12 March 2013
The sun glistened across the ripple of the calm water as the large sail boat cut silently and slowly through the deep blue inky waters of the central Pacific Ocean.
Not a single cloud had not been seen for 3 days and the heat hung on the deck as we edged slowly along at 2 to 3 knots. The air movement could barely impact the sail that we had extended. The silence and solitude of such a place is hard to understand unless you have been in this vast ocean in a 42 metre mega sail yacht with your engine not working.
We were 3700 miles from any mainland. There had been next to no wind for days. We had supplies and a water desalination plant on board so we weren't worried but we were slipping way behind schedule. The loneliness out there and the quietness was a strange and eerie feeling. We had not seen another vessel of any kind for 13 days. This is one vast open stretch of water and we were in the middle of it.
My friend an Australian called Jim Killshore was the skipper and I was first mate. There were 2 other crew members who were experienced sailors in their mid twenties. We were delivering a Trip designed 42m yacht from Seattle to Tahiti for a very rich American who is involved in the booming global coffee business. We were moving one of his toys for him to his home on this South Pacific island.
Our problem was we were virtually becalmed and our only Caterpillar marine diesel had cut out on us. Jim was busy trying to find out why. A brand new engine had failed but the generators were working fine. How much longer until the wind blows again? We have had 2 days like this and we needed parts for the big engine that we do not have.
To be continued...
BrokenToy • Opuss № I