Day 15 – Less than a Week Away!

June 2, 2020

From the Captain’s Log

ESTELLE is making good progress toward Cape Flattery, especially now that we are out of the high pressure region. We motored for 51 hours to get out of that high pressure zone! But I think it was worth it, as we are now well positioned for the final stretch. The weather so far has played out largely as our weather routing service, Commander’s, predicted, and for this we are grateful.

We plan to continue on our current course, just a bit north of the rhumb line to stay out of the building high pressure to the south and east. We are aware of the low pressure cell approaching from the north and west, as well as the new one that is apparently forming near 55n 149w, and the associated gale predictions.

Hopefully, we will be far enough east and south to avoid the gale force winds when the low arrives, but still above the high. That’s the plan, as of now. However, it looks like we may run out of wind again (more high pressure??) when we approach landfall later in the week. That is still far enough out that I don’t have much confidence in the GFS or ECMWF forecasts, but they have been consistent in recent days.

Chief Galley Officer Report

We’re chugging along this morning, cause rats we lost wind about 3 this am. Good news is she’s (the wind) is starting to come back. Thinking we will be under sail in the next 15-20 minutes.

The day is partly cloudy, we’re hoping to see the sun. If not then we will have to drink coffee/ tea and feast on the lemon tart I made yesterday, the one that used zest and juice from 4 large lemons. I should write a book “eating your way across the Pacific”.

We’re just a wee bit over 600 miles to Cape Flattery. The plan to date is to enter the straight of Juan de Fuca, aka the straight of wanna puke-a, I’m hearing that traveling through this straight can be pretty ugly. Great, and I wanted white sandy beaches and hula girls. Next trip I’m voting for the southern islands.

Once entering the straight we will head over to the small fishing village of Neah Bay located on the southern tip of the cape. The plan is to deposit one if not two crew members onto dry land, fuel up and head to San Juan island and Friday Harbor, a trek that will take us the better part of a whole day (that means 24 hours).

…had to take a pause, we’re under sail again, only making 4 knots… So we will hit Neah Bay then finish up our adventure. It’s crazy. Rob and I are thinking of taking a week or so and hanging out in the area to visit family and friends. Still thinking about it. We are realizing that there was snow on the ground at our house when we left in April and now our grass is probably dead from lack of rain and high temps, oh well.

Attached is a pic of our progress and route. The square with the x in it is our actual daily progress the plain x is our charted daily route. We are the black vessel, the bluish one in a 1000 foot long tanker trying to run us over. When we zoom out the tanker is 40 miles away! But that is not always the case.

Enough for now, I’m grabbing some fresh air and sunshine! Cheerio WB

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