Wednesday, August 11, 3:45PM PDT Position: 39-35N, 133-17W Speed: 7 kts, Course: 087 degrees magnetic
Today we just sailed. Sailed fast, too. This is on track to be our fastest day yet. perhaps 169 miles in 24 hours (from 8:00PM to 8:00PM). The wind has been a steady 16-20 kts from the north, and the seas about six feet from the north and northwest. We have reefed the main and genoa to balance the boat, and the ride has been fairly comfortable. There have been interludes of sunshine, but the day has been largely grey and cloudy with occasional drizzle. We should have another day of these conditions, then the wind is supposed to get much lighter and be swinging around to come from the west. The last day or two of our passage may be slow.
For much of the day we had two albatross circling the boat, and occasionally coming in for a water landing. When they want to set down, these large graceful flyers put their feet out as skis or brakes, and glide in for a pretty abrupt landing. They would float for a few minutes then take off for another circuit or two around VALIS.
We will sail through the 500-miles-to-go mark around 6:00PM this evening, and the crew is definitely thinkiing about home. Of course predicting the exact time of landfall is impossible, but a Sunday arrival seems like a distinct possibility. As we get closer our arrival will become much clearer.
Lunch today: Tuna. Dinner: Tuna. Breakfast tomorrow: NOT TUNA!
Paul / VALIS

Tuesday, August 10, 11:30 AM PDT
Position 40-00N, 137-25W Hove-to for fish cleaning (and cockpit cleaning).
Dick was becoming frustrated by the lack of fish. Last night he pulled in the line and found it had snagged a paper towel (probably one of ours), which no doubt had scared off any fish. This morning he put out the line as the sun came up, and within ten minutes had hooked a large tuna, about 40 inches long and very thick. Getting it on board was a struggle, but Dick, Carl, and Rich did it. The fish was quickly anaesthetized with “fish juice” (cheap vodka) in its gills, but the boat was a bloody mess by the time it was secure. We hove-to to wash the cockpit, the rails, the navigation equipment, the sheets, and Dick’s boots and foulies. It took many buckets of salt water and some scrubbing to rince everytthing down.
Carl and Dick then proceeded to clean, scale, and slice the beast into many tuna steaks. Our fresh meat supply is no longer a problem, and I think we will be bringing some home with us. Fishing operations aboard VALIS are suspended for the duration.
Any minute now we will resume sailing for San Francisco.
Photo: Dick and Carl display the catch.

Monday, August 9, 4:00PM PDT
Yesterday we were motoring. Then we were sailing, Then motoring. Sailing again. This went of for most of the day, then as the sun began to sink in the western sky the wind steadied and we sailed through the night. Still no fish, we had a simple dinner of coleslaw and soup, which we all enjoyed very much.
During the afternoon we began to see swells from the north combining with the swells from the west which we had become quite comfortable. The new swells , while still small, created a much different boat motion, and during the night these northern swells became dominant.The wind also picked up occasionally, to a high of 20 kts. We spent the night sailing into the larger seas and stronger winds. Actuall, these were still quite moderate, but we did discover several places that were no longer safe to stow coffee cups, etc. Sleep was a little tough to come by as well.
We can tell that we are closer to San Francisco; the evenings are much cooler, and the sun is setting earlier than it was in Hawaii. We wear our foulies during night watch, and perhaps an extra layer of clothing. The ocean’s phosphorescence is shanging too. We still have the blue star, sparkler, and flashbulb styles of illuminated lifeforms, but the foam from the breaking whitecaps and our bow wave gives off a soft green light that is quite beautiful.
In the morning the wind began to die again,and we have resumed the motoring / sailing pattern. Around noon we sailed under a brief rainshower, and a few of the clouds carry some extra wind (or a patch of dead air).
There’s a line in the water, but no fish yet. We had quesadilas for lunch, and are currently sailing at over six knots, pointed approximately towards San Francisco (822 miles to go).
Position: 40-04, 139-53 W.
Paul / VALIS

Sunday, August 8, 11:36 PDT Position: 40-05N, 143-23W Wind: less than 5 kts Motoring, 5.5 kts @ 065 degrees magnetic.
So, yesterday we were motoring, and hoping for some wind. We didn’t have to wait long, because after 2-1/2 hours of diesel time the wind picked up a bit and we hoisted the genoa. Boatspeed was about five knots, and it’s much more pleasant to be sailing.
Dick still hadn’t caught us our dinner, so instead Carl prepared some very tasty chicken burritos (using the fabled canned chicken) and spanish rice.
About four hours of sailing was all we got though. By 9:00PM the wind had dropped again and we cranked up the engine again. It was a noisy night, but at least we were heading for home.
The evening was very nice, with stars and clouds, and one ship passing by on the horizon. During previous nights we have had some spectacular meteors streak across the sky, and there were several big ones last night. There was a dark line of clouds to the north, probably part of the cold front shown on our weather charts, and in the early AM hours this moved down on top of us. There was a little rain, but not enough wind to matter.
Sunrise revealed thinly-overcast skies and clouds, and a calm sea. Still motoring.
At 7:30AM the wind picked up abruptly, and we again killed the engine and hoisted the genoa. Ten to fifteen knot winds were driving us at good speed, if a little south of our goal.
At 8:30 AM the Tiki God became quite agitated, banging his skull-drums and playing the song that we all know so well. We had crossed the 1000-mile barrier! We had 999 miles to go before reaching the Golden Gate Bridge. Trust me, this feels like a big deal to the crew of VALIS.
The wind wasn’t fated to last though, and at 11:00AM it vanished as quickly as it had arrived. We are once again motoring. We are aiming very slightly north, for a better wind angle during the last phase of our San Francisco approach. Our fuel consumption is looking good, and we have plenty left for later.
The fishing line is back in the water, and we remain optimistic that we will be having a delicious fish dinner.
Paul / VALIS

3:15PM PDT Position: 40-11N, 145-447W SOG: 6 kts, COG: 070 degrees magnetic
Last night we were sailing smoothly towards the east, with light but usable winds and seas pushing us along at six knots or so. There were occasional interludes where the wind dropped and shifted, and Rich stood watch through a very thorough rain-washing, but we were making decent time towards San Francisco.
When the sun came up we were still moving well, but the wind has been steadily dropping throughout the day. By 2:30PM it had finally fallen below eight knots, and the sails were mostly flapping uselessly. Our boat speed was usually below four knots, and it was time to do something.
So, we dropped the pole that had been holding out the Genoa, and furled the big headsail. The main was centered, we checked for lines in the water, and started the engine. From the forecasts, we may be motoring for a couple of days, but we will remain on the lookout for favorable winds.
Dick is trying to catch our dinner using the never-fail cedar plug lure, the sun is out, and the day is beautiful. Not too bad at all!
By the way, yesterday at about 5:30 PM we crossed the (new) halfway point: 40-12N, 148-32W, 1218 miles from Kaneohe, 1218 miles to the Golden Gate Bridge. The champagne cork was popped, speeches made, Neptune was given his offering of bubbly, and Rich opened and shared the contents of his halfway box (thanks, Edie!). We wrote a message commemorating our milestone, put it in the champagne bottle, and cast it into the sea.
Paul / VALIS

That uncooperative Pacific High is making trouble again. What the long-range forecasts had shown as a workable route to Puget Sound has now turned into an inpenetrable roadblock. The new (and now presumably more accurate) forecast has the High sliding right over our track, then giving us headwinds after that. We could of course eventually work our way up north, but it would take many extra days and not be particularly pleasant.
On the other hand, the route to San Francisco from our current position isn’t too bad now. Light winds are forecast, and some wind forward of the beam, but all in all it’s quite workable. So that’s where we’re going, and it will take some pretty strange weather developments to send us anywhere else.
This means that our halfway point is still about 15 miles in front of us. Perfect timing for an afternoon halfway party!
Paul / VALIS 40-09 N, 148-58 W

Shortly after midnight the Tiki God began playing his lively tune: VALIS had crossed the halfway point. We are now closer to the entrance to Puget Sound than we are from the entrance to Kaneohe Bay. As of now (7:00 AM PDT, Auguat 6) we have 1182 miles to go to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
There’s going to be a party when we all wake up!
Paul / VALIS

It’s about time to lift the veil of secrecy that has until now covered VALIS’ mystery crew. We come from all walks of life, but the less said about that the better. We are: Rich (from Portland Oregon), Carl (Camas, Washington), and Dick (from San Francisco). Rich and I have been sailing together for several years, Carl is a friend of Rich’s, and Dick has a sailboat a few slips down from VALIS in Sausalito.
These guys are great!
Photo: Rich and Carl discuss the wind direction, Dick is bemused. (L-R: Carl, Dick, Rich)

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

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