More

Yesterday we finally landed our first big fish. Not that we had not any bites the last few days. We have lost more lures than ever. The usual suspect are out ion force. We had a 400 lbs test line break. To much fish, to little line.

Yesterday a good size Mahi Mahi and this morning same thing. Our crew is getting good at it now and it is a efficient operation land it. One hauls in the line, another get ready to gaff it and someone runs for the gin bottle. After have gaffed it the fight begins and a good dose of Gin over the gills knocks them out. Then hang them upside down on the swim platform and if the fight is over fillet it hanging down. Than place the fillet on a wet towel to keep it from sliding and skin it and cut in meal size portions. All this while holding on as we once in a while take a deep roll. Salty crew.

We are making good progress. We have been able to stay close to a straight West course. We like to keep that as long as possible. Yesterday we did 161 NM today about the same it looks.

We have dolphins around same as yesterday. Another fish on the line. Got to run.

Western Grace is now plowing through the trades. Steady winds and large waves, great sailing. Sunny skies in the mornings, increasing cloudiness in the afternoons. A steady roll and winds filling the sail to the max.

We made a bit over 7 KtS overnight and we expect to pick up more speed the next few days. The weather looks good all the way to Hawaii right now. We are trying make most of our westing at around 16 North. The more West we make the winds normally are going to veer forcing us to higher latitudes if we want to stay on a deep reach.

Yesterday we did our first sextant noon sight. It went well and chances are we are going to find Hawaii this time. Almost a week at sea and 2026 NM to go.

All is well. We are finally getting a bit more wind after struggling the last few days. Ever more South and closer to the official starting line of the trades at 120 West.

Last night we had two boobies onboard and they showed no fear whatever we did to chase them away. Keith took pictures from only inches away. Great entertainment for the crew. This morning only one was left and it is flying around diving after the flying fish scurrying away from our bows. We find almost every morning squit and flying fish on deck. Over night we met two freighters only a few mile apart. So large a ocean.

Our crew is working on deck on the daily routines. Checking everything and do a bit of salt removal. We still have no fish. Wondering we ever get another one.

Keith P. is getting our position reports to the Pacific Seafarers net at a daily basis. This is a ham net and you can find position reports at their websites.
www.pacsea.net

Only 2175 NM to go

The big swell are laying down. What a rolly few days we had. The big storm of California has moved on and the swell generated by it has now subsided. We saw sea up to 18' but far apart. The rolly part came in with the wind waves on top of it but that all gone now. We are just getting away from land a good 2300 NM away from Hilo. Just where overtaken by a panama freighter on a great circle route to the Orient.

All doing well onboard. The winds are light right now but we are sailing although slow. Fishing have been expensive. We lost 3 sets of gear totally ripped off no doubt sharks.
Don Anderson say we should reach the trades at 120 West a few days away at this rate.

All is well crew doing fine.
Off to a great start. Left yesterday at 1300 hours after our paperwork chase. Just as we have figured out how to get this done efficient the rules change. Normally we get a clearance letter from the Marina than to the port captain with the crew list and boat papers. Then to emigration and get the papers stamped. This year that changed to Emigration has to come onboard and we had to wait for them to show up. Than trying to hunt down a copy machine to get copies of everything many time's over. Then copies of entrance papers etc. So the whole proxies is a bit more intense no doubt as result off increased security concerns.

The officers are nice enough but the fact to have to do the paperwork in the field makes it slow and inefficient.

After we left we had a great afternoon motoring in light SW winds under sunny skies. A few whale sighting's and one very close just as we had a fish on the line. Lost the fish but have some good pictures of the whales.

Past Cabo Coriente we found some wind and we set sail only to loose it a few hours later. At midnight we earnestly got wind and have sailed all so far. The trick is to get away from the shore and get to the trades at 19 120.

The night sail was spectacular with intense bioluminescent and great starry skies. First night watches went well.

This morning we kept busy checking rigging, vegetables and went over some more safety procedures. Just changed the clock an hour back.
Winds are supposed to be light but we are delighted to see the winds 10-15 Kts much more than expected. Tomorrow the NW supposed to fill in and we should speed up.

Left PV on the 21 13:00 hours. Great departure left Banderas Bay in the company of several humpbacks and many many dolphins. Wonderful but light air for the first day. covered 132 miles that day and 100 day 2, but much better now today we covered 178 in fine weather. Swells are about 12 - 16 feet. Yesterday we took the chance to get in a swim and a dingy ride which was great fun and we got some good photos of Western Grace. Food has been great, I can't believe the fresh bread! Fishing has been a bust but we have only lost two or three lures. John is teaching.

Yesterday moved to Paradise village Marina and the usual cleaning and washing. On Monday we did a big provision run with Warren Nygaard a commercial fisherman from BC who has a vehicle here. He had a great suggestion for where to get wholes sale vegetable and it worked out great. A good selection and prices way better than in the big supermarkets. So we ended up with a bushel of apples, a crate of bananas, a box of tomatoes etc. all for about $1200.- pesos about $100.00 dollar.

The weather looks Ok but not great. A big storm off the west coast is killing the trade winds and we can expect a big swell. We should depart around noon.

A blustery night with strong winds and big waves and swell. Pitching and rolling. Last night the wind increased to 25 Kts and gusting higher. Had the drag alarms set to alert us of a dragging anchor. We did not move but another boat at first light was only a few boat lengths off our bow. They where keeping a eye on it so no problem. At 0730 our snubber parted with a big bang. Reset it and had our coffee. Then listening to the local morning net looked out of the window and saw a waterspout forming a few miles south of us. As soon as it was seen it disappeared, but within minutes several others formed and disintegrated. Then 2 more larger ones formed. Firsts at the water but than than extending into the clouds.

This caused some excitement and within minutes several boats had pulled up anchor and moved into the marina or like us set out for sea to get some more sea room. We anchored outside the pack and by the time we where settled the waterspouts had gone East and evaporated. The rest of the day blustery and a lively ocean. By nightfall things are getting slightly better. The weather this year is unlike any we have seen down here for the time of year. Maybe the high water temp still 27C.

Whooz--Whooz -- whoooooz-- Bang. The Pelican has landed! This is a common accordance among the boats at anchor. These birds like to sit on a perch overlooking the water and often choose boats at anchor. Boats left unattended are getting within days there own population of birds and within a week the boats are unrecognizable and stink 2 miles down wind. We have such boat anchored not to far from us and if the wind is from the wrong direction we get the smell. Several times a day and more often at night we hear the sound and get up to chased them away. If you stay on top of it you can keep them away. However if you let it go

Tried different techniques to keep them away as it tiresome to chase them away all the time. Another captain told me to string thin fishing lines over the rail to discourage them. Have invested some time and lost of filament doing this but still they find a way to get to sit on the rail. Birds 1 John 0

Got some great painting jobs done. Despite it being slow e have kept busy and the boat looks presentable. Tonight the swell is increasing again. This makes it hard to work as we have to watch everything from flying around.

This is the first entry for the year. Happy New Year all. Not much going on as we are still at anchor. We keep busy enough as we have discovered renewed interest in painting. Not the canvas type but get the sand paper and start sanding kind. Did the toe rail and today managed to get most of the port Topsides done on the hull. 95% prep and very little painting actual. Matter of fact 98% prep. We got a scaffolding platform we made and have it hanging over the side and works great. The locals shake there head and some cruisers as well so they see us working on it hanging above the water. But this is what I learned in my early days on the freighters and it still works.

It is been extremely cloudy the last few days. We have a unseasonal pineapple express and the forecast say it may stay for a few more days. This is great for painting as it is way to hard under the hot sun.

Still few whales but lots of Jack Creveilles (fish) who make a sound like a frog. This is clearly audible at night when we lay in our bunks. The steel hull make the sound coming thru water easy to hear.