Position: 09 degrees, 55 minutes north; 146 degrees, 53 minutes west 153 nm (motoring)
Happy day! Despite a very heavy rainfall during Ann’s watch last night, most of the rest of the night and morning were squall-free and we’re now officially through the ITCZ and enjoying light NW tradewinds. We’re now into segment three of the passage. The North Pacific Trades to Hawaii. From here we’ll “lean” north to give ourselves room should the wind turn northerly. Mostly we should have east to northeast winds, but you never know. We will also still have to watch for squalls and such, but everything is much more predictable in the trades versus the craziness of the ITCZ. Glad to have made it through there. We must have lucked out and found a “seam”. (Ann says its angels on our sails!)
A picture of Charisma motoring through the doldrums (taken by our friend Perry on Felicita)
One more from Perry showing Charisma with a squall in the background.
An interesting thing about the equator is the cross-equatorial current. Just below the equator it goes west and above the equator it goes east. As we got north of the equator we found our compass and GPS were in wild disagreement owing to the almost 2 knot cross current. This morning somewhere after we passed 08 degrees north, the current stopped. I looked at the instruments and they had come into agreement again. Compass and GPS once again agree on which direction we’re going.
Since we’re just barely out of the ITCZ, there was still a little “drama” right around sunset/twilight. It was a beautiful sight. We were in the middle of what I can best describe as an “amphitheater”. Charisma was in a clearing and 360 degrees around us cumulus clouds were towering from less than 1000 feet from the water up to 15,000 feet or so. The sun was setting under them on one side and a number of them were exploding with dark shafts of rain out the bottom. Very dramatic. One such cloud right in front of us just sort of stopped and started dumping rain just before dinner. So, we furled the jib, slowed down and watched it go in front of us while we enjoyed dinner of fresh tuna sushi on a bed of cabbage with sesame soy vinaigrette. Tough life out here sometimes.
Right now the stars are amazing and again we see the Big Dipper right in front of us welcoming us back into the north while the Southern Cross is right behind us waving goodbye.
Wow!
It’s been several days since I was able to read the blog, so today was catch up. So, when reading the past 6 days of experiences, especially these past 6 days, you really see how each and every day is a different adventure and each and every day presents you with new challenges and experiences. And I am amazed at how adept you two are at taking it as it comes.
I have a good sense of what you mean by mesmerizing skies. Those clouds that mushroom high into the sky are amazing. And when the light plays on them they are absolutely fascinating. I love to watch them here in Colorado. A little risky to do while driving, but I never miss the opportunity to appreciate them (even though I know they spell trouble for someone, probably out on the plains).
Ann, your Big Dipper story was priceless. What a precious gift from you mom, which will be in your heart forever. Left me with a tear in my eye.
Glad you are through the crazy zone. Big sigh of relief!
Hawaii beckons……..
So glad you are out of the ITCZ … aaaaaand the tuna!!! im making hawaii plans! xxoo
I told you catching that tuna was a good sign going into the ITCZ. Not that I haven’t been holding my breath waiting to see if the ocean gods changed their minds. Good job sailors.
All that disagreement in the gauges was just Charisma going a little schizophrenic over the ITCZ passage. Only a small nervous breakdown however.
The North Pacific Trades To Hawaii – sounds like the name of an excellent sailing adventure book. Or a history of a couple of sailing explorers. 🙂
Seems to me that magnificent amphitheater performance was just the Northern Hemisphere ocean gods welcoming you back home with a little dinner show. And the tickets were free!
Sail on, sail on sailors….