| 3º 7.524' N | 125º 16.86' W | Del Viento | It's Thursday, April 30. We have a guest aboard. We think it's a black noddy, a type of tern. The bird has been here a few hours, making itself progressively more at home, and now seems to have settled in for the night. Other good news includes the probability that we are finally in the southern trades. We're sailing along briskly, and in the right direction. All is well.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 3º 53.13' N | 124º 33.018' W | Del Viento | It's Wednesday, April 29. Today we discovered the Equatorial Countercurrent. Early this morning the winds picked up, the sails filled, it appeared we were leaving the doldrums behind. The celebration was brief because shortly we encountered the Equatorial Countercurrent and were whisked away, in the exact wrong direction. So far the best heading we can make is SSE. It'll have to do until we reach the other side of this mid-ocean river. All is well.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 5º 0.864' N | 124º 42.264' W | Del Viento | It's Tuesday, April 28. Still motoring south. We'll sail for a bit when we catch the edge of a squall then dead calm again and back on goes motor. The engine is loud, it heats up the cabin, especially the aft cabin, which the girls have abandoned at this point, and we're using fuel we'd rather not use. The alternative is to flop around and wait for wind, but then there's a chance the ITCZ will shift south and we'll lose the progress we've made so far through the doldrums. The only positive is the unlimited power. On go the radar and the inverter. Out come the toaster, the blender, and all manner of devices. All is well.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 9º 0.264' N | 123º 26.754' W | Del Viento | This is the first of several posts that didn't register. Will send the rest over the next couple of days. It's Saturday, April 25. We're over a thousand miles from the nearest land, haven't seen a ship for days, and we had unexpected visitors drop in this morning. A shiny red helicopter circled us and then the pilot, hovering very close, gave us a thumbs-up, questioning. We gave enthusiastic thumbs-ups back. Pilot and co-pilot waved and took off east. Cool! All is well.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 5º 39.96' N | 124º 5.61' W | Del Viento | It's Monday, April 27. Still motoring, no wind at all but also fewer squalls. When days and days go by and you see neither ship, nor land, nor whale, nor any other object which you might bump into or which might bump into you, a bit of watch-keeping slothfulness is inevitable. But just as we are comfortably settling into a tropically-induced torpor, enter the Watch Commander. It's much like a egg timer, except in the event you do not respond to it's gentle reminder that you put your book down and pay attention to your surroundings, it explodes with an alarm that will wake the dead. So thanks to our good friends Don and Jim, we have that to keep us alert.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 7º 11.676' N | 123º 55.158' W | Del Viento | It's Sunday, April 26. Doldrums. We're motoring very slowly through the squally area around the ITCZ. We're headed due south, the shortest route through this, we hope. Of course it's a moving target as the ITCZ expands, contracts and snakes north and south. All is well.
| almost 9 years ago | Show
|
| 10º 8.064' N | 122º 27.996' W | Del Viento | It's Friday, April 24. First squall came during the night. At 4am a black mass closed in bringing rain and more wind, confused seas. We were already fully reefed, so I grabbed the iPod and went below to batten down the hatches. Everything went black outside, but with the instruments, radar, and remote autopilot, I could "see" what was happening and make course adjustments from inside. All is well.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 12º 3.714' N | 121º 27.228' W | Del Viento | It's Thursday, April 23. Winds and seas picked up today. We are flying! We have one reef in the main and will take in the second reef if winds pick up any more. Bowls and plates are moving targets. At breakfast Frances's bowl of yogurt went airborn requiring extensive cleanup and resulting in a yogurt bath for Eleanor. All is well.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 13º 36.492' N | 119º 59.352' W | Del Viento | It's Wednesday, April 22. Rolling along. Seas are lumpy and confused. The girls have been doing school underway, something we never did on shorter passages. They are also helping with watches, handling lines, steering. Today Frances helped Mike heave-to while I was taking a nap. Those things, along with regular chores, reading, video games, and their ever-present art projects, keep them occupied and content. Somewhere along the line, the scales tipped, and the girls transitioned from being liabilities aboard to becoming significant assets as crew.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 14º 32.628' N | 118º 33.78' W | Del Viento | It's Tuesday, April 21. Spotted a boat last night, the first since the Cabo area. We see a few booby birds every day, none bold enough to land on Del Viento, only circling. And flying fish, many in the water, one dead on the deck. One night I got a huge blast of whale breath, never saw the whale. Otherwise dark blue below, light blue above. It's a bit like Groundhog Day out here.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 15º 35.25' N | 117º 14.358' W | Del Viento | It's Monday, April 20. Today are dealing with our biggest problem so far. The UV strip that protects our jib is coming unstitched in a couple places. Our old household sewing machine wasn't up to the task, so now we're hand stitching a six foot section. Meanwhile, the entire salon is filled with billowy drifts of sail. Otherwise, all is well.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 16º 50.598' N | 1115º 58.218' W | Del Viento | It's Sunday, April 18. Now, with a bit more wind to counter the swell, things are a lot quieter--a relief after all that slatting and banging and creaking. Still going slow, but ahh, peacefully. We're cooking quite a bit. The stove is gimbaled so stays flat while the boat moves around it. Even so, we use special clamps to hold the pots in place or they'll slide all over the stovetop. All is well.
| about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 17º 48.504' N | 115º 0.294' W | Del Viento | It's Saturday, April 18. At dawn we sailed past Isla Clarion, the last land we'll see until French Polynesia. Now we're running downwind with light winds and big seas, making for a rolly ride. Our regular watch routine is working out okay. Mike stays up late. Windy gets up early. Naps. The girls pitch in during the day. All is well. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 18º 53.046' N | 113º 27.864' W | Del Viento | It's Friday, April 17. Sailing again after motoring last night in a dead calm. There's a slight current pushing us along, so using very little fuel we made around 4 knots. Now, sailing, we're going 5.5 knots in only 10 knots of wind under our code zero (our light-air sail). No sea sickness so far, even for Frannie, who's most prone. Wanted to make pasta salad, but can't find the pasta. All is well. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 20º 8.004' N | 112º 11.244' W | Del Viento | It's Thursday, April 16. We're sailing in light, variable winds about 230 nautical miles from Cabo. Going through the more perishable produce quickly, lost one big lovely cantaloupe which we will mourn later. Temps in the 70s by day, wearing fleece and snuggling in blankets for the cool night watches. 2400 nautical miles to go. All is well. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 21º 27.876' N | 110º 53.994' W | Del Viento | It's Wed, April 14. We're off and running! Reaching, actually. We've been on a close reach since leaving San Jose del Cabo yesterday morning, traveling along our rhumb line, pointed directly at the Marquesas. At this rate we'll be there in 20 days. Making banana bread with our already over-ripe bananas. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 23º 3.39' N | 109º 37.242' W | Del Viento | It's Tuesday, April 14. We're on our way into San Jose del Cabo harbor, just to get water and top off fuel. Then back out into the Pacific! We're all excited to get going. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 23º 59.442' N | 109º 49.704' W | Del Viento | It's Sunday, April 12. We're Anchored at Bahia Los Muertos waiting for winds and seas to settle. All is well. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 24º 15.264' N | 110º 19.452' W | Del Viento | It's Saturday, April 11. After a dinner of wholesome soup (made by Norma) and a glorious sleep we're feeling recharged. Today we'll leave the anchorage at Bahia Falsa and head south. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 24º 9.33' N | 110º 19.56' W | Del Viento | It's Wednesday, April 8 and we've moved to Marina De La Paz for last minute projects and provisioning. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
| 24º 9.312' N | 110º 19.722' W | Del Viento | March 18, 2015. We're in La Paz preparing to depart for French Polynesia in the first week of April. | about 9 years ago | Show
|
