Day 989 [June 18/11 JST] – Good Day of Progress as He Passes Wake Island

Today's Report

June 18/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°11'N, 167°20'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  1,956 nm / 6.9% (ETA: 22 - 25 days)

A day of solid progress as all miles were directly toward home. He made 98 nm both DOG and DMG, something that means a lot to a solo sailor who must jibe to keep the sails both full (to prevent wear) and well to either side of the boat (to prevent mast-damaging accidental jibes).

He's been watching the split in a mainsail seam that developed 2 days ago, and again reports no change for the worse. He said he will wait for slack air before he climbs up on the cockpit roof to make an attempt at hand-stitching it.

***

Saito-san does not expect to see Wake Island as he passes north about 40 nm, though he may catch beacon lights from the group of three small islands surrounding a lagoon. Keeping his distance is probably for the best, since Wake is a small military outpost as well as provides a 10,000-foot emergency landing strip for aircraft. As a stark reminder of the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force maintains a missile facility there, according to Wikipedia. If you look at this image from Google Earth you can see both the landing strip and what appears to be a line of … well, we'll let you decide.

Google Earth view of Wake Island

 A close-up view [Click to enlarge]

We suspect that if Saito-san ventured too close he might get some unwanted attention.

***

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 98 nm DOG / 98 nm DMG

Total distance completed: 26,467 nm

To Yokohama: 1,956 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 82 nm (measured) 

ETA: 24 days

Heading: 215°, changed from 285° about 0700 today

Reported boat speed: 3.5 kts

Average boat speed: 4.1 kts

Weather: Broken clouds; rain after midnight; warming

Temperature: 27.0° C

Barometer: 1015  hPa 

Wind (from): 8-10 kts ENE

Waves: 1.0 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 12 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 Supporting Sponsor.]

Day 988 [June 17/11 JST] – He Barely Misses A Rare Red Moon

Today's Report

June 17/11 0800 JST 

Position:  19°42'N, 168°55'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,048 nm / 7.2% (ETA: 23 - 26 days)

We had hoped Saito-san would be able to catch what was one of those rare full lunar eclipses that occurred the night before last. 

Considering his previous two days of gorgeous moon-watching skies and his view all the way down to the curved horizon, we alerted him to the possibility that he might be able to see the moon turn blood red just before moon-set with sunup coming only a few minutes later.

Alas, it was not to be. The characteristically red tinge that paints an eclipsed moon must have started a few minutes after it dropped below the Earth's watery edge.  "I watched for it, but could see nothing," he said, obviously disappointed.  He was just at the furthest part of the viewing area. If he were in the waters off Madagascar, he would have had the perfect seat.

Saito-san would have been at far right edge of viewing area for the full lunar eclipse

[Click to enlarge]

We got up at 3 am ourselves, looked out the window, saw no moon – and no red omochi-making rabbit – in our rainy-season sky. We then went straight back to bed.

***

A seam has opened on the mainsail, Saito-san reported last night. He said he doesn't think it will get bigger as it has run the entire panel (as we understood him to say), so there is blocking stitching at both the start and end points. He said he will try to work on it during daylight hours using his hand-stitcher, but thinks a good fix will be "difficult." This morning he reported it was "the same" – no worse.

***

As he gets closer to Yokohama, the jibes he makes to the south (roughly 320 heading) are reducing his forward progress. Yesterday was mostly a southwardly day and as a result his DMG was just 68 nm, compared to DOG of 100 nm. Converting that to his ETA (something we only reluctantly do), we have to add back a day or two. For now it appears to be 25 days (2,048 nm / 3.4 kts / 24 hrs = 25 days).

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 100 nm DOG / 68 nm DMG

Total distance completed: 26,369 nm

To Yokohama: 2,048 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 82 nm (measured) 

ETA: 25 days

Heading: 215°, changed to 300° about 0700 today

Reported boat speed: 4.0-4.5 kts

Average boat speed: 4.2 kts

Weather: Broken clouds; occasional rain; warm

Temperature: 27.0° C

Barometer: 1016  hPa 

Wind (from): 9-11 kts E & ENE

Waves: 1.5 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 12 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 Supporting Sponsor.]

 

Day 987 [June 16/11 JST] – Ghosts of the Ancient Mariners

Today's Report

June 16/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°42'N, 170°17'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,116 nm / 7.5% (ETA: 22 - 26 days)

As it is the closest significantly inhabited area to Saito-san, it would be remiss not to give a passing wave to the Marshall Islands, pop. 68,000, today 800 nm to his south.

Marshall Islands and Micronesia
[Click to enlarge]

We hear of these distant places, often reading about them as palmetto-lush settings for tropical adventures and naval / war stories going back centuries and, in fact, into pre-history. Just think how much more enthralling they will be a thousand years from now!

The Marshalls, named after British navy captain John Marshall, are scattered atolls and islands that were settled by Micronesians as far back as the second millennium BC. Much of their history, all spoken, none written, is now long gone. What little we do know is that they carried out regular commerce and visited outlying islands in carved wooden proa canoes navigating with stick-and-shell charts.

Of course the Marshall Islands are too off his route for Saito-san to consider a close sail-by, and in fact their many wave-washed atolls and sub-surface coral heads would have presented a navigation challenge that few single-handers care to invite. To him, those isles with exotic names like Bikini Atoll, Ailuk, and Enewetak, along with their wonderfully skilled ancient navigators, must stay in the books. But they are magically distant storybook places he could at least brush past, relatively speaking -- and we along with him.

One of our favorite "Saito sea stories" is easily prompted. Hand him a pair of Japanese chopsticks and he will demonstrate how to determine latitude by lining the sticks up with the stars of the Southern Cross.

The modern sailing world now has GPS, radar, self-steering, and satellite telephone. But watch Saito-san as he precisely plots a course the newest "old way" with a compass, dividers and parallel, and you realize the essence of marine navigation is still very much alive.

Next up in two days: Wake Island.

***

He outdid himself again, this time achieving 108 nm DOG for the period, 96 nm of those toward Japan. That's 9 nm more than yesterday's best progress since the engine stopped.

He often saw 5 kts during the day, and was able to average 4.5 kts before easterly winds in the low teens.

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 108 nm DOG / 96 nm DMG

Total distance completed: 26,269 nm

To Yokohama: 2,116 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 92 nm (measured) 

ETA: 23 days

Heading: 300°, changed to 240° about 0900 today

Reported boat speed: 3.5-4.0 kts, later 4.0 – 4.5 kts after 0900 jibe

Average boat speed: 4.0 kts

Weather: Broken clouds; occasional rain; warm

Temperature: 26.5° C

Barometer: 1018 hPa 

Wind (from): 9-11 kts E & ENE

Waves: 1.5 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 12 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 contributing sponsor.]

Day 986 [June 15/11 JST] – Visit from a Nocturnal, Seagoing Rabbit

Today's Report

June 15/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°04'N, 171°49'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,184 nm / 7.7% (ETA: 22 - 26 days)

Yesterday it was what was going on under the boat, and tonight it's what is going on over Saito-san's head that will be scenically remarkable, as the moon hits its peak carrying a likewise busy "crew."

He's remarked on the moon for the last two nights as it waxed toward full gibbous-ness at his position, framed by broken clouds as the NBSDIII's swirling wake recedes into the darkness. Fingers are crossed that the weather will continue to cooperate tonight and give him a good view. We asked him to take a few snapshots as the orb peeks up over the horizon. For now, here's what he will see (as depicted in the iPad app Deluxe MoonHD).

Oh, about that lunar crew:

Japanese don't see a man in the moon. Instead, there' a rabbit industriously making omochi (a gooey Japanese rice cake particularly savored at New Year's).

  

***

Sometime in the next 24 hours he'll cross a "halfway" point, of sorts. It will be just 1,000 nm to go to the 150^th longitude and his turn up north. Judging from his average speed of 3.5 kts DMG, he'll reach there in slightly under 12 days. After that, it's another 1,000 nm up to Yokohama. It's hard to say what his average speed will be from that point on, due to the passing fronts and weak wind area. Likely he'll see a mix of wind strengths and directions.

He's now 1,700 nm from Honolulu, having departed 22 days ago.

***

Good, constant sailing again prevailed yesterday. He jibed in mid-afternoon to keep near the 20° latitude, on a new heading of 215°. That had moved slightly southward to 210° by this morning.

Boatspeed dropped slightly during the period so distance over ground (DOG) was less, but his sustained heading put him 87 nm closer to Yokohama for the best distance made good (DMG) since the engine went on hiatus 14 days ago.

He told us the winds dropped during the night but rose "just a few minutes ago" back to 10-12 kts from the ENE, enough to put 4 – 4.5 kts on NBSDIII's speed gauge.

[Click to enlarge]

 ***

Distance in last 24 hours: 89 nm DOG

Total distance completed: 26,161 nm

To Yokohama: 2,184 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 85 nm (measured) 

ETA: 24 days

Heading: 210

Reported boat speed: 4.0-4.5 kts

Average boat speed: 3.7 kts

Weather: Broken clouds; no rain; warm

Temperature: 26.5° C

Barometer: 1017 hPa 

Wind (from): 10-12 kt ENE

Waves: 1.5 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 12 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 contributing sponsor.]

 

Day 985 [June 14/11 JST] – Seamounts, Guyots, and Other Passing Non-'Seenery'

Today's Report

June 14/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°49'N, 173°04'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,242 nm / 7.9% (ETA: 22 - 27 days)

It's getting a bit crowded out there.

He just passed within 6 nm of an undersea mountain, erroneously identified on Google Earth as Ewing Seamount.  Whatever its actual name, it's one of thousands of seamounts – massive underwater mountains – throughout the world's oceans. This area of the Pacific is jam-packed with them, and they'd be a navigation hazard if not for the fact that they don't come near breaking the surface.

These volcanic uplifts from the seafloor are not to be confused with "guyots," the term adopted for undersea plateaus or tablemounts. NBSDIII will pass a number of them as well over the next two weeks.

  

As with seamounts, guyots also are well below the sea surface and both types of underwater features have only fairly recently been mapped thanks to satellites equipped with gravity, density, metal, and other highly sensitive detectors. While can't Saito-san see these underwater behemoths, surface currents may be affected. That is likely why he reported encountering an unusual and transient current several days ago.  

In about 3 days he'll pass Wake Island, now 350 nm distant. Wake played a major role in WWII and despite being extremely isolated, is called home by some 1,500 inhabitants, including US military and civilian workers who maintain an emergency landing strip and a missile defense post.

  

Meanwhile, it was yet another good sailing day for Saito-san, as he moved in a more direct line toward home port, achieving 83 nm distance made good. He jibed again about sunset to his present 285° heading.

He reported the winds have stayed 8-10 kts from the ENE, a bit less than he likes but enough to move NBSDIII along at a bit over 4 kts.

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 100 nm DOG

Total distance completed: 26,072 nm

To Yokohama: 2,242 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 81 nm (measured) 

ETA: 25 days

Heading: 285

Reported boat speed: 4.0 kts

Average boat speed: 4.2 kts

Weather: Overcast; no rain; warm

Temperature: 26.5° C

Barometer: 1016 hPa 

Wind (from): 8-10 kt ENE

Waves: 1.0 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 11 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 contributing sponsor.]

Day 984 [June 13/11 JST] – Another Day, Another 100 Miles

Today's Report

June 13/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°41'N, 174°31'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,324 nm / 8.5% (ETA: 25 - 29 days)

Another day of good sailing saw exactly 100 nm under the hull, 82 of those toward Yokohama.

Now starting to follow the usual pattern of long-distance wind-sailors, Saito-san jibed to a heading of 220° just after midnight to keep within the band of favorable, steady winds. To the north about 60 – 100 nm passing highs are sapping the Trades of their strength; too far south and he loses his aim on Yokohama.  (Even where he currently is, passing patches of weaker winds drop boatspeed to 3.5 kts at times.)

He reported the winds have diminished somewhat to 10-14 kts from the ENE, off from the 18 kts he saw yesterday. He opened the genoa to 90% after the winds started to slow.

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 100 nm DOG

Total distance completed: 25,972 nm

To Yokohama: 2,324 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 83 nm (measured) 

ETA: 26 days

Heading: 220

Reported boat speed: 3.5 kts

Average boat speed: 4.2 kts

Weather: Overcast; no rain; warm

Temperature: 26.5° C

Barometer: 1016 hPa 

Wind (from): 10-14 kt ENE

Waves: 1.5 - 2.0 m

Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 8 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 Supporting Sponsor.]

Day 983 [June 12/11 JST] – Great Sailing as the Miles Begin Sliding By

Today's Report

June 12/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°32'N, 175°56'E

Remaining to Yokohama finish:  2,404 nm / 8.8% (ETA: 27 - 30 days)

Nearly ideal sailing conditions prevailed on slightly rising seas with strong and steady winds that pushed NBSDIII along at an average speed of 3.8 kts for the period. At the time of his call, Saito-san reported a boat speed of 5.0 kts. Considering the drastically shortened main that was cut down to 3pt-reef size to remove weather-weakened areas in Hawaii, this is more than might be expected on a downwind tack.  He's also keeping the genoa at 80% to reduce strain on the mast.

Saito-san expressed delight during the morning's call over the 92 nm of DOG, which measures 84 nm toward Yokohama on Google Earth. Since he re-entered the Trades 2 days ago he has knocked 161 nm off the distance to Yokohama, now 2,404 nm away. He expects to follow a route directly west for 1,500 nm, then sharply north at the 150^th longitude where he wants to catch a ride on the fast-flowing Kuroshio (Black) Current that sweeps up and past Japan.

He reported the winds have increased to 12-18 kts and, according to ClearPoint Weather, they should stay like that for at least the next several days.

He jibed after sunup to bring his heading to 285°, and expects to jibe every day or two to stay within a roughly 80-nm easterly wind band falling between latitudes 20° and 21.5° N.

   

[Click to enlarge]

***

Distance in last 24 hours: 92 nm DOG

Total distance completed: 25,872 nm

To Yokohama: 2,404 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 2 days of sailing: 80 nm (measured) 

ETA: 27 days

Heading: 285

Reported boat speed: 5.0 kts

Average boat speed: 3.8 kts

Weather: Overcast; occasional rain; warm

Temperature: 26.5° C

Barometer: 1017 hPa 

Wind (from): 12-18 kt ENE

Waves: 2.0 m

Sails: Genoa 80%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef

Engine: 0 hrs

Generator: 8 hrs

[Weather and wind forecasts are from ClearPoint Weather, a Saito 8 contributing sponsor.]