My good fortune continues, as yesterday’s forecast of very windy and bumpy was mostly wrong. It was nice to have the forecast be wrong in my favor for a change. Most of the day I enjoyed 12-18 knots of wind, at an angle I could actually use, which was an unexpected treat. It did finally blow 20-25 for a few hours in the evening, with lumpy seas to go with it, but I never saw the forecast 25-30 knots, so I was able to keep moving throughout the day and night, and didn’t need to anchor and hide along the way.
I had an unusual visitor aboard in the evening. I was on the foredeck adjusting a jib car during the hour of darkness between sunset and moonrise, when I noticed a small spot on the deck, which I figured was a squid. I turned my flashlight on it, and was surprised to discover a small baby lobster! It was only about 2 inches long, but was snapping his little claws and flicking his tail in frustration, so I tossed him back in. I guess he was swimming near the surface when a wave splashed him aboard.
I can’t resist looking ahead, to see what weather might greet me on the rest of the voyage, as with just 800 miles to go, it could be less than a week. At the moment, it is blowing 35 knots down the coast from Monterey to Point Conception, which is a no go for me, but that is supposed to stop by Sunday evening, followed by a few days of reasonable wind. So maybe, ideally, I will pass Turtle Bay late this afternoon, cross the border early Saturday morning, make it to Point Conception Sunday night, and then continue north, maybe arriving San Francisco Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. There are still plenty of miles to go, but that is my first loose possible estimate,which would suit me just fine.
6/6 8am 27.04N 114.18W 7973nm gone 802nm to go