Read more "“With determina…"“With determination and effort, NOTHING is impossible”
Eddy Gruben
Month: August 2013
Exploring Hershel Island
After departing the big Ice flow, we continued sailing East. Then encountered a head wind that built the seas and slowed our progress. Heavy fog set in just as we approached Hershel Island. We tried to go between the Island and the mainland, to get some shelter. According to the official publications, we wound have […]
Read more "Exploring Hershel Island"A surreal passage to a melting Island.
08/05/13, 0200 hrs. Today has been amazing. After sailing wing and wing under the drifter for a while, the wind died down to slick flat water We were motoring in flat water, just as Isaac’s shift came to an end. A gentle breeze came to life, barely rippling the face of the water. We trimmed […]
Read more "A surreal passage to a melting Island."The view from “Out in Space”
The view from the water is an amazing sight. I’ve never been to outer space, but I would liken sights from the sea to those of Earth from outer space. In the words of Roger B Chaffee, U.S. Astronaut reardging seeing Earth from afar: “The world itself looks cleaner and so much more beautiful. Maybe […]
Read more "The view from “Out in Space”"Projects and prep for the next leg.
Sitting just offshore in 8 feet of water, Empiricus awaits another load of fuel. Carried by the steady oars of Will Watson. While Isaac works ashore transferring fuel into 15 gallon drums. Fixing the Ham radio was challenging. Still having output issues which seem to be antenna related. The learning never stops! The compost head […]
Read more "Projects and prep for the next leg."Morale afloat.
Morale aboard. 07/24/13 Kotzebue Sound Morale is everything afloat. There are unavoidable conditions at sea, which will wear a crew down. Kill Morale or upset the rhythm of a crew. These hazards can be mitigated but not eliminated. Many times we confuse the 2 and our tunnel vision assigns avoidable hazards into the unavoidable column. […]
Read more "Morale afloat."A gift of time.
Its 2:30 AM here aboard Empiricus. We are a hundred Nautical Miles East of Point Barrow. Hugging the coast only 3 miles away. The pack ice curtains us in on the Port side, as we slowly motor in sloppy, uneasy seas. We douced all our sails a few hours ago, having sailed most of this […]
Read more "A gift of time."Snapshots of Nome
While in Nome, the crew worked hard. we rigged, painted and prepared each day. But we got out a little as well. Here are a few snapshots. Behind each is a much grander story, but here is a taste for now. Since I heard Bruce’s yowl as we left the dock, and turned about to […]
Read more "Snapshots of Nome"
EMPIRICUS EMBARKS 