Day 996 [June 25/11 JST] – Catching a Ride on Kuroshio Current

Today's Report
June 25/11 0800 JST 

Position:  23°32'N, 155°20'E
Remaining to Yokohama:  1,219 nm (ETA: 14-16 days)
Remaining to Hachijo Jima:  1,098 nm (ETA: 10-11 days)

Kuroshio, the northward flowing current that sweeps up past Japan and blesses it with temperate weather and plentiful seafood, is now providing another gift: almost 2 knots of added boat speed to NBSDIII. That's about 20 extra miles a day, a "lift" that helped bring Saito-san that much closer to home yesterday. He made 129 nm DOG, with a southerly jibe that cut that a bit to 107 DMG.

Winds were the best he's seen in three days, as they hit the mid-teens for much of the time. He's now about 3 days from the turn-up north, with another 6 or 7 days after that to reach Hachijo Jima where he will make a brief stopover to attend to engine repairs.

The Tokyo shore crew has arranged a marine engine service company in Hachijo and we found the invoice for when the cooling fresh water pump was replaced back in February of 2010. At 43,711 yen ($542) it is not cheap, but not as much as we had feared. Adding in the exhaust hose and labor, those generous donations Saito Challenge 8 has received via PayPal (much thanks again!) should almost be able to cover it.


***
Distance in last 24 hours: 129 nm DOG / 107 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 27,227 nm
To Yokohama: 1,219 nm (measured)
To Hachijo Jima: 1,098 nm (measured)
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 295 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 98 nm (measured) 
ETA Hachijo Jima: 11 days
ETA Yokohama: 15 days

Heading: 295°
Reported boat speed: 5.0 kts
Average boat speed: 5.4 kts
Weather: Overcast; warm
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1016 hPa 
Wind (from): 12-14 kts ENE
Waves: 2.0 m
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef
Engine: 0 hrs
Generator: 8 hrs in 2 sessions

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

Day 995 [June 24/11 JST] – Slower as High Pressure System Passes Just North


Today's Report
June 24/11 0800 JST 

Position:  23°13'N, 157°15'E
Remaining to Yokohama:  1,355 nm (ETA: 16-17 days)

Slower today as he was caught by a passing high pressure bulge that sapped the winds near him during much of yesterday. He made 75 DMG toward Hachijima, and was showing improved winds after jibing onto a more southerly heading. That was not converting well to progress, however, in the early part of the day. He expected to jibe again in a few hours onto a more favorable heading.

No other issues were indicated.

[Click to enlarge]
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 78 nm DOG / 75 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 27,098 nm
To Yokohama: 1,335 nm (measured)
To Hachijo Jima: 1,226 nm (measured)
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 394 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 97 nm (measured) 
ETA to Hachijo Jima: 13 days
ETA to Yokohama: 16 days

Heading: 205°
Reported boat speed: 3.0 – 3.5 kts
Average boat speed: 4.0 kts
Weather: Clear; warm
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1014 hPa 
Wind (from): 8-10 kts ENE
Waves: 1.0 m
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef
Engine: 0 hrs
Generator: 11 hrs in 3 sessions

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

Day 994 [June 23/11 JST] – Software Goes Poof, and So Does the Wind


Today's Report
June 23/11 0800 JST 

Position:  23°11'N, 158°33'E
Remaining to Yokohama:  1,443 nm (ETA: 15-16 days)

ClearPoint again showed its value yesterday – due, ironically, to its absence.

A software glitch caused a data freeze that we waited several days to ask them about, so Saito-san has not been able to take advantage of the wind indications this powerful weather service has been supplying as a Supporting Sponsor for more than 3 years.

The ClearPoint tech team got right on it and determined a conflict had developed with the Tropical Storm data. "Try turning that off and see what happens," we were told, and we did. ClearPoint was back to its usual realtime pinpoint accuracy. This morning they had fixed that conflict so we could also see the path of the 2 storms that just moved up from the Philippines into Korea, well west (by about 2,000 nm) of NBSDIII's position (image).

Tracks of 2 storms are shown. At far right, the cross mark indicates NBSDIII's 0800 position.
When Saito-san called this morning we already knew he had gotten a bit too north, and into an area of weaker wind. "You better jibe more south," we advised. "I know!" he said, In fact, he already had about an hour earlier, turning the boat onto a southerly heading of 205°. "Right now boatspeed is just 3 knots, maybe 3.5," he told us. Wind had fallen off to 8-10 kts. On ClearPoint lighter winds show as light blue and light green. Yellow indicates stronger winds, and a happier Saito-san. 

Three days ago the blue area was well away to the north, but in the meantime it moved toward NBSDIII and NBSDIII had moved toward it. 

So, ClearPoint proved itself again, showing that it doesn't take much N-S latitudinal distance to make a 2-knot difference in boatspeed. Just 25 nm lower and he'd still have had those highly favorable 15 kt Northeast Trade winds he enjoyed for most of yesterday.

Things were expected to improve in 7 hours, though, and he should be back into better winds by about mid-day.

***
Not one but two milestones were reached during the night. His circumnavigation just passed the 27,000 nm point AND put him over 50,000 kilometers since he departed Yokohama. Later we'll determine how much more the total is after adding in the unassisted portions of his three Cape Horn roundings – at least 1,000 nm more.


[Click to enlarge]

***
Distance in last 24 hours: 95 nm DOG / 94 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 27,020 nm
To Yokohama: 1,443 nm (measured)
To Hachijo Jima: 1,298 nm (measured)
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 465 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 108 nm (measured) 
ETA to Hachijo Jima: 12 days
ETA to Yokohama: 15 days

Heading: 205°
Reported boat speed: 3.0 – 3.5 kts
Average boat speed: 4.0 kts
Weather: Clear; warm
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1014 hPa 
Wind (from): 8-10 kts ENE
Waves: 1.0 m
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef
Engine: 0 hrs
Generator: 11 hrs in 3 sessions

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

Day 993 [June 22/11 JST] – Preparations Begin for Brief Repair Stopover


Today's Report
June 22/11 0800 JST 

Position:  22°39'N, 160°06'E
Remaining to Yokohama:  1,527 nm (ETA: 16-17 days)

A brilliant day weatherwise, windwise, and boatspeedwise … at 124 nm made good. Saito-san's best sailing progress yet was fueled by an extra sense of urgency to attend to engine repairs by making a brief stopover in Hachijo-Jima, an island along his route in 1,400 nm, thereafter 1½ days more to Yokohama.

Hachijo-Jima is one of the first of the seven Izu Islands and, favored with an airport (flights 4 times daily from Tokyo's Haneda Airport) and daily ferry service, is one of the most popular of the islands for weekend sun-seekers.

We want Saito-san to make a brief stop there because Hachijo is the most convenient point along the way to obtain the services of a marine mechanic to put the engine back into working order for those difficult final 140 miles.

While Saito-san has sailed this stretch literally scores of times, it has rarely been without the ability to use his engine, and never with a (permanently) heavily reefed main sail. It is one of the world's heaviest trafficked shipping channels feeding as it does both the massive ports of Yokohama and Tokyo. 


Without emergency engine power he is much less able to dodge the hundreds of tankers, container carriers, U.S. and Japanese naval vessels, and other massive ships passing in both directions and thus runs a real risk of being run down as he makes his way through the shipping channel gauntlet.

The Tokyo shore crew will have a busy few days in an effort headed up by Hide Katada and Safety Officer Mike Seymour. Various aspects must be worked out, including how he can clear disease control and customs, finding a mechanic (or even flying one in with parts), and arranging a tow up to the dock.

***
Nicely strengthened winds put 124 nm DMG under the hull for another best 24-hr period, now averaging 108 nm for each of the last 4 days as measured on Google Earth. At 0800 this morning NBSDIII was topping 5.0 kts at times in winds of 12 – 15 kts out of ENE and NE (very favorable).

[Click to enlarge] 
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 124 nm DOG / 124 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 26,925 nm
To Yokohama: 1,527 nm (measured)
To Hachijo Jima: 1,383
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 538 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 108 nm (measured) 
ETA to Hachijo Jima: 13 days
ETA to Yokohama: 16 days

Heading: 290°
Reported boat speed: 5.0 kts
Average boat speed: 5.2 kts
Weather: Clear; warming
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1017 hPa 
Wind (from): 12-15 kts ENE & NE
Waves: 2.0 m
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef
Engine: 0 hrs
Generator: 10 hrs

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

Day 992 [June 21/11 JST] – Saito-san Back in Japanese Waters

Today's Report
June 21/11 0800 JST 

Position:  22°04'N, 162°11'E
Remaining to Yokohama finish:  1,660 nm / 5.8% (ETA: 17 - 21 days)

Another 100-plus mile day, with no problems to report. The hiccup with the autopilot that made it turn off momentarily 2 days ago did not repeat. Saito-san confirmed that he checked the water levels on the ship's batteries and they were fine. To be certain that they were adequately charged, he ran the genset 11 hours, 3 more than normal.

Winds eased for part of the day but his "toward Yokohama" heading helped him peel off another 107 nm DMG for the period, now averaging 104 nm for each of the last 4 days as measured on Google Earth. At 0800 this morning boat speed had dropped to 3.5 kts.

***
Earlier he asked us to keep our eye on his route since he does not have detailed charts of the area he is in. Google Earth does not claim precision, but we've found that it has been accurate to a surprising degree. In NBSDIII's general area few islands can been seen, and none that should offer any navigation hazard as they are well away.

That said, we did spot an unidentified island not far off his route in about 450 nm. When we looked at it up close, this is what we saw – an almost perfectly triangular island including buildings, various structures, what appear to be some very basic roads, and even a Google Earth "airport" icon, but, oddly – no name. We suspected the buildings were old WWII fortifications, but it was still quite curious that the island, approximately 1 mile across, was not identified in some way.


The "mystery island" at 24° 17'N, 153° 59'E [Click to enlarge]

So we kept looking, Googling the coordinates and found it here, on a Japanese list of "observation stations." 
  
The list identifies it as Minamitorishima Japan (literally, "South Bird Island") MNM224N00 24 17 N 153 59 E.

With the name we could then find an entry on Wikipedia; interestingly, this turns out to be quite an important spot for Japan's territorial claims, to wit:

It is the easternmost territory belonging to Japan, and the only Japanese territory on the Pacific Plate, past the Japan Trench. Although very small, is of extreme strategic importance, as it enables Japan to claim a 428,875 square kilometres (165,589.6 sq mi) Exclusive Economic Zone in the surrounding waters.

When we told Saito-san about the island this morning, he said he knew it. "That's a Japanese island," he acknowledged, "But it is more north, about 24 degrees. I think." (He was right, as usual.)

So much for our "mystery island." The reason Google Earth doesn't name it, apparently, is because of past ownership disputes. It's also called Marcus Island and was claimed as an American territory back in the 1900s, later being ceded to Japan.

Anyway, we told him: "Welcome back to Japan!" His response: "Yes, I've made a full circle."

Here's an interesting coincidence. Although the island was first discovered in 1694, the first person to set foot on it, says Wikipedia, was a Japanese in 1879. His name: Kiozaemon Saito.

[Click to enlarge]
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 107 nm DOG / 107 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 26,801 nm
To Yokohama: 1,660 nm (measured)
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 671 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 103 nm (measured) 
ETA: 17 days

Heading: 295°
Reported boat speed: 3.5 kts
Average boat speed: 4.5 kts
Weather: Overcast; warming
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1017 hPa 
Wind (from): 8-11 kts ENE
Waves: 1.5 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 Supporting Sponsor.]

Day 991 [June 20/11 JST] – Another 'Best Yet' Day as He Nails Yesterday's Prediction of 120 nm

Today's Report
June 20/11 0800 JST 

Position:  21°11'N, 163°48'E
Remaining to Yokohama finish:  1,752 nm / 6.2% (ETA: 19 - 22 days)

Another "best yet" day, this time realizing a solid 120 nm despite slightly reduced winds. That's 22 miles more in a 24-hr period than his previous best DMG (distance made good) since he commenced sailing. He never felt a need to jibe yesterday as he moved diagonally up through the windier latitudes at 20-21° north.  Considering his sharply reefed main sail, an average of 5 kts is quite respectable in these moderate wind conditions.

The radar issue of 2 days ago has not reappeared, but he said the autopilot yesterday turned off on its own, caused, he believes, by depleted battery power. He ran the generator an extra 2 hours to compensate and expects that to solve the problem.  Normally he has run the genset for 8 hours (4 hours x 2 sessions) during steady, moderate winds (which cause less battery draw), and will increase that to 10 hours. (We also reminded him to check the fluid levels in each of the batteries.)

The temporary radar misoperation might have been the first indication of the weakened battery state (as suggested to us yesterday by Tony Whitman).

***
As he predicted/hoped yesterday (nailing his day's run at exactly 120 nm), those steady winds held and were ideal for both DOG (distance over ground) and DMG. The present point of sail has NBSDIII aimed almost directly at Yokohama, with about 250 more miles of "room" above him before weaker airs will require him to jibe back south again.  He can expect to see several more 100-120 nm DMG days under the wind patterns Clearpoint shows for the rest of the week (15-18 kts average from the E & ENE). At the time of his call he was maintaining 5 kts, after the wind started to pick up a bit at mid-morning.

[Click to enlarge]

***
Distance in last 24 hours: 120 nm DOG / 120 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 26,694 nm
To Yokohama: 1,752 nm (measured)
To 150th longitude (turn up to north): 765 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 92 nm (measured) 
ETA: 19 days

Heading: 295°
Reported boat speed: 5.0 kts
Average boat speed: 5.0 kts
Weather: Overcast; warming
Temperature: 29.0° C
Barometer: 1016 hPa 
Wind (from): 10-14 kts ENE
Waves: 1.5-2.0 m
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 3pt reef
Engine: 0 hrs
Generator: 10 hrs

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

Day 990 [June 19/11 JST] – Radar Glitch Just a Coincidence?


Today's Report
June 19/11 0800 JST 

Position:  20°26'N, 165°43'E
Remaining to Yokohama finish:  1,863 nm / 6.6% (ETA: 20 - 24 days)

About noon yesterday he called to say the radar was acting up, showing misoperation alerts without apparent cause. Resetting had no effect. By the evening it had cleared up, also for no apparent reason. "I don't know why," he said, puzzled for the second time that day.

We wonder. Wake Island, with its military functions and super-sophisticated technology, must have the ability to interfere with onboard radar systems. No doubt they were watching him very, very closely as he jibed to within 20 nm of the island.  We told him "you probably were their TV entertainment yesterday," to which he said "Oh, yeah…. that's right!" and laughed at the apparent (or not) coincidence.

If the radar DOES go out, he should be ok until he gets into the shipping channels approaching Japan. At that point his several hour-snatches of sleep throughout the day will grow even shorter as he dodges ships, sans engine, in one of the world's busiest waterways.

***
Another good sailing day as winds remain steady from the E & ENE.  He advised that he expects to do fewer jibes as he closes in on the 150th east longitude turn-up toward Japan in roughly 900 nm. "I want to go up to about 22° or 23° north latitude before turning back down again," he said, predicting "maybe 120 nm" today, with winds expected to be favorable out of the ENE in the low to mid teens.







[Click to enlarge]

***
Distance in last 24 hours: 107 nm DOG / 94 nm DMG
Total distance completed: 26,574 nm
To Yokohama: 1,863 nm (measured)

Average daily DMG over last 4 days of sailing: 87 nm (measured) 
ETA: 22 days

Heading: 285°, changed from 240° yesterday at 1800 JST
Reported boat speed: 5.0 kts
Average boat speed: 4.5 kts
Weather: Overcast; warm
Temperature: 27.0° C
Barometer: 1015 hPa 
Wind (from): 10-14 kts ENE
Waves: 1.0- 1.5 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.]
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