The thermometer says we have reached the frigid temperature of 65 degrees, which surprisingly has us both wearing jackets. Obviously we are going to have to go through an adjustment period. But why are we going to a colder place where we need to adjust? Perhaps Captain Ron says it best with “Nobody really knows why.” Well Alaska should be a wonderful adventure, albeit a little cooler. However, we both have been living in the Hawaii or the South Pacific for the last four or more years, and the only need for a jacket was when we would fly to visit family, sometimes not even then, so it will be quite a temperature change. We knew we would need warmer clothes, so we stocked up before we left, and for Sara this meant gloves as well. However, she states that the gloves keep her hands somewhat warm, but the high humidity makes them feel wet and then cold, so the gloves are kind of pointless. Just another hardship we endure, yet we manage to carry on.
Is it better to say we are half way to Alaska, rather than half way left to go? Sort of like being half full? Regardless, at noon today we had 994 miles out of 1992 left to go, which means at noon we crossed the halfway point by two miles. Halfway there in one week, WooHoo!
Again the wind died in the middle of the night and by 3am we had to start the engine and we are still motor sailing as we write this. And the drizzling rain also continues. Hopefully the rain lets up tomorrow for we may need to fill the fuel tank from diesel jerry jugs. Wade made spaghetti for dinner using hamburger we canned in Hawaii, fresh mushroom, peppers, garlic, and onions. However the tomato sauce and paste were out of a can. And there is enough leftovers for tomorrow as well.
Over the last 24 hours we made 114 miles good towards Dutch Harbor. Some tacking in the middle of the night cut into our mileage made good as well as the slower speed of motoring.
Cheers,
Wade and Sara
Math Be Hard For Sailors – Alaska
Destination: Dutch Harbor, Alaska or where we drop anchor (53°53.677’N, 166°31.029’W)
Prize: Alaskan post card from us to you and a 12X16 Penrhyn Black-tip Shark poster Submissions are accepted until 7/20/17.
Please only submit the date and time only, no need for your crazy calculations via ComfortCruising.com Math Be Hard For Sailors Contact Form. Weather: Cloudy and misty rain
Ves. Pos. 37°23.585’N, 164°18.906’W
SOG: 4.8 kts
Course Over Ground (COG): 340°
Time: 12:00:42 PM 7/23/17
Nautical miles to destination as a bird flies(Crs Rng & Brg): 994 nm & 355° Apparent wind speed (AWS): 8.8 kts
Apparent wind angle: Port 53°
Outside Temperature: 63°
Water Temperature: 71.1°
Barometer: 1017
Humidity: 75%
Engine RPM: 2100 (started at 3:00 AM)
Risk the Weather Guy gave us our fifth waypoint to sail towards 43 30N 167 00w
Math Be Hard For Sailors Tip:
We do not pull into unknown anchorages during the dark, and we try to avoid arriving during twilight hours too. Yet the nights are pretty short during Alaska summers. There are so many unknowns when arriving to a new anchorage our motto is to heave-to or sail back and forth to fish outside a passage, harbor, or anchorage if we arrive before good light.
Upon arrival we will have to choose between two passes, Akutan or Unalga, that connect the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea ao as to reach nearby Dutch Harbor. Traveling in and out of a pass like Akutan or Unalga is similar to how we enter and exit an atoll. We try our best to time our arrival based on the tides and currents. The nice part is we are in the United States and NOAA provides a lot of information (http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov). Be sure to consider that we will be going through one of these two passes during slack current/tide for guessing our destination time. Good luck.
