Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Sailings, South America
(January 10, 2018) Upon arrival in French Guiana, we cleared our entry at the Main Port (Degrad des Cannes). The Harbor Master near the anchorage kindly drove us to the French Customs Office. He also showed us a series of animal pictures we can look for in French Guiana: Jaguars,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(January 4, 2018) No words can fully describe our current feelings. After safely arriving in French Guiana, South America; John asked me how many people I personally know who have crossed the Atlantic Ocean by a sailboat. I took a moment and said “Nobody except certain cruisers I have met.”
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(January 3, 2018) Finally, we have a nice angle of sail. No more rolling and no more pounding of downwind sailing with the unaligned wind and waves. Waking up, I found myself well rested and fully charged. What deep heavenly sleep can do for me!
According to our Garmin Charts,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(January 2, 2018) The boat has been rolling even more than ever last night. It occurs vigorously especially when large waves from one direction meet big swells from the other direction. Trying to sleep on the boat was like trying to sleep while riding the Disney Rollercoaster Splash Mountain. I gave up sleeping and made a cup of coffee and went to the cockpit.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(January 1, 2018) New Year’s Eve Wine Toast at sea! We joked about our New Year’s resolutions and started the New Year 2018 with a good laugh. In previous years, I used to go over my old resolution, review, and modify it to make a new one. Sailing in a rough sea,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 31, 2017) For the previous two nights and days, we have rarely slept because the boat was moving like a crazy horse by confused seas. Despite putting cushions by my sides and wedging myself tight to sleep, have I rarely slept for two days. It is the loud bangs and whirly movement that has kept me awake.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 30, 2017) The wind has been blowing hard. We have been sailing with a double reef and a smaller size Jib sail. High waves frequently bang the side of the boat. It feels like someone hits the side of a house with a big sledge hammer. The sound also reminded me of a gun range.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 29, 2017) High waves bring an occasional salt water splash into the cockpit; even worse, it dumped salt water inside the companion way this afternoon. It was unexpected. Not wanting any sticky salt water residue, I wiped salt water and cleaned with fresh water using a rag. We have been sailing between 6-9 knots with 8-11 feet waves and random swells beating us on the rear side.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 28, 2017) It seems long but we just passed the halfway mark! Our average speed for the first 1,000 miles is 6.4 knots, making an average of 150 miles a day. We have had two critical boat issues: Autopilot and Jib Pole. Having a spare for the Autopilot Compass Module,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 27, 2017) As we sail South Westerly, we are getting warmer weather. Our current position is at the same latitude with Northern Colombia and Venezuela. Starting from days ago, we have been seeing lots of Sargassum sea weed. I learned it is good for fish life but it can also wash up on a beach making a foul smell,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 26, 2017) We change our watch at 2am; John goes to bed and I am up managing the boat. We have one other crew member Auto the Autopilot who works 24 hours, nonstop steering the wheel and keeping us on course. Our watch duty involves, checking the course and adjusting the autopilot,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 25, 2017) So far, we have seen only three ships on our SHIP tracking device (AIS system) since we started sailing. It looks we are the only boat in this part of the Atlantic Ocean. We have about 70% of the total distance to go to our destination, about 10 more days.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 24, 2017) For the last three days of sailing, we haven’t seen a clear sky, sun, moon, or stars. The planet looks as if it only has two colors; the sky is gray and ocean is dark gray. Days are hazy and nights are pitch dark. I could wish for sunshine,
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 23, 2017) Waves are still undefined making for uncomfortable sailing. I took extreme care when boiling water to make coffee not to get hot water spilled on me. This is the first time we have used the stove during this trip. At least the wind speed has been more or less steady keeping sails from crashing.
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Nane Kim / Editor (Uploaded Email from Sailing Kay at Sea)
Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America
(December 22, 2017) It was hazy and dusty when we left Cabo Verde this morning. The visibility was not good. The harbor was crowded with new arrival of boats and ships. There was definitely Christmas air blowing on the island but it is time for us to sail.
We started with great sailing;
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(December 3, 2017) We are aiming to arrive at Sal Island this evening. This island is located in the North East side among the Cabo Verdes. Our estimated arrival time is around sunset. I am not keen on entering a new harbor when it is dark but we will be cautious approaching our new anchorage.
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(December 2, 2017) My night watch started one hour early today at 1am when John was trying to communicate to another boat via a VHF radio. This sailboat was right behind of us getting closer. He wanted them to know it. He spoke to the other boat and they changed their course to pass astern of us.
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(December 1, 2017) John woke me up for my night watch which starts at 2am. I went to bed at 8pm after a dinner of fresh grilled Mahi Mahi with a glass of wine and slept deeply for the last six hours. We are still sailing with only one sail on the pole due to weak wind.
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(November 30, 2017) It’s pure luck! We caught a fish yesterday: about a 20 pound Mahi Mahi. Lost the first fish, but the second one that we got was even bigger. It is not a Yellowfin Tuna but we are thrilled. It seemed there were a school of Mahi Mahi but we didn’t want to catch more;
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(November 29, 2017) Prior to sailing to a new location, I usually gather information on wind speed/direction, wave speed/direction, tide, sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset, current time at the new location, and etc.
Moon set is supposed to be around 3 AM today. As I like night watch under moonlit, I stayed outside listening to an audio book (“Principles”
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