ITCZ, Northern Pacific 9 Feb 2012 18:23 04N56 141W59

We could not send this morning’s message due to sunspots. Our radio email just would not send. Usually, we’re able to get something out, even if it takes awhile.

Which reminds me of a special request I have for all of you collectively, NEVER WORRY ABOUT US because of lack of blog posts or email. I can think of at least a dozen technical difficulty reasons why we might suddenly go quiet until we reach another port: sunspots, fuel issues, battery/power issues, computer issues, software issues, radio electronics issues, antennae cabling issues…the list of potential problem areas is long, despite our multiple backup positions for many of those areas. The tropical marine environment is extremely hard on all electronics – salt, water, constant motion, high heat, high humidity – all things avoided in, say, a data center.

I read an article recently about a sailor who had stopped updating his blog and a well meaning follower contacted the Coast Guard. The USCG, promptly went in search, found him bobbing around absolutely fine, but forced him to abandon ship. They had received a distress call, and even though it was not from him, they were not going home empty handed. I’m not actually sure of the legality of this, and I’m very fuzzy on the details (news reports are not always the best source of real info on situations like this), but it was a sobering thing to consider.

We have an EPIRB onboard (emergency position indication relay beacon), recently serviced with a fresh battery (replaced in NZ). If anything were to happen to us and we were not able to make radio contact, that is how we would send a distress alert. Radio and internet silence would in no way be an indicator of any kind of emergency for us.

Besides, I’m the Chief Worrier on this voyage, I have the epaulettes to prove it, and no one else is allowed to take that job away from me. Captain’s orders!

xoxomo

-There is a sign on the door of our cabin, it was already there when we moved in but still applies. “I am the captain of this ship, and I have my wife’s permission to say so.” -Frank-

P.S.S. We’ve been ITCZed, the wind, no wind, wind, no wind, is over. We now have wind and lots of it. A little more on the nose than we’d like, but we’re reluctant to fall off till we’re sure of a nice run to Hawaii. We sure do not want to be tacking up the last couple days.