Hikianalia Report: October 15, 7:15 PM HST, lightening winds, diminishing seas, warmer night, beautiful sunset … and outrageous brownies

Today was a very nice day weather-wise, except for a brief light rain squall.  The sun was out all day, but as it was not clear, it never got truly warm.  There is still a cold nip to the air, but right now it’s warmer than last night.  We’ve been reeling off the eastward miles under these excellent conditions, which are a real blessing and a gift.  We plan to carry on through the night with both the main and the mizzen sails full open and flying the genoa.

Vaka Moana under Full Sail

The seas are lying down slowly all around us and the sailing and steering are very comfortable. The skies to the south and west are clear already and there’s a beautiful horizon and sunset all around. Sadly, those lovely sights foretell lessening winds and potentially slower progress. Special thanks to Lita Blankenfeld for the outrageous brownies – the crew is still smacking their lips!  Mahalo nui!

As Hikianalia and Faafaite sail  into the subtropical high pressure belt around 30° S, the winds are lightening. The belt, nicknamed the Horse Latitudes and the calms are Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, average light winds mixed with calm and warm, dry weather.

Sail Data

• time: 2012-10-16 05:15 UTC/GMT (19:15 HST Oct 15)
• position: 32 degrees 59.0 minutes S 166 degrees 17.0 minutes W
• course: 075 degrees True
• speed: 8.5  knots
• weather: mostly clear, with thin mid-level veil of clouds
• wind: west, 10 to 20 knots, has lightened through the afternoon
• sea state: sea has diminished to W swells 6 to 8 feet, NW swells 4 to 6 feet, N swells 4 to 6 feet
• vessel and crew condition:  all ok (Faafaite also)

Education Data:

•  Celestial Observations, Navigation Stars, Planets and Moon Phases: sun only.  Today, we again steered principally by the wind.  The wind backed to the west a little allowing us to return to our desired course of 075 degrees True.
• Animal Life: Nothing after the wonderful fin whale encounter reported this morning.
• Sea Birds and Sea Life: An albatross is soaring around near us as this is being typed.
• Marine Debris: None seen today.