T1 Ocean Crossing Entry #4: Adios Cabo, Hello Headwinds!
4 Days and 500 Miles
With limited reception, the Crew on board TRILOGY I are able to give home-base quick updates on their speed (we are tracking them by GPS satellite). Here’s the latest news from Rich and the Crew!
We left Cabo with 1500 gallons of diesel on-board. A day in, we were greeted with 25 knots on the nose and was told by our Captain that, “things could get interesting”. The cold North wind blew down the coast and we started to pitch quite significantly. At 6 knots we were just able to keep the 6 ft waves from crashing over the bow. Occasionally though a big and very steep swell would wash through hitting the diesel fuel bladders. For a few hours it was pretty hairy and the bladders were being moved on the deck, each weighing in at around 2000 lbs. We had to constantly check and re-strap the bladders down. Eventually though we made it out of the strong headwinds and and by the evening we could speed up to 8 knots without the possibility of a wash through. The starboard bladder had twisted over about 2 ft but hadn’t touched anything that could pierce the skin. Phew! By now the wind was on the beam and we could relax.
The first few days were cold and we had rolling seas on the beam at 15 knots from the NW. The good news is the sails were up and we were properly on our way. We are now 4 days into the passage and finally into calmer waters with the wind slowly swinging to our quarter. We’ve got 500 miles under our belt and it’s warming up!
The Crew on board are doing well, not quite as chatty as our Mexico run though. I think the thought of getting home to see friends, family, and their own beds is now on everyone’s mind more than the last passages. We should be coming into some trades very soon and will really start to fly. At the moment we are averaging 9 knots with full sail and one engine at 1400 rpm. There’s a big ground swell coming from the south, I’m sure Maui has some good surf at the moment. Wildlife sightings have dropped off to virtually nothing, just the occasional seabird and no ships; we are really out there now, just sea and sky!
Aloha, Rich and Crew
Written by: Rich Foster