| DREAMCATCHER VOYAGE Journal 11- Daily Log of Pacific Crossing |
DREAMCATCHER DAILY LOG of PACIFIC CROSSING A short log about a long passage. These daily notes outline our conditions and activities during those 25 days at sea – they are by no means the official log of the vessel, which contains more statistical information regarding wind, sea state and other maritime phenomena. Wednesday April 7 Lat: 20 deg 39’ N Long 105 deg 15’ Left Puerta Vallarta with 210 gallons fuel, 180 gallons water, $1,000 worth of Mexican provisions: boat down 3” on the waterline. Fuel dock fiasco – geyser of diesel, finally solved with a heavy discount and a shower. Motored through Banderas Bay, dolphin pod saw us off, turned 3 circles, set sail with 2 reefs in the main for a conservative start. Quiet Night: Dinner – seafood rice paella Thursday Apr. 8 Lat: 19 deg 41’ N Long 107 deg 15’ Todays Miles157 Smooth sail till noon, passed Cabo Corrientes with no hassles, main sail (1 reef) & 94 jib, wind picked up : 18-24 knots wind, “wild ride” all night; we send/receive first emails from the Pacific. Dinner – Thai chicken green curry with fragrant coconut rice, mango chutney. Vanilla pudding. Friday Apr 9th Lat: 18 deg 09’N Long 108 deg 59’ Todays Miles: 125 Wind continued strong all day till sunset then died down to 16 knots, cool evening: Saw huge freighter bound for Acapulco. Easter Friday, Henry cooked great Dinner: caramelized onions, grilled yellow & green peppers, rice, ostrich steak medallions. Chocolate bar. Sat Apr. 10 Lat: 17deg 37’N Long 109 deg 42’ Todays Miles: 95 Ran engine for 2 hrs, wind 12 knots, pleasant day; enjoying radio & weather nets and checking in with Don/Summer Passage. Awful night with light & variable winds, medium swell, boat banging around; GT sighted Southern Cross. Dinner: Vegetable stir-fry & spicy noodles. Orange slices. Apr 11: Easter Sun Lat: 16 deg 11’N Long 111 deg 47’ Today miles:105 Very light winds,boat speed 3 knots, nice sunny day with calm water, loosened turnbuckles on uppers/lowers on rig by half turn, hoping to reduce pumping under heavy weather; did a few items of laundry, started reading books; radio nets – boats ahead of us encountering rough weather. Dinner: ostrich medallions, caramelized onions, peppers, rice pilaf, crème caramel flan with glass of wine to celebrate Easter. Monday Apr 12 Lat: 15 deg 53’N Long 112 deg 47’ Today’s miles 100 Calm Seas, light winds, Jack driving, sighted large fishing vessel to port. Working our way through fresh produce, now have 2 loaves of bread left; found & opened large box of chocolate biscuits…. 12-14 knot winds, perfect: 140 mile day. Did email & submitted first Yotreps report. Dinner: fresh guacolmole (from 2 of the 18 avocados aboard), melba toast, grilled salmon roulade, potato w/cheese filling. Tuesday Apr 13 Lat: 14 deg 40’N Long 115 deg 40’ Today’s miles 142 Very calm, beautiful blue sky, no wind – use this as a down day: shower, haircut, laundry, sorted fruit & vegetable baskets, full diesel tanks from 4 yellow fuel jugs (good to get them off the deck); made cheesecake to celebrate GT’s mum’s birthday; 3 big seabirds crap on dodger, 2 dead flying fish on deck. Dinner: chicken keiv, saffron rice, green peas. Cheese cake, red wine to toast birthday. Wed Apr 14 Lat: 14 deg 01’N Long 117 deg 06’ Today’s miles 95 NE Trades !! wind lightens and veers to north from the NW prevailings, then NE. Cloud formations different today. Dinner: Salmon medallions, garlic mashed potato, fresh veg. Cheesecake. Thur Apr 15 Lat: 13 deg 09’N Long 118 deg 14’ Today’s miles 94 Flying fish fly’s into GT’s lap while she’s reading on watch! Both fish & GT freaked out! Wind 17-18 knots, jibe for the first time since we started, now on port tack – our port side muscles (legs etc) weak from being on starboard tack for a week, a little uncomfortable. Reefed at midnight, Spoke with Don…. Great discourse, Winds 25 knots. Dinner: Turkey/Apple/Cinnamon sausages with rice, salsa, fresh veg. Cheesecake. Fri Apr 16 Lat: 13 degN Long: 118 deg 40’ Todays Miles 90 Same conditions, grey sky, winds between 18 & 28 knots all day. Both tired & cranky. We’re on track. 230T course. Switch to 2 hrs on 2 off tonight due to wind conditions. Wested, into squalls, winds 28-34 all night, rained hard, we’re soaking wet, gone thru 3 changes of dry clothes, hand steered over 25 knots thru big seas. Boats ahead in PuddleJumpers net advise 50 knot squalls, lying to sea anchor. Dinner: ostrich & tomato bolognaise over pasta. Crème Caramel. Sat Apr 17 Lat : 12 deg 20’N Long 119 deg 28 ‘ Today’s miles 132 Jibed to Southeast (156deg) to escape low pressure system, winds lightened to 28 knots, still grey, rainy, squalls passing to west, not on desired course, but less rough: noon winds lightened, seas big, running engine to help punch thru waves/swell, cold, full heavy foul weather gear, wool hats, both exhausted & wet, napped, shoulders ache from steering. Recovery afternoon, handed boat back to Jack all night. Dinner: Large bowls Clam Chowder. Chocolates. Orange slices. Sun Apr 18 Lat: 11 deg 48’N Long 121 deg 30’ Today’s miles137 Course 190, still southing, ok for rhumbline heading, both tired but returned to 3 hr watches, seas 12-15ft but wind easing to 20 knots, first piece of blue sky in 4 days; did boat running repairs; lazy jacks, patched small hole in main, sail taped biminy tears, fixed 2nd reef block/lines (had torn from sail during heavy weather);relaxing day, needed this after being “beaten up” for 3 days; had a beer. Email from Sven (Spiritus Invictus) advising he had crossed Equator, great news. Speranza left Mexico to start passage. Dinner: chicken cordon blue, seasoned rice, mango chutney, fresh avocado slices. Vanilla pudding. Mon Apr 19 Lat: 08 deg 24’N Long: 124 deg 07’ Today’s miles 120 Sunday night, wind, swell picked up again, rain, winds to 34 knots (glad we fixed 2nd reef block yesterday); back to 2 hr watches, managing helm in these conditions very demanding, focus, “wired” coming off watch. GT has start of bad shoulder/neck cramps. Both tired. Jack died during dinner. Dinner: Turkey chilli (first meal out of a can). Fresh orange slices. Chocolate. Tue Apr 20 Lat: 06 deg 50’ N Long 125 deg 12 ‘ Today’s miles 110 Squalls, rain, wind 28-34 knots, big black smudjy squalls; bad news from s/v Djadara via radio 150 miles ahead, Victoria got thrown from helm through companionway, injured head/face. Weather system (combined Pineapple Express/NE Trades/ITCZ that moved north) playing havoc with large area – we are on the edge of it….boat still full of wet clothes & towels. Cold, foul weather gear again. Called Commander Wx systems “what is this?” jibed south again to avoid intensifying cells to the west. Jibing Dreamcatcher in big seas, driving rain at 34 knots, scary. Step by step. Very careful, nothing breaks. Noticeably more stable conditions 6 hrs later, motored 4 hrs. Dinner: Pumpkin Soup, crackers & cheese w/sun-dried tomato. Wed Apr 21 Lat: 05 deg 34’N Long 126 deg 17’ Today’s miles 120 Our 2 week milestone, pre-dawn talked to Don/Summer Passage on our position/proximity to ITCZ: it is still north of it’s usual position (3-7 deg N) we are in it. Jibe west again, aiming for 130 deg long. equatorial crossing; blue sky, 18 knots, lovely sailing, safe enough to disrobe & shower, radio nets still great company, keep us from feeling alone – still sighted no sailboats. Flying fish on deck each day. Dinner: Chicken Cordon Blue, mashed garlic potatoes, green peas, chutney. Oranges Thur Apr 22 Lat: 05 deg 03’N Long 128 deg 14’ Today’s miles 115 Great sailing, 18 knots, GT’s shoulders aching from hand steering, 2 hr watches full time now. Where are these doldrums? Want a couple of days calm. Dinner – fresh vegetable bolognaise over pesto tortellini pasta. Glass of wine. Fri Apr 23 Lat: 03 deg 57’N Long 129 deg 28’ Today’s miles 120 Heave to for 6 hours, sleep, shower….light winds, 6 knots. Dinner: smorgasbord in cockpit – fresh avocado, crackers, blue cheese, sun- dried tomatoes, celery with peanut butter in channel. Beer, Oranges. Sat Apr 24 Lat: 02 deg 17’N Long 130 deg 50’ Today’s miles 110 Winds 9-11 knots, we get spinnaker out; had main up, hard to hold kite. Shred halyard, but able to chop off shredded end, bowline & duct tape,ugly but OK. Take in spinnaker late afternoon. Motor 6 hrs in 8 knots wind. Make Cheesecake for tomorrow. Dinner: Sausages (sun-dried tomato & cheese), mashed potato, mixed veg. Caramel pudding (Nestle). Sun Apr 25 Lat: 00 deg 00’ Long 131 deg 32’ Today’s miles 110 Spinnaker all day without main: flies much better… Have to take bimini down to see sail, hot, GT in long pj pants, long sleeves, big hat. Drop kite at 4pm, approaching equator. Heave to for 3 hrs and cross Equator!! a major milestone. Shower, lipstick (GT), phone calls to parents (love that Iridium!) We are now in the Southern Hemisphere.! Celebratory dinner: Smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, melba toast, fresh avocado, bottle of champagne with toasts to everyone we can think of, including Neptune. Mon Apr 26 Lat: 0 deg 43’ S Long 132 deg 19’ Today’s miles 120 Great winds, SE trades are running, 18 knots, terrific sail all day. Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce, cheesecake Tue Apr 27 Lat: 02 deg 21’ S Long 133 deg 31’ Today’s miles 110 Great Sailing, winds 15-20 knots Dinner; Salmon roulades, saffron rice, tomato/avocado slices. Cheesecake. Wed Apr 28 Lat: 03 deg 46’ S Long 134 deg 42’ Today’s miles 135 Jibed, need to make some southing, winds about 15 knots…great sailing but 2 hr watches & hand steering starting to take toll, we are constantly tired. Night – squalls come and go, GT on helm in 34 knots wind squall, wake Henry for assistance, need to ease main, jib, boat at hull speed, 8.2 knots, very alarming! wild, hairy, drenching ride. Too much adrenaline to sleep. Dinner, Sausages, mashed potato, fresh tomatoes. Hot chocolate. Thur Apr 29 Lat: 05 deg 16’ S Long 136 deg 15 Today’s miles 100 Closing in, only 400 miles to go, hard to hold course, wind dead down-wind. Jibe, 6 hrs later jibe again, winds good at 14-16 knots from SE now. Compass acts up – shows 18-20 deg off: we email compass guy who gives technical treatise on mis-behaviour of compasses that have been calibrated in nthn hemisphere. Steering with GPS. Cannot hold our 210 desired course, frustrating, try to point too high, main bangs around despite preventer, poor boat. Jibe again, too much southing, jibe west again. Frustrated we cannot lay the landfall waypoint. Dinner: Chinese sweet & sour chicken (using last of fresh veg) with ginger rice Fri Apr 30 Lat: 07 deg S Long 136 deg 50 Today’s miles: 110 Winds change from SE trades to NE – why? Too far south for the NE trades here. Jibe again, winds between 12 & 15 knots…thinking about poling out jib but too hard for one person to do (other stuck on helm) as clew to high and seas very rolly. Still trying to hold 210 but get beam seas each time we’re close…wind not enough to drive us through rolly seas. Getting cranky with this. Dinner: chicken chilli (frozen, home made in Mexico), grated cheese, chopped onion. Sat May 1 Lat: 08 deg 38’ S Long 137 deg 30’ Today’s miles: 100 Still NE winds 17knots, stay on southerly jibe all day: 190 deg only course we can manage, still need 210, southing too much…. We know we’re close, very tired, winds lighten quickly at sundown, down to 12 knots, then 7 knots…. We are exhausted, turn on engine and drive to final waypoint in light air overnight. Dinner: Thai chicken curry with cardamom rice, mango chutney. Sun May 2 La:t 09 deg 44’ S Long 138 deg 37’ LANDFALL at dawn – wonderful sight. Motor past Hiva Oa to Tahuata Island. Drop anchor late afternoon. Dinner: 2 beers & chocolate bar. Sleep 17 hours straight. |
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