Today's Report
May 28/10 0800 JST / 1600 local
Position:
08°23'N, 115°13'W (North Pacific Ocean)
The sun was out, the winds started to freshen and go favorable, the current reversed to the right direction, but...
No, actually, there were "buts" this time. It looks like the Doldrums have mostly relented.
By this morning's call Saito-san was back in overcast rainy skies with the winds blowing mainly out of the NE for much of the last 18 hours, so it would appear -- though with no certainty -- that he has ghosted on light winds and (especially) a northward current up into the early reaches of the East Trades.
Watching the Doldrums on ClearPoint has been like watching the slowly undulating body of a large pale jellyfish, as the oblong area has swelled, then receded, over the past three days. Each time the light-blue or white area that depicts light winds has grown, Saito-san's first words are "No good!" And when we plot his newest position, yes, he's right, definitely bad, like yesterday when he slipped backwards 5 miles. But today's "jellyfish" was much smaller with NBSDIII just on its upper edge. Even with a short wind reversal in late afternoon, he had made 45 nm north, and had moved 25 nm closer to Hawaii during the period.
You could hear the relief in his voice. And so far, no tortoises have died.
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 45 nm overground, 25 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 21,809 nm
To Yokohama: 6,391 nm (distance remaining: 22.9%)
To Hawaii WP: 2,492 nm
Heading: 275°
Reported boat speed: 2.5 kts
Average boat speed: 1.9 kts
Average daily DMG over last 7 days: 95 nm
Weather: Overcast with occasional rain
Temperature: 24.0° C
Barometer: 1008 hPa (steady)
Wind (from): 6-8 kts, NNW expected to be 7 kts E rising to 10 kts SSE over next 18 hrs
Waves: 1.0 m
Current (from): E at 0.3 kts
Engine: 0.0 hrs
Generator: 9.0 hrs
Sails: Genoa 80 or 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 1-pt reef
Position Map
