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Singlehanded Sailing Society
2002 TRANSPAC News and Position Reports | Home |
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Singlehanded Sailing Society
2002 TRANSPAC News and Position Reports | Home |
Updates from Lou Freeman (Seabird) & Mark Deppe (Alchera) today - see below
0900 hours radio check in
via SailMail from Steve Wilson on board Westerly
Steve has asked: What is "wind"?
| Yacht | Latitude | Longitude | DTF | Notes |
| Rusalka | 25.34 | 149.48 | 569 | |
| Alchera | 23.44 | 153.40 | 335 | |
| Tease | 24.20 | 150.34 | 509 | |
| Endangered Species | 25.14 | 148.24 | 637 | |
| Seabird | 23.34 | 149.58 | 534 | |
| Zapped | did not check in | |||
| Westerly | 23.41 | 148.41 | 604 | |
| Haulback | 24.21 | 147.17 | 686 |
2100 hours radio check in
| Yacht | Latitude | Longitude | DTF | Notes |
| Rusalka | 24.57 | 150.43 | 510 | |
| Alchera | 23.18 | 154.51 | 265 | |
| Tease | 24.10 | 151.43 | 445 | |
| Endangered Species | 24.55 | 149.31 | 573 | |
| Seabird | 22.57 | 150.48 | 484 | |
| Zapped | did not check in, VHF contact made to US Coast Guard relay to Race Committee, all is well | |||
| Westerly | 23.33 | 149.59 | 532 | |
| Haulback | 24.00 | 148.19 | 627 |
From Lou on Seabird, via Iridium telephone call
Lou called this morning on his satellite phone to say, "Hello! - do you know what time it is? I can't figure out what time it is. The moon is setting, the sun is rising, it's that weird sort of half light where it could be sunrise or sunset, the water is very calm and the clouds are suspended silently above the water and reflected perfectly in the mirror-like ocean."
It was 5:45am PDT so I was a little sleepy and thought something bad had happened. Turns out he was just calling to let me know how it was going, that he was ok and was super happy to have 6 knots of wind. He's sailed south to 23.40 N and thinks he may be the most southerly boat and High appears to stretch on over the horizon in all directions. He's still north of the Hanalei Bay and the finish line so there's more southing to be done.
He was very happy with how he's learned to maneuver around the boat in the pitch black dark, and has determined spinnakers on a boat his size are a bad thing - "I should get the weight out of the forepeak where it's been lying for a while in a soggy clump, but I haven't wanted to deal with it yet." The big genoa has been fabulous provided there's enough wind for it to fly; unfortunately, in the very light air the sail just hangs there and the boat's rolling in the swell knocks the wind out of the sails. It's difficult to go fast in a 41,000 lb. boat in 2 knots of wind.
Turns out Lou is also down to his last cigar, and with 546 miles to go to the finish it doesn't look like that cigar will last much longer. "You guys were absolutely right about taking 30 days of food - it would be a bad thing to run out of food out here. I should have taken 30 days supply of cigars, too!"
The autopilot has turned out to be one of the world's greatest inventions, and he's only turned it off twice for fear of it deciding not to turn on again and that would be a terrible thing and the windvane wouldn't work nearly so well in these light airs but the full moon is for the dogs if he could trade it for 30 knots of wind on a dark and howling night, at least he'd be scudding along rather than floating around under the beautiful moon with no wind to speak of (Lou spoke quickly and continuously the whole time he was on the phone, it's something you notice with the racers after they haven't talked with anyone for 10 days - it's as if everything you want to say comes pouring out all at once with the words rushing past each other in an effort to get heard).
After 10 minutes he rang off, keen to make the best of the breeze he had at the moment and keep Seabird headed towards the finish line. And for those concerned with Race Committee breaking the outside assistance rule, Lou told me what time it was because I couldn't find my watch.
from Mark Deppe on board Alchera
Alchera Log 6/26/02 0854 Hours
Position N23 44 W153 40
Alchera appears to be out of the clutches of the high and into the tradewinds, or at least what will have to pass for the tradewinds this trip across. The wind has been from 12-18 knots and has held pretty steady for over a day now. Nothing like what we were hoping to get for racing, but just about as pleasant sailing as you can get. The boat glides along at 7-8 knots, with balmy but cool breezes, and there's been enough of an overcast during the day so that you don't bake, but occasional spells of full sun and blue sky. Pretty ideal conditions for kicking back and enjoying the wide open ocean. The 'peaceful' side of the Pacific. Once again, the moon put out so much light there was no need for any other lights on deck to see by. And this morning, because of the light overcast, it was impossible to tell exactly when the moon left off and the sun began to rise. There was no 'dark before the dawn'. Just dawn all night long.
Alchera had a guest come aboard last night, a brown and white bird that John on Endangered Species identified as a Booby. (John is the fleet's expert on marine bird life.) I first noticed it making several passes at the boat as though trying to land on the spreaders. I didn't think much of it at first, because many of the boats, Alchera included, have had encounters with Bosun's birds, which appear to be interested in landing, but are just checking things out. So I was a bit surprised when he executed a failed attempt at landing on the spreaders with a mad flutter of wings and feet. I went below, and after a while heard another crash and flutter, and popped my head out of the companionway to see this dumb bird hanging on by it's chin to the top lifeline in the cockpit, while trying to get a purchase on the lower lifeline with it's feet. It finally managed to get itself sorted out, and took up position on the top rail of the back pulpit. It seemed to have no fear of me. During the course of the night I gybed three times, and I was often working within two feet of this bird, and he just sat there and observed, happy to see me doing all the work apparently. He tucked his head under and slept there the entire night, flying off sometime in the morning when I was down below for radio check-in.
John on Endangered Species says he had one of the best nights of sailing in his life, sailing with his big kite up. After awhile he went below to get some sleep, and woke up to the dreaded spinnaker wrap. Fortunately, gybing the boat over unwrapped it OK. Westerly had so little wind at one point lost steerageway. That's definitely no wind when that happens. Rusalka continues to get hammered with the worst of the high, with only about 8 knots true wind and every mile an ordeal to keep the sails filled and the boat moving.
- Alchera
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