Position: 17 53.1 N, 140 59.0 W
I moved off one chart and on to another today – a milestone worth noting for me. I’m now planning my route south through the Cook Islands towards NZ.
I made the most amazing lunch today. Fresh cabbage lightly cooked in a little extra virgin olive oil seasoned with a little Tellicherry black pepper and some organic Italian Balsamic Vinegar, a little melted apple wood cheese from Ian and Susan Grant’s private collection along with a Babybel mini gourmet cheese round. Wasca crackers and imported sausage from Choux Choux. Accompanied by a Blue Bridge Pale Ale.
We’re doing 7 + knots down wind , about 600 miles east off the Island of Hawaii headed for the equator on the fabulous West Wind II under the command of seasoned ocean sailor and chef extraordinaire !
Making the most of what I have, and sincerely hope you’re doing the same
Course: 225 Speed: 6.6 knots Wind: NE 15 Waves: NE 1.5 Cloud: 50 % Bar: 1016 Miles in last 24 hrs: 165
Wow! I am impressed by your culinary expertise while underway. Happy to hear all is going well. Brian
Am envious of your lunch. Plan on dropping by to share one with you. Oh but that would upset your single handed voyage. Maybe another time. Love the updated. Keep safe and enjoy the weather as it warms for you and cools down for us. Another chart makes a milestone on your trip. Keep on with your steady progress.
Hi Glenn,
Congrats on moving onto a new chart (and your lunch sounds fantastic by the way)!!! Based on your google earth map, it appears you are making steady progress. I would expect you must be into fairly warm temperatures given your present location. The monsoons have arrived in lower mainland with a vengeance so of course I am all the more envious of your adventure now!
As far as progress, are you pretty much on track with your expectations and have there been any surprises or concerns with how your sail boat and equipment are performing to date?
Best wishes and stay safe!
Doug
Equipment and Systems
Thanks for the question and your interest Doug.You asked how things are working out on West Wind II as far as equipment is concerned. All in all everything is good. I never seem to have time to do a shake down cruise before I set out on any of my voyages and I definitely think it would be a good idea if you can make the time. You don’t ever really know how things are going to work till you try them in the environment. Having said that you can over think things and then never get away. West Wind II is our fifth keel boat, and four of those I have rebuilt and gone offshore in, so I have some idea of what to expect. Most of the problems I have encountered have been small and I’ve fixed or changed them at sea. Here’s an example. I put a row of simple waterproof push buttons in the cock pit – one for the preheat to start the engine, one for the start button, and the third is the engine kill button. Turns out they’re exactly where my foot lands when I brace myself in the cockpit when we’re heeled over, so all the way out the Straits I was forever bumping into one and accidentally turning the engine over. I made a cover plate out of wood with my Makita cordless jig and screwed it over the buttons. This sort of thing happens a lot. This afternoon I had to re-feed the jack line that I clip on to every time I leave the cockpit and go forward on deck, to a more accessible and user-friendly route. I think a lot about all the systems on board because they’re all important. I may have a small problem with the design of my water collection system, but until I put it to the test, I won’t know for sure. It’s what makes a voyage like this so unique – you either have to get it right before you go, or fix it along the way. Tag you’re it.
Hello from Sooke, Vancouver Island. Enjoying your post immensely, follow your every post. Watched for you as you sailed out the Strait of Juan de Fuca, at the start of your amazing nautical dream. I visited the Cook Island so many years ago late 1980’s, Aitutaki, Rarotunga, unforgettable to this day. Your culinary skills especially onboard amaze me, Baby bell cheese, Wasca Crackers and ale I understand. Keep up the great insight into your fabulous journey and wishing you a memorable trip and “Safe Harbour” back in Victoria B.C. on Paradise Island. Harvey…. in Sooke, B.C. Canada
MaryLou and Glenn,
Good Sunday morning from socked-in & rainy Parksville, BC. Like so many of your “shoreside” watchmates, I follow your daily progress with abiding interest, delighted to know that you’re “livin’ the dream”. Alas, we shore-bound creatures are reminded – carpae dium – we truly admire your combined spirit and united determination. As a point of clarification, please confirm I’m reading your daily position reports correctly. That is to say, using your 20 Sep 13 pos’n report as an example, should I read it as 20 decimal 12 degrees North x 139 decimal 49 degrees West or should I read it as 20 degree 12 minutes North x 139 degrees 49 minutes West? In a similar vein, re your 19 Sep 13 pos’n report, should I read your UTC time as 00:03:45 (ie, 00 hrs, 03 mins, 45 secs) or as 03:45 (ie, 3 hrs, 45 mins)? Long story short: I just want to confirm my efforts to compile a day-to-day, progressive track of your fascinating journey is correct, and that my wish to share the resulting log (ie, in its EXCEL spreadsheet format) might be of interest to you and your team, either as an historical record or as some sort of useful predictor/analysis tool. Enough for now / Best regards / Safe journey.
Dave Ireland ~ VA7QED @ 19:25 UTC, Sun, 22 Sep 13
Thanks for your interest Dave. Glad you’re following along.
The correct way to read the daily positions is (using your example) 20 degrees, 12 minutes North X 130 degrees, 49 minutes West. I abbreviate it with decimal points on the blog because that’s the preferred format for Google Earth in order to plot his new position on the world map.
Hope that clarifies things.
MaryLou (in rainy Victoria).