Photo: Rick Gaffney
mally would have offset or canceled the anticipated rough-water speed reduction. We got slowed down, losing speed to the bumpy water, plus we got hit with a surface current going the wrong way, a result of sustained southwesterly winds. The net result is that we burned the anticipated amount of fuel per day (48 gallons), however, our speed was reduced by over 1.5 knots. As we approached the Hawaiian Islands with a good weather forecast and great confidence in our fuel consumption and the amount remaining, we increased speed and made up most of our lost time. We arrived only about 15 hours later than planned, but with much of our reserve fuel consumed— clearly illustrating the need for an adequate reserve. Despite the westerly winds, we did enjoy some lovely tropical weather, great food (including lots of fresh dorado) and the camaraderie and relaxation that a long ocean passage can generate. Our 40-foot Nordhavn proved a wonderful passagemaker, and the success of the first and longest voyage of the circumnavigation confirmed the vessel’s ability to safely and comfortably complete the challenging legs that lay ahead. C
On a long ocean passage, the days fly by with dolphins playing in the bow wave, journal writing, book reading, and plain relaxing. One is busier in a port-of-call than at sea.
E- M A I L Are you enjoying the passage to Hawaii?
P
erhaps the best way to reply will be to quote a passage from my journal: Day 10: Dana Point to Honolulu 13 November 2001 0315 Pacific Standard Time Latitude 25.32.502 North Longitude 139.46.361 West Heading 245 M Speed 5.9 knots at 1,395 RPM Distance run 1,302 nm Distance to go 1,029 nm Now, this is passagemaking in the NE Trades! When you awake to start your night watch, you can hardly discern you’re on a boat, let alone on a boat in the middle of the Pacific, so gentle is the motion. There is 6 to 8 knots out of the ENE which puts the breeze on our port quarter. There ís no moon yet, so it’s too dark to tell for sure, but there
must be a lazy swell from the north. We’re moving right along at almost 6 knots. Have I mentioned stars? Stick your head out the Dutch doors and you almost gasp at the panoply, if that’s the word I'm looking for. Remember, English is not my mother tongue. Now that we’re 1,300 nm from North America, familiar constellations no longer look the same. The Big Dipper is balancing on the tip of its handle. Orion looks unusually upright. The Milky Way you can almost reach up and touch. Have I mentioned food? Prime rib last night with humongous baked potatoes lathered with sour cream, all washed down with a lovely Mondavi merlot. A roasted chicken the other night. Filet mignon. Made-from-scratch sauce for perfectly cooked pasta. More sashimi than we can eat. A mountain of oniony home fries with bacon and eggs in the morning. Yes, it’s quite a struggle getting to Hawaii on a trawler. — Georgs Kolesnikovs, Trawler World 2003 CIRCUMNAVIGATOR · 63