2006.12.28. (96th day)
Drank coffee with Nate in the morning, we again had a nice conversation.
Later I visited Agytur. The local travel agency, they are helping me a lot.
Two radio reporters phoned me, then I spoke with the people at home.
This was good, because it cost nothing to me, nor the Travel Agency.
In many local Internet Coffee shops you pay for bytes, in other places time is charged with an 18MB per hour limit. (Interesting systemJ The Internet here is a luxury...Yesterday afternoon I spent 3 hours uploading pictures.)
A serviceman was able to fix the autopilot problem (at reduced rates for me).
Exchanged the autopilot’s connection in the evening, luckily there was another spare. I measured it but it too was bad.
The evening went well, two Gambians showed me the town, we had Dinner together in the restaurant on the beach. (They were very kind to invite me)
Ady (the other Gambian) spoke of a frenchman,
who brought people out of
2006.12.29. (97th day)
Woke up with a little hangover…but there is much to do around the ship. Cleaned most of the algae off the ship’s bottom. Then checked the rudder, took it apart and examined it’s chattering. Unfortunately the end of the rudder shaft that rests on the rudder mounting is worn. Filled the gaps with small, acid resistant metal shims.
I went to the Port Captain’s Office to check out. Immigration stamped my passport again.
Filled my bottles with water, will be drinking this water for the next 3 - 4 weeks, then the bottles. (110 liters of water in 10-20 liter containers is the contingency reserve).
I solved the 5V output but unfortunately the second GPS is inoperative. I’ll probably just touch the two wires together at the charger most of the time, I’m not going to install another switch.
In the afternoon we chatted a little with Itch, Nelson and
his buddies. (There are many Nelsons here). Then, around
Invited him for a little wine drinking in the evening, then we had some chow (fried potatoes).
“Cata problem” that means no problem. Everybody says that around here. “Cabo Verde cata problem”. But the place is like a prison here for everybody: it’s rather small, opportunities are few and most would like to leave from here. Yet people are smiling, there’s a special local handshake, they are having as good a time as they can.
2006.12.30. (98th
day)
Nate would like me to take him to
I would like to take off today if I could but I told
everybody Jan.1. I miss the sea, it would be good to
sail again. Did some diving with Paul in the morning on the other
side of the bay. About 15 minutes travel in his dinghy. Paul is a 33
year old American, his parents escaped to
Unfortunately his ship’s boom and autopilot broke and the
captain went back to
We hunted for fish and collected enough for lunch. Paul fixed it and we ate together. Washed it down with a few beers.J There is everything on that ship and it’s huge!
Early afternoon walked on the beach with Nate, I thought there’d be more, but only about 30-40 people out there.
Later went to the
Late evening walked around in
town with Paul and drank some grog – the local alcohol – in the street.
Very strong!! We didn’t go to the disco, 3-4 euro
would’ve been a little too much… (Here, everybody is walking the streets, life
begins at
2006.12.31. (99th day)
The
Interestingly here the locals get free taxi rides. Because the driver is a friend…
The local
Nate told me that I’m simple and understandable, he’s glad to know me.
I always forget to eat in the harbor, there so many programs.
Bought some bread, canned food, then the Internet…Afterwards
called
Had a last, good lunch at
In the afternoon swam over to Paul, we talked all afternoon. Paul likes to talk and he lives here alone.
Tuga, the head of the
Tuga used to be the boss of the watchmen. Watchmen are waiting on the beach for the poor sailors coming in the dinghies. They demand 5-10 euros per day, otherwise they’ll take off your tank cap…. briefly: they’re gangsters!
Went to look the town over with Paul, drank a few grogs on
the street (20 cent for a deciliter) and started to have fun. Trucks came,
everybody danced on the flatbeds, we went up there
too. We also met with Nate and his
friends, many-many people. (Norwegians, with whom I’ll be
meeting in
2007.01.01. (100th
day)
Unfortunately a few pieces from yesterday’s fireworks fell on Carina’s rear section. Burned the ship in a few places. Luckily it didn’t catch fire!! (There is 45 liter of benzin and two gas bottles.)
UTC
The German sailboat made a video and took pictures of my departure.
We exchanged accessibility with the French- (Sine Die) and
the German (Spiva) sailboat, sometimes this is customary among sailors.
Jean-Pierre, the captain of Sine Dia pushed Carina away, is it possible that
he’ll also help me tie up in
Nate and his buddies are waving,
Paul is still asleep (we retired after
Even the rich owner of the super yacht was waving J
I will use the motor until the bay entrance. Then will sail
with a
The southern tip of
The Canary current of 0.5kts will steadily push me along.
Winds: NE force 5, strengthened somewhat after
Fuel: 45 liters
Water: 298 liters
Temperature: 25°C
Barometer: 1025 MB
Visibility: very poor.
Had a quiet night, only everything is rattling and I’m
flying back and forth in the cabin. Invented an interesting
play: the distance number to
2007.01.02. (101st
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Karesz, Gyuri, Tibi, Laci.
Also with:
YU7GL, Lajos, Topoja, 5-9
YU7CQ, Géza, Busla, 5-9
YU7FF. 5-7,
HA1TO, Ernő, 5-5
HA6ICP, 5-5
Feeling a little tired today, hope I’m not sick! So, I slept during the morning.
Then, around
In the afternoon sailing the ship, the flying fish flying all around me.
The wind has weakened to force 4 and now it’s coming from
the East. Hoisting the
Resting a lot in the evening too, I don’t want to get sick!!!
2007.01.3. (102nd
day)
Used the radio in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Alex.
Also with:
HA6QI, Bandi, Gyöngyöspatak, 5-9
HA7JO, Sanyi, Bp, 5-5
HA6VB, Jenő,
HA7TO, Ernő
HA7RW, Laci, 5-3
Started eating bananas, 3kgs of bananas
spoil fast. The
Had to repair the rope of the radar reflector, it broke.
The night went quietly. Slept with position lights and the radio turned on, as usual.
Set the ship in the current, so making 2-3 knots in the right direction.
Had full moon today.
2007.01.04. (103rd
day)
An idea for young people looking for adventure: Travel to
They ask for no money for the sailing but are paying none either. You have to advertise yourself on a few Billboards and should succeed after 2-3 weeks. Paul found 3 ships during 10 days. Must speak English. Also advantageous is Spanish and if you have sailing experience. Of course, it could be a plus if you know other languages or can play the guitar J
Radioed in the morning
Spoke with Gyuri, Tibi, Alex.
Also with:
HA3UX,
HA7MW, Tóni, 5-5
HA1TO, Ernő,
HA7PO, Gábor, 5-7
Unfortunately I didn’t hear HA7QX
Gyuri again repeated the weather forecast:
Until 01.08 force 4-5 E
After 01.08 force 4-5 NE
I am sailing the ship now from morning to night, fish jumping all around. Not only flying fish, but many other kinds as well. 1 or 2 dorados swimming next to me, the sea is alive.
I found, that the poor visibility is due to dust, brought by the wind. (The sails and rigging turned brown too.)
2007.01.05. (104th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi and also with Dad (echo link)
The tuning wasn’t perfect so the radio cut out at times.
Today’s radioing was rather short for my part.
Wind Easterly Bf.4.
Average speed: 3 knots.
The usual breakfast nowadays is hot dog with mustard.
Afterwards I eat the flying fish I found in the cockpit (3-4 daily) raw.
They’re crunchy like. Because they are small and dry out fast. (The bigger ones fly over Carina.)
Unfortunately the peppers are ripening fast, they won’t last much longer…
Nowadays having pasta for Dinner, it’s ready in 10 minutes leaving me more time to sleep.
2007.01.06. (105th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Laci and Dad too (Echo Link)
Also:
HA5NWI, 5-5,
HA8IH, Tóni, Békéscsaba, 5-7
HA7JUD, Dénes, 5-7,
HA6QI, Bandi, 5-8,
HA0KA, István,
HA3FUL,Lajos, 5-3.
08:30UTC (15-56N; 29-38W)
Easterly Bf.4 winds, sometimes weakening to 3.
Sails:
Average speed: 3 knots
Course: 270
Sea state: 3
Visibility: 5 (improved)
Water: 292 liters
I saw no ships since my departure, which is good, I can sleep better at night J
The sky is cloudy, but even so, the sunshine is very strong, I keep applying sun block crème all the time.
2007.01.07. (106th
day)
Boring. The same thing every day. Only the Ocean…radioing, breakfast – sailing – lunch – Dinner – writing the log – lots of sleep.
I am steering the ship 12 hours a day on the average.
It’s good to have a daily rhythm that can be followed…
Radioed in the morning:
Spoke with: Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Laci, Alex,
Also with:
HA2RI, Laci, 5-6,
HA8FK, Misi, 5-9
HA3HV, Pali, Kaposvár,
HA5HS, Gyuri, 5-5,
HA7RW, Laci, 5-4,
HA8RM, Peti, Kecskemét, 5-9
HA0KA, István,
Alex introduced me to Karl, he can reach his German ship on 14.313 MHz over the Ocean.
08:30UTC (15-53N, 030-33W)
Weather: Easterly
Bf.4-5
Average speed:
3-3.5 knots
Sails: Genoa
Eating moldy bread
today, only a little moldy, but will not be edible after a few days. (There was
no bread available in Sao Vicente that would keep!)
Have very little
mayonnaise and Strong Steve left…
Because ther’s a
lot of bread, I’m eating a lot of bread, because I don’t like to throw it away.
Food during the
last days: bread with chocolate cream,
hot dog and bread,
pork patties with
bread.
No need to take
showers because my face is getting sprayed hourly by the sea. Because the waves
from astern splash in sometimes.
In the afternoon
tied together the radar reflector’s line again, weak rope, keeps breaking…
Had a calm night,
got up at 03:00 only to check the ship. So far I used
to get up hourly, lately
two hourly.
2007.01.08. (107th
day)
Radioed in the
morning.
Spoke with Gyuri,
Tibi, Laci.
Also with Dad
through Echo Link.
Weather forecast:
Bf.4-5 Easterly winds (01.10-01.11, stronger, Bf6)
Lali sent word
that the Hungarian-North Americans are talking on 14.300
MHz at 16:00UTC. I hope I can join them also this week.
8:30UTC (15-51N;
031-34W) Weather: Easterly Bf.4-5 Average speed 3-3.5 knots, sails: Genoa.
Sewed the tear in
the Genoa in the morning, a 10 cm section was torn along the seam.
The paint started
to peel off the top of the stern compartment, I thought at first that it was
cracked…
The seal in the
bottom of the cockpit doesn’t seal well, a little water seeps into the ship
sometimes.
My daily
distances made in the right direction::
47-48-67-57-54-59-…(Hope I can keep up an average of 50 nm!)
Had a special
Dinner: fried hot dog and fried potatoes. This was the first time I fried
potatoes here and they were quite good.
2007.01.09. (108th
day)
János Bazantik
sent me an interesting link:
Hungarians on the Oceans.
8:30UTC (15-34N; 032-35W)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Alex and Laci.
Weather forecast: NE Bf.5
17:00UTC 14.300MHz, the North American Hungarians have a radio schedule at this time. Unfortunately I haven’t heard them. Steering all day as is customary.
Caught a 1 or 2 kg dorado. Put half of it out to dry. I’m far from the coast even the flies don’t come out this far J.
(If the fly deposits its eggs into dried meat it will be inedible.) Started to marinade the other half (fried meat for tomorrow’s Dinner.) Will make a fish soup from it’s head and a few smaller cuts.
Later caught another one, but unfortunately fell off the hook because the three prong hook was too small. Therefore I put a larger one on the lure.
The winds have strengthened in the evening, but I can still cook the Hungarian style spicy fish soup.
2007.01.10. (109th
day)
Radioed in the morning. Unfortunately the frequency was very noisy.
8:30UTC (15-16N; 033-39W) Yesterday I made good 61nm in the right direction, it can be called good.
Today I caught a dorado again, unfortunately dropped half of it back in the water while washing, slipped out of my hand. The ship is rolling back and forth, it’s not so simple!! The menu is fried fish every day!!
2007.01.11 (110th
day)
Radioed again today. Spoke with Karesz, Gyuri, Tibi, Laci.
8:30UTC (15-10N; 034-46W)
Made 66nm yesterday in good direction. I don’t have wind-driven self- steering and my Autopilot is inoperative. Furthermore, it isn’t easy to keep the ship on course, every wave pushes the bow or the stern left and right… (The strength and direction of the wind changes a little sometimes.)
Passed a ship this morning, Our distance was less than 1nm, which is quite interesting in the middle of the Ocean. From now on I shall be using navigation lights at night and will have the VHF radio on as well. Furthermore at night I’ll stay awake longer, will be wake-sleeping with many pauses J
Today caught a dorado again, not too big, about 1 kg but it’s enough for me.
Slept an hour in the afternoon, I was very tired. Plus the Sun is very hot!!
Tested the engine in the evening, it started.
Dinner: fried fish!
2007.01.12. (111th
day)
Belatedly Happy Birthday Granny!!
Radioed again today, spoke with Gyuri and Laci.
8:30UTC (14-55N; 035-42W)
Barometer: 1018
Temperature: 29°C
Wind: Bf.4, East
Sails:
The problem is that I’m not drinking enough water, I must pay attention to this as well.
I don’t know why, but I was very tired in the morning, slept 1 hour.
Lunch: fried fish.
I didn’t catch any fish today, so Dinner is pasta with tomato sauce (with onions and oregano)
Nowadays I listen to music while steering at night, this way I can concentrate better and the time goes by faster.
2007.01.13. (112th
day)
8:30UTC (14-48N; 036-41W)
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz and Alex
Also with:
HA5FQ, Márta,
HG5AVY, Klára,
A large oil tanker went by me in the morning about 800 meters away. I couldn’t read her name, but I could see the “NO SMOKING” sign well.
Weather: drizzle sometimes but only for a short time. The clouds come and go, the sky is changing constantly…
The fitting holding the forestay was bent and 2 bolts came loose. Unfortunately one of my 13mm wrench fell in the water while tightening. Luckily I have more 13mm wrenches.
Dinner: soup.
2007.01.14. (113rd
day)
8:30UTC (14-40N; 037-36W)
Radioed in the
morning, spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi.
Weather forecast:
E-NE Bf.5., Jan 17 Bf.6 then weakening.
Fishing: I
couldn’t catch fish lately, will quit trying for a while. My method: 20m of line (with a snap
hook for weight), then 5m damyl line and blinking spoon on the end.
Breakfast and lunch:
bread and honey.
Today I again
steered the ship 12-13 hours, these times I’m thinking of whatever was in the
past and will be in the future.
Unfortunately I
forgot to close the cabin door this afternoon and a wave sloshed into the ship.
Luckily the radio didn’t get wet!.
Dinner tuna fish
with rice and cucumbers.
While cooking in the evening, a wave sloshed into the cabin and of course everything got wet again! This just one of those days L
2007.01.05. (114th
day)
Happy Birthday Mom!
9:00UTC (14-29N; 038-36W)
Radioed again this morning.
Spoke with Gyuri,Tibi, Karesz, Laci.
AND I was able to talk WITH BOGI Laci patched through the telephone.
Info:
12.359 MHz
Breakfast and lunch same as last nights Dinner: rice with tuna fish and cucumbers.
Barometer: 1017
Temperature: 35°C
Visibility: 4 (water vapor in the air)
Sea state: 3
Wind: NE Bf.4-5
Average speed: 3.5 knots
Course: 268
(Yesterday 59nm made good)
A large vessel came near at
I called: “This is CARINA sailingboat, CARINA sailingboat, CARINA sailingboat. Do you read me?” We didn’t talk much, however the ship went by fast. They probably approached me, because they thought I could be in trouble. Because I could make 2-3 knots on the general course at night, Carina’s tack varies +/- 20 degrees, they might have seen this on their radar and couldn’t understand what was happening.
2007.01.16. (115th
day)
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Alex, Laci.
HA2RI, Laci, 5-3,
YU7FF, Gyurka, Újvidék, 5-2,
Unfortunately couldn’t hear HA0LG.
In 2001 it took me 5 hours to run the
A few years later I swam across
But these 40-50 days are long!!
Listening to music a lot, sometimes thinking about my future too.
Dinner: Bulgur chile with tuna fish and naturally with onions.
2007.01.17. (116th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
HA8AL, Pista, 5-3,
HA6ZJ, Laci, 5-6,
HA7RW,
Nowadays the wind is East, Bf.5.
The waves lift-, push and release me and then I slow down. This goes on continuously. Sometimes, when a larger wave pushes, the water is bubbling around me. The bad thing about it, is that sometimes a wave sloshes in from astern, then I get wet, sometimes the biscuits too, or anything else that happens to be out.
Slept an hour in the afternoon, I was very tired. Get sleepy in the afternoons lately.
Dinner: biscuits with liver of tuna and onions. Fishes swim around me all the time, but I couldn’t catch any. (My appetite is good because of the fresh air,
I’m hungry all the time.
2007.01.18. (117th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Laci and Alex.
HA7RW, Laci, 5-1
HA3UX, Pista, Tamási,.5-3.
HA3FJ, 5-4.
Breakfast: fried flying fish. I found four larger flying fish on deck today.
Nowadays the GPS switches in with some difficulty, there’s only 1 GPS that’s any good…(The batteries aren’t always charged up.)
Unfortunately the coax cable of the antenna is getting hot
in one spot, I can only hope that it will last until
Skies cloudy all day, saw the Sun around
Dinner: Tönkölywheat (Triticum spelta) with tuna fish, rice and potatoes (with onions of course.)
2007.01.19. (118th
day)
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with Gyuri, Laci.
HA8DN, 5-3,
I heard of Andi and Gábor, who are following me with Tűzhangya (Fireant) (8.5 meter long kayak. I hope they’re not going to catch up with me J
My breakfast and lunch was last nights dinner. I have a little stomachache.
I’m near half way in my crossing, so I saved a bottle of
Sewing sails today. The mainsail and Genoa needed it a little, these are the original Swiss sails, at least 10 years old, but could even be 20…
At
I’m here in the middle of the Ocean with Carina, but my thoughts are free and are soaring in the evenings….
Tonight’s theme was a little inferior: when did I eat the finest food? I couldn’t answer even after 2 or 3 hours of trying to remember. This was better than listening to music.
Dinner: biscuits with liver paste and onions.
2007.01.20. (119th
day)
Distance from
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Laci, Alex.
Tibi (HA5APK) and HA8RM didn’t hear me..
Laci told me the weather forecast for the next few days.
Wind slowly backing to NE Bf.4 - 5.
Nowadays I am having oatmeal for breakfast since I have no bread. Sometimes even my lunch is the same J
Unfortunately a rivet broke on the boom, this was put on by Franko in Viessa. I must fix it next port. I couldn’t use he mainsail in strong winds, so it’s not much of a problem. Checking frequently whether the rest of the rivets can take the load.
Weather:
Temperature: 32-33°C
Barometer: 1019
Winds: SE Bf.2 - 3
Sails:
Tossing about in Bf.2 winds all day. The sun is shining and I’m slowly roasting J
Took a shower on the bow at
Groups of dorados around me, trying to catch fish all day. Started with the airgun as well but no go.
Changed the tip to a three pointed one, then increased the pressure in it. Finally, after many – many tries I shot a 6 – 8 kg huge dorado!! A ship is full of blood, but I have plenty of meat!!
Dinner is splendid fish soup!
2007.01.21. (120th
day)
I’m radioing at
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi, Alex and also Laci.
Furthermore I was able to talk with Bogi through Echo-Link.
It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise, I was very happy!!
HA0KA. 5-5.
For some time now I was interested in the type of bird that keeps
flying around far from everything and is hunting for fish. Karesz told me:
sula. (One less mystery J
Tacked a little toward the
North because I could set the course to NW at night.)
Yesterday’s distance was a negative record, 40nm made good. Reason: winds were very weak…
Had to re-sew the
Breakfast: Fried fish from yesterday. Ate so much that I had no lunch. Half the fish I put out to dry, I’ll have about 1 kg of dried meat. I could shoot some fish again today, because they’re swimming all around me, but there is so much meat that it’s unnecessary.
Winds were Bf.2 – 3 all day and the Sun was very hot!!!
It’s 31°C even after sunset! I could finally take a picture of the sunset, so far the sky has been too cloudy . Rather my camera wasn’t always operating. The battery holder got loose and have to keep pushing, otherwise cuts out…
Dinner: fried fish, boiled potatoes with onions.
2007.01.22 (121st
day)
Radioed in the morning, spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Laci.
Also with: HA3FJ, Gyuri.
Weather info: Bf.4, E-NE
Maritime Service Net: 14.300 MHz
Reading Lőrinc Szabó’s book of poems.
“your sweet name fills my heart,
it’s only secret, you, are sweeter”
Changed the gas bottle at
Not and easy job, because of the waves and had to climb into the stern section. First had to empty the section so I can get in. Unscrew and replace the cap in a rather small space but succeeded.
Shot another 5 – 6 kg dorado in the afternoon, the meat is being used up slowly, fresh meat was needed J It wasn’t easy, he was about 1 meter deep, but did it.
Its stomach was full of small fish, so it was digesting, that’s why it was a little sluggish. I am now part of the food chain. Here the only danger to the dorados are a few sharks, no humans. They might have a pleasant life, swimming around freely in the endless Ocean.
Dinner: fish soup. I used to put the head in it too, and even eat the brains. Thus I’m visited by the fish’s spirit J
I feel so good here, that I don’t even want to arrive J)
Steering the ship over night too, because the batteries are exhausted, and can’t turn on the navigation lights.
For this reason I stay awake for a long time. (Of course I switch on the VHF radio when asleep.)
2007.01.23. (122nd
day)
Finally slept well yesterday evening, this is rare, because the ship keeps rolling and I have to get up at times to adjust the sail and tiller angle…
Radioed in the morning, spoke today with Gyuri only.
(Weather forecast: weak winds until 01.25)
Breakfast: cold fish soup from yesterday.
Drinking a lot of water nowadays, more than 2 liters. True: this is no yet a problem because I have plenty on hand (I have some 250 liters left). Little rain so far and rarely, so collecting rainwater isn’t easy J
My ship is being followed by schools of dorados. They swim close to the surface hunting for flying fish. I often watch the way they’re hunting. There are blue and green dorados, they don’t mingle, swim apart. The blue ones come closer to the ship, they are friendlier. The green ones are warier and generally swim farther from the ship.
Their size is 6 – 8 kg in general, but frequently there are 15 – 18 kg ones too.
As I observed, each school has a leader, a larger dorado. When hunting, or escaping from sharks, they jump headfirst from the water. When they are happy,
communicating or courting, they land on their bellies or more accurately on their sides with great splash J
At
mount to bend.
I had this repaired in Viessa, because I had the same problem before Viessa. It lasted until now…
The reason: the boom got caught and was raised slightly by the preventer (the line that prevents the boom from back-swinging), the strain came from the wrong angle and the Aluminum rivet couldn’t stand the force.
A small wave lifted the ship on its side and it spun around.
Took the boom off and put it in the cabin, it would hardly fit. Now sailing without the boom that’s not a major problem so far. Explanation for non-sailors: this is as
if your third speed wouldn’t work in the car, sometimes it’s important, but you can also drive without it.
Dinner: Fish goulash with rice and onions. While cooking the brown rice, some spilled out when the ship listed a little more, you must watch out even for smaller waves!!
My bunk is full of rice now J
When I was steering the ship
after
2007.01.24. (123rd
day)
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with Gyuri and also with Laci.
Also:
DL1MDU, Ernő,
Dillingen, 5-8.
Weather:
Wind E, Bf.2
Barometer: 1021 in the morning, afternoon 1018
Temperature: 32°C
Visibility: 5 (very good)
Sea state: 2
Steering all day.
The tiller shows increasingly greater backlash, and sometimes emits strange sounds. Trying to steer very carefully. It wouldn’t be good to be without a rudder.
Breakfast: yesterday’s fish goulash with rice and onions. Late lunch: Meat with rice and onions (I made this from dried meat, not the goulash)
I haven’t seen a ship for more than a week, I’m glad, so far I had bad experiences with large ships.
Became a little sick in the evening, either too much sun (although I have been wearing a cap) or too much fish. I had some fever too, but felt better after two algopyrins and a good sleep.
2007.01.25. (124th
day)
Nowadays I am humming often. Grandfather’s favorite song:…Oh, how dear to me is this little abode…
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with Gyuri, Alex. Also with: PY2KSZ, Károly, Brazilia.
Breakfast and my lunch: oatmeal with raisins. (naturally I mix some milk from powder with it.)
The rudder has too much play. I’m seriously worried. Steering carefully and rather with the tiller in a fixed position, it is wearing less if kept at a steady angle. Eventually I’ll have to enter the water because probably the lower fastening wore out. And, after I found the problem, I’ll have to find a temporary solution, because I still have 2 – 3 weeks to go.
PU-HAB couldn’t stand the heat and overflowed, I noticed it when checking the compartments. Everything in the chemical compartment has PU-HAB on it.
Don’t understand, I kept it in the cool compartment on purpose..
Around evening I shot a 5kg dorado, afterwards my dinner was fried fish with biscuits and onions. I put a large portion of meat out to dry.
2007.01.26. (125th
day).
Made 48nm during 24 hours, which is good under my present circumstances.
Radioed in the morning. Spoke with
Gyuri, Karesz, Tibi,
Laci, Alex and heard Károly (PY2KSZ)
well too. Unfortunately couldn’t hear Laci, PY2LG because propagation became
worse at
The weather is not likely to change. E-NE Bf.4 winds.
Breakfast: fried fish.
Couldn’t enter the water today because a shark devoured a dorado right in front of the ship that I was watching from beginning to end of course. After this I had no inclination to enter the water for rudder repairs. Perhaps tomorrow.
Lunch: oatmeal and prunes. (bio)
Late afternoon I hunted for dorados with the airgun. Without success. I spotted a pretty big, at least 15kg specimen, but as I shot, it broke off the barbs. It was too heavy!
Had no dinner, I wasn’t hungry.
Read the Bible in the evening, I can always find new sections I haven’t read before, or have not sufficiently thought through.
2007.01.27. (126th
day)
Happy 60th Birthday Imre!
Today I radioed again, spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Laci.
Also:
HA1DEU, 5-3.
Unfortunately I couldn’t hear HA1ZH, (Zoli, Nagykanizsa) well.
The propagation worsens around
It is comforting, that I can still hear Gyuri well, (minimum 5-5).
I hope we can talk every morning until
Wind to be expected: E-NE, Bf.4 (which is perfect for me)
Breakfast:: dried fish then oatmeal with raisins (with milk made of powder of course)
Steering the ship in the morning about 4 hours, but only
carefully to reduce the forces and push on it. Would be nice
if it would last ‘til
Dorados are getting fewer and fewer around me. Possibly I’ll have to return to fishing.
Watching the shipping lanes continuously and possibly steering clear of them. But there are times when it’s not possible.
Dinner: soup.
The Southern Cross has been visible for some time now!!
At dawn a large flying fish landed on the bow making a lot of noise. Woke me up, by the time I got out it fell back into the water.
2007.01.28. (127th
day)
In the morning, 10 minutes before the radio schedule I shot a 6kg dorado. Fried fish again for breakfast!
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Laci (HA8RD), Alex (OE4BAB), Károly (PY2KSZ), Laci (PY2LG). Also: HA3FIN, 5-7.
After breakfast I put a rope under the rudder because I thought it’s lower part wasn’t holding well. I had to lower the sails to slow down. Then with a gaff,
managed to secure it with great
difficulty. Looked under the water with my diving mask and saw that the rope
was well situated, but the problem isn’t there. Therefore I still don’t know
the reason why the rudder rattles and why it is so slack! The rattle is getting
louder all the time, I think it is a serious problem. I don’t know if it will
last until
If I sail faster, the load on the ship increases, if I sail slower then the voyage will last longer, loading the rudder longer. The solution is the golden middle-of-the-road perhaps.
Getting a little savage like. Far from civilization, the rules of play are a little different and I must adapt myself. I rarely comb and wash myself, (I’m wearing no clothes). There’s still some drying fish blood on my feet. I like the dried fish better than canned- or bio foods. In a word this is the place that man couldn’t or wouldn’t alter yet. Man hasn’t built anything here yet. J
Two rain showers in the afternoon but don’t disturb me because they cease after 10 minutes.
Late afternoon showered on the bow, feels very good, refreshed me completely. Of course I am already dry in 5 minutes J
I started to take the Centrum A to Z Lutein, because my nourishment is very one-sided. I bought some cremes too, but not using them too much yet.
Dinner: fried fish from breakfast with onions, biscuits and tea!
Started the motor again in the evening, for checking only.
Cloudy night, I can’t see the stars.
2007.01.29. (128th
day)
Radioed in the morning. Gyuri played in Big Ben for me J
Spoke with Gyuri, Dad (Echo Link) and Károly (PY2KSZ) too.
Unfortunately there were others on the frequency (14288) also and, because of them, communications went with difficulty.
Weather forecast: E Bf.4
Found a large (25cm) flying fish in the cockpit in the morning. Breakfast: the usual oatmeal.
In the morning I had to splice the rope holding the radar reflector again, it broke.
Rained twice before
Saw large ship again after 13 days, Even two!!! They got out of the way and kept a distance of 4-5nm. Basically they were both heading North.
Dorados swimming around me as usual, am watching how perfectly they swim.
The dorado I shot a few days ago is following too, the harpoon mark on its head is easily visible. I don’t know why it is following me for days now, I hope it’s not trying to take revenge! I think it will heal, so far I have dissected so many that I know the harpoon reached the meaty part of its head only. If he follows me any further, I’ll just have to give it a proper name.
In the evening three flying fish dropped into the ship. One of them almost hit my head the other hit my side. It is dangerous to steer at night, what if one knocks my eye out?
Dinner: fried flying fish with boiled potatoes and onions.
The wind always strengthens a little in the evening, to Bf.5.
There has been an interesting phenomenon during the last few
days: the sun sets in the West at
2007.01.30. (129th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Alex, DL1MDU.
Unfortunately couldn’t hear Vilmos, (YO6FCW) from Csikszereda.
As usual, I received forecast:
Bf.4-5, E-NE, then from 02.02 E-NE Bf.5 (strengthens a little).
Breakfast: fried flying fish with boiled potatoes and onions. A flying fish flew into the cockpit at dawn. Then ate some oatmeal for encore. My appetite is pretty good here, in the middle of the Ocean.
Hand steered the ship all day (12 hours).
Sewed the mainsail at
In the evening I sew my satchel, it is a sewing day today J
Dinner: Fried fish, boiled potatoes and onions. (This is
what I’ve been eating nowadays J
2007.01.31. (130th
day)
In the morning radioed as usual.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, (HA5CAR), Laci (HA8RD), Alex (OE4BAB)
Unfortunately I couldn’t hear Károly (PY2KSZ), the propagation wasn’t any good.
Also with:
HA7TM, Tibor, 5-6.
Breakfast: last night’s boiled potatoes with onions.
Steered the ship all day. The dorados are frolicking around me.
Occasionally a shark attacks them, I saw four shark attacks today….
the dorados like to rub themselves against the ship and rudder. My poor rudder has to withstand not only the waves but also the dorados amusement.
Barometer: 1018
Temperature: 32°C
Winds: Bf.4-5, E-NE
Course: 270
Speed: 3 knots
Sails:
Water: 240 liters
Vegetable and fruit inventory:
6 pcs. of apples
7 pcs. of onions
half a kilo of potatoes
I calculated correctly, you can never buy enough onions.
The batteries are well charged by the solar cells because there is sunshine.
Sometimes I charge the diving hand-lamp from the main batteries.
There was a full moon last night and it was light enough not to have to use a lamp. Late night I shot a large, about 10 kg dorado.
Dinner: fried fish with boiled potatoes. For appetizer: onions fried in blood, the fish had plenty and I saved it.
2007.02.01. (131st
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Laci (HA8RD), Alex, Károly (PY2KSZ).
Also with HA2RI, unfortunately heard him very poorly.
According to the weather forecast, the wind will strengthen from tomorrow, then will reach the middle of Bf.6. in a few days.
Breakfast: fried fish with boiled potatoes and onions, this menu is well proven.
Early afternoon a very large, dark cloud came and brought a longer lasting rain with stronger winds.
Gospel of Matthew.
The Sermon on the Mountain: Teaching of God’s Country.
Love your enemies.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (Lev. 19,18) and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the heathen do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
2007.02.02. (132nd
day)
Full moon today.
Radioed in the morning. Tuning was again difficult today, but succeeded to be sure.
The usual method: I keep trying patiently and persistently,
meanwhile strengthening myself with a little chocolate cream. The satellite
phone is simpler, you don’t have to wait for optimum propagation so it can be
used anytime, I can talk with
Gyuri, Karesz, Alex, Károly (PY2KSZ)
Also with:
HA5IQ,
HA8KW, 5-5,
HA7ZJ, 5-5, János.
Breakfast: oatmeal.
Based on the info received, today and tomorrow, strong Bf.5, there could even be 25 knot winds the day after tomorrow.
Furthermore I learned how to access the aquaintances in
2007.02.03. (133rd
day)
Interesting phenomenon this morning:
The moon was setting in the West and of course the sun was rising in the East, in otherwords: the moon was ahead and the sun was behind me J
Radioed in the morning: Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz, Alex,
Károly (PY2KSZ),
Also with:
HA5KA,,
HA2RI,
Breakfast: oatmeal and chocolate crème..
Counted four
rainshowers today, these were 10 minute to 1 hours little showers also
accompanied by stronger winds.
I have a slight
headache, could be from sunstroke? Lost my hat a week ago, so am wearing a
dirty polo shirt over my head.
They said over the radio that the pressure drop from a passing front caused the headache, it’s possible.
Dinner and supper the usual fried fish, which you can’t get tired of and I like very much!!
There are some dieter's dinnys too sometimes: i.e. biscuits with a little chocolate cream.
Interesting phenomenon:
Many-many rainbows, even at night because of the strong
moonshine, full rainbow and me heading West sailed
right through its middle. This happened early evening, at
Experience: the wind strengthens in the evenings.
2007.02.04. (134th
day)
Radioed in the morning.
Spoke with Gyuri, Karesz (HA5CAR), Károly (PY2KSZ),
Also with:
HA5HS, Rudi, 5-5,
HA1DEU, Tomi, 5-5,
HA8RJ,
HA1TO.
Have received info that one must buy visa
in
I believe I’m drinking 2 liters of water daily, and this is plenty enough for me. (My consumption is very little J
2007.02.05. (135th
day)
Steering the ship at dawn as usual, there are many-many flying fishes. They land on my foot sometimes…
Radioed in the morning:
Spoke with: Gyuri, Alex, Laci, Károly (PY2KSZ)
As per good custom: I received weather info: winds E-NE Bf.5-6 for the next few days.
Found a small squid on the bow in the morning. Probably cast there by a wave.
Finally see dolphins, now for the first time during the crossing. There are four, they swim farther out and do not jump, but they’re pretty big!
What am I filling the many-many lonely hours with? With steering and with my soaring thoughts (a little of the future). Or, for example, I’m looking at the clouds and associating J
Using only a
At night I saw a ship in the distance, about 8nm away.
2007.02.06. (136th
day)
Did not radio today because of large waves and rain.
The living world: seagulls (have been seeing them for 4 days), following dorados, fluttering flying fish, and sharks. The sharks are about 1 meter long, they have been following Carina for 1 or 2 days. Today I saw a 2 meter one swimming 1 or 2 meters after the stern.
I haven’t been shooting fish for days now, rather hand-steer and drive for additional miles. I’d like to arrive by 02.08 because the Hungarian team is leaving for home 02.09. Therefore I’m not even bothering the sharks, though shark meat is a delicacy!! The skin has to be removed, otherwise it would taste bitter. True, the sharks do not swim close to the surface and it wouldn’t be easy to shoot them.
Meals nowadays:
breakfast: oatmeal with honey or biscuits with jam and chocolate cream, sometimes liver paste with biscuits and of course with onions.
Dinner: pasta with tomato sauce, canned food (cabbage, meatballs…)
2007.02.07. (137th
day)
Radioed, spoke with: Gyuri, Karesz, Károly and of course with Alex too.
Also with:
HA1TO, Ernő, Győr, 5-3,
HA3UX, Tamás,
HA6ZJ – couldn’t hear unfortunately.
Tuning went with difficulty again today, and meanwhile a fleck of paint fell into my eye, had a hard time removing it.
Steering all day, 2 or 3 heavy showers. Increasingly getting close to the coast, met with 3 motor ships in the afternoon. Also at night saw 3 vessels! Regardless, I slept 5-6 hours because I was tired.
2007.02.08. (138th
day)
Dawn at
Breakfast: plain biscuits and the last apple.
Then showered on the bow and prepared for the last maneuver…
Sometimes the wind is strengthening (and raining too), sometimes it diminishes, it’s not so steady here, near the coast, but variable. A few boats sailing outside the harbor, faster than I of course, but this is perhaps no longer important anymore. I take the sails down before entering the harbor and start the motor. Unfortunately it can hardly pull, I’m progressing slowly 1 or 2 knots, that isn’t too fast in the gusty, often headwinds. Perhaps only 1 cylinder is operating?? (I’ll look at it in the harbor.)
Find the marina with some difficulty and enter, the kind Hungarians are waiting for me here, who, without knowing me, helped a lot.
They brought packages, ordered the new autopilot and most importantly, they were here and I wasn’t completely alone. After very brief saluting I enter the customs office and take care of the official duties which is slow going here, 1 or 2 hours, then the immigration (duty), health clearance… but still I fill out the same form J
Afterwards in the afternoon I move over to the
Late afternoon I am going with the Hungarians (Péter Csaba, Géza Kerti, Tibi…) to their apartment and we are sipping drinks during the whole evening.
Then went into
A few hours of sleep would be enough, somehow I have to switch back to city life again. I have usually been up at 4 local time, this when I steered Carina and looked at the stars. But here it is not necessary!
Carina is 37 and I am 27 years old.
The crossing lasted for 39 days.
It was long, because:
- the average speed was 3-4 knots on account of the ship’s length,
- the ship was overloaded (300 liters of water and lots and lots of gear)
- the ship grew a beard that slowed it even more,
- I purposely didn’t oversail the ship (always undersailed,
frequently with only a
- I have no wind-self-steering and my autopilot didn’t work from the first minute, so I had to steer 12-13 hours daily, then Carina steered herself, so I could only make 50-60nm daily.
- furthermore during the last 800nm I couldn’t use the boom, because a fastening broke on it.
- the rudder made a rattling noise during the last 600nm, therefore I had to steer carefully. It turned out, that the fish, the dorados were bumping the rudder.
- one GPS was good in the ship, which was hard to turn on sometimes so I only turned it on once or twice a day. Mainly to check the ideal course.
Other:
Sleep was easier than before, because there was hardly any vessel traffic. Of course you can’t sleep comfortably on a poly-foam J
My meals were very favorable lots and lots of fish, protein! I minimized the canned foods and ate lots and lots of bio food.
Solitude: I enjoyed it because only out here can a man be alone with his own thoughts.
There is no outside stimulus, sailing’s increasingly routine like motions do not jolt one out of this aura.
I found these in József Varsányi’s book “Around the World with Susannah”:
opened a new era in the progress of
civilization. This happened on
The sailor never got the prize, because after returning
On board Carina the captain didn’t promise anything to the one who first spots dry land J
2007.02.09. (139th
day)
I slept at the Hungarians apartment, it was very interesting to sleep in a bed but it was too soft form me.
In the morning, after a telephone report, went to town with Géza Kerti.
The new autopilot will arrive next Thursday, though they promised it for today…
(Dad ordered it).
Boom repair, not a big job, they said Monday… They’ll bring
a rivet gun and then I’ll fix it. Then I shopped for the coming days.
I tied up to a floating derrick yesterday afternoon. The owner let me, he said I was crazy!
Today, they moved the derrick and there is no room in the
Interesting place, keeping their distance a little but kindly. Because this used to be a British Colony, everybody speaks English. This is the official language, but they speak very rapidly, bite off the ends of the words, it’s hard to understand sometimes J
-
- Harbour Master: VHF ch.13
Port
VHF: ch.16,77
There also is Yacht Service: Dacosta Mannings Inc.
Nearby town, Speightstown.
(translated
by Laszlo AA7UY)