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July 25, 2000
Solomons to Australia voyage - Update #7
Lat/Long as of 12.06 hrs local time
10 degs 54. 76’ S
156 degs 14. 63’E
Day 8.Wind ESE 10 knots. Heading 195M
Everyone knows the important of psychological carrots, those little things that help us through the day. My life on Moksha has been quite demanding this past week and I’ve come to realize the importance of my own small psychological carrots.
1. Socks: the first few days I did not wear socks while pedaling and developed quite painful salt sores on my feet. As my feet have been constantly soaked in saltwater, the friction against the straps on my sandals has become very painful. Then suddenly I remembered the socks I’d bought to counter this sort of problem. They act as a buffer and suddenly pedaling has become much easier.
2. Magnifying lens: it is the worst, absolute worst for a person who has had great eyesight not to be able to see. It is imperative that I am able to follow the compass, as the heading we travel is crucial. In the nighttime hours a small red light is used to illuminate the face of the compass. For me however this creates total chaos. The numbers become a blurred mass of swirling red and I would either have to place my head-torch under it until the batteries ran out or constantly leave the pedal seat, scarfing my shins on the pedal unit on my way to the other end of the boat to read the damn thing. A simple, plastic $3.95 magnifying lens from Barnes and Noble – our local bookstore – stuck on the end of our now redundant cooking spatula (the pancake mix has all gone off) now allows me a clear view of the increments on the compass face and an incentive to pedal more confidently at night.
3. A dry bed: the past week has found my living space soaked in salt water, sweat and occasional rainsqualls. Moksha has taken on the look of a Chinese laundry as we try to dry out a few articles of clothing and towels. The occasional wave through the hatch has a tendency to soak everything inside the central compartment, including the pedaler. However, in the wee hours of the morning, as I come to the end of my shift, my wet tired body knows it will soon find relief in a dry bed.
The little things in life….
April
Posted on July 25, 2000 2:21 PM