Perfect

18 Feb Perfect

Every now and then on ocean voyages sailors find themselves in Perfect Conditions.  We are presently in a time and place that is just right for “M/V Starr”. Keep in mind that Starr is a motor vessel and the conditions that define perfect for Starr are not the same conditions that sailboats are looking for.  Our position (as of 1500 local time, February 18) is 19-29 North, 171-15.6 East.  We crossed the International Dateline 2 ½ days ago and reached our half-way point to Guam last night. Wake Island is 250 nautical miles west of us. We will pass close aboard. We are sliding along at 8 knots with the throttle set at 1300 RPMs, sipping only 5.5 gallons per hour. The only wind we have is locally generated by nearby clouds. There is an unusual swell from the southeast that is giving us a bit of a push.  Prior to crossing the Dateline, we had a consistent westward flowing current helping us maintain a steady 8 knots, but over the last few days we have been passing over a cluster of seamounts and our speed over the bottom has been variable.  We assume this is due to the eddies and counter-currents resulting from the seamounts disrupting the westward flowing current. As I write this, we are making 8 knots and are passing over The Mid Pacific Seamounts. I guess if we were really serious about this we might consider taking a slalom course through the seamounts. Well, maybe not.

Back to the perfect conditions—a sailboat would not like these conditions as there is no significant wind and the fairly large swell would be rolling the sailboat rail to rail. No so with us—we are loving this.

In other news, we just passed through a field of thousands of tiny Man of War, the meals thus far have been 5 star, the watches pleasant, and the Boobies and Albatross are still hanging with us in the late afternoon.  I am surprised that the Boobies range out this far.

We tried fishing this morning with no hits and have noted that most of the fishing boats that show up on Sam’s AIS App are well south of here indicating that this area might be scarce fishing grounds.

This is a BIG OCEAN and we are privileged to be a part of it.  Life is Goo.