Chuck gets to work

Notice the appropriate attitude.

Day 7

We finish the first week as we enter the doldrums proper.

Really not much to report today. Last night we jibed onto starboard pole, just tiny bit rustily and we had another night with no stars, or moon. Driving was complicated as we've been on port pole for so long... we've forgotten how to turn right. (Too bad we didn't have Zoolander aboard.)

About an hour before dawn, we started getting some clearing and could see a few stars and the waning cresent moon made a brief and welcome appearance.

We are seeing diminishing winds as we skirt north of the ITCZ looking for a gap to break through. We spent the day driving, trimming the spinniker, taking showers, and repairing a worn spinniker halyard.

WARNING: EXTREMELY HILLARIOUS JOKE FOLLOWS (assuming read below 12N latitude)
We all had a good laugh as Jim read the label on the all purpose soap we had brought. Apparently, it is the "Dial (for men) Hairy Body wash". Specially designed for sasquatches, but strong enough for women. Produced at the finest refineries, for the manliest men. Of course, the directions entail "Rinse, lather and poof".. so we remain skeptical.

Well, tune in tomorrow folks... I'm sure you're as excited as I am to know how we do traversing though the ITCZ.

Data

Day 6

Today was exactly like the day before... cloudy, sailing through the black void of the night with diminishing wind and increasing vertigo, and wondering how Alan Andrews snuck a jet pack into Ragtime's new keel. On the plus side, we are still going along well, eating really well (Mom's chicken enchilada was a hit), and lots of jokes.

Some changes... 3 more showers, my first shave at sea, and the appearance of birds.

Today has been a bit of a challenge as a Navigator. We have all kinds of technology now, so that we can get the latest weather forecasts, as well as the satellite that actually measures the speed of the wind over the ocean. This is all supposed to make it possible to find a path through the doldrums (or officially the InterTropical Convergence Zone ITCZ). Unfortunately, the model predictions do not match each other, even for current conditions. They also don't match what the QuikSCAT satellite has been showing for wind. To top it off, the QuikSCAT doesn't seem to match what we are seeing on the water. So much for technology.

So, what to do? If you are following us, you can see I'm doing some Naviguessing. If it were the old days and we had no idea of the future wind, one would just try to make best miles to the finish. We aren't currently doing this. We are instead hoping the the gap in the ITCZ seen on QuikSCAT this morning will still be there tomorrow when we get to it... and/or we will get some extra pressure from the tropical low pressure system to the east. At the very least we'll get some significant squall activity soon.

Ragtime was in a possition to do a similar thing yesterday, but they took the opposite jibe and are skirting along the northern edge of the ITCZ, looking at a gap to the west. It may be there for them... of course I wish them luck (I'm just not saying which kind. ;-p).

So, we should get to the magic point tomorrow night. Dr. McGoldrick, time to use your influence.

Day 5

Our fifth day is drawing to a close... a day of firsts. We have completed our first 1000 nm, saw our first clouds, had our first night without stars to steer by, our first day average over 10 kts, and saw our first flying fish.

The clouds that started rolling in in the morning were complete overcast by late afternoon. Wind conditions built throught the afternoon with wind speeds building to 24kts by 6pm. We changed spinnikers to the heavier 1.5 oz which is built for wind over 20 kts. We also put up the spinniker net, in case we overrun the heavier sail in the surf. Untangling and repacking the net took 3 crew and better part of half an hour. It was suggested that: "Al take that thing into the head, and (figure it out) like a sudoku".

A short and confused sea allowed some surfing and Jill set records for Fortaleza at 17.7 and then 18.4 kts. With the strange sea state, it was a bumpy ride and a challenge to drive though blind throughout the night. As several of the veterans got themselves in dangerous spots, we've decided the appropriate term for the conditions was "humbling". Chuck was overheard saying the conditions were "Enough to piss off the Good Humor man." And recently professed his intention to take up goat herding.

Dinner was fantastic, again. Beef stew, mmmm.

On the sealife front, we finally started seeing flying fish yesterday. And by late afternoon and into the night we began having hundreds jump off our bow every time we crash into the next wave. Luckily, Jill was at the wheel when the first one landed on deck and Al ran forward to pitch me back my first dessert of "flying fish tartar".

WARNING: SAILOR COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Ingredients:
1. Fresh flying fish, 6".

Preparation:
First, get good grip on body of fish, as it will be flapping around in the cockpit. Next, look eye to eye with the fish to thank it for the treat it will provide.

Eating tips:
Its best to first bite off the head of the fish at the gills, taking the wings off as well. You can chew it to get the best flavor from the large and tasty eyes. The crunchy head is best spit overboard with the wings. You can then get two or three good bites of the meaty body, only slightly wiggling, before disposing of the tail.
Bon Apetite!

From the Fortaleza,
All is well, Good sailing.

Moving along at 12 kts.

Day 4

The fourth day brings just a bit more wind. Although the GRIB files continue to predict 14 kts of wind, we've had more like 18-24 kts all night. We had paita with fresh baked bread for dinner! As the wind continued to clock yesterday, we put in our first jibe yesterday in the short twilight as we approach the declination of the sun. Sounds beautiful, eh? Too bad our execution was as rusty as the sky.

(WARNING PG-13: SAILING FIASCO ANALYSIS)
I won't go into all the details ( jaws wouldn't open, dropped the new guy, struggled to get the guy back in, put it in backwards, poled back against the forgotten baby stay ) but after 3 or 4 minutes we completed the jibe. Did I mention it was supposed to be in the twilight lull? No, it was blowing 22 kts. Jim M. did a great job of keeping the boat going straight as the unpoled kite did everything it could to lead us into a ditch. As we took stock of our success (nothing broken !), overheard in the cockpit: "Its great to have that watertight feeling! You couldn't have penetrated me with a knitting needle... using a sledge hammer... with lube!"

The night was pretty awesome. At midnight, we crossed the Tropic of Cancer as we flew along at 11+ kts, with big swells that we couldn't see in the darkness. The stars were out, which helped, but you weren't sure when something would whack you about, so we all drove with some amount of white knuckles. We all did great though, and no round ups, no round downs, and no serious spinnaker wraps. JB and DG tied for the fastest surf at 16.0 kts.

Sea life update: Just one squid that Jill was cruel enough to show me, before tossing overboard. Gotta be quicker.

Crew of Fortaleza at start

Day 3

We finish up the third day of racing with the spinnaker pole going back in about 20 kts of wind. The swell is beginning to lengthen and come from behind... so surf is up! (Ban na na na Na nah.. ba na na na na. (Hawaii 50 theme)).

All is well aboard Fortaleza. Yesterday saw the inauguration of showers! The afternoon watch all made the trip to the fresh water sun shower on the stern. I was ready for the bucket of sea water, never had it so good. Dinner was a big hit, with Joyce's Black Bean casserole.

The night watch was another beaut. First half with no moon, and a full sky of stars. You could see Jupiter reflected off the water. Much more bioluminescence in the water. When Fortaleza hits about 11 kts and crashes into a wave, it sends of a wall of slightly glowing foam and within it small explosions of bright green blue light, looking like an episode of Battlestar Galactica.

Sea life update: Tuna jumping along side the boat, and I was hit in the face with a squid. Unfortunately, Jill threw it overboard before she realized I was serious when I called it for breakfast. Oh well, she did make me a mean bowl of oatmeal.

Captain Morgan initiates surfing

Day 2 - Beautiful Night

Our second full day is done, and it was a good one. The spinniker went up afternoon and we began to reach well. By later in the afternoon, the wind had lightened and begun to clock as we shook the reef in the mainsail. So, at sundown, with the typical sundown lull, we changed to a bigger spinniker for the night. Jill took that opportunity to set our surf speed record at 15.1 kts.

The night was perfect. Good speed on, with the stars out and turned up to 11. Jupiter was blinding in the vast sea of the milky way. As midnight rolled around, the moon rose, first appearing to look as a ghostly ship and then rising as a brilliant half marble. Only Jupiter left to contend with her as we steered on towards dawn.

The spirits are high, the food is fantastic, and all is well. Currently going at 12 kts, headed straight for Tahiti.

Data

Day 1

We're on our way! If you came out to see the start, you were probably disappointed as the fog was pretty thick. But, we all got off to a good start. We had a little surprise to see Palos Verdes emerge out of the fog so close an hour later.

But the wind filled in and we were off to the west end of Santa Catalina. The wind died just off the point.. you got the feeling California didn't want to let us go.

The wind picked up and we had the normal first tough night out on the sea. Getting used to watches, less sleep, muscles you forgot you had... the usual.

Sea life report... Harbor seal at the start line. Sunfish on the way to Catalina.

All for now..

Cheers,
Data.

Test - About 53 hours to the start - pls let there be wind!

Test Post

We're getting ready for the race... It starts on Sunday, just 4 more
days!