Still overcast with a pretty bouncy sea out here but we're loving it and making some really good progress. I'm missing the sunshine a little but all the different shades of grey make for a pretty picture too. Looks like we're going to be on this course for a few days yet, with a steady wind slowlycoming around to the south east. Plenty of empty ocean in front of us for now before we start getting in among a few of the islands and reefs off the bottom of Fiji and Samoa.
Life on board is really pretty simple with all the little things filling up the day, but when the sea is up a little, then even the simplest task becomes an adventure. But the little things are keeping me more than happy. Food, talking with everyone back home, plotting our position to see how far we've come each day, music and standing behind the dodger watching the sun go down have become the highlights. Sure I'm missing everyone back in Australia a little, but mostly I'm having the time of my life out here! Bring on the next challenge!My sleep patterns are becoming a little strange as we keep going east and in to new time zones. I've got four different clocks all on different times zones, just to confuse myself! I've been sleeping less and less at night and more in the mornings and eating when I feel like it. Maybe I should call it Pink Lady time because it really is like we're off in our own little world. Well that is apart from all you guys who are out here with me!Anyway thought I'd finally get round to explaining the power systems on Ella's Pink Lady. Power is pretty important stuff because it runs the satphones, HF radio, computer, navigation equipment and possibly most importantly thestereo! But saying that we've also got to be able to survive without it all.If there was ever a power problem and when it comes down to it, all we really need is some wind (preferably 15knots behind us with sunshine lol). Hopefully it never comes to it but I've got sextant on board and know how to use it just in case.
First off we've got four 80 A/Hr gel batteries and another for starting the engine, I find that I'm almost constantly checking to see how full they are and how much power is coming in and out. Then for charging the batteries we've got two 80Watt solar panels, a 60Watt solar panel and a Rutland windgenerator. The solar panels give me plenty of power when the sun’s shining and the wind generator constantly works away trickling in a little power. Then for the days when the sun is not shining and the wind is down and I've been playing the stereo too loud, I can run the little Yanmar engine (out of gear!) to give the batteries a little extra boost. So far everything's been working great, probably thanks to Neil the electrician who completely rewired Ella's Pink Lady.
So it's pretty cool to be completely self sufficient, just think how great it would be if everyone used and produced there own power? Sorry if I all that got a little boring and technical but lots of people have been curious about the power!I'm off to go pull a reef out (pull some more sail up) as the wind is just dropping off a little and I should probably turn the computer off because we are a little low on power today with all the cloud around.
Jesse
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