Today's Report
0800 April 2, 0800 JST
Position:
23°56'S, 76°05'W (South Pacific Ocean, 989 nm from Valdivia)
While remaining favorable from the SSE, the winds eased for most of yesterday and so did boat speed under sails only, at 4.9 kts. The day's 118 nm was the least DMG since leaving Valdivia a week ago. However, there's certainly no particular rush and Saito-san is being encouraged to take it easy and just enjoy the downhill ride.
"Not bad," he reported today on the boat's performance. "No change," he noted, of following winds that have continued now for 6 days with variations of less than a few degrees on the wind indicator.
Meanwhile, back in Tokyo this morning, winds accompanying a large front were 35-40 kts steady as shown on Clearpoint, with gusts likely hitting 50 kts.
Listening to the roar from the comfort of home, or struggling to walk to the subway, it gave us a taste of what Saito-san experienced during his two punishing Cape Horn passages with winds and waves on the nose, temperatures near freezing in 4-10 meter seas, and spray-drenched misery that continued for days on end.
The "easy" bit he's on now is Saito-san's equivalent of a day cruise.
"Not bad," he reported today on the boat's performance. "No change," he noted, of following winds that have continued now for 6 days with variations of less than a few degrees on the wind indicator.
Meanwhile, back in Tokyo this morning, winds accompanying a large front were 35-40 kts steady as shown on Clearpoint, with gusts likely hitting 50 kts.
Listening to the roar from the comfort of home, or struggling to walk to the subway, it gave us a taste of what Saito-san experienced during his two punishing Cape Horn passages with winds and waves on the nose, temperatures near freezing in 4-10 meter seas, and spray-drenched misery that continued for days on end.
The "easy" bit he's on now is Saito-san's equivalent of a day cruise.
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 118 nm
Distance completed: 18,495 nm
To Yokohama: 9,775 nm (distance remaining: 34.6%)
Heading: 357
Reported boat speed: 5.0 kt (day's average: 4.9 kt) under sail only
Weather: Overcast
Temperature: 19.0° C
Barometer: 1012 hPa (steady)
Wind (from): Favorable 12-14 kt SSE -- expected to be 16-18 kt SSE next 19 hrs
Waves: 2.0 m
Current (from): 0.3 kt ENE
Engine rpms: 0 hrs
Generator: 11.5 hrs
Sails: Genoa 0%, staysail 100%, mainsail 2-pt reef
Position Map (click to enlarge)
