After a pile of PM's this past while, I thought I'd just post a quick and dirty thread. We're about ready to go, the boat is 95% organized/stocked/rigged, and the weather is looking good offshore on the weekend (can't leave port on a Friday you know...)
The boat is an Alajuela 38, a very solid cutter rigged offshore design and with pretty lines. It's the property of a very good friend of mine, and it'll be home to me for the next two months (if I can make myself get off), him the next three years. This leg from Victoria to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia is about 3700nm on a great circle route, but I guess we'll end up sailing closer to 4000nm by the time it's over. It's the second longest ocean going leg on the planet, and the route bisects Hawaii and North/Central America, but with the Trades blowing strong in March, we're cautiously optimistic of a reasonably quick passage, hoping for closer to 32 days than 42, but you never do know.
The first three days will be spent beating offshore about 250nm to get sea room, then it'll be a sharp left to almost a due south heading... for a long time! By about mid-California latitudes, the water temps will be in the low-70's, and it'll just get warmer from there. I've promised my sister-in-law that I'd swim across the equator... not the smartest thing I've ever done considering I hate swimming in water I can't see the bottom of.
Anyway, I'll have limited email, text only, no internet surfing, but will try to post some pix either when I get to Nuku Hiva, or alternatively, back home again. Lilfsster knows how to get in touch if anyone wants to.
A few of you have already sent well-wishes, thank you for that. With any luck it'll be an uneventful trip, but we are very early in the season so the train of Low's crossing the Pacific is still marching, both a good and bad thing.
Have a good couple months,
stl
- GTL_7239.jpg (473.36 KiB) Viewed 1291 times
