Orca Update 11

Orca Update 11: 1N x 130W

As we beat our way south under triple reefed main and stays'l we are asking ourselves one simple question: where are the doldrums? According to sailing and weather lore, there should be a band of frustratingly windless conditions just north of the equator where the NE and SE trades come together to cancel themselves out in a band of hot, stagnant, weather. Instead we are close-hauled, battling a 30 knot southerly wind and vicious half-hourly squalls. Rather than drifting listlessly in the equatorial heat, Orca's bow is buried in 10 foot seas that regularly sweep the deck and threaten to fill the deeply reefed sails. Its been raining almost non-stop for three days and there's scarcely a dry article of clothing on the boat. The humidity is outrageous; even clothes that have never gotten wet are wet. The charts are soggy, the sheets are sticky, and the books are moldy.

Not that we're complaining. The rainwater ensures we have a comfortable supply of drinking water. We catch it in buckets and tarps as it streams off the sails and solar panels and siphon it into our tanks. The wind and squalls have helped move us towards our goal each day, averaging a respectable 100 miles per day even when we should be languishing in the heat.

We've given up on fishing. We had to; we are running out of fishing gear. The Monster of the Deep is stealing it all. His modus operandi is to hit our lures at first light or dusk, and to hit them hard. One of three things happens: a) if its a hand line, the lures get sliced off (right through the 200 lb test leader), b) the hook shears off, or c) if he hits a pole he likes to grab the lure and run all the line off the reel in about 15 seconds flat regardless of how high the drag is set. When this happens its best to just stand clear; any contact with the line results in a burn, and its all over before anyone can grab a knife to cut it loose.

Keeping moral high is a constant battle. We both feel bi-polar; our days are so simple and similar that the smallest deviations from the norm can make or break the mood aboard. If we tally a daily run of 98 miles instead of breaking 100, gloom descends. To battle this, we have 'parties' at any excuse. Today, Mother's Day. Yesterday, was the 1,500 Miles From Cabo party, and tomorrow is Kara's little brother's birthday party. Then of course we threw the memorable Crossing 20, 15, 10, and 5 Degrees of North Latitude parties. A 'party' usually consists of an extra glass of wine or beer and a cake or chocolate bar if the occasion warrants. The guest list is always the same, and everyone always shows up right on time.