Wednesday 10am Tahiti/Hawaii time (Wed 2000 GMT) Bright sunshine through gaps in white clouds after yet another rainshower following heavy overnight rain. Seems this could well be the pattern for today ... With rain coming from astern onto companionway area of cockpit, this is when I really appreciate my clear, zippered, storm screen - keeps me dry while I look out from top of companionway steps.
Time for breakfast - just finished posting news(blog), position & weather reports and now downloading fresh weatherfaxes. Made contact with Polynesian Net but nothing heard from Fiji's SoPac Net - this evening should be better - it usually is.
Heard from BBC Solent Radio - will be chatting about my journey and its imminent finish with Julian Clegg on his Breakfast Show around 7:25am BST on Friday.
I heard that today is 'A.L. Results Day' in UK - good luck to all those hoping to get to their preferred University or College, based on their exam results today!
1pm Just had a scare - plotter started beeping - 'Position fix lost' ... (no GPS signal being received). Has done that occasionally before now but normally recovers almost immediately - but this time, the screen went completely blank until it did a re-set - so it came up again eventually but ... what if it hadn't? I could manage - but it's so much simpler and reassuring to see our course and position shown on the screen, in position on a detailed chart.
Looked over weather charts - the 96-hr surface forecast shows a 'Developing Gale' - the Low I've been getting concerned about - showing itself off to the NNW now but it will be close to our W on Sunday 18th and will then head E towards our position.
Making good speed under grey cloudy skies with increased seas - 2.5m now and quite close - we pick up speed as the wave carries us forward with it for 2-3 seconds - surfing!
4:15pm Just had a good siesta, followed by cutting up some more kitchen tissue, needed for use in the head... Nice to see a bird swooping around nearby - not seen many at all on this leg. A very grey, cloudy sky - more rain coming, maybe. not seen much sun today but feeling nice and warm, with air temperature around 29C/85F still - using a fan quite often to stay cool.
8:30pm A mix of radio chats and deck work - wind suddenly veered into SW just before dark so had to gybe the mainsail straight away.... Missed a radio sched but clearly the boat's needs must always take priority...
A very bright full moon is shining over the sea. The big rainclouds seem to have totally cleared away for the time being and left just a few thin clouds around with lots of clear sky for the stars and moon to be seen - a nice end to a rainy day. We also seem to have picked up speed again - making nearer 5.5kt.
Looking, yet again, at latest weather info to make sure we're heading in the right direction for best wind over the days ahead and hoping to be able to avoid worst of the Low and its Front from Sunday/Monday onward. I'm expecting unavoidable light wind ahead for a day or more soon.
Thursday 5am Dawn breaking - lovely delicate colours in the E and some bright pink feathery clouds overhead - sun must be rising but hidden behind light cloud on horizon. Making around 5kt in SSW wind ~12kt and seas still well up and rolling us around. Slight hint of rain on the air - the end of a light shower, perhaps. Generator on - need to top up batteries.
Checked in to 7155 ham radio group - not spoken to them since last October/November on my way S! Good signals from many of them and nice to make the contacts again after so long.
Back to my bunk for some more sleep before breakfast, while fresh weather info is downloading - takes a time... Will check our course and route for next few days over breakfast, once weather info can be seen.
8am Showery on and off today - grey clouds with just a couple of small blue patches of sky. Really rolly in short seas.
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Interview with ABC Far North (Cairns, Australia), two weeks ago, is now posted on my website (www.svnereida.com) and also on www.QRZ.com (on my VE0JS page)
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While sailing around the world, I'm trying to raise funds to help support the superb life-saving work done by the RNLI (Lifeboats) in Britain each and every day of the year, regardless how bad the weather. In fact, the worse it is, the more likely they are out there, helping someone in distress - whether a swimmer, surfer, small boat or big ship, night or day, summer or winter, and it is a charity - no government funding - so they rely on our help to fund their intensive training and maintain their equipment.
It would be great if you would take a moment to click on the Lifeboats link here (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jeanne-Socrates2), if you'd like to show your support for my efforts at sailing solo, nonstop, unassisted around the globe, trying to set a World Record as the oldest person to do so, by donating something towards the great work the RNLI do every day. If a lot of people put in even a small amount, it all adds up... Thanks a lot! If you can help, it will be very much appreciated. Let's see if we can reach my target!
(I hear that some readers might need to talk to their bank BEFORE trying to make a donation to the RNLI since many US banks routinely block foreign transactions unless
they are notified in advance.)
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1900GMT (= 9 a.m. LT = Tahiti/Hawaii time) - end of Day 316. We made 134 n.ml. DMG, measured in a straight line between the two 1900GMT positions.
Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 316 (by daily DMGs): 26,443 n.ml.
Distances (are all Gt Circle, at 1900GMT): Cape Flattery LH (Tatoosh Island): 1149 n.ml. to NNE (add ~60 n.ml. to Victoria); Honolulu: 1141 n.ml. to SW; Papeete, Tahiti: 3314 n.ml. to S; San Francisco GG: 1138 n.ml. to ENE.
Position, as posted to www.Winlink.org and www.Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV):
TIME: 2019/08/15 19:00 LATITUDE: 37-37.07N LONGITUDE: 146-31.28W
COURSE: 352T SPEED: 5.4ktkt
WIND_SPEED: 15kt WIND_DIR: SSW SWELL_DIR: SSW SWELL_HT: 2.2m CLOUDS: 98%
BARO: 1024.5hPa TREND: 2 AIR_TEMP: 27.0C SEA_TEMP: 30.0C
COMMENT: Showery day. Rolly in short seas
