Chukchi Sea UTC 22:15 27 Aug
The Chukchi Sea is wild and we are wet, tired and hungry.
We are into the second day of 25 to 30 knot winds, throwing the boat around and everything in it. Many people are feeling queasy and not managing to eat very much. We are being thrown around in the saloon whenever we try to do anything, such as make a cup of tea or cook dinner. I for one feel ill, weak (through not eating enough), and slightly sick all of the time. All of our kit is soaked from being washed over when we are on watch. We can’t light the stove to dry things out or warm up because it doesn’t work when we’re heeled over. As Barbara put it, it’s all she can do to get onto her watch. Her sleeping bag is soaked because the waves have been leaking through the forward hatch – so is Ben’s, and Denis’ whole bunk is wet. Nikolay has himself strapped into his bunk with bungees to sleep. David is not sleeping because his ley cloth is not keeping him in his bunk properly. Apart from that we are having a wild ride.
Ros
PS. that photo is me but in calm conditions, doesn’t look like that right now.
6 Comments. Leave new
Well done Ros it sound like the adventure is coming to a successful conclusion which would not be complete without a bit of wild weather as sailors. My kindest regards to all on board.
John Harvey
The tracking shows an “interesting” zig-zag manoeuvre at around 159.5W In fact, the 7 most recent position markers make up a pretty realistic rendition of the Ursa Major constellation.
Was that caused by a bit of ice, a worryingly excessive interest in astronomical patterns, or were you all enjoying yourselves so much that you thought you would delay arrival at Barrow by a couple of hours?
Hello Bill. Ice of course diverted round some sea ice. Photos coming off the boat now. Nice idea to draw of pic in the sea of a star constellation though. Don’t go giving us ideas!
Bill – I suspect the plan was to delay arriving in Barrow until the kettles were on. Here’s the evidence:
https://twitter.com/PolarOceanChall/status/769860084621012992
Sounds awful, Ros.
It’ll feel marvelous when it stops! V envious…