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July 11, 1999

Hawaii to Tarawa Voyage, Update #73

Day 69. Sunday, 11 July 1999 0316 GMT
Wind ESE-E - 5. Heading 270M
Latitude: 01deg 09.275N
Longitude: 174deg 58.800E

At last the wind has shifted more to the south. With only 120 or so miles to go it's now a balancing act to see if we can keep around the 1 degree 15 minutes line of latitude which is the northern most limit for our final approach around southern Tarawa to the marina at Betio. The wind continues to blow at a healthy 15-20 knots. Even without pedaling we are drifting well over a knot an hour. It's as if the ocean is finally tiring of us and assisting our exit from its domain with a little extra propulsion from behind. That's fine by me. The feeling is mutual.

The nausea from yesterday has carried over into today despite antibiotics and a good 8hrs sleep. Its not debilitating so much as an annoying sub-feeling of queasiness accompanied by a mild headache and a dull ache in my arms and legs. The best thing I can do is keep active. The moment I take a break it seems to come to the fore of my attention. Also looking at a computer screen is not good so I am hammering out this update as fast as possible.

It may be if this wind continues that we will make landfall in a couple of days. It's a strange time. On the one hand I am very much looking forward to reaching land. On the other I have been out here for so long now and adapted so fully to the life-support machine here on the boat that the idea of trading this cocooned reality for a more sophisticated one intimidates me slightly. I am like an anaesthetized laboratory animal that has acclimated to the dull but predictable routine of an artificial womb-like existence. After the Atlantic crossing I'd adapted so totally to the world of the boat that I spent nearly a week doing cold turkey in a hotel room when we reached Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I wonder how it will be this time.

Jason Lewis,
The Moksha motor

Posted on July 11, 1999 5:49 AM