March 15
Hi All,
3:00am Friday March 16: All is well!!
Well…..you PLAN, PLAN, AND THEN PLAN some more and what happens…it never is as forecast!!! In this case where is this Kuroshio current?????……and, the best news….the waves are in the 2-3′ range not the 5-9′ expected…..hmmm…..I’m sitting here on watch just waiting for it all to happen, but yet enjoying the rather calm motion with my coffee:))))
We did leave Santiago Cove around 0700am….a little later than planned…..the faucet on the fresh water anchor wash down hose was stuck closed…..took us a few minutes to get it unstuck….in the meantime the Philippines Coast Guard was calling….uh, MM….when are you leaving….it’s past your ETD of 0630….whoa…..ok, big brother…..don’t get your knickers in a wad, we are leaving soon….of course I did not say that….it was more like yes Mister CG sir, leaving soon!!!
We had trawler conditions for the first 80nm to the top of Luzon….did 8.0-9.0kts…..1kt favorable current, winds <10 kts, seas <1′!!!! Then as we entered the Luzon Strait, the seas became a bit confused but still in the 1-2′ range so no issues. Our speed over the next 60-80nm has gone from 8.8kts, down to 7.4 kts and now is back to 8.4 kts…ouch…..we had expected to be doing 9-10 kts by now…..so where is the Kushiro current, the future is always around the corner…..I know it is out there lurking somewhere….gulp!!! My best guess right now….maybe an unexpected back eddy or maybe a tidal influence….the whole time at these lower speeds we have been in a flood tide…..so who knows…..Karma as the Japanese say!!!!
7:00am: Yep…..found the Current…..from 2:30am to 5am the speed rose all the way to 10kts…..wahoo….then it has slowly reduced to 8kts…..we think we are through the Kuroshio current with no issues….yippee!!!
Stats: 14 July 2300 UTC (7:00am March 15 local time):
Position: 20 29N 121 15E
Traveled: 203.5n today; 515nm to go; ETA to Okinawa 11am Monday (Okinawa time)
Course: 33M COG
Wind: 5-10kts, mainly WNW
Waves: 2-3′ ENE, med period: ride fairly smooth
Speed: current speed is 8.2 kts SOG; has varied 7.4-10.0 kts today; avg is 8.5 kts for passage; 1600 rpm (normal is 1600)
Weather: 90% cloud cover (the dreaded front is coming….ugh!); sea temp 82 deg F, has been as low as 78*F; air temp 80 deg F…feels a little cooler, Kathy has long sleeves on!!
Boat sightings: ~10-15; all cargo ships…..we seem to be surrounded by 2-3 most of the time so we know we are with the big boys going in the right direction:))))
Fishing: Nope
Sail: down
Fuel burn: too soon to calculate
Hope all is well!
John
Mystic Moon
GO MYSTIC GO
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