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 have a day or two of light winds as we cross through the top of the Pacific High, but in general the winds should be favorable from here on. In commeration of this milestone we composed a message in a bottle and cast it into the sea. Who will find it?
Yesterday after dinner the wind started to return, so we shut down the engine (we had been motoring since mid-morning), and we hoisted all “plain sail”. Shortly afterwards we set the light-air asymmetrical spinnaker flying, and we were sailing to the east in fine style. We have been flying this colorful sail continuously since then, and it has been serving us well.
Dinner was chicken enchiladas and salad. The skies were clear, and the light clouds on the horizon augmented a glorious sunset. Once it darkened we all retired to the cockpit where we watched “Fargo” on the laptop (set in the companionway, with the cockpit speakers giving us the sound). All that was missing was the popcorn, an omission we will remedy on our next “movie night”.
The night watches went smoothly and the “A-Sail” (asymmetrical spinnaker) pulled us smoothly through to dawn. This morning we prepared our “Halfway Message”, and we have been making good speed and course since then.
Our current position is latitude 40deg 58 min, longitude 149deg 05min. Speed is 6.8 knots at 100 deg true. Winds is 7 knots from the south.
Attached photo: John’s Sunrise Watch
Regards,
VALIS