Yes! We’ve got wind! (at least for a while…)
Thursday, August 5, 2:00PM PDT Position: 39-43N, 151-47W
After a day and a night of motoring across a mirror-smooth sea, we now have wind. The forecast is for ten knots from the west, but we have 16+. We are running nearly downwind with the genoa poled-out to starboard and the main to port: the “wing and wing” configuration. Speed is about seven knots, and we are heading about 060 degrees magnetic, which should take us under a forecast light patch of air. We will then turn a bit north and aim for Cape Flattery and the entrance to Puget Sound.
Yesterday afternoon saw VALIS putting along, crew usually in the cockpit or on the foredeck to escape the engine noise and to enjoy the sight of smooth sea and the reflected puffy clouds. At times the wind gauge was reading under one knot. It was a very pleasant interlude. About 8:30 PM the wind had picked up a bit, so we killed the engine and sailed (slowly) for a while. This was not to last, and within a half-hour the wind had dropped again and we were again under power.
Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs, which was much appreciated. As the sun began to set we brought the laptop out to the cockpit, hooked the audio to the cockpit speakers and started the DVD “Big Trouble in Little China”. We sat back, passed the popcorn, and had a very pleasant evening.
Evening watches were under starry skies and occasional clouds. The sliver of the waning moon rose in the early AM, so the skies remained dark as we sailed into the milky way.
At first light the wind had become strong enough to begin sailing again, and that’s what we’re doing.
Paul / VALIS