Position N15 17.56 W113 25.11 distance/24 hours - 91 miles - not bad considering the wind we have or lack thereof!
Last night sucked and tonight is not shaping up to be that much better. The problem is not enough wind to keep the sails filled. When we roll up a wave the sails back and slat and bang. It's hard on the rigging, sails and our nerves. We did not get much sleep.
We are still dealing with these light winds and making slow progress, but we're in a bit more of a routine and rhythm now. Life has become very simple, the only goal being how do we make use of the given wind & sea condition to get to the next way point. Our fridge died on us, so the policy is to eat as much fresh produce as possible. Carrots are just not that yummy when they are all bendy!
We adjusted the sails today to a wing-on-wing position. That is, the main sail is out to one side and the head sail is held out to the other side using a pole. I don't typically like this position as it tends to roll the boat a bit more and it's hard for the self steering gear to sail straight downwind (~165 degrees). But as soon as we did this, the boat's motion was calm and peaceful as if each wave was made of satin. I could finally enjoy the day and even had a long nap. But the ocean is ever changing and now we are back to slating as a new choppy sea has build up. I have heard and read about the joys of trade-wind sailing, but so far, they have been too light and have not been what dreams are made of.
Later: The main sail is down and both Big Red and the working jib are poled out to starboard and port. No slating, no banging but a little more rolling. Stupid boats, always a compromise!
We had a beautiful run across the Strait of Juan de Fuca yesterday (15-20 apparent wind on the Starboard quarter with a swell) and I kept imagining what it would be like if we were where you guys are now.
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