in Cairns, Australia for the trip to Darwin. When Joel and I first started putting together crew for the legs around the world, Richard was the first to sign up, and asked to fill the 'hardest' leg. He was given Cape Town, South Africa to Salvador, Brazil; and happy as a clam about it. Last November Richard came down to Florida and took a week long shake-down cruise with Joel and I testing out new systems on the boat. And just 2 or 3 months ago he signed up for the Australian free cruising period leg because he was keen to have a shorter leg under his belt before the big one across the Atlantic.

When growing up as kids, Richard, who lived in the Philadelphia area, would frequently join my four brothers and I in Muskegon, Michigan for a few weeks each summer at my parent's summer cottage. He went on to have a career with Ford Motor Company, retired a few years ago and went to live with one of his daughters (Pam), son-in-law and 2 grandsons in Maryland.

I know Richard was looking forward to joining the World ARC 2014/15 Rally. He will be missed.

***************************************************

On to today's log...

Joel turned on the engine at 4:02 AM because the boat speed had dropped too much. He had gone off watch at 3:00 AM, but the lack of boat speed woke him up. We're always hesitant to turn the engine on when either one of us is sleeping off watch because the sudden noise can easily wake you up. Not that its too noisy, just that the sound in the boat changes. In this case, it did wake me up. Which is OK. Such is life at sea. I got up then assumed watch with Jeanine, who was on until 6:00 AM. The wind at that time was a mere 5 knots; and I could see Sweet Pearl was behind us again.

Jeanine and I had some microwave popcorn at 6:00 AM. Really good.

I turned the engine off at 8:30 AM; but had to turn it on again at 9:15 AM.

The 9:00 AM net was conducted by Charlie from Celebrate.
s
Breakfast at 9:30 AM consisted of scrambled eggs (2 per person), curried potatos mixed in with the eggs; chilled fruit cocktail and bread.

Joel started getting the boat ready at 10:00 AM for the Australia customs, immigration and quarantine inspections by taking buckets of salt water and rinsing out the cockpit; followed by a good scrub down of all the cockpit surfaces. Jeanine and I did the same below, rearranging things and getting the boat more 'ship shape.'

Our noon position was 19 degrees, 26 minutes South; and 152 degrees, 31 minutes East.

At 2:00 PM were 11 miles south of Marion Reef. The wind was 8-9 knots and our boat speed was 6.7 knots. Still motor sailing.

We turned the engine off again at 2:38 PM. The wind had increased to 14/15 knots and our boat speed was 5.7 knots.

Joel went down for a nap at 2:45 PM; Jeanine and I were up.

At 3:00 PM rain squalls started rifling by, with the winds increasing to 25 knots. Twenty minutes later I had to turn the wind turbine off because we were generating too much electricity and were 'dumping' the voltage anyway. We were moving at 7.0 knots.

I noticed a sailboat to starboard, forward of the beam about 2 miles at 3:40 PM.

By 4:24 PM clouds started looking like a low pressure system was hurtling at us. Where'd that come from? I raised the hydro generator out of the water as even it was starting to overcharge our boat batteries. It was discharging just like the wind turbine. That was a first. I then put a reef in the main. We were sailing into a big cell and the winds were starting to build. Lot of white caps.

We saw a rainbow that developed over the next half hour or so. What was unusual about this rainbow were the number of colors visible: orange, yellow, turquoise, purple, green and blue. It then expanded into a 'double' rainbow - both ends visible. The second time we've seen a 'double-ender- during our trip.

At 4:49 PM the squally weather was pushing us along at 8 knots. The wind was now 23 knots. A few minutes later the wind increased to 25 knots and our boat speed to 8.7 knots. I know we were surfing at over 9 knots, but I was too lazy to go back to the area behind the wheel to see for myself. More comfortable and less cold under the dodger.

At 5:05 PM a sailboat not in the Rally, Jazz Player, was calling Saphir on channel 16. Saphir did not respond because they were monitoring channel 72 and not 16. I replied to Jazz Player and advised them to contact Saphir on channel 72. They did this and arranged with Saphir to get some engine oil from them. While there was still daylight left, Jazz Player pulled up to leeward of Saphir and was given a couple of liters of engine oil. Another advantage of AIS. Jazz Player was only able to contact Saphir by name because they saw Saphir's name on their AIS.

The wind dropped to 8 knots after the large cell passed. That frequently happens after a large rain cloud passes by. Once its clears out, the wind goes back to what it was.

One of our fishing lines rang out at 6:05 PM. I grabbed it at once and started reeling the fish in. The fish then jumped out of the water from left to right and while 'looking me in the eye,' spit out the lure. It was a 5 foot long, 10-20 pound Mahi Mahi - one of the most colorful fish to ever grab onto a fishing line. And one of the seas most tasty fish on the dinner table. The lure the fish spit out had two clusters of 6 hooks total on the lure.

The communication's net was conducted by Joel at 6:00 PM.

Dinner at 6:30 PM was supposed to be blackened steak grilled on the back of the boat. However, it was too windy and the grill flame kept going out. So...I cooked them on the skillet in the galley. With the steak we had micro wave baked potatoes and chilled fruit cocktail.

No green flash at sunset. Too many clouds. Still a lot of rain squalls buzzing around. Vivo reported one squall they had encountered had winds of 60 knots.

We put a 2nd reef in the main at 7:30 PM. Very rough down below. The waves weren't that high (5-7 feet?), but with the wind behind the boat, it made for an uncomfortable ride. Almost close enough to compare it to the Niue rock and roll.

At 8:00 PM one of the galley cabinet doors opened and cooking utensils shot across the cabin. One utensil even made it into the aft cabin. It was quite a dramatic 'discharge.' When Jeanine had put some utensils away the cabinet door didn't lock properly. Not her fault, just a fidgety cabinet lock. Probably a project for Joel to fix.

I sent out a log and some emails and received some incoming emails at 8:20 PM. Used the Darawank, NSW, Australia receiving station again. 756 nautical miles away on a true heading of 175. If was while receiving and reading the incoming emails that I found out about my cousin Richard Volz passing away.

At 10:20 PM I put my full foul weather gear on. Pants, socks, shoes, and three upper layers. Cold out. Wind 20-23 knots. Boat speed 7.0 knots.

At 11:30 PM I noticed the hydro generator, which was out of the water, was violently rocking back and forth in its non-inserted position. I attached a line around it and stopped it from moving.

Brian Fox

Previous | Next