Position: Lat: 47deg 47.2" Long: 125 deg 27.6

COG: 035deg SOG: 6.8kts

Baro: 1012 24h range:1012-1014 Wind: NW 18kts 24h range:04-18kts Waves NW wind chop Sails furled Present gph 2.7

Clouds Stratus 50%:

Summary 50nm from Neah Bay. Looks like a bit of breeze from the NW. This will be my last weather post assuming we turn the corner without incident! Cannot thank you enough for all your help, Lee, D and D. Would love to get together when you are all here and debrief and share some good food. It was a great trip and the added weather factor was a learning experience in the Pacific lab. Best, David



24h summary Fuel used:49g Gal/hr2.0 Fuel at destination:1137 Distance made good:150nm Ave. Speed:6.25 MPG:3.06 Fuel remaining:1137g Max range:3479nm Range to Destination:85nm Reserve Range:3394nm

A Kiss Goodbye

Now that we are close enough to smell land, the mighty Pacific is providing us a sweet reminder of why one never should become complacent offshore. For the first time since leaving Hawaii we can receive VHF weather radio and the forecast is for increasing NW winds to 25+ knots according to the US and Canada is forecasting Gale conditions at the Northern entrance of the Strait. We are 69 miles away at the time of this writing so are looking at 11 hours or so of exposure before we can thumb our nose at the same low pressure system which you have gotten tired of me writing about. Yes, it just keeps on giving.

On a happy note yesterday was about as nice a day as we have had. Picture us sitting around the pilothouse setee, embroiled in a close game of Hearts, having to put the game on hold periodically as the single rod we were fishing screamed with yet another albacore. After 4 fish we hung it up for the night, keeping 2 and releasing the others as we used barbless hooks. Dinner was about as memorable as any we have had with a rice maker full of sticky rice and two types of grilled albacore. One cooked to moist perfection and the other seared and raw centrally, served with soy and wasabi. It bore little resemblance to Chicken of the sea in water or oil for that matter. We all ate until we on just this side of pain.

This morning, Mark, who may be more fish crazed than I, put out the lure and within minutes hooked and released another albie before we decided to make tracks for the inside.

Last night was moonless and clear and I saw what Dave Nagle describes as "Alaskan Dawn" We were 150 miles offshore and I saw multiple glows on the horizon, too far out to be coastal towns. As one got closer, I realized they were fishing boats with intense sodium vapor lights drifting for the night before resuming their albacore trolling. The design of most of these fishing boats is the model for the duck!

Next post will be from the Strait!!!