ABOUT GERMS AND CONTAMINATION

Some folks worry that I may infect the water in my containers by blowing into them.

My father and grandfather sailed the square riggers. I remember my grand father telling me that they got fresh water by taking one of their boats up a stream and filling it with water. That water contained quite a bit of organic matter. Nowadays civilized countries like Ireland from where I intend to start have water treatment plants that remove organic matter from the water and may even add chlorine. Germs need organic matter to grow. Pure water is only H2O.

After a month or so at sea I will start to collect rainwater. I do not think that rainwater will contain enough organic matter to give my germs anything to grow on.

Also my grandfather said that if the water was contaminated you should wait until it had rotten three times, then it would be fit to drink again. I do not know if modern science agrees.

If however, against all odds, my water should get infected, it can only be infected by my own germs and they will obviously not do me any harm.

I am now back from the Göteborg Book Fair. Hopefully I have sold my manuscript. It will take a few months before the publisher have decided.

I have also bought charts over the approaches to Cape Verde Islands, Uruguay, Good Hope, Tasmania and Southern New Zealand in case I get appendicitis or similar. I hope to stay at sea.

I have been to dentist to check my teeth.

I have been to the MN factory in Ytterby getting more epoxy glassfibre and fillers.

I have been to the Exide battery company in Kungälv to talk about battery’s and everything has gone well so I mow ready to do more pleasant work.

Regards Yrvind.