It's been almost a week since Abby Sunderland set off on her round-the-world voyage
While Australian Jessica Watson (16) has already reached the half-way point, and 100 days at sea, in her bid to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world (read Jessica’s blog here), American Abby Sunderland has a long way to go having set off on the same challenge only 5 days ago. However, so far so good as the 16-year-old Californian is making good progress and enjoying the conditions:
“It’s been a good day so far. I’m not sure how much wind I’ve got, my gauges have gone and decided to stop working! But I am making good speed and having lots of fun! I’m surfing down these big swells going 7 knots! Once Wild Eyes gets going she is a lot of fun, and the conditions today are perfect! Hopefully I’ll be able to make up for some lost time today.
I had a visitor yesterday afternoon. I walked into the cockpit and there was a squid there looking up at me! I tossed him back into the water, but I keep finding more! They’re all over my boat! I never heard of a flying squid.
So far I haven’t seemed to have left anything too important behind. I only have one pen on the whole boat as the team was using them while they were on board and you know how it goes with pens. I also have only one spoon but other than that I think everything made it on board!
My long hours of being awake are starting to catch up with me. I just crashed out for about an hour this morning. It looks like I’ll have some steady wind today so I’ll hopefully get some extra time to sleep today.
I spend most of my time either outside in the cockpit or down below at my chart desk. I haven’t actually pulled down my bed yet, I usually sleep right here at the desk. I feel a little safer being right by the radar and all my other gauges, and my big seat here is really just as comfortable as the bed!
BTW, for anyone who saw my nav station on Facebook, the red button switches the display on my wind intruments. The seat at the nav station is a half circle and really a tight fit. I wedge myself in there with a few pillows and stuft animals from AquaFriends and it is really comfy.
I’ve been keeping close tabs on my power usage which seems to have a few communication problems. Team Abby is working hard to help me figure it all out. I have to go and trouble shoot the wind instruments.”
To follow Abby, visit www.abbysunderland.com