CAPTAIN'S LOG, DAY 1 DAY 1, OCTOBER 3, 2018
Sponsored by Global Marine Networks/RedPort, she enjoyed unlimited free wi-fi and use of an Iridium satellite phone which allowed her to stay in touch with her family, friends, and the new friends she made along the way. Going at it solo presents its own challenges and some of her biggest hurdles were repairing her failed auto pilot, avoiding large storms, and handling big seas. Sail repairs, instrument repairs, and paying close attention to navigation are a necessary part of the adventure. “I often quote a sailing instructor from when I was starting out learning to sail: If you're thinking of reefing, do it! If you're thinking about letting out a reef, go have a cup of tea!" It’s better to have a reef tied in that turns out not to be needed, than to struggle to get one in when you've left it too late. “The toughest part is overcoming the issues – whether in big seas or calm ones. I have to fix stuff and keep going. And this takes time and effort.”
SAILING FOR A CAUSE While sailing around the world, Socrates worked to build awareness and raise funds to help support the life-saving efforts of RNLI (Lifeboats) in Britain. As a non-profit, the agency is committed to helping people who are in distress on the water. Whether it’s a swimmer, surfer, a mariner on a small boat or big ship, whether it is night or day, summer or winter, RNLI’s intensive training and equipment saves lives. Jeanne Socrates has had an extraordinary life. As her email signature is anchored with the reminder, “Life is precious, make the most of it,” my speculation is that this amazing life is by her own design. It will be thrilling to see her story unfold possibly on the big screen someday, but most assuredly in the book that will be coming. Evidently, she has been approached by four publishers already who are eager to help her share her story. “It looks like I need to find an agent,” she adds at the close of our phone call.
"A wonderful send off and start! I crossed my 'start line' off Ogden Pt at 11.42 a.m. PDT (local time) under full sail in bright sunshine, with friends' boats close by. There had been big last hugs all round as the tow lines were released and I took off alone under sail. So lovely to be underway at last, after several months of intensive work on board. Waves and 'thumbs-up' all around as my escort of tiny Victoria Harbour ferry boats and Harbor Patrol boats left and I continued on towards Race Rocks, the distinctive horizontal black-and-white stripes of the light-house beckoning. Sunset was beautiful over Cape Flattery, with clearing skies which later gave a beautiful starry night sky. We cleared the Strait entrance around 1 a.m., in dying wind, and eventually turned to the south once the shipping lanes were cleared. With lots of traffic around, I'm using the autopilot now, instead of 'Fred', the windsteering Hydrovane, to keep a constant course in the still-very-light winds (2-5kt) astern - too many ships are passing close by so I don't want to wander around and confuse them as to my intentions! That uses battery power so I started up the little generator. The red temperature light came on after a few minutes and it stopped. Trying it again a short while later, the same result. Has the seawater pump impellor gone already? It was changed very recently. I'll have to investigate and use the main engine for charging in the mean time. That's the beauty of wind-steering - no battery use! Wind now is ~2 kt. We're going to be just a bit (!) slow until it picks up. Seems I'll get a chance to fly the red and white spinnaker soon, but just went to look at the generator problem. The intake seacock was closed for some unknown reason, and strainer was empty of water so no cooling water was getting to seawater pump. Have opened it and filled the strainer but now need to work on getting the water into the genset. At least it's a minor problem, not an insoluble-at-sea major one—I hope! Might need to change the impellor anyway since it's been running dry a bit. I'll have a small nap for now and then work on it again. Must get that cooling water flowing. Angled the solar panels—[it] makes a big difference—now getting power into system despite the AP power use. That's good.
A THOROUGH LOGBOOK Jeanne Socrates is nothing if not a comprehensive diarist. A trip through her blog will reveal a huge level of detail about her sail, because she keeps excellent records. Below is an entry from her favorite day of the journey, May 22, 2019.
Captains log entry / Day 232 / May 22, 2019 1900GMT (= 7 a.m. NZT, 12 hrs on) - end of Day 232. We made 89 n.ml. DMG, over the 24hr period, measured in a straight line between the two 1900GMT positions. Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 232 (by daily DMGs): 19,924 n.ml. Distances (at 1900GMT): S.Cape, NZ : 77 n.ml. to SW; nearest South Island, NZ, coastline (The Brothers Pt): 10 n.ml. to N; Bluff: 43 n.ml. to WNW; Dunedin: 82 n.ml. to NE; Hobart (Tasmania, Aus): 960 n.ml. to NW Position & weather report for 1900 GMT, posted to www.winlink.org and www.shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV): TIME: 2019/05/23 19:00GMT LATITUDE: 46-49.78S LONGITUDE: 169-17.07E
Schelleen Rathkopf is a native Seattleite who grew up cruising and racing in the Puget Sound waters. She is producer of Whidbey Island Race Week (now Point Roberts Race Week) and SHE, a new all women regatta in Seattle. PointRobertsRaceWeek.com
COURSE: 065T SPEED: 4.2kt WIND_SPEED: 15kt WIND_DIR: NW SWELL_DIR: W SWELL_HT: 2.5m CLOUDS: 60% BARO: 1018hPa TREND: 0 AIR_TEMP: 15.0C SEA_TEMP: 14.0C COMMENT: SE of S. Island, NZ., at E entrance Foveaux Strait OCTOBER 2019 || NORTHWEST YACHTING
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