In recent weeks, we have been asked many questions about life aboard Oso Blanco during a long passage. Here are the FAQs:
Where do you stop to rest?
There are no rest stops between Puerto Vallarta and the Marquesas. We travel 24 / 7. There is always someone "on watch" monitoring the engine and navigation instruments, looking for interesting sea life, watching for other boats or ships, and generally being alert. We will take turns in 3-4 hour shifts. During our off watch time (which is most of the time) we eat, sleep, read, watch movies, or tend to boat maintenance needs.
How much fuel do you have and how far can you go?
We are currently loaded to our max capacity which is 3200 gallons of diesel fuel. For a passage as far as the Marquesas, we will run relatively slowly to conserve fuel and assure our range. We will start traveling at 6.5 - 7.0 knots (about 8 mph) and spped up a little as we get comfortable with our fuel use and range. This crossing should take 16 - 17 days and we shold have
How much fresh water can you carry?
Oso holds 500 gallons of fresh water. We also have a reverse osmosis water purifier which converts sea water into fresh water. We are careful with our water use, but we do have the luxury of regular showers, and plenty of drinking and wash water.
What do you eat?
We have a lot of storage, freezer, and refrigeration capacity. The boat is stocked for 4-6 months with basics and we have prepared and frozen many meals to minimize our cooking needs underway. Of course we are going to catch lots of fish for sushi and grilling!
What about communications?
Underway we have a satellite telephone that can be used for regular phone calls anywhere in the world. We also use it for daily email and weather reports. The sat phone does not allow us to surf the internet, but the email works well. The main limitation to our sat phone is that the email is very slow and it is expensive to use, but it is a wonderful luxury.
