Maisu Log '26: Water-rationing, May 1
Wind Voyagers of Changbin
Original version in Chinese
✐ Isin (Guanyuu) ✐
A day of faint winds, bright skies, and brilliant sunshine. For a stretch in the afternoon, the wind died down almost completely. The boys always know instinctively what can be done and when. In moments, their hybrid Satawalese-Palauan-English communication channel hummed into consensus: everyone jumped straight into the sea from the safety netting at the bow, scrambled back on deck to lather themselves in body wash and shampoo, and plunged back into the ocean to swim, play, and rinse off.
It was our third day with the steering paddle raised. The canoe glided effortlessly under wind-balanced self-steering—what I called “autopilot”—and everyone was completely at ease.
By dusk, Wayne, the elder among us, declared water-rationing protocols. He asked everyone to exercise self-discipline and stop making “ramen” on their own; hot water would now be reserved strictly for brewing coffee during watch changes.
Making ramen does indeed consume a startling amount of freshwater. Departing Okinawa, we carried roughly twenty-four 20-liter jerrycans, of which nearly a third was already exhausted. Not knowing how many more days we would be at sea, we genuinely had to budget every drop.
Wind Voyagers of Changbin
Earlier that afternoon, I bathed entirely in seawater. From head to toe, down to my underwear, everything got a good rinse in the cool ocean water. After giving the crew a quick heads-up, I grabbed the stern bailing bucket and its tether to the bow, where a wide expanse of rope mesh was slung across the crossbeams. Sitting right on the netting, I cast the bucket into the deep blue, hauled up seawater to wash my hair and scrubbed my body. The canoe was still gliding forward, rising and dipping with the rhythm of the ocean swell. The water beneath the netting drew near, then fell away; occasionally, a wave surged right up through the mesh to rinse me off, saving me the effort.
Once finished, I dried my body and hair with a towel and changed into dry clothing. Feeling completely refreshed, I sat at the bow seat to catch the breeze and soak up the sun, letting the remaining seawater dry off.
Each person on board is allotted a single 600 ml bottle of mineral water per day—our entire daily freshwater allowance. I always make sure to save a precious mouthful at the bottom. After my ocean bath and toweling off, I pour that bit of freshwater over my hair, raking my fingers through the strands to dry it as much as possible. This simple ritual strips away the stubborn brine, ensuring that once my hair dries in the breeze, it won’t leave behind a crust of white salt powder.
Post-edited by Yulun Huang (Yaya)