Evanston: corrections; observations; an apology; a mess
Evanston: corrections; observations; an apology; a mess
In “the sentimental sextant” I wrote that a three second error in the exact time of a sight would mean an error of one nautical mile at the Equator. A reader wrote that it should be four seconds. A small difference, but I like to be accurate. Thanks, Dave.
When I went for my pre-op examination on Thursday, some of the spaces on some of the forms had already been filled in. One of these was: Work Status: retired. I had them change that. A small difference, but I like to be accurate.
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In staring at an image yesterday which the brain eventually transforms from negative to positive, I realized that one of the advantages of being one-eyed is that you can’t be cross-eyed.
My new/old David White sextant arrived yesterday. It seems in good condition, exactly as described.
This is the first sextant I have bought when I was not at sea level--Evanston is about 600’/183 meters above sea level. The first where I couldn’t take a short walk or drive and observe the ocean’s horizon. And the first with which I will have to take observations with my left eye.
I suppose because I am right-handed, I was also right-eyed. I’ve already noticed that when using a camera, I naturally start to look through a viewfinder with my right eye, a habit I’m finding surprisingly easy to change.
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Emails sent to the contact address at this site are supposed to be automatically redirected to my main email address. I believe this generally this has worked; but when I checked the originating email inbox a week ago, about twenty emails popped up that I don’t recall ever before seeing. They all dated from January and February of 2010, and, as is sometimes the gremlinish way of the Internet, subsequently disappeared.
If you have ever sent me an email and haven’t received a response, I apologize. I answer all emails I receive, though obviously not immediately when I’m at sea.
In the future I’ll check the original site inbox more frequently to be certain all emails have been forwarded.
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Even in the long ago and unlamented days when I had what is called “a real job”, which was in fact far less real than sailing a small boat across oceans, I kept a clean desk.
Here my desk is more for storage than work. I seldom sit there. My laptop is a laptop. I’m presently sitting on the living room sofa. Almost always the only thing on top of the desk is a lamp.
Not now.
Without closer inspection I’m not even sure what all this stuff is. Almost all eventually will go to GANNET, the exceptions being the eye medications in the lower left and a UPS receipt for two of GANNET’s sails I shipped to a Moore 24 owner in Seattle.
In the back row from the left are a ziplock bag containing the Go Pro Hero camera and a Spot unit I received for Christmas and have not yet used. I may use the Spot some on Lake Michigan, but have already decided that it does not fit into the way I go to sea.
The white box holds the Dual GPS antenna.
A UBS cable and a piece of sandpaper that remained in one of my pockets and got carried away from GANNET.
A container of Sanyo rechargeable eneloop batteries, charger, and an electrical tester.
A zip lock bag with a waterproof deck connector intended for the tillerpilots.
A brown cardboard box with the Blue Sky SolarBoost 2000e solar panel regulator with its heat connector on top
On the left of the front row, three different eyedrops--two vials are the same--and one eye pill.
The UPS receipt.
A jug of Lipton Green Tea.
The sextant case, on top of which is Mary Blewitt’s, CELESTIAL NAVIGATION FOR YACHTSMEN, one of the books I found useful long ago and was pleasantly surprised to find still in print.
A zip lock bag with the FoxL v2 Bluetooth speaker, earphones and various cables.
I have no idea when order will be restored.
Sunday, April 22, 2012