Current position: 37-09, 152-38 heading 032 deg mag @ 7.6 knts. true wind speed 13 - 18knts
We continue to clip along at a nice pace towards home. Able to keep sailing with only spurts of motoring in between. We're expecting to hit a no wind zone at some point so we can motor more easterly to get to the wind angle that will drive us to SF. At roll call, one of the return boats mentioned that the Weather Guy, Rick Schema, indicated the high would be moving South and East over the next few days. will be interesting to see how this affects our strategy. 3 of the boats are going to Victoria and had discussed via SSB going over the top of the high...they may not need to go as high as first predicted, but we'll see.
This is the most interesting part of the return. Most of us have been schooled on how to GET to Hawaii effectively (thanks to Stan Honey), but unless one has returned a boat to the mainland the rest of us don't realize that it is an art in itself. deciding which northern route to take, how far north is the high and a perceived cut over point to line yourself up with the mainland coast. And of course, this all changes depending on the whim of Mother Nature. Return boats always take along extra fuel for the inevitable no wind zones.
Sunday was a perfect day of sailing, blue water and white billowy clouds dancing across the sky. Still no fish...well a long skinny fish with big jagged teeth was thrown back. But, today is another day! We're also keeping a look out for any glass blue bulbs floating along...highly coveted for anyone sailing the ocean. we've seen green, red, pink rubber ones...a blue one was so convincing we chased after it just to be disappointed. Again, this is a new day!
Our only excitement was last night (always seems to happen at night) when we got a very strong wind change, then nothing. We rolled in the jib, centered the main and motored for several hours in a more easterly direction. Then the rain....always seems to happen at 0300. Finally at 0400 or 0500 (i was asleep), night watch was able to sail and once again found us hugging the port side of our bunks.
The crew has decided that after roll call and dinner that opera is the music of choice. as we watch the sunset, moon rise and listen to opera love arias we were treated to bursts of lightning that were way off to the west of us. Stunning none the less.
Tiki Blue
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