Sunday 11 May 2008

Noon 1812.50 16617.30

dtd 2519 so dmg 120. And we are still bucking current. Hard to believe. 15 deg between heading and COG and 1.5 kts speed difference between log and GPS SOG

Happy Birthday Speedy - I'm about to have the first Official Consultation. Still heading for Wake - might just slide to the east. Too hot for any more - will resume later.

Grind, grind, grind...when you are traversing a quarter of the earth's surface at not much more than walking speed, time tends to drag. Wonderful sailing but such a loong way still to go. About 15k in a marathon, mentally. You start to wonder why you are doing this and then you see the night sky again and you know.

We are definitely heading for the Amukta Pass through the Aleutians at 172W. The passes near Dutch are treacherous, busy and to be avoided - google Akutan and Unimak for some gruesome details - 9 knot tides, vicious waves when the wind is against the tide, lots of ships. Dutch is very close to the great circle route between the US west coast and east Asia, so lots of ships use these passes. Too hot again - back later.

Later - sun has just set and we've just altered to pass Wake to leeward - to the west - by about 10 miles. 35 miles to go and I'll give them a call on VHF 16 in a couple of hours.

Banged my head - again! - on the top of the companionway entrance. Hooooowl!