34.11 N, 133.50 W off the coast of Southern California

Heading: 123 true Boat Speed: 4.6 knots Wind: SW <10 knots Swell: 1 m Outside Temp: 20 C 
Wind is filling in from the south west. Lots of plastic and debris in the ocean.

A question posted on the blog from Shawn.

Q: It would be great to hear about some of the gear on the boat ie what kind of electronics/software, choices of blocks/winches, wind generator, battery banks. What kinds/sizes of running rigging and standing rigging. You must have a fav. piece of kit!

A: Hi Shawn, good to hear from you. You were asking about the gear on West Wind II.  Power is a good place to start. I have four golf cart batteries, an Aerogen 4 wind generator, two 80 watt solar panels, and a Perkins 4108 with about 40 gallons of fuel. I am running an ICOM M802 ham set. with a Pactor 3 modem connected to a Panasonic tuff book. All the lights are LED and I have a Furuno GPS with a remote in the cockpit.

For music I have a million songs my daughter Nicola downloaded to an Ipod and as well as some talking books. There are random usb sticks with music as well. That’s the quick version. I also have a Prowatt SW 1000 inverter. Power is the big game here. Being off the grid so to speak, you really have to watch your volts.  So, if it’s overcast and there’s not enough wind to drive the Aerogen wind generator, I won’t be playing the stereo much. But if it is sunny and the Aerogen is spinning, watch out lots of tunes and volume. Hope this paints a bit of a picture Shawn thanks so much for your interest. Cheers, Glenn.

We’d like to give a Shout Out to Fleming for posting a story about Glenn’s circumnavigation on their website Latest News page and including a link to our blog. Thank you. It’s much appreciated!

35. 16.9 N,  133 44.7 W @12:00 PDT

Wind: Less than 5 knots Waves: 2.5 metres Sky: Clear Wind light, difficult to steer. No cloud, hot sun. No sleep. Having a tough day!

@0:3:15 PDT

It’s the middle of the night. I’ve been up since before midnight adjusting West Wind’s sails. I knew the winds would eventually die down and shift direction sometime tonight after looking at the Grib files. It is overcast and visibility is only possible with the LED head light. I took two reefs out of the main then accidentally gybed. It is difficult to be up in the middle of the night doing sail changes and slightly more bearable when it is warm. Now for forty winks.

Dawn appears grey. Grey sea and sky low. The wind has gone down and left an unwelcome lump. Through the low clouds a single shaft of light beams down as if searching for someone. A pair of bright white tropic birds circle from overhead. On the deck, a small flying fish, wings spread wide sticks in the scuppers, and from below the kettle whistles demanding to be made into tea. So starts another day at sea.

@ 16:00 PDT

I’m afraid I’ve worked myself into a bad spot. It’s now almost four o’clock in the afternoon and the wind has been very light and the sea very high, the combination of which has worn me out. I’ve been trying to hand steer since the wee hours of this morning.

It’s been a very hot day and I have not been able to get the Fleming to work at all in the light wind. I put a small bracket on it for an auto helm some time ago and as it turns out it is just enough to set it off in light air. It dawned me a hour ago that that might be the problem. I am over tired and have not had enough to eat. The wind has now completely died and I’m just going on deck to drop the sails and take them and me out of this terrible din…

I’m back, I made an adjustment and although there is little wind we are now doing 4.5 knots on a reasonable course so I will suffer with the noise a little longer. The only reprieve will be to take them all down have something to eat and have some sleep. I’m a little stubborn so while I can make some forward motion I will. 

 36. 19.8 N, 132. 24.4 W @20:45 PDT

The wind generator is not producing much power on this point of sail, except in the evening. I’m getting power only from my Solar panels at this point and being conservative in my power usage. I’ve been organizing the boat and taking inventory of everything over the last 4 days. Very few sightings so far –  I saw one fish boat last night. One small flying fish arrived on deck this morning. I’m thoroughly enjoying the balmy weather… while it lasts.

Heading: 224 true Boat speed: 7 knots Swell: 2.5 metres N Temp: 22 C in cabin, 18 – 19 C on deck Sky: broken cloud  Miles in last 24 hrs: 150

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37. 05 N, 131. 55 W @12:00 PDT @ 0:8:00 PDT

Week 2 Lovely weather here – mild, sun just burning through, wind still from behind. Doing 7+ kts. Was late getting to bed last night -up reading. Will have to have a nap this afternoon. 

Heading: 204 true. 
Boat speed: 7+ knots. 
Wind: 15 – 20 N
Waves: 3 metres
Sky: Partly sunny
Mood: Up

40 05.56 N, 129.54.658 W @0:8:00 

We’re still running before the wind. I was up several times in the night worrying unnecessarily about chafe and how WW II was fairing. The motion is like driving down a roller coaster road in an old truck with no shock absorbers. It’s a little like floating. The sky is overcast but the temperature below is around 20 C. The seas are about a metre to a metre and a half with breaking tops. Last night at sunset, the sun filtered down through the clouds in radiating streaks. Very moody! I have been enjoying my great variety of food, especially the fresh fruit friends dropped off on the day I left – plums, peaches, apples, and blackberries. Trevor Hayward dropped off some rock cakes which I will be very upset to see go.

There are always jobs to do but nothing pressing at the moment. The cataloguing of stores is ongoing and I’m finding more things like my comb! I started a book yesterday called Turning the Tide: How a Small Band of Allied Sailors Defeated the U-boats and Won the Battle of the Atlantic by Ed Offley. It’s about the battle of the Atlantic in World War II and deals with the allied forces and how they dealt with the U-boats. The statistics of that war are staggering to me.

Life on board is evening out a little and some routines are being set. The nap seems to be very popular as is a beer with lunch. I am so exhilarated by the speed of WW II. I’m sure we will have another 200 mile day today. When I wake up in the morning and listen to my surroundings and look around I am still a little surprised to find myself here again. It is amazing to me. 

I don’t seem to spend as much time on navigation as I did last time. I guess I know where I’m going.

42 15.4 N, 128 08.4 W @09:50 PDT

Seas are about 1.5 – 2 m and we are slightly off the wind and the boat is moving in a cork screw motion. Our speed has been great, about 6-7 knots which translates to about 150 miles+ a day. 

I saw a sooty albatross this morning but other than that not much. I am spending most of my time down below as there is water on the deck most of the time. I am also either sitting or lying down – standing is not an option.

WW II is running hard with the wind. I have about 15- 20 knots of wind, we are sailing ‘wing-on-wing’ with two reefs in the main and the kevlar jib rolled into the first reef on the other side with the spinnaker pole holding it out. Average speed this evening is about 7 knots. Coming down some of these waves we hit 9 knots! Last 24 hrs is my first 200 mile day and by the looks of things not my last. I managed to get some small jobs done this morning. 

The cabin is filled with the smell of my stew which I am now going to eat.

44 09.4 N, 127 00.6 W @ 12:00 PDT

I’ve been very tired and napping a lot. It will take some time to fill up the sleep bank. I sleep well at night but have to get up every few hours with the weather pattern I’m in at the moment. I have to admit it’s a rude awakening and leaving that nice warm nest takes enormous will power. 

I’m making my first stew which is now brewing on the stove. We’re sailing at quite an angle so I’ve had to use my safety harness while working in the galley. Also doing some maintenance. I’ve had to mend the lee cloth already as the stitching has come apart.

It is important at this early stage to not over stress the rig or the boat. I have a long way to go. Our speed has been exciting and welcome. West Wind II creaks like an old wooden boat when the going is a little tough. A bit disconcerting at first but certainly not a problem. 

I have been able to download Grib files for my weather which is a treat. The electronics are so much better now than before. I found my camera which is a relief. I’ve been listening to some music and will start one of my many books soon. 

Thanks to everyone who sent messages on the blog. Wonderful to hear from you.

Day 3 48.19 N, 125.06 W @0:7:45 PDT

48.19 N, 125.06 W @0:7:45 PDT

Sailed in very light wind most of the day yesterday and into the evening. The wind completely disappeared around Sooke which meant I had to hand steer throughout the night. I made it around Tatoosh Island late last night and am now heading out the Straits. Currently doing 1.5 knots with 1.5 metre swells from all directions.

RVYC members Roger and Jocelyn Green spotted Glenn just east of Race Rocks where they were on a salmon fishing excursion and sent these photos. She writes “Glenn was alone except for a few large container ships and a few fishing boats. He looked happy and confident!”

I spoke to a few fishing boats on the VHF radio about my position and managed to catch a little sleep between midnight and 6 a.m. once the I got the sails balanced. It was a beautiful night, the Milky Way spectacular in the night sky.

This morning I saw a few whales and porpoises and lots of sea birds. My first cooked meal on board is a bowl of hot porridge and a pot of tea.

18:20 PDT 48 16. 94 N 123 34. 8 W

  48 16. 94 N  123 34. 8 W @18:20 PDT

After a fantastic send off at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club where dozens of friends and family and well wishers showed up to cheer him on, Glenn let go the lines and set sail at 13:00 PST. 

Tony Gooch, who completed a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation east about in 2003, is officiating Glenn’s attempt. Tony set the official start time at 15:37 PDT ( 23:37 UTC) September 2, 2013. Tony writes “West Wind II crossed the start line, a line drawn almost due south from the prominent post on the north side of Trial Island and the Lighthouse on Trial Island.”

Waving goodbye from West Wind II. Photo: Sandy Beaman

He sailed out of Cadboro Bay in a light breeze and rounded Trial Island where he caught 10 – 15 knots of wind. He was doing a steady 7 knots all the way out to Albert Head and came through Race Passage at 18:00 doing 9 knots.

Heading out the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Photo: Sandy Beaman

On a satellite phone from the cockpit, Glenn reports a beautiful sunny evening, a steady 10 – 15 knot breeze, the wind generator humming overhead, and very little traffic in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

He was taking it easy after a more than hectic schedule over the past weeks and months, and had just finished a bowl of his Mom’s macaroni and cheese. He said he was wearing his safety harness and sunglasses, two things he promised to do.

Thanks to everyone who came by to give him a royal send off and to those who sent emails and left messages on the blog. All in all, a fantastic start. 

Read the CBC News World, Huffington Post story. Watch the Global news clip.
To listen to the CBC interview, click on the play button below.