It finally happened.
This morning the wind was around six kts, which was letting us sail at 5 kts towards the north (the two-foot swells were also giving us a slight push). Around 11:00AM the wind dropped to less than three kts, and our speed dropped well under five. This looks like a long-term pattern, and the forecast agrees, so we have begun to motorsail through a corner of the Pacific High. We furled the genoa, centered the boom, disconnected the Monitor windvane, activated the autopilot, and are steaming north at about six knots. The small amount of wind is keeping the mainsail full, so it may be providing a little extra drive. We keep a watch for a change in the wind, but I believe we will be motoring all day, and perhaps through the night. We’ve got the fuel for several days of motoring.
Once we get a bit more north, the wind should fill in from the west and let us put the genoa back up. At that point we start heading for the Strait of Jan de Fuca.
With the engine running we now have hot water for bathing, and have taken advantage of the calm conditions to swab the decks and ourselves. There are still one-foot swells moving past so the ocean isn’t completely flat, but the surface is often mirror-smooth with nary a wind-ripple. We watch the By the Wind Sailors (small floating jellyfish) go by, and marvel at the occasional albatross as it circles the boat, its wingtips within inches of the water’s surface.
Time: 1:45 PM PDT, August 4 Position: 37-43N, 153-10W Course: 350deg mag Speed: 6 kts
Best, Paul / VALIS