October 12, 2018

Day 8

Noon Position: 21 00N 132 22W

Course/Speed: S 5+

Wind: NNE 7 – 10

Sea: NE 3

Sky: Clear.

Bar: 1700, falling

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 82

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 76

Percent Relative Humidity: 61

Sail: Asymmetrical spinnaker and main, portside broad reach

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 101

Avg. Miles/Day: 148

Miles since departure: 1180

All night, the main slapped and banged its frustration as Mo lolled in a lazy, hand-me-down swell. As the hours of dark played out, the cloud cleared away. I could see Orion there above the mast and Sirius winking as if ...

October 11, 2018

Day 7

Noon Position: 22 40N 132 40W

Course/Speed: S 4

Wind: NNE 8

Sea: NNE 4

Sky: Cear. Cumulus on all horizons but none here.

Bar: 1016, falling

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 77

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 75

Percent Relative Humidity: 67

Sail: Both genoas poled out, third day. Main with three reefs amidships to dampen rolling.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 126

Avg. Miles/Day: 154

Miles since departure: 1,079 (A thousand miles a week is all we ask!)

“I’m glad to see you talking to Monte again,” said my wife in this morning’s note, “because that bit of ...

October 10, 2018

Day 6

Noon Position: 24 43N 132 13W

Course/Speed: SxW 6

Wind: NxE 7 – 12

Sea: NNE 6+

Sky: Mostly clear

Bar: 1016, falling

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 75

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 74

Percent Relative Humidity: 69

Sail: Both genoas poled out; they take wind on port quarter.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 144

Avg. Miles/Day: 159

Miles since departure: 953

Sergio is on his way toward Baja, which opens the gate south. And if that wasn’t enough good news, we now have brilliant sun.

Suddenly, the sea is a living jewel, an undulating, sparkling sapphire under an ...

October 9, 2018

Day 5

Noon Position: 27 06N 131 53W

Course/Speed: S 6+

Wind: NExN 12 – 17

Sea: NE 8 – 10

Sky: Overcast. No sun shots today.

Bar: 1017+, falling (1015 by 6pm)

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 72

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 71

Percent Relative Humidity: 71

Sail: Both genoas poled out and swung to starboard; wind dead on port quarter.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 153

Avg. Miles/Day: 162

Miles since departure: 809

I should have suspected something right away.

The bird, a drab-colored boobie, began landing protocol at dusk. He circled Mo rapidly thrice and then came ...

ATTENTION: The posts regarding the post hurricane inlet crossing have used the USACE surveys layered on NOAA charts. The USACE surveys indicate the locations of the ATONS at the time of the survey. In many cases the USACE ATON placement does not agree with the NOAA charts, because the USACE ATON placement is more recent than any other chart system. When viewing the charts posted, please note that the way points are specific points placed near the USACE ATONS wherever I can, to make the transit easier. But the ATONS may indeed not be where your charts show them ...

October 8, 2018

Day 4

Noon Position: 29 21N 130 33W

Course/Speed: SSW 6

Wind: NNE to NE 15 – 18

Sea: NNE to 10

Sky: Overcast with drizzle

Bar: 1020, falling

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 72

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 69

Percent Relative Humidity: 74

Sail: Both genoas poled out; Mo is running dead downwind.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 166

Avg. Miles/Day: 656

Miles since departure: 164

Navigation alarms woke me at 2am.

I jumped into the pilot house to examine the chart plotter, which, in night vision mode, was really too dim to distinguish anything except that that it ...

Show Notes:

• Check out Pete’s website here!
• Learn more about the Vendee Globe!
• Below: Andy and Pete’s recording session aboard Pete’s Garcia 45.

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On The Wind is the evolution of 59º North, and is, quite simply, long-form conversations with sailors from around the ...

October 7, 2018

Day 3

Noon Position: 30 49N 127 50W

Course/Speed: SW 7 – 8

Wind: NNE 19 – 25

Sea: NW 10

Sky: Partly Cloudy

Bar: 1021, falling

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 73

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 67

Percent Relative Humidity: 66

Sail: #2 genoa, three reefs; Main, 2 reefs; wind starboard quarter

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 172 (Yes, second day of better than 7 knots per hour for a 24-hour run.)

Avg. Miles/Day: 163

Miles since departure: 490

Even though no ships woke me and no sail changes were required, I slept fitfully.

Overnight winds veered into the N, ...

October 6, 2018

Day 2

Noon Position: 32 59N 125 37W

Course/Speed: SSW 7+

Wind: NNW 16 – 20

Sea: NNW 6 – 8

Sky: Overcast, squally, part sun

Bar: 1021, falling (1018 by evening)

Cabin Degrees Fahrenheit: 72

Water Degrees Fahrenheit: 67

Percent Relative Humidity: 76

(Note: I’ve added this last statistic just for the interest of it. One might think that, with water right there, humidity should be rather constant. We shall see.)

Sail: #2 genoa, full; main, one reef; tack starboard quarter.

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good: 172

Avg. Miles/Day: 159

Miles since departure: 318

Today was all ...

October 6, 2018

Now that all the historically problematic NC inlet crossings have been surveyed by the USACE post Florence, the ICW run south is starting to look passable for most boats. (NOTE: the Socastee Swing Bridge will not be operable for a couple of weeks.)   Managing the tide will be important. In Lockwoods Folly, the surveys indicate that you might see as little as 4 feet of water at MLLW.  You want to be crossing Lockwoods on a rising tide due to the 4′ shoal between R46 and G47. At high tide you have an extra 4-5 feet of ...