Wednesday Morning
25 July 2007 | Pacific Ocean
Bill
Well morning broke once again and we waited for the sked from the Race Committee. Once again we found ourselves holding on to first in our Division. Yesterday was a tough day. Our class was split between the north and south. Our closest competitor was south and we felt there would be more pressure (wind there). But we liked the north for a predicted wind shift. We "split the baby", but tended north. Fortunately we played some awesome rain squalls last night. Solid 20 to 25 knots of sustained winds for 45 plus minutes. Denali was flying! This "push" probably covered the pressure differential between where we were and our competition. Now its the face off to the finish. We are about 240 miles to the famed Molokai Channel. The body of water between Molokai and Oahu. This is an area where the winds funnel and accelerate. If its 20 on the Pacific, its 25 in the Channel. This is truly what people sail the Trans-Pac for. For better or worse it looks like we will be doing the Molokai Channel in the morning darkness. This area also happens to be a very beautiful area - not that you can look around when the boat is sailing at 20 knots. Everybody is going to try to get some zzzzzzz's during the expected hot day today, because once we get into the Channel, its a full court press with everyone on deckand no sleeping. No complaining on my part (like Randy). This is all good and wouldn't miss and instant of it. Just mainline the coffee and light it up!
Can't wait to see everyone in Honolulu.
Living the Dream in the Pacific
Aloha
Skipper of Denali 11AM PDT