Good afternoon from the middle of the Pacific Ocean where we are sitting around in a wind hole while everyone moves faster toward Seattle. Yes, this is going to be a frustrated blog.
Our strategy of going north, which is the traditional route across the Pacific, didn’t pay off at all. So now we are trying to position ourselves in a good spot to go to the next low pressure that is coming up from the north of Hawaii. Luckily, that monster is becoming more friendly but still going to be one of our biggest challenges of this crossing with wind and waves. That big low system has created several secondary high systems around and that is where we are currently and trying to make our way out of here. The one good thing about being in a such high-pressure weather system is the sun is up, and the boat relatively flat. The boat can be ventilated and dried out, as well as our foulies. That makes the living on board more comfortable and easier to move around. We were doing a good regatta until we hit an unstable weather system, and the inaccuracy of the forecast made us trapped by this system to a northern route. Last time I crossed the Pacific it paid off to be northern, but this race it doesn’t.
Those of the fleet southern of us are very lucky with the weather system which is good for spinnaker downwind fast sailing. I guess this is racing, sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t. This leg is certainly teaching me a good lesson about how to deal with frustration. But hey, we are going to keep fighting and enjoying this passage because things can get worse but also can get better. It is not finished until we cross the Finish Line.
Nano, Angus and the Punta Riders