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May 12, 1999
Hawaii to Tarawa Voyage, Update #10
Day 9. Wednesday, May 12, 1999, 0302 GMT
Wind ENE Force 3-4. Heading 180M.
Latitude: 17deg 24.979N
Longitude: 161deg 17.895W
Decided to 'bite the bullet' yesterday evening and change course to almost due south to see if Tarawa is a realistic target. By 6:30 this morning having made 26 nautical miles south and 32 west during the previous 24 hours the answer to my question was undoubtedly yes - it will be physically possible to get to Tarawa. If I work on earning as many degrees south now, I should have plenty in hand in the event of the winds or currents changing on me in the final furlong. Just means slogging beam on to the waves for the next month or so.
Question: How does one keep 'slogging' for months at a time?
Answer: 'Psychological carrots'. Imagine a foot-long stick obtruding out in front of my face from some form of fastened device to my head. Now imagine a string dangling on the end of the stick in front of my eyes - on the end of which are attached various incentives to keep going. I can hang a pack of M+M's to keep me going till dinner, a dip in the ocean to cool off on the hour every hour, a morning off every 5 degrees west I get. The list is endless.
CLASSROOM EXPEDITION Activity:
Imagine that you are about to set out on a big adventure on the ocean or somewhere very desolate. Then draw a self-portrait of yourself with the kind of head-gear I described in the update, attaching on the end of the string whatever you would use as 'psychological carrots' to keep going.
But there are psychological carrots and then there are psychological carrots. For those extra grueling goals - like making every degree south - you have to get serious. This means wheeling out the old Glenlivet scotch whiskey. Last night was such an occasion when the amber nectar was hunted down in the bowels of the boat and a couple of wee snifters afforded the parched old tongue as just reward for making 18 degrees N.
"Them's that dies are the lucky ones me hearties! Ha ha!"
4.13pm thought the pedal system was squeaking a bit louder than normal just now and about to get out the old WD40 - when the water around Moksha became a churning mass of dolphins - at least 15 of them - so psyched! I was about to dive in and come play when they left as quickly as they'd arrived. OK - I get the message guys - I haven't showered for week now and...
PS: Thanks to Hualalai's Academy's idea of an electric fan to keep cool. Unfortunately I don't have one on board! Any low-tech ideas?
Responses can be sent via THE REGISTRY
Jason Lewis,
The Moksha motor
Posted on May 12, 1999 12:58 AM