Mike via email
05/21/2013

present position: N 5deg 34.5' E 148deg 02' COG 087deg T, SOG 6.3kts

estimated position 24hrs: N 5deg 44.1' E 150deg 15.9'

baro: 29.74 ranging last 24hrs from 29.65 - 29.74
wind: NE 4kts, in last 2 hrs the wind has dropped below 5kts; past 24hrs though winds were 10-20kts, mostly at the high end and serial squalls
or rain for the last 6hrs
seas: the lack of present wind, and the beating down of the rain have eliminated the surface chop, leaving several 1-2meter swell sets from multiple
directions
clouds:100% low cloud cover and rain



Dorothy:

When I went off watch last night we were getting into a series of squalls. Upon awakening this morning, I find we're under total cloud cover and rain.
It hardly looks like the tropics; more like off Bodega Bay, or David C. says Long Island. Under this cloud, or inside this system, the wind is almost non-existent,
and the rain tends to beat down the surface, so our ride at this point is really rather comfortable. We still have the p-vane fish in because: 1) we're pussies and dont
want to go out on deck in the rain for long enough to get them aboard, and 2) Capt David has become convinced if we take them out of the water, the wind will
come back up. So we're doing a respectable low 6kts for speed and able to move around like something other than old, crippled drunks.

You may notice that we've adjusted our COG (Course Over Ground) from 090 (directly eastward) to 087 (eastward, slightly to the north). This adjustment is/was
initially to jog around a pair of sea mounts which rise up rapidly from 14,000ft of water to 30ft.
Part of me would so love to dive this place ... but I'm not going to because:1) we wont be there until after dark and 2) I really don't want to end up as a meal
for a mako or tiger... shark, that is... big teeth, bad attitude. In setting up the jog around the sea mounts I noted that that same 087 course line joins up with
a waypoint we'd setup ahead which leads directly to Pohnpei. So, I can say we're on our final COG towards Pohnpei and even more interesting (in an almost anything is interesting
at this point of ennui kind of way) we have made our first definite turn to the north since Hong Kong; and it is in that general direction Shearwater will continue until Seattle.

Another sign of progress (be it ever so slow); we will break 600 nm to Pohnpei during my upcoming shift.

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Mike via email
05/21/2013

present position: N 5deg 31' E 146deg 52' SOG 5.9, COG 087deg True

estimated 24hr position N 5deg 38.5' E 149deg 7.4'

baro: 29.74, last 12hrs fluctuating as low as 29.65 (which is another little drop below yesterday's range)
wind: now NE 6kts and has been dropping the past 3 hrs; for most of the past 12hrs wind was ENE-NE-E 16-19kts
seas: seas have calmed a bit due to drop in wind, but I cannot see them at this time; in past 12 hrs, besides surface chop, steep 3 meter, short period, was common
cloud: At local sunset (4 hrs ago) cloud cover was 60% with relatively clear skies in the N-NW quadrant; because of the half-moon, I can see
that our cloud cover now is mostly cirrus, with the same open quadrant, although we have seen a flicker of lightning in the distance directly ahead

para-vane stabalzers were put in the water about 8 hrs ago to smooth out the ride; for most of the last 12 hours our SOG was low 5kts with frequent excursions to low 4kts
and lower; we are now in high 5kts and occaional 6. you may notice we've changed our COG effective with this report. There's a couple of sea mounts up ahead which
come very close to the surface, which we'll be in the area of 24hrs from now and we wish to jog above those. it turns out that the same COG lines us up with our
waypoint to line up for Pohnpei, so we're just pointing towards it a day or so earlier than we'd planned.

all is well with crew and the machinery



it is official; we've broken 700 nm to Pohnpei and also the halfway point from Palau... faint cheers. We are happy that the wind has dropped a bit, and the seas as well.
'Wade and Roger sleeping; Wade having recently come off watch and Roger will follow me. David is just going off-watch; I start now, following him.

It was bouncy that last of last night and all of today; not my most favorite thing; but Shearwater is handling it well, as is the crew.
This afternoon past, Roger and Capt David installed our jack-line, covers on the dorade ports and plugs in the hull vents, while Wade battened down the hatches (literally)
We also reviewed deployment of the sea anchor, should the wind have really gotten up. No problems, just being cautious and getting things done while we can.

we had one vessel cross our path earlier today -- a 600' cargo ship Kyowa Rose, headed for Rabul, PNG, which is pretty much straight south of us.

I'm flailing about for something to write about, but really, other than that I've slept today in 4 different places on the boat for various periods of time; that I've almost finished
the 4 volume Russian supernatural fiction series (Oh Thank Goodness!, it's really trash) and that my skin is prickly from the constant heat, sweat and salt on everything... there's
not that much to report.

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Mike via email
05/20/2013

present location: N 5deg 30' 145deg 50' COG 090, SOG 6.0
estimated location in 24hrs: N 5deg 30' 148deg 06'

baro: presently 29.77, fluctuated in last 24hrs from 29.68-29.77
wind: prior to the squalls, wind was E-NE-NNE 5-10; between squalls now we're seeing 10-15; and inside the
squalls, gusts to the high 20s
seas: choppy due to the increase in winds; swells more confused but nothing bigger than 2-3m
cloud: we have been in a series of squalls for the past 6 hrs so cloud cover appears almost total. there is some
blue sky and light off to the North-NW

Although we are hitting a series of squalls, the worst they've done is slow us down a bit; we're sticking with the
same track -- eastbound along N 5deg 30 -- for approximately the next 3 days, before angling up NE towards
Pohnpei (assuming nothing major forms up)




yesterday, into yesterday night was gorgeous cruising weather, but about six hours ago we got into a series of squalls,
which we're still transiting; they're lined up in front of us on radar -- like we're stuck on rinse cycle in a washing machine

just a few minutes ago, between two rain cells, there was a brilliant shaft of bright light coming down, just about the size of the
boat, all around us. I was concerned we were about to be abducted by aliens -- No Probing! No Probing! -- sorry, got carried away there.
at least the salt is getting rinsed off the boat

we've broken 800nm to Pohnpei; and should hit the halfway point (to Pohnpei) in the next 24hrs.

do you remember that Abbot & Costello movie "Lost in a Harem" where they're in a dungeon, and arguing about how they ended up there
and for some reason Lou says "Niagra Falls" and a bundle a rags in the corner, raises up and becomes this big shaggy guy, screeching "Niagra Falls"
and "slowly I turned, step-by-step" and so on... well, I suspect, in the future, if I should ever be around someone who says this or that trip was a "long drive"
I will probably do much the same. This is a loooonnnggg drive; and we haven't got to the longest leg yet -- Majuro to Hawaii. I thought we had
suspended animation for trips like this?! Thank goodness for the good company! And the great meals by Capt David! And the periodic incredible vistas!

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