Latitude 38 is our favorite cruising/sailing magazine, so we were pleased to discover that Richard Spindler included ADAGIO in the ‘Changes…’ section for August 2009 and February 2010
Monthly Archive for June, 2010
The above inferior-mirage flash image sequence is hosted by Wikipedia , captured by photographer Mila Zinkova at Santa Cruz, CA. The large, top image is the final last glimpse. See Andy Young’s detailed explanation on the Wikipedia image page.
UPDATE: Paul Kamen’s inferior mirage green flash video is excellent — very short, a lovely view of a yacht sailing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. This video is authentic – most of the others we found were fakes.
We are still trying to see a green flash and of course to capture a decent photograph. Since we have internet access here at Ilot Maitre in New Caledonia we’ve done a bit of elementary re-searching on the subject. It turns out that:
** there are several types of atmospheric phenomena that produce different “green flash” effects;
** the green flash effect can occur at sunrise as well as sunset, and over low-flat land as well as over the ocean.
A very clear explanation can be found at Paul Doherty’s excellent Scientific Explorations and Adventures. Paul’s illustration at left shows the basic differential refraction which very slightly separates the long from the short wavelengths. Paul wrote:
The highest blue image of the sun and lowest red image combine with the central green image to create a white sun with a blue top rim and a red bottom rim.
(…) The same temperature gradients that produce mirages can strongly influence the shape of the sun at sunset and the shape and duration of green flashes.
A sunset through an atmospheric temperature gradient which would produce an inferior mirage causes the bottom of the sun to stretch down toward the horizon and broaden out. This occurs when cold air is over a warm ocean. These flashes are common over tropical oceans. They also happen over temperate oceans when cold air masses move south over warmer water. Most common green flashes are produced by inferior mirage enhancement. The average length of these green flashes in the tropics is 2 seconds.
A word on Paul Doherty: he is an MIT-trained physicist (Ph.D. in solid-state physics). Perhaps more important to us lay folk, Paul has been since 1986 a prime-mover at San Francisco’s famous Exploratorium.
In 1986, I came to the Exploratorium Teacher Institute and began my exhibit-based explorations in science. I became the co-director of the Teacher Institute in 1990 and the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Learning in 1992. Since 1997 I have been a senior staff scientist at the Exploratorium. I am also a visiting scientist at Tom Tits Experiment in Sweden and an adjunct professor of physics at San Francisco State University. In 1999 I received the “Administrator of the Year” award from the California Science Education Advisory Council for my work directing teaching programs at the Exploratorium. In 2002 I was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award by the American Association of Physics teachers, Northern California Section. In 2003 I was given the NSTA’s Faraday Award for excellence as a science communicator.
So, not only is Paul a physicist, he is a very cool guy (including all sorts of adventuring).
Astronomer Andy Young of San Diego State University is an authority on the green flash. I think you can find everything else you might want to know at Andrew’s Green Flash homepage.
To monitor our passage reports to YOTREPS please click here (and for a plot of our enroute reports to New Caledonia please click here).
This is the second NZ to Newcal run for ADAGIO. The first was our maiden voyage in September 2000 with David and Susan aboard. The 2000 passage was peaceful. The 2010 passage, while not exactly peaceful, was enhanced because Vanessa McKay was able to join us. And potential dramas were avoided thanks to the typically adroit routing advice from Rick Shema. Rick has advised us for ten years now, and we continue to feel that professional weather expertise is a very high-return investment. Especially Rick’s enroute oversight, which on this passage rewarded us with a comfortable trip and, unlike some less fortunate boats on this run, no serious gear breakage.
For fellow cruisers who would like to know more about how we work with Rick Shema enroute, you can review our passage email traffic here [TXT]. For brevity I have omitted most of our Yotreps position reports. We transmit these reports both to Rick and to Yotreps — that is why you will read Rick commenting on our course and speed when it appears we did not send him anything. Yotreps is also why Rick didn’t receive our first position report out of NZ — there are some oddities about addressing a Yotreps report to multiple email addresses.
Before departure we had estimated about a 4.5 day passage from Opua to Noumea. We expected a LOW pressure system to form east of New Caledonia, which was projected to track far enough southeast so that our NZ to Newcal rhumb line was OK. On Monday 14 June we were the first yacht to clear out of Opua, NZ, collecting our “duty free” and straightaway dropping our docklines. As it turned out, the 4.5 days became a seven day passage because we elected to sail west and clockwise around the approaching LOW. So ADAGIO made landfall at the Amadee entrance to New Caledonia’s southern lagoon around 0800 on 21 June.
Day 1: just before sunset the jib head shackle exploded, so we had to get the jib lashed down pronto. Steve and Vanessa took advantage of the Reef-Rite jib furler “Kiwi Slides” which keep the luff captive in the foil (similar to traditional headsail hanks). The foil captures the luff, so we could fold and lash the jib to the trampoline perimeter rope. We will retrieve the jib halyard in daylight and hopefully easier seas.
Day 2: around 0700 15 June we received an enroute update from Rick Shema indicating that the New Caledonia LOW was likely to track further west than we had hoped:
(…) You mentioned a slow SOG and that is of concern due to the low pressure system forming just east of New Cal, south of 20S (it may be tropical) and heading just to the east of your route, which is too close for comfort.
Therefore, I would adjust your route to head for an aim-point (AP1) near 30 00S 165 00E. You may not need to head that far west, but for now we don’t know and better safe than sorry.
The radio propagation gods were pro-ADAGIO that morning, allowing us to successfully download via Sailmail an updated GFS model. We ran a revised MaxSea weather “optimal routing” using the new GFS model + ADAGIO’s “cruising performance polars” (which are about 80% of the Morrelli and Melvin design polars).
Above is a tabulation of our 0500NZT 16 June routing calculated by Maxsea [full size PDF]. From such projections we can assess a number of issues — e.g., given the expected sea state, do we think we can keep up the projected pace on the planned route in order to “stay ahead of the LOW”.
A movie is an easy way to visualize the combination of the modeled winds, sea state and ADAGIO’s projected performance. See here for an animation of the estimated ADAGIO course vs. the progress of the LOW system.
The Maxsea animation has a small Date-Time clock displayed at bottom-center. The frame at left (click the thumbnail for the full size image) is for 6/18/10 7:53 where we judge we can safely turn north for New Caledonia. The color shading encodes the projected sea state in terms of Significant Wave Height. The color key at lower left shows the numeric values. E.g., the seas SE of the LOW center are 7 to 8 meters with winds in the 35-40 kn. range. For ADAGIO we expect to be sailing into 3 to 4 meter seas on western edge of the LOW system. That is about what happened in the real world. Following are a sample of our log entries for the rest of the passage.
Day 3: Log entries “00:24: Wind has been ranging 16 to 20 knots TWS, seas more comfortable. Time to set the reacher when Steve gets up.
15:44: Vanessa volunteered to go up the mast to attach a messenger line to the jib halyard. We furled all sails, then turned downwind to about 165 TWA to stabilize the boat for Vanessa’s ascent. We used the topper for a safety line, main halyard for the hoist — a fairly quick round trip — but definitely not an easy one. Vanessa has some new bruises but no serious injuries.
17:22: The starboard reacher tweaker line suffered a cover failure where it comes out of the jammer, so Steve and Vanessa replaced the line with a new Dacron 12mm double-braid. This is a good reminder of how much load the reacher tweakers take.”
Day 4: Log entries “3:01: Vanessa surfed at 13 knots. We are rocketing along in comfortable seas, averaging 7 to 9 knots boat speed, making good time. We are 140 nm se of Norfolk Island, and 202 nm from our AP1 waypoint. Our little refugee finch is still perched on the jackline by the back door, feathers puffed up for warmth. Perhaps it would like some of our sesame seeds for breakfast. Baro is down a point.“
05:43: Wind up to 20 kts at times, boat speed hit 11.3 kts. AWS still below 16 kts. Wonderful sailing in comfortable seas. 182 nm to AP1 ETA 20 hours?
12:49: Excellent boat speed between 8 and 13 knots. Steve tightened the leech and foot lines on the reacher. A rollicking good ride under a cloudy sky with blue skies ahead and sun trying to appear. Showers all around. ETA at AP1 is in 20 hours plus or minus. Shearwaters and one albatross today. The finch was gone from its perch by morning. Perhaps he is “boat hopping” to Australia.
Click the thumbnail at left for a new gallery of Dorothy’s albatross photos.
14:41: Up 10 to AWA 120. I’m steering up in the lulls, down in the puffs. 203 nm travelled in past 24 hrs.
20:54: Rick forecasts increased seas between midnight and 0600 tomorrow morning. Sailing towards the lovely crescent moon. TWS is decreasing so boat speed between 6.4 and 7.5 kts. Crescent moon, a few clouds around, stars, peaceful but slower. 10 hrs to AP2 at this speed.
22:38 The wind has returned to 18kn TWS so boat speed is back up to 5 min average of 9.2kn”
Day 5: Log entries “00:00 Continuing to nibble as much northing as possible/comfortable. Try up 5 degrees to AWA 110, trim reacher. OK, works. Speed 8.6 kn avg. Adverse current down from 1kn to .4kn
02:04: Try up 5 degrees to 95 awa. Ease reacher tweaker, trim sheet. Trim main. Ride bumpier for sure. Speed 9.5kn.
02:25 We are rocketing along; wave slams not very frequent. Milky Way is amazing, like a Hubble image. We are averaging 9.4kn in 17kn TWS 133 TWA on reacher and 2nd reef.
5:16: Reached our layline north of AP1; furled reacher, set jib, turned to AWA 60 for Noumea.
9:36: Reef-rite boom furler pin is not engaged so furling line is oscillating in-out at the entry fairlead. Cover of the line is in bad shape, Spectra core looks OK. Furl the main. Timing is not bad, as it looks like we are going to be a motorboat the rest of this passage.”
Day 6: Log entries “0:03: Smoother seas now, very bright crescent moon just setting. Radar is clear. 297 nm and 52 hours to Amadee light. ETA 0500 hrs on Monday 21 June
09:54 There are two primary seas running = 73mg and 110mg, can’t judge the wave period well. Speed 6.3kn at 2500 port engine.
00:07: Still motoring in a more gentle swell. Beautiful sunset that we photographed hoping to see a green flash. 188 nm and 33 hours to Amadee Light.“
Day 7: Log entries “13:07 Rain showers washed the salt off of the boat. Nice. Swell is still with us, wind has increased a bit. 94 nm from Amadee Light, 17 hrs at this speed. Beautiful clouds all around.”
Day 8: Log entries “08:00 Landfall New Caledonia at Amadee, ADAGIO has cleared the entrance.”
Day 13: So here we are moored at Ilot Maitre: sea temp about 23C, wind about 20kn SE trades, water = clean, internet = fast/free, green flash at sunset = check. What’s not to like?
We have used the Hivelogic email address encoder successfully for years. It requires javascript support on the page where your mailto: link will appear.
Another option is Syronex, also javascript based, and possibly more secure than Hivelogic encoder. Example:
June 9, 2010: today we have a short respite between low pressure systems, so we sailed just out of the Bay of Islands and then beat back in for a bit of sail testing. We have a much-upgraded Reef-Rite boom furler thanks to Kevin Graham, a new mainsail from Chris McMaster at Doyle Sails NZ, all new standing rigging from Garry Hassal at Hall Spars NZ.
Tonight we are planning to anchor in the inner islands at Orokawa Bay to shelter from the next blow out of the Northwest.
It has been six years since HydraPower Hydraulics built a beautiful custom hydraulic cylinder to give us complete control over our Reef-Rite boom furling mainsail. ADAGIO’s “hydraulic spring” boom-lifting system was designed by engineer Chris Mitchell. This earlier post summarizes the design.
Because the hydraulic system has worked flawlessly since installation we had never actually used the manual hydraulic pump to pressurize the accumulator and cylinder. When I couldn’t figure it out on my own I twice rang up Paul Lamont at HydraPower Hydraulics in Christchurch with questions. Paul quickly accessed the original design drawings for our system, then stepped me through the correct process for re-pressurizing, bleeding the cylinder.
That’s the sort of customer service that makes us smile!
If you use a lot of satphone minutes within a 12 month period, then pre-paid minutes will likely be the cheapest per-minute air time. Typically around USD $500 for 500 minutes (which expire after 12 months).
We use very modest air time, so what works best for us is a “pay as you go” plan. The best plan we have been able to find is the “Casual Plan” offered by Australia’s TR Telecom “Iridium satellite call plans Australia “[PDF].
There is NO activation/cancellation fee, but there is a four month minimum at AUD 30/month, which includes $10/month call credit. Any time after the four months minimum period, we have the option to cancel when we are done passaging, or to suspend service, for AUD 15/mon — which allows us to keep the same number. Air time for voice calls is AUD 1.98/minute.
We have hard-mounted our Iridium so it has a high gain external antenna and is always on the charger and always connected to the serial-USB hub if we need to download e.g., a GRIB and Steve isn’t willing to wait until propagation improves. If we need to make a voice e.g., med emergency call we have to sit on the port hull steps 
We use Sailmail (or Winlink) first, Inmarsat-C second, Iridium third or for data too big for Sailmail. If we wish to get a quick note off to our weather router, Rick Shema, we just use Sat-C because the msg is short, and we know we will get an alert soon as Rick’s msg comes in.
If you are crossing oceans you are probably keenly interested in forecasting sea state. The most popular wave model today seems to be WaveWatch III (here is a matrix of the key operation models). For interpretation of the wave models we recommend the MetEd educational program for meteorologists (COMET).
Relevant to sea state forecasting, see Analyzing Ocean Swell and Operational Use of Wavewatch III.
If you haven’t seen Mikes photos you need to get straight over there. And for sure enjoy Mikes “7000 fps” video. Mike is a brilliant UI designer and innovator who happens to also do photography.
Whilst preparing samples for the NZ Goughs Fluid Analysis Centre I came across the labs info page on diesel bug. Since 2000 we have been successful avoiding becoming hosts for bacteria by treating all ADAGIO diesel fuel with DFT 1500 Hammerdown (produced by LV Petro, Inc.)
Bacteria in diesel is a well known problem to anyone who works with diesel engines, so what is this bug and why does it contaminate diesel?
Diesel is an organic fuel so it provides an ideal environment for microscopic fungi, yeast and bacteria to feed and grow.
This environment provides:
- dissolved water for germination
- carbon for food
- oxygen and sulphur for respiration
- trace elements for growth and propagation.
As many as twenty seven (27) varieties of bacteria are responsible for the majority of problems with diesel engines and their performance. There are many differing types of bacteria which can infect systems and form bio-films on steel surfaces. Accelerated corrosion can also occur wherever the bio-film settles, usually in pits or crevices. Unlike general corrosion, it is an attack on a very specific area.
It is very difficult to determine when a system is first contaminated, but once contaminated diesel enters the fuel system, it is very difficult to eradicate.
Diesel bug can originate from the air or moisture, or during tank filling and/or expansion and contraction of storage tanks, the bacteria cover themselves in a protective film (slime) to protect against biocides and can lie dormant in the minute crevices of the metal, rubber and polyurethane coatings of the fuel tanks and fuel systems.
Then, when water is present (a droplet is a lake to a microbe) and the environment hits the right temperature range, they begin reproduction in the area of fuel/water interface.
Microscopic in size, they can develop into a mat easily visible to the naked eye very rapidly. A single cell, weighing only one millionth of a gram can grow to a biomass of 10 kilograms in just 12 hours, resulting in a biomass several centimetres thick across the fuel/water interface.
Each species has its own characteristics:
BACTERIA
Bacteria utilise hydrocarbons and reproduce asexually by binary fission; swelling in size as they feed, they then separate into two cells. In this way, microbes double their numbers every 20 minutes, one spore converting to 262,144 in 6 hours.
SULPHATE REDUCING BACTERIA (SRB)
SRB’s are a specific group of bacteria utilising simple carbon, not hydrocarbons, and require the activity of other microbes in a consortium. Aerobic (in the presence of oxygen) or anaerobic (without oxygen) bacteria have a combined effect. The aerobic bacteria (sulphate oxidising) create a film to consume the oxygen first. This allows the anaerobic (sulphate reducing) bacteria to thrive.
SRB’s reduce sulphates and produce hydrogen sulphide (a lethal gas). They are directly involved with many microbial corrosion reactions and can cause sulphide souring of stored distillate products. Their action changes the Ph creating an acidic environment, conducive to accelerated corrosion. They attach themselves to the steel as a film and go to work. They derive their nutrition from the surrounding environment and multiply. They are particularly difficult to deal with and produce a sludgy by-product with a strong sulphur odour similar to rotten eggs (hydrogen sulphide).
IRON REDUCING BACTERIA
These also contribute to corrosion, eating steel and reducing ferrite to an oxide through a chemical reaction.
YEASTS
Yeasts prefer acidic environments, such as produced by SRB’s. They bud on the parent cell, eventually separating. Reproduction takes several hours.
FUNGUS
Fungi grow in the form of branched hyphae, a few microns in diameter, forming thick, tough, intertwined mycelia mats at fuel/water interfaces.
All of these can and do cause damage to the fuel system.
PREVENTION
Maintain the fuel system by draining water very regularly, keep the tank as full as possible, (especially over-night) and try to ensure your supplier maintains his system well.
CURE
Clean the entire system with a cleaning agent available from or recommend by your diesel supplier.
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