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June 30, 1999
Hawaii to Tarawa Voyage, Update #58
Day 58. Wednesday 30 June 1999 0308 GMT
Wind ESE - 3 knots. Heading 180M.
Latitude: 02deg 21.858N
Longitude: 179deg 07.022W
By this morning, a grand total of 8 miles was gained south for the last 24hrs. This included the 3 we were pushed back north during the night. Seeing as we seemed to be on a bit of a winning streak (up 1 mile from yesterday's total), this morning I set a rather ambitious goal of 15 miles for the next 24hrs which should give us about 12 miles after tonight's drift. 12 miles seems like a very long way to me right now. Nowhere is the concept of relativity demonstrated more clearly to me than out on the ocean.
Thanks for all your messages on the 1800#. I listened to some of them this morning and it made such a difference hearing real-life voices as opposed to reading dry text messages. If anyone ever has a problem taking people (or anything for that matter) for granted, my advice is to come and sit out here for a while. Nowhere do family, friends and life in general become more essential and vital than out on the ocean. It seems one of the unfortunate flaws in human nature that we only really appreciate something when we are separated from it.
One respite from the last 24hrs grind was watching a full moon heave itself up over the eastern horizon yesterday evening and slowly arc across the night sky. I thought of all the other seafarers that, over the ages, had been stuck in the same or worse predicament as I am in now - trapped in the counter-current. And how they would have drawn comfort and strength from the same full moon rising. For I can be sure that whatever the ocean throws at the Good Ship M and I, others before have dealt with far worse and pulled through OK.
Jason Lewis,
The Moksha motor
Posted on June 30, 1999 2:25 AM