Date: 04/01/2011 | Time Start: 0900 | Time Finish: 1130 | Engine Hrs Start: 1830.0 | Engine Hrs Finish: 1830.9 | Weather Conditions: blustery w/ 13-18 kts NE, large swell 2-3m
In the morning, Payal made parathas with Bombay Duck pickle – delicious! Had a swim and scrubbed some of the scuffs off the hull – one blue mark and the tire marks seem pretty tenacious. Decided not to fill the water tanks here given difficult dinghy landing and it will take hours and multiple trips with 40 L each trip and 500 L to fill. Added the water we got last night to the tanks after treating with bleach (1:5200). got underway, plenty of wind on the beam to a bit aft depending on bearing so we sailed. Engine began spitting black smoke at 2500 RPM (but not below that) so there is still something wrong, perhaps we need to tighten/loosen the injection pump or injectors. Arrived at Rutland with no shelter in sight – more nonstop rolling. Swam ashore, didn’t see any marine life – sandy bottom – walked along beautiful white sand beach, turtle tracks and eggs, met some Indian guys hanging out looking for Burmese refugees. Showed us a river where 2 guys were fishing. Lots of dead trees around, and apparently crocodiles (we didn’t see any though). Back to the boat, made a Penang curry w/ veggies for lunch and a coconut chicken curry for dinner – both delicious. Getting more down by nonstop rocking, mystery insect bites, shortage of water, etc. Batteries are strange, dropping to 12.1-12.3 V while monitor reads full, as if some amps are being drained but not picked up by Mastervolt.