Sailing Through Paradise: Victoria, B.C. to Hilo, Hawaii
Leg #1, 1997
June 6, 1997
Latitude: 32.44 North Longitude: 131.33 West Water Temp. 71 F 1483 miles
to Hilo, Hawaii
Mahina Tiare III's first crew, Leg 1, 1997 arriving in Victoria, B.C.
May 26, 1997.
Now we're finally really sailing!
Leo Volkert at the helm of Mahina Tiare III in calm seas off Cape Flattery,
Washington coast. May 27, 1997.
Mahina Tiare III, a brand new Hallberg-Rassy 46 departed Victoria, B.C.,
Canada on May 27 on her maiden voyage to Hilo, Hawaii with overcast skies
and very light headwinds. On May 30 with a forecast of 30 knot southerly
headwinds, we ducked into Coos Bay, Oregon to let a very active cold front
pass. The following afternoon most of the front had passed and we set south
into very light variable winds. After two days of mostly motorsailing in
light winds we decided for one last fuel stop and spent two hours in Fort
Bragg topping up diesel and buying fresh fruit and vegetables. The southerly
gale forecast for the night of June 2nd didn't reach us [phew] as we passed
Pt. Arena and watched the California coast fade away. By the evening of
June 3rd northwesterly winds started filling in and have been with us ever
since.
Amanda's fish line has hooked two tuna,one which Jim nearly landed and
the other a large fish that escaped with her favorite lure. We sighted
a couple of whales today one a breaching minke the other a small sperm,
unfortunately wrapped in net, made us all feel rather sad.
Leo Volkert lands another tuna!
Presently we have NW winds of 19-23 knots and are close reaching at
7.2 knots. The tail of a warm front passed us last night with intermittent
squalls and rain. Our new Furuno weatherfax machine has provided us with
detailed weather charts several times a day which we use in determining
the best course to set. The jet stream has been several hundred miles south
of it's normal summertime postilion and the result has been that one low
and cold front after another has battered the west coast frequently producing
gale force southerly winds. Now we are well out of that system and expect
the winds to swing around to northeast tradewinds shortly.
The improvement in sailing performance between Mahina Tiare II, a Hallberg-Rassy
42 and MT III a new, Frers design which is 48.5' on deck and has considerably
longer waterline is unmistakable. We estimate our speed to average more
than one knot faster on all points of sail! So far all systems including
the sails, rigging, Volvo diesel engine, Balmar high output alternator
and inverter, PUR Endurance 160gpd watermaker are working perfectly. In
a future entry I'll detail my reasoning in choosing the specific gear aboard
Mahina Tiare III. But now, there's just time for a quick hot shower before
I'm due on watch - so Aloha till the next update from Paradise...
Amanda's award-winning cathedral windows quilt completed on leg 1.
To The Next Log Entry:
Log #2 - 6/13/97
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