Approaching Guam

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Mon 30 Dec 2013 04:15
Noon Position: 13 20.1 N 145 40.0 E
Course: West nor' west Speed: 5 knots
Wind: East nor' east, F3 gentle breeze
Sea: slight Swell: East nor' east 3 meters
Weather: partly cloudy, mild, and humid
Day’s run: 110 nm

We have slowed down a bit with the wind on average being lighter than I had expected. I even had to resort to the drifter for several hours yesterday afternoon as the mainsail was slatting noisily in the swell and light winds, punishing the rig, the sail, and my nerves. Overnight the wind picked up a little, just enough to keep the mainsail full most of the time; we ran wing on wing before it. Now, this morning, the wind has backed into the north east, requiring the pole to be brought down, and allowing Sylph to broad reach under full mainsail, staysail and jib. A refreshing rain shower has just passed by, but, as usual, it has left very light winds in its wake and the mainsail is once more slatting noisily overhead. Bother!
It is a good thing I made a conservative estimate for our ETA of 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at Guam. We should make this quite comfortably but if the wind continues light it could be touch and go. The wind vane repair is holding up well. It is a good thing I keep plenty of hose clamps and a few scraps of timber on board, and all sorts of other bits and pieces, just in case. Sylph, the typical overloaded cruising yacht.
All is well.