Halfway

We are halfway!

800 miles to go! It's all down hill from here man. Time has now lost all value, except calculating when we will get to Flores.

Sleeping, Eating, Reading...That's the schedule.

It's refreshing, and at the same time, really annoying. You really have to let go of everything...I have really had to realize that I am not in control, and cant do a thing to make us get there any sooner. Just gotta loosen up out here in the big blue. 

Besides that, we have had good wind. We got to put the spinnaker up.

Pretty eh?

And I caught a big fish, but I couldn't t

ake a picture...why?  Uh because I was catching the fish. duh.

And we saw some dolphins, 

I got to steer, 

Saw another sunset, 

and sat somemore!

More tomorrow.

My first Gale...then Boredom

6/21

Well, it got rough...really rough...45 knot winds and 20 ft. waves rough. And, during all of that, our self steering broke...which pretty much means fix it or self steer for a week and a half. We decided to try and fix it. It was nuts, heaving up and down 20 ft. swells, hanging over the stern with a wrench in each hand (and occasionally teeth) trying to fix one of the most important pieces of equipment on the boat. But, we fixed it...but we had to heave to in the process so we made NO PROGRESS...disheartening for sure.

So, that was yesterday, today the wind is mid-20's and seas are <10>

But I seriously wanted Turd to come pick me up on his helicopter yesterday.

6/22

This is boring...

6/23

This is still boring...all I do is think. I wasn't built to think. I was built to do stuff. I don't even want to write. So much freaking ocean to go. It seems like it will never end. I wish my head would explode...or I had some power where I could actually sleep all day, for days on end.  

The Ocean.

6/18

Leaving Bermuda...beyond that gap is about 1800 miles of ocean.

We left a bit late Yesterday, around 1pm, but we are making ok time. The wind is out of the north east, right where we want to go...so we are doing a long northern tack, followed by a long eastern tack...Fun stuff.

On the starboard tack. + 10 Sailor Creds for putting up with this for days.

So apparently, everyone get seasick, and everyone told me that I was going to get seasick...Obviously, they don't know me very well...Because, obviously, it was vice versa...Ben Johnson didn't get Seasick, but Seasick got some Ben Johnson. Bring it Poseidon.

First Sunset.

Anyways, my first experience on watch last night was great. It's really beautiful. It's a totally different world when it's dark: Bio luminescent plankton (crazy), Holy Crap Stars (tons of them, and satellites, and shooting stars), and just nothing for miles. The moon is insanely bright. Sunsets and sunrises are rediculous. During the day, there's tons of flying fish, Portuguese Man O Wars, Shearwater Gulls, and lots and lots of Water.

First watch

On a more disgusting note, the two boys threw up...I took shrapnel. I wasn't paying attention...the youngest threw up into the wind...and I took some to the face. Yep, I know...but of course, I just took it like a man, licked up what was close to my mouth, and wiped the rest off with my sleeve (which, incidentally, I slept on later). Ah...a Sailor's Life. It's supposed to get rough in a day or so...Buckle Up.

The Flying Fish that almost hit me in the head. They fly...for real.

Alrighty Then, Off To Portugal.

Sorry to leave you with such a short last post. But I just posted three...geez, relax. 

I leave tomorrow for Flores. The trip should be around 2 weeks. And then free internet! Whoo!

Anywho, I hope everyone is doing great. The past two days have been pretty much the same. Oatmeal/coffee/chores/beach/sunset in the cockpit/sleep. You know, the tough kinda life. 

But seriously, I'm gonna stink when I get into Portugal. But I hear they have good cheese!

I have to go catch a bus, I'm late already! I will talk to you all again in two weeks!

The Johnson

It's My Effin Birfday Dawg

Day 5, June 14^th, and My 23^rd Birthday.

I didn't remember until 11 am that it was my birthday! 23 years old and still kickin. Man. When I was in the graveyard of that old church yesterday, I saw so many headstones that we for dudes 20/21 and whatever...Bummer. I'm probably way cooler than they were anyways.

So, this morning we fixed the outboard harness, for lifting the motors, we fixed the dodgers (rain cover) for the midship hatch...Dude, I sound like a sailor...wierd. So, our other outboard was giving us some trouble, so this dudes Patrick, from Maine, came over to help us. This guy is awesome. He left Maine when he was 24 sailed all around for 5 years! Crazy. He even lived in Senegal, Africa for a year rebuilding houses. And he did all of it in this sick boat, it's totally wooden, modeled after the old whalers from Nantucket. Anyways, cool guy.

Fixing the outboard. (Patrick, left, Shirish, right)

Another Patrick, from the boat next door (from Portsmouth, UK)came over this morning. I've been watching him the past few days, trying to catch fish. Well today, he finally caught one! As he looked over at me and gave me a victory fist pump, I returned it with a thumbs up and an ear to ear grin. Well, afterwards, he dinghied over to Juno and gave me a bag full of bait! Let the fishing begin!

Besides that, it has been a rough day. I flooded the dinghy engine and cast off before I had started it, so I had to row back to Juno against a 15 knot wind...and Shirish was in the dinghy with me. -2 Sailor Creds (just because I had to row). I dumped out the ratchet set, -1 Sailor Cred, and just really felt clumsy all day, I hope it wears off. I ate a big dinner, so maybe that will help.

New total would be : 7 Sailor Creds...but it's my birthday. Haha. Still got 10 Creds baby.

I've been a little homesick today. It's actually 6:30 pm right now, and I'm going to call home in 30 minutes. So hopefully they'll pick up. I think that will help. Ive just been missing everyone I love today. And above others...Asher and Lucy. I've been thinking of them saying “Ben Johnson!”, or “What's up Ben?”, or “Ben I love you.” Gah, anyways. (Sloan, or Les, give them both a big old hug from me.

Well, I'm done. Time for a birthday “Dark and Stormy”, a book, and bed. Adios.

Baby wipes do not substitute showers.

Day 4, June 13^th

A happy Sailor Man.

This morning started like every other morning so far, weather report...coffee...oatmeal.

Chore time: The outboard on the dinghy broke yesterday, and it was my job to fix it. A little intimidated, I began taking apart the carburetor, I cleaned it and stuck it back in, then fixed the broken pull cord, re-assembled and placed back on the dinghy. First pull people...Gimme some of that!

So since then, I have come up with a sort of “Sailor's Cred” gauge. I was at 0 when I started, but after all the chores and lingo, and no major screw ups, I was at 5 Sailor Creds. Now, after the outboard repair, I'm giving myself 5 more points.

That means 10 Sailor Creds!!! Whoa!

Anyways, Sailor Creds will continue to be added up daily. Stay posted.

I am starting to realize the different personalities on this boat. Shirish is not confrontational, he's a thinker, very calm, and very mature...totally my opposite, haha. (That's why I have to do things, such as mooning passing cruise ships, when he's not around) When we try and do repairs together, he likes to step back and look at things for awhile, then act...where I am like “Let's just get the freaking thing off/taken apart/unscrewed/etc.!”

So, after the outboard repair, we went into St George to pick up our new crew member, Caroline!

Caroline is an absolutely wonderful British woman. Because of her “Britishness”, she was quickly in my good graces...not that it really matters. After lunch on Juno, me and Caroline went into St George together, because neither of us had been around town much. We had some great conversation, saw all the gardens and parks, checked out this old school church, basically touristy stuff, and then had a drink at the White Horse. She has sailed quite a bit, like 3 years in the Mediterrenean.

Next, I went back to Juno, Caroline went home (she's meeting us Tuesday). I played some Risk with the boys...and got absolutely destroyed. Crap.

Now I'm just sitting in the cockpit, reading, writing, and I started making a video (Turd threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't). It's difficult getting back into using a camera, but good. It's a great sunset tonight, check it out.

PS. The reason there aren't as many pictures is because internet access here is $6 for a ½ hour, and it takes forever to load a picture!

Bermuda Day 3

Bermuda Day 3, June 12^th

“...Waves inside the reef, 1 foot, waves outside the reef, 2-4 feet...” I hear the familiar accent, a mix of Scottish, British, and Carribean that make up the Bermudian accent, and open my eyes. These words have become my new alarm clock. And trust me, it's a lot better than “BLALJSLH, BLAHSGHI, BLAHIUAGDKSN!!!”

I slept so good last night, until the massive rain storm at 12:30am...Let's just say that I now know what “Batten down the hatches!” means.

This morning consisted of coffee, oatmeal, and preparing for mornings chores/repairs. I find myself volunteering for dishes a lot, only because it's the only thing I know for sure how to do. It kinda sucks, but I think it's appreciated, and I like that.

After, Shirish and I set about the boat making repairs such as: Fixing the wind vane mount, rerouting some plumbing, replacing the bimini, cleaning the bilge, and pumping up the dinghy. Even little repairs like this help me get to know the boat that much better. And it feels really great to finally get my hands dirty!

After chores/repairs, we loaded up the dinghy and headed to Tobacco Bay. It's this sweet bay, almost all the way enclosed by rocks. I snorkeled a bit, saw some sweet a fish (Parrot Fish, Grouper, some others), I got to water solo rock climb a bit, immediately followed by some cliff jumping/back flipping.

Tobacco Bay (and the family)

Afterwards, we all went into St George's and I decided to play my “alone time card” (kind of like the race card, but for alone time). I parted ways with the family, found some cheap internet ($6 for ½ hour), and surfed the web for a bit.

It was nice having some alone time, much needed. Went back to the boat afterwards and got to shower in the rain!!! I felt like a kid again, and my hair got a much needed cleaning.

After a great meal and a “Dark and Stormy”, I prepared for bed, donned my Ipod, applied some Gold Bond, and am now relaxing in a very windy cockpit...

I really like it here.