Rough seas overnight and this morning; large, narrow rollers tossed the boat about all night, cupboard contents clanging continuously. We’re running a broad reach and occasionally the wind is not strong enough to keep the sails full as the waves push the boat side to side. The sails SMACK and WHAP back into place, sure to tear threads and fracture strong holds if this action continues at a lengthy pace. As Brian puts it, if we want to get to New Zealand, we’ve got to keep the sails for 5000 miles. It’s hard to compromise the sail sway for going astray. Much of the night we headed 15-40 degrees off our hopeful 252 degree course. We could keep speed and a westerly direction but we’re headed to the South Pacific, not the West Pacific (although it’s lovely that side of the Ring of Fire as well).
In order to get full use to the wind vane, we had to move the Furuno radar satellite Blob to the side of the boat, instead of leaving it at the stern where it impeded our auto pilot. This took great teamwork and care, despite the radar being broken and therefore moot.
I feel as if we are in a constant earthquake zone. Belongings shift and launch from tables, counters, benches and beds, at the moment towards the port, or leeward, side of the boat. Pots of boiling water or anything left on the counter threaten to paint us with their contents. Tremors vary from small to boat rockin, a continuous battle to remain upright.
@6pm
13 ° 31’ N
113° 26’ W
Travelled 98nm
~2-5 ½ knots / hour
Breakfast: Banana bread, fruit
Lunch: Guac, tortillas, fruit
Dinner: pressure cooker potato soup explosions
Green in the Blue 