It’s been hard to sleep. I set the alarm clock in 20 minute intervals; I think I’ve only been getting an hour or so during the night. It’s a bit easier to sleep during the day, I have a bit more comfort in the fact that if I do encounter another boat, the will be awake and able to see me.
I was getting a cat nap last night and awoke to smoke coming from the cabin, and the horrible smell of something burning, obviously I jumped to my feet, my heart was racing, I quickly noticed that the belt for the alternator had burned up. I carry extras, and had the problem fixed within minutes.
When I went on deck this morning I found an unfortunate flying fish who had found his way onboard. Funny looking fish, big eyes, and fin-wings, too small to eat. I tried to use him as bait, but no luck, I think I’m the worlds most unsuccessful fisherman.
Namaste is sailing along at about 3.5Kts, which will put me in Great Inagua in the morning sometime.
All of the books I’ve read by solo-circumnavigators (Slocum, Guzzwell, Dumas) talk about loneliness. I’m not really lonely, but it’s an odd feeling to be so far away from people. I fired up the radar, and scanned the horizon, not a blip to be seen (24miles). I hailed “Any Vessel” looking for weather information, yet no reply. At night there is not a light to be seen save the stars above and my own running lights. I did see a ship last night about 6 miles on my port quarter, I suspect a mail boat returning from Inagua.
I’m going to try and set the alarm in 35-40 minute increments tonight. I have tried to put the proper electronics package together. I must now learn to trust Namaste during my sleep. I something enters the perimeter I set on the radar, lets say 5 miles, Namaste will wake me. If I wonder off course, venture into water too shallow, or the wind shifts, she will wake me. Technically I should be able to sleep all night; I just can’t bring myself to do it.
Published in Alex Dorsey
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