The Pacific is often known as the “pacifier” the gentle ocean. I can tell you after our initial 1000 miles / first week at sea in the Pacific crossing were anything but gentle or pacifying! We experienced huge waves which sent us pitch and rolling from side to side like a pinball machine, winds up to Force 8 and a current which varies widely from with us to against us. On day four during a particularly hideous night whilst we were sailing downwind with large waves coming from behind us a massive freak wave came from the front over the top of the yacht and drenched us. How on earth that happens is beyond me! It’s pitch black at night so you can’t see waves coming. With two hatches on vent (tiny opening) we had bath loads of water dumped inside the boat at 3am, ensuring everyone was very much awake.
Russell who never complains about the weather made the following comment at breakfast the next day, “that was pretty hideous and unpleasant”. Understatement!
Luckily we have all now developed some pretty sturdy sea legs and the days rock and rolling seems to be more bearable. It gets bad at night when the current bizarrely turns against us and the wind picks up to 30kts.
So much for the steady 20kts trade winds and equatorial current! Humph!! The only good outcome is that we are racing along at 8ktns often surfing down waves even faster than our hull speed. Hopefully that will take some days off the total tally and we will arrive sooner in Pacific paradise, fingers crossed. We have also been treated to several sightings of whales, one who’s puff next the boat startled us all. They are such majestic beautiful creatures. Luckily it swam quickly away and we got a few more tantalising glimpses before it dived into the depths.
Halls Aboard - Sailing Kathryn del Fuego 