Thursday, July 24, 2008

Thursday (07-24-2008)


Track Tiki Blue's satellite transponder (Division C)

Tiki Blue still does not have a solid internet connection, so this update was based on a voice mail via satellite phone. Please excuse any interpretation errors as the message was translated into text via the voice message.

The last 24 hours have been good sailing and as you may have noticed, we have passed the third place boat in our division. Torben has been calling the right tactics, with more strategic moves today. He is the wise man of the sea.

We are still focused on conserving what water we have and we've been capturing squall water at the stern of the boat and lee side of the sail. Ricky and Mikey are working hard on this project. This morning a squall came through and we all showered in the cockpit with fresh rainwater. Like a family of baboons, we picked eachother clean. Ha, ha.

We're expecting to finish around mid day on Sunday, so our plan has been refined based on this ETA. We're still eating plenty amounts of great food and are BBQing hamburgers tonight.

We just saw a beautiful double rainbow, which means more water on the way and an opportunity for us to capture it. Personally for me, the biggest challenge has been driving the boat at night with 30 knots of wind and the spinnaker up. It's a bit hairy like Mr. Toad's wild ride, surfing down waves like a powerboat. One wrong move and...crash! Thankfully, we have a very skilled group of sailors and in a dire predicament, I can scream for assistance when I'm on my watch. Amazingly, our 3/4 oz kite has taken a beating and remained in one piece. Praise the Lord and knock on wood! It's got to get us another 500 miles.

Right now, the charts indicate we're about 512 miles away from Kaneohe Bay, sailing 8-9 knots, making good on our course. Aloha to all.

**P.S. Go Tyler and run like a jackal at the meet(?). 'Kel', I called your cell and got a voice message and for some reason it could not accept. I will try again tomorrow.

Love, hugs, and kissess to all. --- Cap'n Gary.

~ Team Tiki Blue

Listen to Cap'n G's update.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

You are in the home stretch, way to go Tiki Blue!!!!
Keep up the good work. What a great team!! SAIL ON SAIL ON!!!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you, hoping for no more hurdles, only smooth fast sailing!!!! Love Sis & Family

Jude said...

Great to see today's (thursday's) standings- Nice work, Tiki Blue!
Keep on nibbling away at the competition.
-Jude

ps)while you're in shorts, we're in layers of fleece- it's summer!

cielo said...

You guys are awesome! Can't wait to greet you at KYC. We'll be there cheering as we have been all along. (Can you hear us?)

Rosemary & Mike

Caroline Barnes said...

Aloha from Mary and Caroline and the Bad Boys....We are having fun reading your blog!! Hope the winds stay with you all the way Kaneohe Bay by Sunday!! The Mai Tais and Hula girls are waiting. Happy Sails ....

Michelle Swearingen said...

ALOHA Tiki Blue
It is great fun to follow your journey!

My internet connection has been down until now so finally I can post a note.

A wonderful sentiment to scatter Steve’s ashes mid way, memories of loved ones lost from everyone BEAUTIFUL. Bill senior and I had a 3 hour hike up Pine Canyon Friday. It was a perfect morning with a cool breeze. We shared fond memories of Steve, scouted for Peregrines and their nests, and have a nice visit while enjoying fruit and nuts. It was a perfect cure for my blues, I had been haunted by visions of Bunny’s last days and day. Sharing this special time and place with Bill was just what I needed.

Wishing you and the Tiki Blue team smooth sailing this last leg and a joyous arrival in Hawaii.

LOVE to you & Ryan, NAMASTE, Shell

drclark said...

Go TikiBlue! You are almost there and everyone has had a shower! Keep up with the winning strategy. We know TikiBlue is Na Ka Oi!..
--Barb & Clark