Our chart tells us there is approximately 4400 meters of water below. This depth is unimaginable. As we approach the island of Wa'ab, or Yap, the depth plunges further to 7500 meters!
Two days ago we decided to set sail from Woleai, an atoll in Yap State, for the main island. A tropical low is expected to deepen near Chuuk and head across Micronesia over the weekend. We should be in port a day or two ahead of the low approaching.
Feeling the low "bearing" down, we are anxious to make progress. The first day wind cooperated and we did a 138 nm day on a close to beam reach. Now we sail between squalls and it makes managing our sails (and our progress) challenging.
Squalls have mostly masked the waning moon, though last night in the wake of a squall, the cockpit was suddenly filled with light and my body cast a shadow on the companionway. It was as if a someone behind bearing a search light had found little Carina in the middle of the ocean and said "ah ha, gotcha!"
At 2/19/2014 and 22:41 UTC (GMT) our position was: 08°38.99'N / 140°26.51'E.
We were traveling 300T degrees true at 4.4 knots.
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Thursday 20 February 2014
Wednesday 12 February 2014
Hove To
A dry soft NE wind blows across the water, bright from the three quarter moon as we sit, parked, about 13 nm from the pass at Woleai. It is 4 am and we've been hove to since about 11 pm after reaching a point north and east of our line of travel beyond which we dare not go in the dark. Carina bobs in the swell and to her stern is the moon; her port side to Ursa Major and Polaris and her starboard to a magnificent South Cross sitting upright. The GPS reads zero for speed over ground but our track over the last three hours shows a perceptible drift. All is well as I sip tea and try to wake up for my watch.
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At 2/12/2014 and 18:09 UTC (GMT) our position was: 07°17.33'N / 144°07.81'E.
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At 2/12/2014 and 18:09 UTC (GMT) our position was: 07°17.33'N / 144°07.81'E.
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Saturday 1 February 2014
Flying
Yesterday at about 3 pm local a squall line appeared behind that stretched towards the NE for as far as we could see. We reefed down and the front passed just behind us, dumping little rain. Behind the front the trades were enhanced and it became clear we were in for a bit of a blow. Adding another reef to the main, effectively a "third" reef, Carina went flying into deep darkness on a beam reach with her rigging screeching.
As dawn brightens the horizon on Sunday Feb 2, 2014, winds are beginning to clock back to their normal direction and moderating, and it appears our downwind sailing is returning.
At 2/1/2014 and 19:22 UTC (GMT) our position was: 06°52.52'N / 147°28.65'E.
We were traveling 298T degrees true at 4.7 knots.
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As dawn brightens the horizon on Sunday Feb 2, 2014, winds are beginning to clock back to their normal direction and moderating, and it appears our downwind sailing is returning.
At 2/1/2014 and 19:22 UTC (GMT) our position was: 06°52.52'N / 147°28.65'E.
We were traveling 298T degrees true at 4.7 knots.
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