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Jan 31, 2006: Abundance of solar power

26°C / 79°F

Position:15°20' N-56° 46' W

Wind: 27km/h

Today, we reached another maximum regarding the charging of our batteries: 914 Ampère-hours. What to do with the abundance of energy when the "sun21" docks in the harbors? In the future, parked boats could feed the electric grid with solar power.

Yesterday's morning greetings were brought by a new kind of bird, the fregate bird. It has a wingspan up to 6 to 7 feet. Its life style is altruistic – the other way around: It knocks other birds on the back until they drop out some of the swallowed food. And, it also avoids the drudgery to look for branches and other nesting material. It picks them out of already existing nests. When we watched them, David acknowledged: "This time they didn't have an other choice than to fish themselves." By the way, Cuba does not seem not to be too far away. Birds begin to have red legs and feet, e.g. the Red-footed "Tölpel" ("Booby", a seabird of the gannet family) that passed our boat in the afternoon.

It is solar energy that moves birds over long distances across the sea. Solar energy also moves us. Sitting on deck together and enjoying the evening spectacle before and after sunset, we sometimes become aware of our magic roof: Solar cells – silicon in crystalline form, made of sand, no noise, no pollution – collect solar electricity that drives us across the Atlantic, day after day, unpretentiously. Today, we charged 914 Ampère-hours, a new maximum of our journey. When the "sun21" docks in the harbors, what to do with the abundance of energy? So many solar energy sources will feed the electric grid in the future, even parked boats.

Two visits, two highlights today: The bird and the rain. All of a sudden, in the early morning, a shadow appeared, above us ­ a big bird, a red-footed "Tölpel" ­ (we like the German name so much). He circled around the boat. He looked at us. He opened and closed the beak; and he responded to our calls: Six times he returned when we shouted: "Come again". He even intended to land on the solar roof; but he hesitated. It looked too unfamiliar to him. The time will come when the "Tölpels" will also land on solar cells.

Tropical rain is a visitor that threatens to impinge seriously; but it does not stay for long. Huge dark clouds with gloomy curtains, ­ here they come and gone they are again. In the middle of the rain cloud, you do not believe that the sun will come again soon. But that is exactly what happens. The three visits were all too short to clean the deck and fill the tanks with sweet water.

Martin finished his 20th film, this time on "Security on Board".

Waves: Up to 6 feet.
Speed: 3,8 knots.
Mileage: 99 miles per 24 hours.
Expected arrival at Martinique: Friday, 2 February 2007.

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