Lucky New Year! (2014 is hiding 2 times 7, so double lucky:)
Thanks for posting all the updates and adding your very own point of view to it.
"Rado sa stalo!..."
[From previous conversation, up to Cape Verde:]
me: Winds?...
you: usually 15 to 20 knots, direction south or sout-sout-west.
me: Motoring?...
you: only when you reefing (taking down the sails partially due to strong winds) or need to top up batteries, using solar but 7 people consume a lot.
me: Met some other boats?
you: perhaps 1 only first night - cargo one, only a little light of it. Otherwise about half a dozen on the radar in circle of 40 n.miles...
me: First port to arrive on the other side?
you: probably Martinique..
me: How did you manage food supply?
you: I'll come back to this later in length. We consider mainly calories/energetic efficiency (energy needed for processing)
me: Do you plan Christmas decoration?
you: not yet, but will do tomorrow..
me: Do you need visa?
you: no
[Present questions, few miles from Martinique:]
Well done!!! The locator on the baydreamer.se shows you nearly there.
- How did you mange waste, such as solid waste and waste water?
Waste I bore in my mind but in such wasteful times it seems impossible to get anywhere near my satisfaction. So when buying supplies one thinks of minimising the amount of packaging as well as using decomposable materials. But it all also depends on the conditions these supplies are kept under and so even if it would be ideal to have a 25kg sack of rice (which btw were well overpriced in those "Asian" shops I found), if it starts rotting the waste would become greater. I'd love to have everything packed in recyclables/compostables and I tried but I must say that I was not very successful. It takes lots of planning and a good knowledge of a local retail. Also I had a certain budget to play with.
And so the staff we assumed should not be harmful for the Ocean we dumped over board, the rest we dragged to the next destination, It was not so much I think.
Waste water goes directly into the ocean, the most of boats function that way. I suggested to captain to use eco-friendly and I can say that he listened and purchased somewhat friendlier cleaning liquids. Respect to our captain Dani for all his openness, many others would only laugh at me!
- How many times did you manage to have shower during the crossing?
I showered twice throughout the main part, and almost everyday or even twice a day we swam behind the boat holding on the rope, great fun even after seeing some sharks around the boat. Adds up to the experience!
- How did you deal with human waste (shit)?
Stored it in case it came to the worst, running out of food scenario...
- Was there any moment when you were almost stand still and you could jump in and swim?
No doldrums, but swimming behind the boat doing 7 knots is much greater fun.
- Have you seen some dolphins, whales, sharks?
We have seen sharks and many dolphins, maybe some whales too but we cannot be sure.
- Did you see any rubbish floating in the sea?
Not except that which we threw in.
- What was first impression from people in Martinique?
Very friendly and helpful, relaxed and funky. I'm impressed.
- Do you have to pay for mooring in port?
We were on an anchor and that is free, one can pay for a buoy I think 13e a day and have access to marina facilities or a proper dock for 40e (very hard to get a place, many boats down here in La Marin)
- Have you been sea sick?
I have been sick very little, took no pharmaceutic medicines, ate lots of ginger and garlic which I eat a lot anyway... One gets used to it normally very quickly.
- What is your next plan as for destination after South America, and will you carry on sailing?
Next plan to stay here, find a job. South America, probably Venezuela first. Sailing of course is now within me and I will sail every time there is an opportunity to use such a way of transportation. Maybe I'll get my own boat one day.
I've been seeing Oli yesterday. We've got floods here and so I was glad to wear Meindl boots while cycling as the road was mostly under water and so it looked like cycling in a lake. Very adventurous, especially getting to the other side over the flooded meadow.. yet Sunseeker seem to be safe where it is with it's crew including 4 dogs.
Looking forward hear from you soon!
Cheers!ko
