Sailaway Sarantium

In 185 NMiles we should be… the nights are long and days seem short! Squalls are fewer and rain is less! Cushions and pillows are still being tossed down below every so often to avoid getting soaked. Although we still have food, the fresh fruit are gone and we only have potatoes and half a cabbage left. My plan is to whip up a lentil stew today! I’m hoping to be sitting in a restaurant tomorrow night, sipping on a drink 🍹, a real drink! Approximately 5000 nautical miles at sea from July of 2024, since leaving Nanaimo, BC, until now…is something to celebrate!!!

At 10.30: S08*32 W136*18

COG: 237*

Nautical miles left to go until anchorage: 175 nm.

We had another lively but lovely night and morning! I sailed through another big squall (30+kn) but then sun came out!

At 11.28: S07* 26 W134* 49 COG: 220*

Out!

… is now reality! Although, it still feels like a dream I am becoming more and more aware of the reality that I’m actually doing this! Leaving BC, Canada, felt like a trial run and just a plan, nothing else! Arriving to Ensenada, Mexico felt like a holiday. Now, after 24 days away from land, sailing day out and day in feels like a ”task”, a fairly large task, but it is starting to feel bigger than a vacation. Looking at these enormous cumulus nimbus clouds beside me with the moon highlighting them, I feel very small and powerless. It feels like when you’re checking out a big gap jump, studying its’ surrounding and visualizing your bike and you flying off it! The difference is that I can’t get away from this situation. There is no ride around! Just keep going and wait for the cloud to catch up to you and do what it’s gonna do! Perhaps that was a bad analogy, but that’s what came to mind! Anyway, in 380 NMiles I will be seeing land and I anticipate feeling emotional and pretty damn proud! We are in the creme’ ala creme’ trade-winds and the next three days look absolute amazing for blowing right into an anchorage! I’m sure there will be surprises (and learning). There always are!

After 36 hours craziness, not dangerous craziness, but uncomfortable and ”I’m not sure about offshore sailing” kind of craziness! We had two systems of waves come in and lots of squalls which brought amazing wind and then nothing. This went on for about 30plus hours. Loads of wet clothing hanging up down below and to top it all off, a male Boobie decided to camp on the solar panel. Of course after a day of hunting, he had to off-load guano right on the solar panels. I tried scaring it off but he happily stood ground! He preened himself and shit on my solar panels and repeat! The smell of guano in rain right above the cockpit, and right above the winch I needed to use to reef the headsail, every 30 minutes… was intense… I was not pleased! But all a distant memory now, because the sun is coming out!

Sun is out and clothes are drying, all 413 nmiles from anchor!

At 11.24: N06*27 W132*52

Out!

Ps. My Starlink usage is running low on bites so if you don’t see any new blogs, that’s why. It’s not because the Boobie got the better of me!

These last 24 hours have not been fun. A ton of squalls, messy sea and slow! But we’re finally in a straight line to Hiva Oa! The waves are brutal, big ones from the east and smaller ones from the north east.. tons of rain and hot! Must have changed clothing 6 times in the past 4 hours! More later! South 5 degrees 20 and west 131 degrees 50! Out!

Today is slow going and most likely it will be for the next 24 hours! We’re in the doldrums STIiLL! But we keep sailing and keeping the sails happy! It’s also difficult to point to the Marquises as wind angle and speed is not optimum. Good thing I love it out here!

At 09.40: South 03*12 West 131*01

COG: 150* SOG: 4kn

Coffee, Swim and some wine later just cause’!

Seemed like we had to go through some kind of a gate to get out of ITCZ as we had a wall of black clouds loaded with downpour and wind. Locked and loaded, we blew through the gate and it seems we now are in the trade winds! No wine today, brains needed to be sharp and ready to make quick decisions today as squalls had fun with Sarantium!

Goodnight!

We are inching our way with so little wind… days are long and sun is intense here at the equator.

Weather routing, below, looks good as winds kick in this evening!

Morning-dip-routine starts the day off, just right!

Ps. The name, ”Gooseneck” barnacles derives from the mid-evil naturalists believing that geese were hatched from the barnacles. Maybe we will have a goose for dinner or just gooseneck stew?

Now the pointing to Hiva Oa begins!!! Hmmmm, we had wind now we don’t! Today, we hardly moved but wind is supposedly showing up this evening and last for three days! It’s been a quiet day, no whales, no birds, just big waves and scorching sun! Crossing the equator felt monumental and so today was a day to reflect. Looking forward is exciting as it feels like new beginnings!

We have only sailed 55 NMiles since we crossed the equator… in 16 hours, not a lot😔! Maybe Gaia didn’t get enough Rum!

We crossed the equator at 02.25 while going 2.7 kn! The night didn’t bring much more wind and sails were slapping! I woke up around 08.00 and jumped into the water! The hull has accumulated a ton of gooseneck barnacles! Did I buy shit paint in Guaymas? Or is this normal? After one month of sailing… I’m a bit disappointed!

At 09.40 N01*10 W130*25

COG: 210* SOG: 6kn

At 11.45 we entered into the land of zero degrees latitude. By midnight, Sarantium will be sailing in the southern hemisphere and I’ll be inviting Gaia, Neptune and Poseidon to share some Rum, swim and dance with me! Perhaps some fresh bread and cheese too!