We are getting close: only 970 miles to go until we sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. We seem to have sailed over the top of the Pacific High (although we may have some light and frustrating winds in the next day or so), and we are well on our way towards the “Northerlies”, which […]

Greetings! We have been making good time since yesterday, and are sailing at 7.5 knots under asymmetrical spinnaker on a course of 120 deg true (this is more south than we would prefer, but we will make up for it later). Our current position, as of 3:30 PM PDT, is latitude 40deg 18min, longitude 145deg […]

Today around 1:30 PM PDT we passed the halfway point in our voyage home: 1250 miles from Kaneohe Bay, and 1250 miles to the Golden Gate Bridge! At this point we are about as far north as we plan to sail, and our course will be essentially a straight line to San Francisco. We still […]

(some missing time, sorry) valis-aug05.kmz

Here is the Aug 4 Google Earth trackfile. valis-aug04.kmz

Our position now (Aug 4, 2:45PM PDT) is latitude 40deg 37min N, longitude 151deg 58min W. We are motorsailing at about 6 knots on a course of 070deg True (a little north of due east). As far as I’m concerned, we have pierced into the heart of the Pacific High. Close enough, anyway, that the […]

Another afternoon, evening, and morning goes by, and what do you know, it’s afternoon again! (although VALIS is on California time and we are physically several time zones to the west, so it feels like mid-morning). The wind has calmed a little, but we are still making good time in the right direction. Phil is […]

In the last twenty-four hours, we have not had anything break! Since yesterday afternoon we have had full main and genoa flying, and even though the winds have remained moderate our speed has been considerably higher than in the previous two days. Seas continue to flatten, the winds are coming less from the north and […]

Attached is the Google Earth trackfile for the last day’s run. valis-aug02.kmz

Here is the trackfile for our noon-to-noon run, up ’til noon today, Aug 1. Again, we fixed the genoa furler (the second time) just before noon. As you can see, the winds are shifting, allowing us to finally sail to the east. valis-aug01.kmz