On route to the Copeland Islands

We are off! We left the dock at 5:30 this afternoon, ready to start our two week vacation with an overnight passage. This is the second time when have done an overnight trip (not counting sailing on Paikea Mist in Fiji). The first overnighter was in Georgia Dawn, and was quite the night. We were about half way up Malaspina Straight when my shift started. The wind had picked up in the straight and the waves were building. It was a cold night, and I was bundled up in a blanket in our cockpit. As the waves grew and out boat speed slowed Georgia Dawn was making a fuss and crashing into each wave, water frequently pouring over the bow. I was too short to brace myself in the cockpit and resigned myself to sliding forward and back with each wave. It was a bit nauseating really. It wasn’t too long after that Kolby calls up to me ‘My feet are getting wet!’. At this point we are making 1.9-2 knots. What the the eff? I’m thinking ‘wet feet!’. Turns out water is seeping from the anchor locker access hatch onto the bed and subsequently Kolby’s feet. Turns out, for whatever logic we do not understand, no one had seen fit to drill a nice little drain hole from the anchor locker and we were taking on water over the bow. Trying to sort out what to do, Kolby remembers seeing a hose with a ball valve on it in a bilge on the head. At the time he had noticed it and apparently filed it away in his brain as ‘odd but probably has a purpose.’ As it turns out, the purpose was to drain the anchor locker. Only problem was the hose did not reach the main bilge. So there is Kolby, ‘off shift’ draining the anchor locker into buckets and pouring the buckets down the sink.
It wasn’t too long after this that I learnt about tugs towing log barges. Well mainly I learnt that if a tug has his tow lights on, he really is towing, even if you can’t see his load. Anyway we made it to Savory Island by 8 or 9 in the morning, no harm done.

Tonight it somewhat similar, except for the taking on water part. … 3 1/2 hours later… Just as I was finishing that story the winds started to build. As if I had reminded them or something. Next thing I knew we had 25 knot headwind and 4 foot waves. Is it us?! Or I this typical Malaspina Straight overnight weather? We had the main sail up so I took over from auto and head steered the next two hours, doing between 3-4 knots under sail. 2 knots when we hit a wave. 0.9 when we hit a big one. I did keep the main underpowered though, felt prudent when sailing at night. And when I saw 31 knots I wasn’t feeling super confident. Asunto took it all in stride though. No wet feet.

Before the wind came, we were treated to following winds, calm seas and the Aurora Borealis dancing in the sky. The flash lightening off to the north was a little freaky, especially after hearing about a boat that was hit by lightening… I never came any closer.

Now it is 4:30 and there is light on the horizon. The moon is a perfect sliver framed by two stars (or are they planets? note: must learn basic astrology). The seas have flattened now but it is still blowing 18 knots. Looking behind me it looks like we sailed through some pretty dark clouds. I’d guess they were responsible for the wild ride.