Day 9 December 5, 2016 noon
Lat 40.51 S Long 164.30 W Course 40 T Speed 6.5 knots Wind SW 15 knots Waves SW 2 Cloud 20% Baro 1021 steady
Distance in last 24 hrs: 155nm
Just finished my daily radio show with Cliff and talked to several stations. It is reasonably warm and very cozy sitting at the nav table this afternoon. Outside it’s blowing 30 knots. We’re just off the wind charging along at 7-8 knots with a triple reefed main and a handkerchief of jib out. Waves are over the boat constantly but we are doing well.
I am gradually forming a new route home in my head and on the chart. There is a mental process that takes a few days to sail through and realize the scale of the new plan. Just like all my voyages, the distances are quite large and my process is to break them down into edible bite sizes, something I can get my head around. To look at the 6000 miles ahead of us all at once doesn’t quite fit on my plate and gives me indigestion. So, breaking it down, my first goal is to get up around Tahiti which is about 2000 miles to the North East. That’s about 20 days. I will put in a way point somewhere near there and bring it up on the GPS screen. That becomes my focus and I nibble away at that till I’m there. Then I put in another way point and do the same process, like eating an elephant it’s one bite at a time till its gone.
Navigating through the tropical zone will have challenges, I am anticipating some light winds. It is also cyclone season so I have an eye out for that as well. Crossing the equator or ITZs Inter Tropical Zone will be a major milestone and then planning the trek up the Pacific to Cape Flattery will be difficult because of the time of year.
I think going to Cape Horn would have been easier, but we will see. The wind is shifting up on deck and I will get all my wet gear on and help WW II through it.
Looking forward to my great stew tonight, some more reading and a little wood carving as well.
Glenn’s position is approximately at the small green circle, lower left, off New Zealand. This map can be found here.
