Log Day 7: Star-gazing
N 15 03.260 | W 41 53.805
Tue 27.11.2018 | 17:48 UTC-3
Perhaps the most important update to our journey across the Atlantic is the following: The water leak issue we've had late on day three has been contained but that came to a high price: we had to alter our course to reduce drag AND reduce our speed. We are almost half-way through and we have run through all possible scenarios. This was the safest one. It is somewhat frustrating to see other boats passing you but we're happy with our decision to favour safety over performance.
So what do you do when you're snailing? - You free your mind from the burdens of racing and use the time to appreciate the beauty of our natural habitat: The Milky Way. Indeed, while Kolja and Peter went to pre-sleep to recharge before their late night watch, Fred, Rob and I went up to the sky deck to seize the moment. We had light winds and Anton -our Auto-pi
lot-
was doing a great job. Under a stunningly clear starry dome and before the moon rose, we started a visual exploration of the universe in all possible dimensions. It was breathtaking! When we started the challenge spot satellites, it didn't take Fred too long to see a strobe light flashing right on the azimut. We counted: 1, 2, 3 ...15! It was a clear flashing light with regular intervals of 15 seconds, it was moving slow to the east and it was much much higher than the cursing altitude of any plane. In fact it was certainly not a plane but in our ignorance we didn't struggle too much to lay down theories:
1. It's a satellite, but we've never heard of any emitting strobe light. Further research required.
2. It's an alien spaceship secretly documenting the ARC+ passage.
3. It's an earthly astronaut who got an alien encounter and they were both taking selfies with our planet in the background. We know the third theory doesn't really hold because the intervals wer
e too
regular for selfies :)
But who knows, maybe theory #2 will prove its worth the day we actually receive those pictures.
Eventless day today, but as we're planning on celebrating being under 1000NM to go tomorrow, Rob promised nice steaks for dinner while Fred and Kolja already locked down what looks like a yummy Tiramisu into the fridge. Now, we know what we were all so thirsty today: we've been all salivating at the thought of our tomorrow's dinner.
TRI II FLY, Out!
Mehdi Khaled | Co-Helm
9f8c7cd7-7ecd-46ea-a26b-36a60b446a264285458843795391292