Position and Weather Report

Position: Lat: 45deg 44.9 " Long: 127deg 41.5"

Predicted 24h position: Lat: 47deg 42.1" Long: 125deg 34.1"

COG: 035deg SOG: 6.0kts

Baro: 1012 mb 24h range:1007-1012mb Wind: ESE 11kts 24h range:SW 19 kts- ESE 11kts Waves: SE 1 M Sails up: head sail only Present gph 1.6

Clouds:30% cumulus

Summary: Lovely NW day. Perfect conditions with wind on our Stbd quarter recently moving abeam. Will continue reporting until entering the strait.

24h summary Fuel used:62g Gal/hr 2.58 Fuel at destination 1090g Distance made good: 152nm Ave. Speed:6.33nm/h MPG: 2.45 Fuel remaining:1186g Max range:2906nm Range to Destination:235nm Reserve Range:2671nm

Conditions remarkably better. The Washington-Oregon coast, noted for its less than hospitable usual sea state is providing us a pretty nice end to our travels. We have a SE breeze, 10-15 kts, sails up, making 6.5kts and burning less than 1.5g/h. Mark, however, has noted whitecaps and solemnly advised me in his best family tradition that it is time to go in lest the boat rocks. What happened to the doldrums of the Pacific High?

Lines are out with Hawaiian lures to entice NW albacore to bite. We want to try grilling some steaks with wasabi butter. Wade, throwing all caution to the wind, surprised us with grilled cheese sandwiches, during a period of strict cheese rationing although we are close to the land of the Washington Dairy Farmer's Association and Oregon's own Tillamook Cheddar.

Tropical wear no longer necessary. I wrote to Dave Nagle that I never thought I'd look forward to ER checks as a cozy place versus a perfect spot to practice Bikhram Sweat yoga. In the tropics the temp rose to near 130 degrees and is now downright comfortable when during evening watch we linger a bit longer admiring the John Deere humming away uncomplainingly.

The comforters I bought at Hong Kong Ikea, which seemed absurd at the time, have now found their way into nightly use. Long pants and shirts and even sweaters are standard wear - it seems like only yesterday we were hopping around the deck with bare feet to find shady spots to stand on.

Tonight we are going to have a repeat viewing of Captain's Courageous for the new crew. It is a story of a spoiled rich kid who falls off a luxury liner and is rescued by the crew of a Glouster halibut schooner. Great sea story although a guaranteed tear jerker.

Well family and friends, only two more days of life offshore. We have begun to see coastal birds, phalaropes and cormorants and the sea is taking on a bit of green-grey rather than the violet tropical blue. Then another day to cruise up the Strait and to Shearwater's new home at the Everett 12th St Marina, stopping for clearance into the States for this Cook Island registered boat. Quite a journey and adventure and although we are happy to be almost done, all of us are saddened a bit that it is ending, for the time being anyway!

News flash: 150 nm off the coast of Oregon we caught our first albacore so dinner is secured! Nice way to return to the NW in late summer.