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American Spirit II - Day 388; Long Day Motoring; the Auto Pilot Cuts Off, Again; the Generator Stopps Working; and We See a Small Green Flash (No. 37); Thursday, January 29, 2015



Up at 6:00 AM; then showered and shaved. Relieved Jeanine at 6:25 AM. Clouds on the horizon so it doesn't look good for a green flash sunrise. We'll see.



The sun rises at 6:47 AM. An above average sunrise, but no green flash due to clouds. As usual, I take pictures of the sunrise. I do the same for each sun set. I have a LOT of sun rise and sun set pictures. Go figure.



At 8:02 AM the wind is 4 knots directly astern of us; and we're motoring at 5.7 knots thru the water and 6.0 knots over the land. Its sunny and hot. The sun is like a blow torch, even low in the sky early in the morning. The bimini and dodger offer no protection, yet, due to its low angle. I'm wearing shorts and no shirt.



At 8:26 AM the auto pilot shuts off and goes to 'standby.' Aggravating. I 'catch' one of the wheels before it swings 90 degrees. We think its a 'communication' problem, but can't find the cause.



Polaris hosts the 10:00 AM net on channel 8 Bravo instead of 6 Bravo. Better propagation (reception and transmission).



Breakfast at 10:25 AM consists of eggs, potato, chilled fruit cocktail and brown bread for Joel and me. Jeanine has oat meal and fruit cocktail; and tea with honey.



We reduce the engine speed from 1600 to 1400 RPM's at 11:09 AM to conserve fuel. At 1600 RPM's we burn .6 gallon of diesel an hour; at 1400 RPM's we burn .5 or maybe even .4 gallons per hour. Our speed drops a half knot at the lower RPM setting. We're now doing 5.4 knots thru the water and 6.0 knots over the land.



Our noon position is 14 degrees, 27 minutes South; 13 degrees, 23 minutes East; and we're 1,460 nautical miles from Salvador, Brazil. We traveled 148 miles from noon yesterday, at an average speed of 6.2 knots.



I type a log and do emails from 11:30 AM to 12:20 PM. Then at 12:45 PM we send and receive emails using the satellite phone. Our transmission is disconnected half way thru. We try again at 1:35 PM and send and receive in 2 1/2 minutes. It costs $1.48 per minute to use the satellite phone. One of the emails we sent was a request for a weather GRIB file; which shows that wind is on the way. We'll see.



I nap from 2:45 PM to 4:09 PM. Joel rolls the mainsail up at 4:05 PM. We're still motoring. Joel naps at 4:15 PM.



At 4:26 PM the wind is 5/6 knots and we're moving at 5.2 knots thru the water and 5.3 knots over the land. The low wind speed is due to the South Atlantic High. We're in it.



From 5:21 PM to 6:00 PM Joel and I transfer 30 gallons of diesel from jerry cans into the main fuel tank, using a siphon hose with a check valve.



At 6:30 PM I start the generator to cook some potatoes; and it cuts off right away. Another impeller. I guess we're not having micro wave baked potatoes for dinner tonight. I substitute baked beans instead, which pleases Joel to no end. Joel cooks 5 blackened chicken drum sticks on the propane grill while I cook the baked beans on the stove top and boil water for corn on the cob, a boat favorite.



Jon from Polaris hosts the 7:00 PM net on SSB channel 8 Bravo. about half of the boats are heard by us. Many or most of them are motoring like we are.



The sun sets at 7:32 PM and we see Green Flash No. 37 on our trip. A small one. Lot of clouds but a nice green hue reflecting onto the clouds.



We roll the mainsail and jib out at 7:40 PM. So now we're motor sailing instead of just motoring. The wind is only 6/7 knots and we're moving at 6.0 knots thru the water and 6.6 knots over the land. At 8:12 PM we roll the jib back up as its not helping us.



At 8:57 PM the wind is 7 knots and we're moving at 5.4 knots thru the water and 6.1 knots over the land. As usual, I take out the canvas insert between the dodger and bimini so I can see more stars. I finish the book I'm reading, Ten Hours Until Dawn, by Michael Tougias. If you don't like happy endings, this book may not be for you. Same author who wrote 'Overboard.' A very good book, about an American Hero, Frank Quick.



Joel relieves me at midnight.



Our weather forecast is as follows. We're in Grid Foxtrot:



WEATHER ROUTING INC. IS PROUD TO BE THE OFFICIAL WEATHER PROVIDER FOR THE WORLD

ARC CAPE TOWN TO BRAZIL

PREPARED: JANUARY 29 05:12Z

FM: WEATHER ROUTING INC. (WRI)



SYNOPSIS: GOOD DAY. BROAD RIDGING FROM HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED NEAR 33S/25W

EXTENDS N'WARD TO 10S AND E'WARD TO 05W. THIS RIDGE WILL GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN

THROUGH TOMORROW EVENING AS THE HIGH CENTER MOVES E'WARD AND REACHES 05E BY THE

EVENING OF THE 31ST. A WEAK THERMAL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE IS IN PLACE ALONG

THE COAST OF BRAZIL BETWEEN 10S AND 20S. THIS TROUGH WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN

THROUGHOUT TODAY BEFORE STRENGTHENING AGAIN BY THE 31ST WHILE REMAINING IN

PLACE.



CONCLUSION: A GRADUAL ABATING TREND IS EXPECTED FROM WEST TO EAST IN GRIDS

FOXTROT AND ECHO IN REGARD TO SWELLS THROUGHOUT TODAY, ALONG WITH A GRADUAL

ENHANCEMENT OF E-SE'LY TRADES BEGINNING TOMORROW MORNING THROUGH TOMORROW

EVENING AS THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE STRENGTHENS OVER THE GRIDS. STRONGEST WINDS

IN GRID GOLF WILL BE FOUND ALONG THE COAST OF BRAZIL SOUTH OF 15S. E-NE'LY WIND

GUSTS IN THIS AREA WILL GUST TO 22KTS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING

HOURS DUE TO THE THERMAL TROUGH STRENGTHENING DURING THOSE TIMES. WINDS AND

SEAS EAST OF 35W IN GRID GOLF WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY CALM THROUGHOUT TODAY AND

TOMORROW OUTSIDE OF THE THERMAL TROUGH.



FOXTROT FORECAST:

29/06 GMT(T + 0): WINDS E-SE 05-14KTS. SEAS 1-3 SWELLS SSE-SSW 4-6FT

(11SEC). SKIES PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHWRS/SQUALLS*. CURRENTS FROM WNW @

0.2KTS.

29/18 GMT(T + 12): WINDS ENE-ESE 10-15KTS. SEAS 1-3 SWELLS S-SW 3-5FT

(11SEC). SKIES PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHWRS/SQUALLS*. CURRENTS FROM W @

0.1KTS.

30/06 GMT(T + 24): WINDS ENE-ESE 11-16KTS. SEAS 2-3 SWELLS S-SW 3-5FT

(10SEC). SKIES PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHWRS/SQUALLS*. CURRENTS FROM ESE @

0.1KTS.

30/18 GMT(T + 36): WINDS ENE-ESE 12-17KTS. SEAS 1-3 SWELLS S-SW 3-5FT

(10SEC). SKIES PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHWRS/SQUALLS*. CURRENTS FROM NNW @

0.4KTS.



We'd like at least 10 knots of wind; 12 knots and above would be great. At 8 knots and less we motor.



Brian Fox


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