Fri 1:45pm PST Very smooth sailing just now because we're heading slightly downwind and conditions are lighter. The wind is NNE 12kt and expected slowly to back over the next day or so so we'll be sailing downwind for quite a time (unless rain clouds appear!)
Just finished chatting to several contacts on the HF radio - excellent propagation for well over half an hour on 21234kHz between Florida and here in the S.Pacific.
Before that, I'd decided it was time to finish the (very!) well-ripened soft Saltspring Island goat's cheese I started last week - with some very nice crackers (thanks to Paula and Elaine!). Had some eggs boiling for later - Yes, I'm remembering to turn the stored eggs every day...!
6pm One hour more daylight... Spent quite a time on deck, checking around ... One tiny fish ended its days up on the coachroof. Enjoyed the fresh cool breeze and found the gentle motion of the boat almost hypnotic while sitting on the foredeck, just enjoying being out on the ocean... Love the deep blue of the sea when the sun is shining...
Back down below, I replenished the galley supplies of fresh onions and potatoes from the forepeak, where they're stored in crates, and coffee also. Generally cleaned around ... 'housework' exists, even out here!
Simple dinner tonight - boiled eggs and potatoes with sweet corn - a 'salad' - dice the first two and add mayonnaise!
N.B. Change of radio 'sched' - will be on 7160, not 7150, at 0400Z (2000PST Sat) onward
Wind slowly dying, as expected. It's from just 'abaft the beam' and down to NNE 8kt ... SOG struggling to stay over 4kt. Fred coping fine and keeping course.
10pm Looked over weather files - we're coming under a long swathe of cloud stretching right across our path from1 40S,110W to 20S,150W - combination of Cold Front with Trough extending from it. Light winds initially, strong winds overnight Sunday into Monday & onward, followed by rain, it seems..
Sat 10am Coffee... Checking emails and getting ready to post update. Still very gentle conditions with well-spaced seas. Heading downwind, but only just (10-11kt wind is still just 'abaft the beam'!). Feeling nicely warm still, with air temp of 27C/80F but sea noticeably a bit cooler now - consistently just under 30C over the last 36hrs.
Sun is trying hard to shine through a thin cloud layer, broken in places with shreds of blue among the white. Wind has slowly continued to back overnight to now - presently between N and NNE (at 10T) Deliberately heading more E of my previously-planned course since it looks as though we'll be forced to head S at some point in the next couple of days or so. Also, this might avoid light headwinds coming up just to our W soon. All very hypothetical...! We'll see how it turns out in practice.
Trying to find more jobs to do - might have to start reading...!
1900 GMT (=1100PST) - end of Day 45. We made 117 n.ml.(DMG) - more than I feared! - over the 24 hr period since yesterday's 1900 GMT position.
Position & weather report posted to Winlink.org and Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign of kc2iov) not long after 1900 GMT:
TIME: 2018/11/17 19:00GMT LATITUDE: 27-17.05S LONGITUDE: 123-52.62W COURSE: 141T SPEED: 5.0kt
WIND_SPEED: 10kt WIND_DIR: 010T
SWELL_DIR: NE SWELL_HT: 2.0m CLOUDS: 90%
BARO: 1020.7hPa TREND: 0 AIR_TEMP: 27.0C SEA_TEMP: 28.0C
COMMENT: Slowly making way. Hazy sunshine. 117ml 24hr DMG - not so bad!
