July 2, 2007
Wind NE 10 knots, Course SSE, Speed 4 knots, Position 10° 29 N, 25° 53 W

I stand on the aft deck and balance in the wind surveying all that surrounds me. It's easy to do because there is nothing but sea and sky and I've been gazing at them for more than 70 days now. By now it doesn't matter how many days. One day merges into the next, wave into wave, cloud into cloud, twilight, daylight, twilight, night. It's just Soanya and I and we haven't seen another person. We live day by day but sometimes we calculate the poundage of beans or seeds to reaffirm that we have enough, but we don't really know. There is too much of the unknown around us to feel so sure of ourselves that we really know something. We only know a little of the sea and sky that expands outwards from us. No one knows much about our environment and with it constantly changing how can we be sure of it? Our precious cargo is triple wrapped in plastic. The beans and seeds are like little galaxies stacked in our hold and the waves lap at their edges as we balance on top and survey our all that is around us. It goes on for infinity. How can we join in for even a small amount of time when we try to keep the wind, waves, and water from coming in? What if I loose this or that important tool, or this food or water gets spoiled? When the work is over for the day, I stand and judge the black cloud and gaze at the dim golden lining of the sun's last light.

Some Space Analogous Thoughts
How do astronauts wash their clothes?
Now that it's hot, I never wear shoes. Can they go barefooted?
During spaceflight, the only thing an astronaut can touch is what they bring with them. It's the same for us, though we can touch water and the few fish that we catch. It's very much sensory deprivation.
How much will power does it take for an astronaut to go on?
Are they constantly called on to do their best?
We are totally responsible for the outcome of our voyage. How is the astronaut affected by the unseen "big brother" who monitors them and drives their ship?
How do similar voyages into the unknown inspire the spiritual consciousness of mankind?