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July 3, 1999
Hawaii to Tarawa Voyage, Update #61
Day 61. Saturday 3 July 1999 0329 GMT
Wind ESE - 3 knots. Heading 250M
Latitude: 01deg 59.311N
Longitude: 179deg 44.320W
According to the GPS this morning we managed to hold our own from drifting back east last night. That's the good news. The bad news is the wind veered back to ESE and pushed us 3 miles north. Push-me-pull-you. It's like we're playing a grand master at chess: whichever move we make seems to already be blocked. At times I hear the ocean whisper, "check", but Moksha and I nimbly twist and squirm out of yet another possible checkmate situation. How long we can keep this game up though? A bit of old-fashioned luck wouldn't go amiss at this juncture.
Disillusioned with the search south for a westward current, today I threw my energies into heading almost due west. I need to feel like we're actually getting somewhere in the bigger picture of things - a psychological boost. So right now I have the International Date Line - an invisible barrier that has remained within spitting distance to the west for 2 weeks now - in my sights. If I can at least get past 180 - half away around the world for the expedition - then maybe our luck will change on the other side. So polish those glasses one more time if you will. Tomorrow - I am determined - will see the start of a new chapter in this long-suffering odyssey.
Jason Lewis,
The Moksha motor
Posted on July 3, 1999 2:31 AM