April 16.  2014
Internet problems


It’s pizza night again.  Last week I cooked it in the frying pan and the crust did not get crisp.  This week I try doing it on the grill.  It not only gets crisp, it burns on the bottom before the cheese melts.  I end up putting it into the frying pan with the lid on so the cheese will melt.  Still tastes good.

Part of the reason we set the watch scheduled the way we did was so that Alan could have time get on the internet.  He gets the weather reports and also sends an update with our position to Audrey and  Chris.  I have also been writing quick updates that get sent along.  They are supposed to post them to Facebook so our “millions of fans” will know where we are.  Eventually, I hope to get my blog written and sent along for Chris to post too.  This has been working well but tonight for some reason the internet will not connect.  Over the course of the next several days Alan tries everything he can think of but no luck.  He finally calls the company that makes the optimizer that lets us use the sat phone for internet.  After several discussions they decide to send us a whole new kit.  The problem is that there is no FedEx delivery to Hiva Oa or anywhere in the Marquesas so we will have to wait until we get to Tahiti. Meanwhile, no internet and so no weather files.  We call the kids to let them know what the problem is and give them our position.  We also check in with Pacific Seafarers every night, so Chris is going to post the link to that website onto Facebook and people can follow us that way.  Would not want people to start worrying about us when we don’t have a problem.

For the next several nights, Alan gets weather reports from the boats that are ahead of us during the nightly check in but as they gradually get farther and farther ahead their weather becomes irrelevant.  Not much we can do about the weather anyway although it would be nice to know what to expect.  We cannot outrun it or avoid it.  It is actually fascinating to watch the clouds build and move along.  We learn to gage whether they will pass in front of us, behind us or score a direct hit.    Look at the wind vane to see where the wind is coming from and then look directly in that direction.  Those clouds are the ones that are going to hit us.  All of the others, no matter how threatening are not a problem. 

We hit the 1,000 mile mark today.  It is not half way but somehow  it seems like a point of no return to me.  No way are we going all the way back now.  No matter what we will just keep on going.