Transpac July 5
July 5 1915 hours
Position Report 33-42 N, 119-57 W
14 nm south of Santa Rosa Island,
83 nm west of starting line (near Pt. Fermin)
2,120 nm to go
We’re off! We had a great start yesterday for the 46th Biennial 2011 Transpacific Yacht Race to Honolulu. We had more than a dozen family and friends come down to the dock at Rainbow Harbor, Long Beach to wish us a bon voyage. And many of them went out on a spectator boat to see the start. Our bagpiper (yes, Traveler has an official bagpiper) Andy Scott, in his kilt, piped “Traveler The Brave” as we departed, and he joined us on Traveler as we worked our way out to the starting line. The Race Committee Boat, a couple of dozen spectator boats and about 25 other race boats got to see and hear the bagpipes playing on Traveler just before the start. We off-loaded Andy onto a spectator boat about a half hour before the start.
A few other highlights the first day:
** At midnight on a moonless night we got stuck in the mother of all kelp paddies, about the size of Collins Island. It took an hour to get free, and Ric had to dive in, with a filet knife in his teeth, to cut kelp from the prop shaft early the next morning. This was not good, but now we have a half-decent excuse for being in 6th place (out of 8 boats in our class.)
** Lots of dolphins on our bow, and they swam with us playfully for a half hour or so. For centuries sailors have claimed this as a sign of good luck. We need it to catch up with the leading boat in our class.
** Fine dining aboard Traveler. Muy delicioso Tacos de Cuatro de Julio for dinner, and then bacon, eggs, potatoes and coffee for breakfast. For dinner tonight we had grilled Sabastino’s sausage, penne pasta, avocado salad, paired with a pinot noir, and fruit salad for dessert. Buon appetito!
** The fireworks show on Traveler! Crew member Jim Borgman brought eight HUGE! spectacular aerial display fireworks, which we launched off the stern about 8 miles west of the west end of Catalina at 2200 hours. After all, it is the Fourth of July!
** We solved an electrical problem. It was a lose connection on the power cable from the solar panels and wind generator to the batteries, so we are now able to keep up with the power we draw.
Fair winds and following seas,
Michael
Barbara, Dave, Jim, Ric, Eric, Larry