Day: 23 July 2018

Day 34, Mon 23rd July. 52-11N, 137-41W. Daily Run: 112 NM. Weather: 5-10 Knots SE, Sunny and cold, 400 NM to go
A disappointing 24hr run of just 112 NM, I had hoped for more, as we had passed the top of the high, but that was an illusion, the high has moved east and the top extends up like a little poking finger, and we have to face the vertical edge of it, hence the light headwinds we are seeing. The forecast says it improves Tuesday midday, and then we should have the high behind us and we can get a better course, right now we are back to a NE course which is taking us the wrong way. I’m not impressed with the forecasts at all.
We were becalmed for an hour in the night and I had to sheet in the main and furl the headsail to cut down on the racket they were making, we have a bit more swell now. The barometer has dropped now to 1030, down 5 over 24 hours, so that’s promising. However one forecast from NOAA for 96 hours on, has 30 knot winds in Prince Charlotte sound, which is a bit much for me given I don’t know the waters at all. We have to travel down a channel called Goletas Channel, it’s only about 1 mile wide and 25 long, and has fast currents flowing, I expect it is foolish to try to navigate it with 30 knots of wind being funnelled down in an opposing tide scenario. On the other hand, maybe it’s sheltered from the NW winds, and is perfectly safe? Whatever happens we will have to play it safe , always with a plan B.
The distance to go is just 400 miles now, it would be less, but I have added on the distance to port Hardy. The latest shift in wind has me wondering if we can make land by Thursday, more likely to be Friday now.
Paul Collister.