No drama for our first days sailing to Hawaii, except an offending cephalopod…
As hoped (I could almost go as far as to say ‘as planned’), the first night was a quick and fun affair of beam reaching down to Isla De Guadalupe, and then a gentle ‘turn right’, until we were laying Hawaii on a lovely fine reach; sheets slightly eased, Disco powering along without making life down below too sideways to easily endure. We could definitely have held more sail if we’d wanted, but it’s never fun to turn below decks upside down on the first night.
These rather pleasant angles and conditions have continued, and besides a gentle trim here and there, the boat is requiring very little attention, other than holding the helm steady on course. Having settled into the rhythm on life aboard, I have absolutely no idea if we are on our first, second, or third night already, as it all merges into one wonderful blur of 24 hour sailing. I think we’re going into the third, but other than watch changes and keeping up with various weather forecast time zones, the bigger concept of time is wonderfully immaterial.
Aside from the ocean and the stars, there has been very else accompanying us so far. A few albatrosses (a movement to change the plural definition of albatross to ‘albatri’ is gathering momentum onboard…) gave us the pleasure of their company during the day just gone, and there are some smaller seabirds around, to be identified soon from my new book on sea-life. The only other noteworthy wildlife encounter was I getting hit in the face by a squid. I didn’t entirely believe it had happened, as other than my stinging cheek and the taste of fish, there was no evidence of the offending cephalopod. Ty enjoyed laughing at the idea that this had just happened, and the proof emerged hours later when I found a dead squid under the companionway steps, the impact of hitting my face diverting it’s trajectory into the boat. Better that than it carrying me off into the Pacific I suppose.
We are nearly fully in the swing of watches and life, with the occasional proper meal emerging from the galley (normally rapidly followed by a green looking cook), and people are steadily appearing less tired as bodies adjust to the smaller portions of sleep.
Other than that, there is little to report. Smooth progress makes for uneventful writing it seems.
NAV STATION
Date: 17th May 2017
Time: 0344z
Position: 29°03.2N 121°46.3W
COG: 260°T
SOG: 8kts
Wind: NNW 4
Swell: WNW 4-6ft
Sky: 7/8 cumulus
Weather: Fair
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