Day 6. Good living in the high seas

/ Kristian Beadle

By Michael Payne (Ideally read in a British accent)

Happy Easter everyone!

Once upon a time I had a dream. We all have dreams but few get realized. Mine was one day to find myself on a small sailboat in a far distant corner of the planet. Away from the trials and tribulations of daily life, the absurdity of the political scene, the siren call of the internet……simply gone. And here I am in the middle of the Pacific, hundreds of miles from anywhere, sailing thousands of miles to the South Seas. With wonderful companions allowing me to join them on their trimaran my dream is becoming realized. The rewards include witnessing the simple magnificence of the sun setting over the water horizon and at the same moment watching the full moon rise rise over the opposite horizon.

Another reward, surprisingly, has been the food. Anyone thinking that life on the high seas is roughing it (on the culinary front) could not be more wrong. Just this morning we breakfasted on crepes, fresh lime juice and sugar; for the sweeter pallette there was Nutella and jams. To drink? Banana granola smoothie! That was just breakfast; and with dinners of green bean ravioli, the most amazing squash soup ever, Bonita (freshly caught) burgers, Spencer’s steamed green peppers stuffed with chorizo sausage and a black bean-corn filling.

Did I mention daily helpings of avocado, pineapple, plantains and more bananas (we do have a tree and they’re ripening at once). Sandwiches for lunch include whole wheat bread, ham, spinach, cheeses, eggs, lemon pepper … it’s all positively gourmet.

To top it all off, Sabrina somehow concocted a banana crumble cake just using the stove top, and she froze icecubes of boat -made natural yorgurt to make a most extraordinary dessert. We may well be in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific but we’re eating extremely well, which makes the experience all the more remarkable.

Sailing-wise, the wind has been consistent to the point of being uncanny. For the last 48hrs we’ve been powered solely by the big blue headsail, and there has been no sail changes, just delightfully fast steering. Our Garmin unit reports we’ve been averaging 6kts with this sail alone, making 144 nautical miles per day, as we plunge deeper into the Pacific.

ALDEBARAN DAILY POSITION
9am. Friday, April 14,2017
S 08•25 W 099•22
COG 226 / SOG 6.1kts
Distance to Ducie 1767nm (300nm further to Pitcairn). Odometer: 734nm.

10 thoughts on “Day 6. Good living in the high seas”

  1. Michael,

    I’ve a strong memory of the day before you flew from LA to the Galapagos to meet your boat and crew- “Aldebaran”, Sabrina, Kristian and Spencer It was too quick at your home off Mulholland where we handed off ‘Care packages’ to take South. Yet from those brief moments we knew sailing aboard “Aldebaran” would be rewarding, invigorating, a renewal. I am envious, of course, tracking your progress daily through the Southern Ocean to destinations few can imagine, whose names ring like bells in our minds, “music unheard and sweeter still”. in our own small way we live your selfsame voyage, your happinesses, your challenges. We can’t wait to hear the stories, the lessons, and the poems…

    “Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll!
    Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
    Man marks the earth with ruin – his control
    Stops with the shore.”
    (Full text of “Introductory The Ocean”, Lord Byron (1788–1824) >> http://www.bartleby.com/270/1/7.html)

    Happy Sails!
    BB

  3. Sabrina: would you not be missing good old cottage hospital on a very busy day! Sail well as you go! Michael and Sue Grigsby

  5. Happy Easter Michael, Spencer, Sabby and K-Dog! I hope y’all are finding hidddn eggs or other gems!! Missing you and sending love on the easy wind. Off to raft with my old posse on the whitewaters of Northern Cali for the week after a sweet family gathering with the Qualittees! Such a blessing to have access to all the Grand adventures this beautiful world provides! I can’t wait to see you again!!
    Xoxo! 😀

  7. Continue to think of you daily and especially today as we watched the Boston Marathon roar through Wellesley. Make sure to tell you shipmates you stopped for tea at the half way mark in Wellesley. Beware of flying fish. Much love, Cyetta and Dennis

  8. Michael, we are enjoying sharing this marvelous adventure with you -blog on, mate!!!!!

    XX, Mary Lee

  9. Michael– Thanks so much for the lovely updates–keep ’em comin’!
    You echoed my thoughts, expressed a little while ago. As you say, “we all have dreams but few get realized”. I suspect that the closest I’ll ever get to realizing a similar dream is reading about yours being realized.
    And…! Seems your eating better than I am. Have you ever heard of the “South Beach” diet, or the “Mediterranean” diet? You might think about creating the “Sailing Green Coconut Run” diet. Just a thought…you might give “Nutrisystem”–big in the U.S.–a run for its money.
    FYI, Michael, my full name is John Gentry Mead–yeah, about as waspish as you can get–my guys came over on the Mayflower so I’ve a little “sailing history” in me!

    Sailing Cheers!
    John Mead (pal of BB’s)

  10. Michael, I’m so happy for you. What a great adventure! Congratulations for seizing the chance to realize your dream. I’m really enjoying the blog and I love your picture.
    Cheers,
    Sheila

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