Nearing Fatu Hiva
20 July 2010 | Pacific Ocean
We're 170nm from the port we are heading for in the Marquesas, Fatu Hiva (we decided to go there first before heading to our original target, Hiva Oa). If the winds keep up, we should be able to make this tomorrow sometime, after 17 days at sea.
The last several days the winds have been strong and have swung around almost directly W behind us. We had been keeping the wind on our port quarter and had our genoa on a starboard pole, and the main and mizzen both on starboard preventers. With the wind behind us (just a little bit to port), that became untenable and we pulled in our main and mizzen. After a bit of experimentation, we now have a traditional gull wind configuration, with the genoa on a port pole and the main pulled out as far as possible to starboard.
As it has been very rocky, we haven't gotten much work done the last few days, which is unfortunate as we'll need to take some time out when we get to land to work on things. Still, considering that we appear likely to make the crossing well under our estimated time, there isn't too much complaining.