CAPE FLATTERY TO SAN FRANCISCO

It’s a month today since I arrived in BC from Auckland, seems less, the time has flown by.  It’s taken a long time to get ready to go south, the weather hasn’t helped, things just seem to go slow when it’s wet and cold.

I picked the anchor up at six this morning, a beautiful calm clear day, by six thirty I could feel the suns warmth.  The forecast is good today so we headed out into Juan de Fuca Strait for the last time and rounded Cape Flattery before shaping course to the south west.  There was no wind at Cape Flattery and for the next two hours I hand steered (the autopilot couldn’t cope) in horrible rough seas left behind by the previous two days wind.  Around ten, things started to settle down as we moved into deeper water past the 100 meter line.  By eleven I had the main and jib set and we were sailing at last, not very fast but great to have the engine shut down.

My plan is to head offshore and to get clear air away from the land and then had south.  Offshore, there is also less traffic and fishing floats to worry about.  Around twenty miles offshore we picked up a nice westerly breeze at four in the afternoon and are moving along at between five and six knots.  If the wind remains favourable we could be in San Francisco next Sunday – but I know how tricky this coast can be so am not making any predictions.

The snow covered mountains of the Olympia National park can clearly be seen to the east.  Apart from that, there is nothing else out here apart from the occasional duck floating around.  I hope this breeze holds as its nice comfortable sailing and in the right direction.  Voyage distance 165.2 miles.