TRANSPAC!

Another milestone: our first trans-oceanic passage.  From the Galapagos Achipelago to the southern-most island in the Marquesas (French Polynesia) this was essentially a dull passage.  Yes. Dull.  Nothing extraordinary.  Nothing bad. 

By the numbers: 

            Distance: 2,885 Nautical Miles

            Duration: 13 days, 3 hours

            Speed: 9 knots

            Fuel burn: 1,200 gallons

Our longest passage so far had been from Miami to Deltaville, about 900 NM, pushed by the Gulf Stream, downwind and down-current, with following seas all the way.  This trans-Pacific crossing was nothing like it.  It was on the rough side.  While we were heading west, we were slapped by 15-25kt winds and rocked by 8-to-14-foot seas that backed around the compass, successively from the South to South-East to East to North-East to North and ending up with North-West.  So, except for the 3 days of following seas when we happily caught a 22-lb dorado, we were rocked by beam seas and buffered by winds in the 15-25 kt range.  Where were the long Southern Pacicif swells?  We had choppy seas, 6-7 sec. period at most. If it was too rough to fish most of the time, we at least had other choices: we picked dozens of squid off the decks every morning, some flying fish as well, making sure not to be tossed overboard ourselves when we were bracing for our morning collection.  We read, we slept, and little by little started to shed layers of clothing as the air and sea got progressively warmer.

Our daily contact with the Seafarers Net (14.300 KZ @0300Zulu) was the highlight of the day as the Net kept track of our progress.  Every 6 hours we recorded our position on our paper chart.  Even though we have all electronic mapping and tracking, we still like to mark our dead reckoning on paper.

Finally, on the dawn of the 14^th day, the dramatic coast of Fatu Hiva appeared and, lining up Omoa’s white church steeple with the basaltic spire on the mountain, we dropped anchor and inhaled the inebriating perfume of the Tiare in bloom.

DOMINO has done it.  From Panama to the Galapagos to the Marquesas, she ran 4,000 NM on 1,750 gallons of fuel.  This means that she has still enough diesel in her belly to take us to the Tuamotus and all the way to Papeete.  Now, that’s a thrifty girl!  And “They” said it couldn’t be done…  We love our long-range powercat and will keep advocating the design’s seakeeping abilities.

1 – Nov. 6 – It’s cold (17c) but caught a dorado.  Crossed only 1 ship.

2 – Nov.7 – Squids off the deck, 2 dorados, 1 freighter and growing S swells.

3 – Nov.8 – Laundry in the sun, rolling seas, and moon river at night.

4 – Nov.9 – Too rough for anything but cleaning 3 doz. squid.

5 – Nov.10 – 1,000 mile mark – Rough seas, but managed salsa, quesadilla, fried flying fish and lemonade.

6 – Nov. 11 – Warmer, kept the back door opened all night.  Domino dancing the Salsa.

7 – Nov. 12 – Half-way mark and I put on a bikini.  Fried flying fish on hot buns.  Following seas at last and a 25-lb dorado.  Called the kids on the Iridium.

8 – Nov. 13 – What’s with the Aqualarm anyways?  Laundry in the sun (30c) and practice quilting patterns.

9 – Nov. 14 – Aqualarm plague.  Need to slow down.

10 – Nov. 15 – At last, winds down to 10 kts and seas less than 6’ – Beautiful.

11 – Nov 16 – Ooops.  Force 5 conditions…

12 – Nov. 17 – Force 5-6 conditions… audiobook time and let “Big D” get slapped silly.

13 – Nov. 18 – 12-14’ waves on starboard beam… Salsa time.  JP is the king of Wahoo carpaccio.  I’m not cooking hot food tonight!  Speed down to 7 kts as winds out of the NW, on the nose.

14 – Nov. 19 – 0630… anchor at Omoa, island of Fatu Hiva, Marquesas.  Time to clean the green algae on the waterline and to empty the bilges.  But first, some fresh baguette~

Till next time.

dominomarie