s/v Luckness: Still sailing to Hawaii! Day 5.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Still sailing to Hawaii! Day 5.

Date: Mar 16, 2012
Distance remaining: 2112 Previous 24 hour run: by GPS: 142

Date: Mar 17, 2012, Time: 10am Hawaii time
22° 16' N 119° 32' W
Wind speed: 12 / wind dir: 312 (NW), Heading: 249, Speed: 6.0
Barometer: 1018, Water Temp: 66
Log: 3543, Batteries: %95 (-19 Ah)
Distance remaining: 1996 Previous 24 hour run: by GPS: 117

The wind was fairly variable two days ago, the previous time I sent an update. The wind strength ranged from around 9 to 17 knots, and the direction was NW to N. I remained sailing upwind the whole time - I've yet to have the apparent wind behind the beam. Just before dark the wind started to strenghten and I unbagged the staysail. At that point I was sailing with a reef in the main and two in the genoa in 17 knots of wind and if I needed the staysail during the night I wanted it to be ready. A had less sail up than I could have had, but I wanted a comfortable ride during the night.

Yesterday the winds ranged from 8 to 13 knots and the direction NW to N, another variable day. When I made my record in the log 20 min ago the wind was 12 knots, its now fallen to 7. I expect it will strengthen soon, back and forth.

It seems that I'm in an area of ill defined winds and weather, and the GRIB weather downloads show this clearly. They also show that in a few days, as the local weather changes and I make my way west that things should improve. Its possible I may have my first NE winds on monday which would allow me to sail downwind?if there is enough of it. Sailors are fickle. To much wind, not enough. Wind from the wrong direction. I'm making pretty good progress and am happy to be out here.

At the moment I'm sailing with full genoa, staysail and main making pretty good progress through these light winds. My direction is SW back toward my rhumbline and this varies every 30min or so according to the wind direction.

I assume sailors will all find the above completely fascinating - but non sailors may find it a little dry. Hey, I saw some dolphins yesterday! A large pod or perhaps 100 dolphins came over to play for an hour or so. I moved forward to the bow and waved and yelled at them, which they seemed to like as they became more animated. They're fun.

Other than that, the only other fascinating thing is the color of the water - its a deep blue, really nice. Its also very clear - as the dolphins dove down around the boat I could follow them for quite a distance down. I hadn't realized it was that clear until there was something to see down there.

There really isn't very much out here. There have been no ships transmitting AIS within 100nm of me for the last two days and I have seen no ships visually for two days when I was able to spot a freighter 7 miles away at night (which I had seen on my AIS receiver over 10 hours earlier.)

Everything is going well! I'll send an update to the blog in a few days perhaps. It may be longer if nothing continues to happen. By the way, on a trip like this, 'nothing' happening is a good thing. I hope not to have exciting stories to tell, aside from wildlife sightings, at the completion of this journey!

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