Distance sailed in last 24 hours: 79.1 nm
Distance to Honokohau, Hawaii: 250 nm
Latitude: 18m 28.238 N
Longitude: 152 25.924 W
COG: 266 M
SOG: 3.5 kts under sail
Wind: 5 kts NE
Seas: 2 ft E swell, .3 ft wind ripples
Weather: 60% Cloud Cover
Barometric Pressure: 1014.0, steady
Sea Temperature: 79 F
Our Garmin chartplotter (GPSmap 5212, excellent gear!) is finally showing Samadhi and Hawaii on the same screen! This is so exciting for us, as we have been looking at Samadhi on an empty blue screen for quite a while now! Of course, it helps that it's set to display at .75" : 20 nm scale.
The wind continues to do little to assist progress towards our goal. The Pacific once again looks placid and tranquil as a lake, only impossibly more vast. The tiny swells and minuscule ripples gurgle against the hull as we glide upright through the clear azure waters. The experience is akin to being at a 'beachhouse', you look outside and see ocean while hearing the little ripples against the sides of the hull. We aren't heeling noticeably, and the waves barely move Samadhi. She gently sways back and forth as the swells each give us a little push towards the islands. Given the fair weather and our still significant supply of food, it's not a bad way to spend the day. We only wish we had a say in the matter! The sunrises and sunsets have partially made up for it. When you get a sunset that keeps two young boys fascinated to sit and *watch* it, that is something. They actually complain when they miss it!
The wind picked up enough for us to do what we'd calling sailing for a few hours yesterday afternoon. It moved forward (was coming from slightly ahead of us) so that our apparent wind increased noticeably, and we were able to make four or five knots under main and genoa. It was insufficient to put the (heavy) staysail to use, to give you some idea of how little wind it takes to get us excited right now. We could use a massive Code Zero on a furler about now if anyone would like to deliver one out to us.
With the sail slatting and being pushed against the shrouds (when we were sailing dead downwind), our mainsail has experienced more than its share of chafe in the last couple of days. We've also found that our hated Dutchman Sail Flaking system has chafed completely through a nice little patch of sail. We're going to be making good friends with some sailmaker once we get settled in for refitting, probably near Honolulu. Summary: We don't like the Dutchman Sail Flaking System. In the two years we've had it, it has been an endless source of headaches--since day one! We're definitely going back to a stack pack-type system with lazy jacks.
Starting yesterday morning, we've been picking up US Coast Guard transmissions from the islands, the first radio chatter we've heard since leaving the Gulf of Nicoya. We're also within range of the US weather radio forecasts. This is great, but it means we're nursing no illusions about the conditions changing any time soon. Sometimes it would be nice to have blind hope.
Kelly's parents, Kathy and Pat have also been keeping an eye on the weather and calling several times a day. They're comfortably installed in Puako, north of Kona along the coast, and Kathy's already working out a vague itinerary for us so that we can make the most of our time together before they have to leave for the mainland. Given the Kona winds, we may stay on at the cottage at Puako for a few days after they leave. Kelly and Phillip are looking forward to sleeping through the night for the next little while.
Yesterday at snack, we broke out Alexander's shortbread cookies. They were even better than the last batch! It's wonderful that Alexander is getting interested in baking again. (Desserts have always always interested him more than savory creations in the kitchen.) We're looking forward to him perfecting his cookie technique with the next batch! He promised Kathy on the phone yesterday that he'd make some for them in the cottage.
Nicholas finished the last of his Calvert assignments yesterday (and Alexander isn't far behind). Now all that remains is for him to review for and take his last set of unit exams. Basically, once a month the boys each take a test for each subject, and we scan them in and email them to their advisory teachers in Maryland. The grades are back within a few days along with a letter of feedback for the student from their "friends". It's been a great system. We'll be sorry when the boys go back to public school in the fall.
According to Pat, depending on visibility, we should be able to see the peak of the volcano from a couple hundred miles away. We're within range today, and we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for a little peak poking its nose above the horizon. The boys have each vowed to be the first to sight land. Nicholas reported when we got up that there was too much haze this morning. Maybe we'll have better luck later on.
Since our speeds have dwindled, we've been seeing a sharp drop in the number of uninvited guests aboard. There's been only one (giant!) flying fish on deck in the last three days. Of course, he managed to nestle himself into a coil of line inside the cockpit, so he was clearly an overachiever. On the other hand, we're going slow enough that we're able to watch the jellyfish pass us as they glide by. It's all about trade-offs, right?
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