For the past two days, the wind has been too strong to swim. It started with 20 knots of wind, jumped to 25 and then 30 in a matter of seconds accompanied by heavy rain. The rain fell so hard that the visibility dropped to less than 50 meters.
Had I been in the water in those conditions only paced by the kayak, this could have been a very dangerous situation.
The squall brought also cooler temperatures, At night, whoever is on watch has to wear pants and a heavy jacket to stay warm at the helm.
Our dinghy engines still gave us the same error and after contacting the manufacturer, we didn’t get any solution; the engines need to be shipped back to them and taken apart. Last night, we had a brainstorming session to find alternative solutions to this problem. Now we are down to swimming with the kayak, Seeker, or the dinghy if we ever find a way to propel it.
The kayak has limitations, we can only use it with good sea conditions. Seeker speed is a real challenge, it cannot be controlled to match mine fast enough, I always find myself having to slow down or speed up to catch up with our sailboat. We are looking at options to control her speed a little better. Unfortunately, the dinghy was the best setup, it provided flexibility and the right support when swimming, this and the deterioration of the weather are definitely impacting the swim.
Ben
6 thoughts on “[DAY 151-152] Strong winds”-
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This is a difficult moment. All great adventures have a difficult moment. I know that means little when you are in it, but know that as much as it counts, I believe in your success and it matters to many people. Much love.
Hopefully a solution will present itself soon, to this setback. Wishing you continued mental and physical strength, and positive energy all round. You’ve got this!
Maybe try towing the dinghy on a long lead from the sailboat. Can play out or tighten up the lead to keep the dinghy speed more consistent than the sailboat.
However you work it out, I’m sure you’ll get going again when the winds die down.
Great idea, you could also tow a long line from the stern of the dinghyto stop it surging down waves
Ask the United States Airforce to do a air drop at your location with another dinghy motor . It would be a public relation field day . A Texan needing help with his American swimming record. Better yet have a navy ship delivery it of course during a training exercise that just happens to be near your area. Think outside the box . Good luck Greg
Checking in on your progress. Praying for you and your crew during this challenging time, keep focusing on the impact you will achieve once you get to California. Sending love and support from Michigan!