Today is probably the last plot on the West Coast of North American, USA to Mexico chart! We’re on our own now in the Big Blue, and onto Brian’s universal plotting charts.
We attempted wing on wing today with the main sail on starboard first, and when our course way too far south, with it on port side. We held the same course (not the one that leads us to Hiva Oa) and so reverted once again to broad reach, able to keep on 250°. Overnight we were averaging 275° and being bombarded with boat quaking swells, the steel walls shuddering, cupboard contents rattling, a constant attack from starboard side. Not extremely peaceful to sleep but a siesta this afternoon helped.
You can try to swim the sea
And you can try to hold the breeze
And you can try to hide the sun
But say goodbye to everyone
~Avett Brothers
A shower day! Probably halfway through our voyage and we haven’t finished a fresh water tank yet (we have 2, about 70 gallons each) and we both felt pretty icky, so we decided to splurge (splurge being washing with salt water and rinsing with fresh!). Our hair was moldable into the places we shaped it, dirt embedded our finger and toe nails, we’re covered with layers of salty ocean crystals, sunscreen, sweat, aloe vera… Teamwork is the name of the game in a bucket and bottle type of shower…especially with the waves of our landscape.
After dinner we were getting tossed around as usual and Wendy Vanity is having a hard time keeping a course with waves pushing the boat and confusing her with which direction the wind is prevailing from. As we reefed the sail, we noted another boat’s red mast light on the darkened horizon. Being keeled over quite far by huge rollers, we took care to make sure our course was being kept as we did deck work. Harnesses donned and not comfortable in pj boxers, we pulled down the wind scoop as we reached 7.4 knots per hour, even with the reefed sail. Perhaps the lunar pull of the full moon is drawing water from an otherwise placid sea up to heights that shake and rattle hull and heart. Things should settle in the doldrums!
@ 6pm
10° 50’ N
123° 34’ W
Traveled 135nm
~5-7 ½ knots / hour
Breakfast: Trail mix, cornbread and honey
Lunch: Quesedillas
Dinner: Mie Goreng
Green in the Blue 