4th of August, 2009 

I’m a bit fed up, to be honest. Headwind all the time, it’s really difficult to go against the wind when it’s just millimeters on the autohelm that give you the longed-for 10 degrees that you need to fight the waves and don’t let them make you „fall out” of the course and go across the wind when you seem to be „carried away” to the other side... and the autohelm won’t get blocked to hold it for some time...
late at night. The wind calmed down for a moment, and I’ve fallen asleep. As a result, I’ve got carried away to the north. Mind you, I’d been fighting so much to go as far south as possible... Never mind. The wind has come back, even less favourable this time. Now, I think there is no place to go for me.
Never mind. I wanted to try and see how I could help myself (you know, sometimes a capstan doesn’t work, sometimes the autohelm lines, well, there’s always THIS or THAT...), so I turned on the engine, and you know what? it doesn’t let water out! This beautiful night meant fumbling in the engine for me, great, huh? What else is going happen?
maybe it’s the impeller – a rubber thing inside the water pump which cools the engine down... I hope it’s just a loosened belt, which would mean that it’s going to work (perhaps if I manage to tighten it. The yacht gets thrown from side to side, it’s dark, and it’s really difficult to do something with this engine, because IT is on the other side, so I have to lay down on the engine, and, additionally, manage to hold the light and tools... If it turns out that it’s not about the impeller, I will have to take out all the food, water and sails from the closet in order to get to the pump... The thought that I am sailing in the direction of the Galapagos Islands only would help, but well, there’s nothing I can do about it...
So, today I’ve been ‘a bit’ fed up. I mean, I am ‘a bit’ fed up with all that headwind, lack od sunlight and everything...:(

You know what else has happened? A bird pooed on my foot. You won’t believe that! Well, neither could I:) When I was at the steer, it dropped its bomb. Nasty bird! Anyway, it all made me just laugh, as I have no words I could use, let alone energy.
During the day, I saw the ‘bluest’ piece of the sky in the world. It showed up among thick clouds all of a sudden. A tiny little piece, you will see it in the picture. It was THE moment for me. I will remember it, that’s for sure.
Well, it was this belt in the engine. When I turned it on for the first time, there was nothing, but I felt tempted do try one more time and... it let water out!!! Hurray, I’m so happy! ‘Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality.’ (cardinal.Joseph Suenens).