Feb 1-5
Hi All,
Well…..you cruise long enough and Mr Weather is going to remind you who is boss….think you can set a schedule….no way Jose….I will dictate your schedule…okee dokey…..don’t get your panties in a wad says John….whaaaaaaaa!!!!
Weather as Met Bob says is chaos and forecasts are from the patterned world…ugh!!!! I have bonded with Predict Wind and have been using all 4 models. The problem with the Philippines is how to treat these large island/land masses….will the wind be blocked or will this ferocious NE trade blow right over. Well, so far the winds have been blocked…well, sort of. Even though the winds are NE, they hit the big island of Luzon up north…like 400nm from here….and whip around and come down the coast as North winds….as well as the big swell.
So, on our way from Illultuk Bay to Appo Reef we had a pretty big north swell….the biggest since we crossed the Pacific in 2013…..4-6′ swell, 8 sec period…..those big roller type swells….right on our beam….yikes….so we had to turn on Mr Leaky Stabilizer and while it leaked badly it did its thing and we were moderately comfortable. It was 50nm, took 7.5 hours, 7.5 kt SOG, we went faster to help the stabilizers be more effective….not too bad. The winds stayed in the 10kt range, the sun was out and the water that deep gorgeous blue!!!
Appo reef is a an atoll….very much like in the Tuamotous or the Minerva Reef outside Vanuatu….maybe 4 square miles surrounded by reef with a natural opening so you can get inside to calmer waters…..we were hoping to get in a dive or 2 in some very nice coral and waters…..NOT!!
What’s that noise says a sleepy John at 3am…it’s the frickin wind says the Admiral…say what….yep, blowing 25kts…..I wish I had a dollar for every time I say…but, that is not predicted….arghhh!!!!! It was at low tide so we were somewhat protected but we were not sure for how long….would the winds get stronger as one model predicted or calmer as 2 models predicted…..so we decided to leave….the dive sites were untenable in a dinghy and we figured the visibility would be down…..while we do love to dive, I think after Wakatobi we are a bit jaded….Kathy is still not bringing me that hot towel after the dive:))))
So we left around 7am….had 4-6′ swell on the port side and 3-4′ wind waves on the starboard side….a washing machine….only 35nm to go to the large island of Mindoro, where we hoped to get some lee protection….ugh….it sort of calmed….oh good, then slammed….back to 20-25G30….and Mystic was bashing hard….slowed to 5-6 kts…..spray over the flybridge…..wow, hadn’t seen that in a while…..AND it continued to about 1 mile off Mindoro…like where is the lee protection…..well, the wind was funneling through the Mamburao river valley….maybe a mile away…..we are still getting gusts up to 28kts at anchor but at least the water is calm…we are about 400 yards off the shore line….ugh!!!! So, 37nm, 6.5 hours, avg 6.8 SOG….
AND, did you here John-boy whaaaaaaaa across the Pacific…..the racor filter in the ESI fuel polisher was completely full of that brown stringy algae….WTH….and we were running on the good starboard tank….ODG….this means we have algae in both tanks….so, up early the next day…took 1+ hour to clean…..would not come out of drain in bowl so had to disassemble everything…..what a frickin mess….nothing like eau de diesel first thing in the morning:))))
We left Tubili Pt off Mindoro at 7am Sunday Feb 4 heading for Hamilo cove off Luzon….yep, 1 mile off shore and it’s blowing 20-25G30….ugh…..the fetch built to 3-4′ wind waves on the beam and coupled with the 3-4′ north swell on the nose….well, more spray over the flybridge….salt anyone!!! After 2 hours of this we get into the lee of Mt Calavite…..looks like Mt Diablo in the East Bay of Bay Area….no wind, calm seas….oh what a relief!! Then we get into Calavite Pass and we had expected the worse…..it indeed started 30-35G40kts….seas 3-4′ on the nose….we both braced ourselves in the PH for another few hours of bashing….BUT, then it was 25, then 20, then 15, then 5-10 kts from the east and the sea was calm…WTH….we both did not say anything as Mystic just purred along….Kathy made lunch….then we got around Golo Island and the seas are back to 2-4′ but the winds stay 10-15’….all from the north…but not a bad ride. We get to our anchorage in Kutad cove….nice beach and resort…drop anchor and do the happy dance…..71nm, 7.0 SOG, 10 hours….have our passage beers….AND, as feared, that pesky north swell is wrapping around and coming into the anchorage…..so we deploy the flopper stopper….time for cocktails and the resort sets off a welcoming firework show…maybe 5 min….impressive….actually we think it was for an outdoor wedding!!!
AND sort of good news…..the ESI racor filter is only partially filled with algae!!!!!
The Plan: We are taking a day off today….Super Bowl Monday here:))) Tomorrow we will go to Corregidor Island to see the WWII memorial…this is the island MacArthur left and returned….we hear it is quite impressive. On Wednesday, we will go 45-50nm to Subic Bay Yacht Club. We will haul on Monday Feb 12…..do some bottom paint touch up and other out of water projects, Steve the Wesmar technician arrives Wednesday am so start the stabilizer fin repair. We hope to splash on Saturday, back to SBYC marina and continue the engine maintenance. If all goes well we should be done around Feb 24ish…..then a week for final provisions and cleanup and hopefully, we will continue our journey north, weather permitting…..this leg to Okinawa…..about 900nm north!!
Weather: Hmmmm…..maybe changing a little??? As we rounded Mindoro Island and Mt Calavite, there has been a huge haze all around and on Luzon. Last night at sunset the sky was all red….like smoke in the air. We know Mt Mazon has erupted but that is 200miles SE so do think it is from that….very curious where all this smoke/haze is coming from??? And, it is slightly cooler….water temp is 81.5*F…down 2-4*….and the air temp this am was 78*F, has been 82-84*F….our stateroom @81*F….wow…..
Hope all is well!!
John
Mystic Moon
resting peacefully in Kutad Cove, Luzon Philippines
PS: Internet still too slow for pictures….we have heard how the internet sucks in the Philippines and we wholeheartedly agree….worst since French Polynesia days back in 2013….it is so bad that Duterte has told the 2 providers to shape up or he is inviting a Chinese carrier to take over….yikes!!!
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