Aiming for Attu

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sun 6 Jul 2014 01:42
Noon position: 52 28.2 N 172 13.6 E
Course: East nor' east Speed 5.5 knots
Wind: North west, F3-4 gentle to moderate breeze
Sea: slight. Swell: North west, 1m
Weather: overcast, cool
Day's run: 139 nm

I have decided to aim for Casco Cove on Attu Island, the nearest of the feasible anchorages in the Aleutians. According to my longer range forecast the wind will be going light tomorrow and then turning east for a few days after that. Casco Cove provides shelter in pretty much all conditions so it seems a good place to head for. The next best anchorage after Casco Cove is Kiska Harbor, which is close to 200 miles further on, and it seems unlikely that we would make Kiska before the winds have turned fresh from the east.

We have continued to make good progress and our ETA at Attu Island is now sometime this evening. I will see what time we get to the entrance of the cove and what conditions are like when we get there, then decide whether to attempt the entrance this evening or to stand off overnight and enter in the morning.

All is well.