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May 16, 1999

Hawaii to Tarawa Voyage, Update #14

Day 13. Sunday, May 16, 1999, 0251 GMT
Wind ENE-NE Force 2-3. Heading 220M.
Latitude: 16deg 04.945N
Longitude: 163deg 02.043W

I was planning to take the morning off - one of the more persuasive psycho-carrots I've had dangling before my eyes the last week or so. But the wind shifting to near NE was an opportunity too good to miss. So, I ended up in the office today after all! It's been a day reminiscent of the leg from San Francisco; a typical bright and breezy trade-wind day with the wind at the stern and Moksha being gently eased along at a lugubrious pace by the peristaltic rhythm of the waves. My aim once crossing the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone) is for the final run into Tarawa to be like this. By then I should have earnt it.

As compensation for making it a working day, I'm looking to cook up a sumptuous feast tonight with the remaining fresh veggies that are still hanging in there with the heat*. 'Mori-Nu stir fry' is on the agenda; pressure-cooked tofu covered with blended soy sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic and toasted sesame oil. Separately sauteed onions and stir-fried green pepper and cabbage all tossed together and served with wild rice. Things have improved somewhat since the Atlantic crossing when Steve and I would have been looking forward to 6yr old dried mutton granules and potato powder.

*Actually they're doing amazingly well; the broccoli was a bad idea from the start, but the peppers, cabbages and most of the onions are still OK. Only the carrots are starting to complain. The garlic and the ginger look set to outlive the Pope.

Jason Lewis,
The Moksha motor

Posted on May 16, 1999 1:09 AM