So where are the boys and girls and what's going ? If that question has your interest too then read on. What I'm hoping to do is porvide a "view from the shore" based on any information I can find. So if you have other sources that might shed light on the race, the crew(s) and other goings on then please do let me know.
This update was prepared at 0700 pacific on Friday July 2nd.
Where are they? Well the short answer is that as of 0430 this morning (local time) they were headed west at just over 3 knots and were approaching the entrance to Juan do Fuca. (Or the exit from Juan de Fuca from their perspective). Which means that as of this note they are likely out by Cape Flattery and deciding on their next options. Oh, and by the way, they are leading the pack! The attached file shows a screen shot of where the four boats are positioned as of 0430. Turicum is about 1.5 nautical miles ahead of Black Watch and the separation between the four boats is about 15 miles. So as the sun comes up it’s likely they can still see each other.
Now this is where it starts to get interesting because over the next 24 to 48 hours we will start to see some tactics come into play. Head south ? Head west ? Head on any point in between? Those are all the questions Gunnar and Hale will be spending huge amounts of time contemplating. From this point in it’s an incredible mix of science and art picking the most favorable course, and for some of us sailors that’s what makes this so interesting. Without first hand information from the boat all we can do is guess, so that’s what I intend to do and I’ll follow their progress relative to my calls just for the fun of it.
Currently the wind at Neah bay is from the SW at 1 to 2 knots so it’s pretty calm out there. They will be itching to turn the corner and get going. Peruse bank (further offshore and north) is showing NNW at 6 to 8 knots and that’s very good news because it means some favorable winds are likely to fill in as the day progresses, and they could be in for some fun sailing. Cape Elizabeth (further south off the coast from Tacoma) is showing N winds at 13-15. So looking at the weather forecasts and grib files for the next 24 hours I’d say it’s likely Spinnakers and Asymetrics on deck, and that will be fun for them. But who knows, I’m a long way from the boat and what they are experiencing. I think they are going to start to rocket off! It will be interesting to watch their distance made, boat speed and direction. You might want to check the Boat Tracker information on the Vic Maui race webpage. If you select Turicum then hover over the last position you can see the last reported boat heading and speed.
So the weather looks like N or NW winds building to 10-20 through the day, then easing overnight likely 5-15 then building again tomorrow. And it looks like more wind offshore so my WAG is they will sail SW for the next 24 hours and see what happens! Longer term it’s still looking favorable with N or NW winds taking them down to the trades and the highs still building/holding north of Hawaii. But remember, I’m an optimist through and through so I’ll always hope for the best. Sailors are a lot like fisherman, the stories get bigger and bigger as time goes on. Have fun, more later.
This update was prepared at 0700 pacific on Friday July 2nd.
Where are they? Well the short answer is that as of 0430 this morning (local time) they were headed west at just over 3 knots and were approaching the entrance to Juan do Fuca. (Or the exit from Juan de Fuca from their perspective). Which means that as of this note they are likely out by Cape Flattery and deciding on their next options. Oh, and by the way, they are leading the pack! The attached file shows a screen shot of where the four boats are positioned as of 0430. Turicum is about 1.5 nautical miles ahead of Black Watch and the separation between the four boats is about 15 miles. So as the sun comes up it’s likely they can still see each other.
Now this is where it starts to get interesting because over the next 24 to 48 hours we will start to see some tactics come into play. Head south ? Head west ? Head on any point in between? Those are all the questions Gunnar and Hale will be spending huge amounts of time contemplating. From this point in it’s an incredible mix of science and art picking the most favorable course, and for some of us sailors that’s what makes this so interesting. Without first hand information from the boat all we can do is guess, so that’s what I intend to do and I’ll follow their progress relative to my calls just for the fun of it.
Currently the wind at Neah bay is from the SW at 1 to 2 knots so it’s pretty calm out there. They will be itching to turn the corner and get going. Peruse bank (further offshore and north) is showing NNW at 6 to 8 knots and that’s very good news because it means some favorable winds are likely to fill in as the day progresses, and they could be in for some fun sailing. Cape Elizabeth (further south off the coast from Tacoma) is showing N winds at 13-15. So looking at the weather forecasts and grib files for the next 24 hours I’d say it’s likely Spinnakers and Asymetrics on deck, and that will be fun for them. But who knows, I’m a long way from the boat and what they are experiencing. I think they are going to start to rocket off! It will be interesting to watch their distance made, boat speed and direction. You might want to check the Boat Tracker information on the Vic Maui race webpage. If you select Turicum then hover over the last position you can see the last reported boat heading and speed.
So the weather looks like N or NW winds building to 10-20 through the day, then easing overnight likely 5-15 then building again tomorrow. And it looks like more wind offshore so my WAG is they will sail SW for the next 24 hours and see what happens! Longer term it’s still looking favorable with N or NW winds taking them down to the trades and the highs still building/holding north of Hawaii. But remember, I’m an optimist through and through so I’ll always hope for the best. Sailors are a lot like fisherman, the stories get bigger and bigger as time goes on. Have fun, more later.
Friday July 2nd at 0430:
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