Mike fixed breakfast- great eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns and coffee.
I slept til 1300hrs after breakfast. Got up cleaned and put on new long johns as it is colder. If only the sun would come out. No wind.
The 1900 weather update does not look good
The high is at 48N and 145W.
There are 4 ridges:
1. Extending northeast to 60°N Lat.
2. Extending southwest to 30°N
3. Extending south east to 45°N
4. Extending south east to 25°N
Our DR is right in the long ridge that goes south east to 25° We are at 46N and 140W.
We have had engine on and off and have had to tack too numerous of times on headers for a sane mind to consider.
We take the 160 down as she gets back winded and is getting a chafed place at spreader bar. Will tape and sew. Will switch to my 163% when we can as it is a lighter sail. Wind fluctuates from NE to NW and is 5.
We have added 10 gallons to aft tank at 1600. I am trying to keep up with mileage to go/fuel consumption/ fuel remaining. Also this liter aft tank drives me crazy as I can’t compute it in my head so always need the calculator. We have enough fuel for 596nm and at noon we have 689.1nm to go. Where are the westerly’s? We need a storm!
Transferring fuel to aft tank.
This is frustrating. Our total run for 24 hrs noon to noon was our worst- 89.5nm-ugh. We floated thru the time zone and we will now factor in our max variation of 22E. Our autopilot went out at 1800hrs, the port micro-switch stuck. It took me 1.5 hrs to fix so all is well. I am pleased we have been able to make all our repairs. It is rewarding to be able to do that at dock, but when one is underway it is even more rewarding.
The engine is doing well, using about a liter and hour and the batteries are staying up. We have all lost weight.
At 2040 hrs, Jean is on, Mike off. I’m at nav station so with the engine on, the cabin is warm, the red nav light creates an inviting picture from the cold cockpit. Mike and I discuss the high and fuel consumption. We 3 toast with some hot chocolate-another Windsong gift+ 3 postcards from Annie, Leslie and Nancy. We sat down and wrote them all cards and will mail them when we reach shore. Windsong is a Cal 25.
I still believe that we will ride this high out and have my 20mph winds and 4 ft seas to take us to Cape Flattery without fog. In the meantime we are all praying for wind.
At 2100hrs the electric bilge pump stopped.
I place a note in logbook:
I place a note in logbook:
At end of each watch, hand pump bilge at aft cockpit pump--handle is located in engine control locker. Will fix in morning. Total engine hours 85.75.
22 July- Awoke this AM about 0900. Jean and Mike had set the 163% with 10 wind and engine off at 0830hrs. It is a beautiful sail and one that I have never used as it is very light. In Hawaiian waters I only used the heavy sails.
Jean repaired the 160. I rewired the electrical connection to the electric bilge pump. I cooked 2 meals today, the last of that wonderful cabbage. Still have a few onions and potatoes left. Made corn bread muffins tonight and they were really good. 2nd day without fish.
Winds held NW all day. Hope we can get underway. The vane is doing well, the wind goes from8-20 which means the tiller needs trimming constantly. Winds pick up we head up, winds down and we fall off. Compass swings from 30-70. I could just scream at times. It is so frustrating. I don’t think that we will ever get there. I’d just soon wake up from a good night’s sleep and be there. This is ridiculous. The high is still stationary with ridges going to Alaska, Cape Flattery and all the way to Baja. Gales are sandwiched in between the ridges. We still might be 2 days late reaching Cape. Will try to notify Bambi tomorrow depending on my watch.
No sun again, but not as cold. The weather said a cold front is moving across the north. So far we are always dry which is a relief. I guess the weather could always be a lot worse. I re-read the loran book. Mike kisses the Loran 4X a day.
Tonight it is so dark that I can’t see the coaming on the other side of the cockpit. Sabra is moving nicely with full main and 163, 10-12 wind. Getting good loran fixes and near our DR. The days go fast and these nights are long. I do not like the 4 hr night watches, much too long, especially the midnight to 0400. The 2 hr dog watches that Mike made up on his computer and printed out, are nice but they are at 4-6 and 6-8 pm. It is 2230 and only 1.5 hrs to go. Hope I can stay awake. We have steered pretty much a course of 045CC all day and night. At midnight 535.4nm to the Cape.
