November 5: pinching east, tacking east

November 4: Sunset Report

We had another very calm, peaceful sail today with easy steering, complicated only by the need to pinch closely to the wind without luffing the sails.

The wind was still forcing us to sail further west than we would prefer, and worse yet, toward Caroline Atoll.  So we tacked over to a port tack and traveled on a course of 110 degrees True (‘Aina Malanai) for about 13 nautical miles to give us sea room east of the atoll.  Then, we tacked back to our normal starboard tack and our current course of 10 to 15 degrees True (Haka Ko’olau).

We are west of our reference course line (the straight line on the map below, to the right of Hikianalia) by about 94 nautical miles and are looking for any opportunity to pinch more easterly.

Graphic below: Easterly winds are pushing Hikianalia to the west (left) of her course line. Hikianalia is aiming to arrive 150 miles east of Cape Kumukahi, the easternmost point on the Big Island of Hawai’i, for an easy downwind sail to Hilo. (See the complete course line on the Tracking Map.)

Morale remains high and everyone is well.  The aku was ono today.  Over the last 24 hours, we made 98 nautical miles on a heading of 009 degrees True (Haka Ko’olau).

• course: east of north, heading 10 to 15 degrees True, Haka Ko’olau
• speed: 3.5 knots
• weather: mostly clear overhead with puffy cumulus clouds all around the horizon, no showers today, no high clouds, warm, humid
• wind: East 10-15 knots, at sunset we had a period of light and variable winds making steering difficult
• sea state: North-East 4 to 5 feet, East 1 to 2 feet, South 1 to 2 feet, very gentle rollers – easy steering.

Hawaiian Star Compass (Click on the link for an explanation of the names of the directional houses of the compass. Click on the compass for a larger image.)

November 5: Sunrise Report

The winds really tested the crew’s focus and steering during the night.  It is an interesting phenomenon that steering is far easier in brisk winds than in light airs.  As a result of less than generous winds, we were only able to make 27 nautical miles last night between 6 pm and 6 am.  The good news is that our resultant course, despite a track that looks like cursive handwriting, was Na Leo Ko’olau (19 degrees True), leading us ever so slightly toward ourr desired course line.  Our efforts to gain more easting will continue today.