Friday, Sept 15th Time: 1200 local (2200 UTC)
Position: 51’34 N 131’41 W
125 miles NW of Vancouver Island Days run: 264 miles (1400 – noon)
Boat speed: 12.3 kts Course 157 T
Weather: Clear & Sunny Wind: 10 kts out of 020’T
News:
Timoneer departed Ketchikan Alaska at 1400 Thursday afternoon in route to San Francisco. The weather in Ketchikan was sunny and clear and we actually pushed forward our departure schedule to take advantage of the Northerly breeze in the region. A low pressure system gathering strength in the Western gulf of Alaska was going to bring South Easterlies later in the week. We wanted to get as far South East as possible before that happens. Ketchikan is definitely civilization compared to where we have been cruising and you are reminded of that by the cruise ships and endless stream of sea planes. Departing Doyon’s Landing we headed down Clarence Strait and into the Dixon Entrance which has a reputation for being a rough stretch of water. The wind filled from the NNE maxing out at 20 knots, we unrolled the genoa and motor sailed reaching 14.7 knots over the ground with a little help from the tidal current. The conditions in the Dixon Entrance were excellent and the only surprise was the amount of whales we encountered crossing it. Timoneer rounded Langara island and entering open ocean at 20:30 gybing onto port heading down rumb line for San Francisco. At 1000 this morning we hoisted the main as the breeze veered to the East which gives us a little better angle on our course of 157 T. The fishing lines are out and fingers are crossed, hopefully we can land an Albacore tuna.
John
