Tuesday 16 September 2014

Groggy is as Groggy Does

Our previous post was concerning leaving Sangihe (Sang GHEE heh) Indonesia for Morotai. The frustrating part of this passage (still underway, thus my muddled mind) were the confusing seas and contrary currents and winds on the west coast of Sangihe, not Morotai.

Since clearing Sangihe, we've been sailing hard to weather but it has been mostly quite pleasant. Just in the last coule of hours, winds have begun to veer towards the SW and soon we should be sailing on a beam reach or even a broad reach. Something to look forward to as evening approaches. We hope to make landfall tomorrow.

At 9/16/2014 and 07:47 UTC (GMT) our position was: 02°38.33'N / 127°19.86'E.
We were traveling 119T degrees true at 4.4 knots.





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Monday 15 September 2014

South from Sangihe

It had been a rolly night and as the tide began to flood, swell came into Tahuna Bay, slapping our large mooring float into the anchor on its bow roller. Groggily we made preparations to get underway as other boats in our small flotilla began to leave for Morotai.

Getting south along the coast of Morotai was frustrating but by 2 pm, we tacked and headed due east out into the Gulf of Halmahera. Holding Carina as tight to weather as we could, we sailed through a glorious night with a late rising moon, smiling down.

This morning, winds have calmed and it is more difficult to maintain a rhumb line but the day is young...

At 9/15/2014 and 21:39 UTC (GMT) our position was: 02°57.71'N / 126°40.25'E.
We were traveling 115T degrees true at 4.2 knots.





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Saturday 6 September 2014

Carina Heading South to Indonesia

We left Samal Island 3 days ago for a "short" hop of 230 miles as part of the 15 boats participating in the rally, Samal Island Philippines to Sangihe, Indonesia. Most of the other boats left the day before we did and enjoyed light winds in which they were able to get good southing while motor-sailing.

We still had some chores to do and so left the next day and we "enjoyed" 20 to 35 knots of wind, large seas and contrary current. We didn't get very far. Last night we finally gave in to the lousy conditions and anchored off a fishing village called Lawa on the west side of the Davao gulf. Locals came out to gawk and stare and tried to chat but, except for one young lady in a canoe with 6 of her kin, no one could speak English. We liken their reaction to our arriving in their midst as the sort one would get if a Martian spacecraft landed. Lawa was not quite the "snug" anchorage we were hoping for, it was windy and rolly and at times we felt we were still at sea. Still, the holding was good and we were able to get a tasty supper and a good night's sleep.

We are now motor-sailing in 8-10 knots of southwest wind, almost on our nose. The day is sunny with a bright blue sky and shimmering seas. Ever optimistic, we hope to make Sangihe in two days.

Philip and Leslie
s/v Carina


At 9/5/2014 and 02:41 UTC (GMT) our position was: 06°11.14'N / 125°42.39'E.
We were traveling 354T degrees true at 0.0 knots.





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