Depart Neah Bay Wed July 11, 2012

Ken, TR, and Rhys setting sail from Neah Bay

TR reviewing the charts

Rhys at the galley

Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island off Neah Bay

TR in a compromising position

Sailing wing and wing under reduced sail

Tonight marks my first night watch on this passage. Its been a rough trip up to tonight. After 5 days of motoring into headwinds and fighting chop and current to get to open ocean, we are now finally sailing. Its odd, I was so fearful of big seas and wind out on the big blue, but it is so peaceful, at least for now. We are sailing on a beam reach (wind from the side) at 3 to 4 knots (close to MPH).

We left Neah Bay today about 1pm after more chores and motored to 10pm. Its been foggy but calm. We saw one whale off in the distance spouting and surfacing. I also saw some dolphins playing around us after dark.  The water has a glow as we pass through it(phosphorescence).

It is now 11pm, I am finishing my 3 hour watch while Rhys and TR are sleeping. Its peaceful with just the sounds of the ocean, the sails flapping and the autopilot clicking. We decided on 3 hour watches so we get at least 6 hours sleep at night and the watch schedule changes each day so we are not stuck with the same times each day. My shift ends at midnight and Rhys then covers midnight to 3am (the worst shift). Then TR gets 3am to 6am (the next worse shift), and then Im back at 6am. During the day we are all up but still have rotate the responsibility to keep watch.  My watch duties are to occasionally check the radar for targets (other boats) and check our course on the GPS.

We are following latitude 125 degrees west due south. We are currently about 15 miles from the shore (off the hoh river on the Olympic Peninsula) and the wind is calmer and more consistent then the winds near shore that change with the days land temperatures.

Well, time to get off the computer and to enjoy the last of my watch before going to bed.