Sunday 30th June 2013
Greetings to my Canadian friends ready for 1st July – HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Nearing sunrise at 430 am, oyster-pink-grey clouds ahead and in the NE. Boat was drifting NW in almost no wind so had to get us back on course in S – SSE winds. Boat speed only 1.5 kt or less, so difficult to keep a good heading. Overnight fog cleared away to leave a grey sky with showers in the distance, seas from SSE at 1.5 metres. By 530 am sails were trimmed for beam reach and Fred was keeping us on course – 475 n.ml. to Victoria 415 n.ml. on course 096T to Strait entrance. Breaks in clouds – moon seen above and blue streaks of sky ahead with hint of sunshine.
1pm Lovely gentle sailing in bright sun and slight swells. Wind light and swinging about, but has slowly backed, so now close-hauled again and no longer able to lay course to Juan de Fuca Strait – C’est la vie! ETA slipped yet again – but very enjoyable calm day. In middle of “A Voyage for Madmen” – fascinating read. Amazing how unprepared or badly prepared so many of them were. Makes me appreciate how good it’s been to have had regular emails and ham radio contacts on my way around.
This evening chopped up fresh onion sprouts and added to a Chinese meal of prawns with bean sprouts and bamboo shoots in black bean sauce. (Trying to use up cans of food on board – especially any rusty-looking ones!) Still sailing gently in calm seas under blue sky – very pleasant though not getting very far at under 3.5 kt ENE, in light SSE wind.
Nice to have several sociable radio chats over the day.
24hr DMG to 2300GMT: 61n.mi. Strait of Juan de Fuca: 395n.mi. (097T); Victoria: 454n.mi.
From: KC2IOV/MM by HF radio. Transcribed by Rick, VE7TK, Victoria, BC via Ham Radio for posting
---------------------------------------
http://www.7163net.com Current Position Reported by Ham Radio with Google Earth Tracking