Day 92, Year 5: Passage to Cochin, Day Eleven
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Weather: Clear, Sunny Day; Winds E 25 then No Wind then SSW 10-12
Latitude: 08 degrees 06.604 minutes N
Longitude: 076 degrees 44.004 minutes E
Miles Traveled to Date: 1,361
What a varied twenty-four hour period we have had. Late yesterday afternoon we were flying along with about 20 knots of wind and heavy seas. The wind increased during the night and we were flying along with 20-25 knots. Early morning had us rounding the tip of India and the winds were actually gusting to 27, but once we were in the shadow of the land we lost all wind and had to motor. We motored along patiently and then at about 4 pm this afternoon, we got a nice 10-15 knot wind from the SSW and we are now sailing once again, and on flat seas! But we have had a one knot current or better against us all along and can’t seem to find the positive current that should run up this coast. In order to find the wind, we had to go a little closer to shore and right now we are running on the edge of the shipping lanes. But we have thus far avoided traveling through the fishing grounds. We had one fishing boat approach us this morning, but we were motoring and we just upped the RPM’s and outran them. They just want Coke or water or whatever we will give them, but it is a hassle we would rather avoid if possible.
Because we are traveling at 4 knots rather than the 6 that we had become accustomed to, we will not arrive in Cochin late tomorrow. Instead, we will arrive on Thursday. That will make this a thirteen day passage. I don’t like the number, but I am very happy with the passage. It has been a good one thus far.
We hear our friends Robert and Tina of Shirena on the IO (Indian Ocean) Net each morning. They are traveling with Fatty and Carolyn on Wild Card and are making great time. Shirena is having an auto pilot problem, so we hope they get that solved. Hand steering all the way would be no fun at all.
