Adagio (U.S.A.) #12 12/08-12/09 2018: Saturday/Sunday

#12: 12/0812/09 2018:Saturday/Sunday.Rocky and Bullwinkle ... Rocky Mountain High (or oysters) ... Rocky Balboa .. Rocky Road ice cream ....I'm just thinking of things other than the ride that are 'rocky' :)We've been adjusting course and sail set to keep apparent wind and so far we have been pretty fortunate to ~have~ wind, even if at some points it has been very little and very inconsistent.Still, we're doing OK and have marked a couple of "firsts" on this trip.This is now the longest leg we've ever sailed, and the longest time under sail without using the motor. Very cool indeed!I know that we would all like to try and see if we can compete the whole sail without lighting up the engine, but time will tell what happens when we get closer in to the islands and local effects get. read more...

Adagio - From Adagio (U.S.A.) 12/06-12/07 2018

#10:12/06 - 12/07:Thursday/FridayIt's OK .. you can be jealous: Lasagna, Balsamic Beef with a cherry reduction sauce, Meat Loaf, Barbecue chicken wraps, Beef and vegetable stew, Crust-free Chicken Pot Pie, and the usual staples such as hamburgers on pita pockets with English Mustard. Yeah ..we're going to be OK.I know I've forgotten a couple of things, and breakfasts are pretty good around here too.I just want to put the shout out to our chief galley master and chef.What an enjoyable and well-provisioned culinary experience this is turning out to be!Kudos!The log entry, in all caps, says simply "Hang On!"It is just a testimony to the unsettled sea state which seems to have persisted throughout most of the journey so far.I know, I know .. we're on a boat a thousand miles from land in the. read more...

Adagio - From Adagio (U.S.A.) #9 12/05-12/06 2018

#9:12/05-12/06 2018: Wednesday/Thursday The mystery ... OK, for the tech giants and masters of electrons ..Here's a question :) . (I'm just going to pretend this is social media)Right before we left Las Palmas, I was pleased to have the iCOM guy come aboard to do a test of our Single Sideband radio system.I had always been curious about our setup and sure enough, the review discovered a few things in 'need'.Ultimately, the problem came down to the auto-tuner not . well .. tuning.Not at all.So, while it;s not technically possible to send and receive messages via SSB unless the tuner is working, we've been successfully doing so for four years.How??well, nobody knows .. and this whole Ham Radio/HF/SSB thing is referred to as a "black art" for a reason.In the end, I decided to replace the. read more...

Adagio - From Adagio (U.S.A) 12/07/2018

#11: 12/07/2018Just a quick update on Pearl Harbor Day.A day with significance for me as my grandfather, while not there, was directly and profoundly affected by the events.I have had the privilege of visiting the memorial for the U.S.S. Arizona in Hawaii and it is a sobering reminder of how quickly a morning can change the lives of millions of people.Dec 7th is also a personally significant for me as it marks the anniversary of my employment with the Federal Aviation Administration.The career path I took was very challenging and rewarding and since my retirement nearly five years ago, I have never been anything but grateful for the opportunity to work with such a great group of professionals while working toward and securing a pension which allows me the freedom to explore the world on. read more...

Adagio - #9: 12/03-12/04 2018: (Monday/Tuesday)

Notes:Mike's doing noon-sights and coming up pretty close!Some clouds prevented a good sight today, but by golly I think he's got it!Being a flying fish must be a terrible life ..I mean, maybe the 'schools' have 'bully fish' or perhaps their social media scenario is too mean .. regardless, several flying fish have chosen to end it all and commit suicide by boat on our decks.One was so desparate that he got all the way into the cockpit seating. .. What are they trying to tell us???The Watermaker motor repair is holing fine and we are making good water.The wind is still fluky and the seas are still rolly .. with mixed swell and multi-directional waves.Did I mention that this resembles the Chesapeake?I adjusted the ship's clocks one hour back .. messed everybody up (evil grin, diabolical. read more...