19-April-2006 Position

1'17.6S/130'09.3W
19-Apr-2006 Noon

• 127nm made good last 24 hours
• 2342 Miles from Z-town
• 845 Miles to Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands
• SE 15 knots wind, 5ft swell
• making 6 knots, sailed last 24 hours

It's official. We have cheated the doldrums!! Due to our thorough and in depth planning before our departure from Mexico, we planned to get as far west as possible before turning south to cross where the doldrums are at their narrowest. Mostly it is due to dumb luck that we actually had wind in the doldrums, as the week before the boats had to motor for 2 days to get across. So from here to the Marquesas, the wind should be increasing, and we should be making good mileage.

We have had to cheat a little with the engine as we need to keep our batteries charged up. The generator's fuel pump decided to commit suicide. This means we have to run the engine every once in a while to keep the batteries nice and happy.

Do you remember our friends on "The Chaitanya"? We had been cruising in Mexico with them (Their link is on the bottom right of this web page under "Our Friends"). They made it back up to La Paz in Baja. They have moored their boat in a marina there, where she will stay until the Dockwise Transport ship shows up in May to haul it up to Victoria, Canada. They have flown home to Oregon, and are working on getting settled back in to life on land.

We have on update on our friends on "The Voyager" (their link is on the bottom right of this web page as well). They have had their boat put on a truck up in the north end of the Sea of Cortez. They are having their boat hauled up to Seattle on I-5. Neil emailed me and says he had to buy new clothes and real shoes for a job interview. He wasn't so sure about the shoes, as he says he has been wearing sandals so long his feet might not take to a shoe.

Yesterday, at noon, we crossed the equator. Amy received her "Shellback" from King Neptune. We also toasted King Neptune with a round of rum for all hands, and one over the side for the king himself. We also tossed over a "message in a bottle" containing Sandpiper's boat position, and our address, in case anyone finds it.

We have been travelling around with part of my grandmother’s ashes that we are supposed to spread around on our travels. So there is also a little bit of her floating back there as well.

Its weird, but I think that the flying fish are attracted to Amy. A few days back she was hit by one. And the night before last, one flew in the aft cabin were she was lying down. Now whenever she lies down, she swears she can hear fish flopping around on deck. I have to turn on the spreader lights then give her the all-clear.

Translations from Ron:

• Spreaders = Spreaders are small spars that jut out horizontally from the sides of a mast and attach to the mast's shrouds. On sloops, like the Sandpiper, there is one set of spreaders about half way up the mast. The function of a spreader is to force the shrouds away from the mast.
  
• Shrouds = The shrouds are the cables that keep the mast upright, like the ropes that hold up a tent.
  
• Spreader Lights = The spreaders make a perfect place to mount a floodlight to light up the deck. Similar to a streetlight or parking lot light. You use the spreader lights when you want light all over the deck of the boat. Here is a picture of the Sandpiper's new spreaders with the spreader lights mounted underneath.