crossword puzzles.
   By evening, the wind died out altogether and finally we broke down and fired up the engine. With the engine running, we were able to run the radar without drawing down the batteries. Our radar has a guard alert where I can set up a guard zone and if any target comes into that zone, a loud alarm will sound. That means the radar could be our eyes for another ship and we wouldn't have to look around every five minutes when on watch. Therefore, I broke out the computer and started writing this newsletter!
   Wednesday, July 2nd -- We powered until after the morning radio schedule. Then the wind looked like it was beginning to come up, so we shut the engine down and rolled out the genny and shook out the reef in the main (I normally reef the main while powering so that if the boat rolls, the main sail doesn't slam back and forth).
   It was calm. I was beginning to smell again, so I took a shower. God, that felt good; fresh and clean and not sticky. Oops, I spoke too soon! For no sooner was I enjoying the clean feeling, I noticed that we were down to less than 3 kts. Can't let that happen, so I called Kitty to help me rig the second headstay and then Kitty dove into the forward cabin and handed out the big drifter through the forward hatch. I hanked it on, attached a sheet and Kitty pulled the halyard until it was up and flying. We were back to 4-1/2 kts, except that now I was all sweaty once again. What we won't do for that extra knot of boat speed!
   Just before Herb's weather forecast, the wind died altogether and we were sitting on a flat, calm, glassy sea. It reminded me of the "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" "Water, water everywhere and all the boards did shrink. Water, water everywhere, not any drop to drink." "Twas like a painted ship upon a painted ocean."    Right after Herb, it looked as though there were some ripples on the water, so we cut the engine and put up the main and genny. YEAH! We were sailing at 4 kts!
   About 9 pm, Kitty was asleep and I was on watch. I went on deck every 5 minutes to look for ships. Was that a light on the horizon directly ahead of us? I stayed on deck and stared into the dark night. Yes, it was a light and it began to get bigger. I went below and turned on the radar. The ship was only 8 miles dead ahead and closing on us. I called on Channel 16 on our VHF, "This is the sailing vessel, TAMURE, calling the ship at 36 29 N and 36 52 W. Come back."
   After the second hail, a voice with a heavy Russian accent answered. I asked him if he saw me on his radar. He did. We talked for a minute or so. He asked if we weren't afraid to be out here all alone in such a small boat on the sea. When I told him that Kitty and I had already sailed around the world twice on such a small boat, he was duly impressed. I was watching him on my radar and noticed he was still closing on me, so I asked him if he would pass us starboard to starboard. He said that he would alter his course and do that. He passed us only 1/2 mile to starboard. I couldn't help wondering if he would have hit us had I not suggested he pass us starboard to starboard.
   After that close encounter, even though it would be a drain on the batteries, I left the radar on with the guard alarm fixed to go off if any ship came within 14 miles of us.
   By the change of watch at midnight, we were back to 2 kts, so in with the jib and on with the "iron genny". At least now I didn't have to worry about the radar being a drain on the batteries.