Just the sound of water rushing behind the boat.. The iron sails are getting a much deserved vacation.
The sound is amazing
Raised the mainsail just before dark last night in hopes the wind would fill in. Of course it waited till morning. Was still a bit flukey over night into the wee hours of sunrise.
Stabilized with 8-9 knots which happily pushes us along quite nicely. And the sound is amazing. Just a little U2 on the stereo while the wake tries to catch the boat.
It only took 120+ hours to get going. Sadly the forecast won’t hold this for very long and we’ll be back into the sweltering heat but we’ll take what we can get.
Happy Friday
Passed 1/2 way, 620 miles left its all down hill from here? Or is it..the swell goes down and UP.. and we are heading towards the earths belt that holds the middle in, so will the down actually hill start after the middle section? Guess we’ll find out soon.
Out there just a “Motor boating” … It’s a sure a pleasant passage so far with the exception of the drone of the engine, but without it we would be bobbing around like the last beer in the cooler on a long hot day just waiting for someone to pick you.
The wind has been as expected light and the water glass smooth. The main sail is still up in hopes of the wind returning.
Ghosting along
First day fishing was pretty good, tho it was catch and release day. One healthy skippy jack tuna, not a favorite, was the first to get interested in one of our offerings. Then just as dinner time was approaching the other line took off, its our small reel with a small lure that I have been dreaming of Mahi Mahi. But alas, the reel was almost spooled before slowing. Lots of spectacular splashing way back from the boat. Lo and behold a blue marlin had picked on the pink Mahi 2000 lure. Took a bit, but was able to bring him in and let him swim off to contemplate chasing small pink lures in his future.
Second day was more fishing than catching. The pink Mahi 2000 saw some activity. With the slow boat speed and glassy water I could see the fish bite and release half a dozen or more times but always just shy of the hook.
Slow going, but still going ..
Hopeful that the wind will return, the forecast did change, the ‘blue hole’ that is ahead of us is getting smaller. For the first time in a while there is no real pressure to “get there” other than mental health before going stir crazy.
Cleaned the teak between naps. Saved some for tomorrow, need to save something for tomorrow or polishing the stainless will become the task to keep the stir crazy from setting in.
Christine’s favorite, Pork Chops for dinner. Just like the executivo from Costa Rica, complete with fried plantains. Yes it’s that calm that stove top frying is a possible.
Still over 1000 miles to go. All good on board, nothing to see just many many shades of blue.
Well the journey begins well before the passage starts…
Destination researched, formalities discovered, paperwork agonized, meals prepped, boat stocked, safety gear organized, weather scrutinized all leading to sheer chaos or mental madness.
Waiting on clear skies.
This next voyage will commence in a few hours. Some 1300 miles away is Majuro, Marshall Islands. Majuro is nearly due north from where we are in Vanuatu, just across the equator so to speak. To get there we will go through 2 weird weather convergence zones, hopefully we have chosen a decent time cross the ITCZ and SPCZ, places where the weather comes together to argue. Think about it this way, the toilets in the northern hemisphere flush counter clockwise, and in the southern hemisphere flush clockwise. (Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0778446/plotsummary/) We will be trying not to argue with the hemisphere’s choices on the direction of the spin but simply pass through without getting all caught up in their political agendas.
What normally happens in the zones is squalls or no wind.
