Day 3, already?

So here we are, some 300 miles from our start off Point Fermin in LA, and really not that much has changed.

We started in a building breeze, working upwind in an effort to lay the West End of Catalina Island. We took a couple of hitches to make it around the point, changed down to the #2 jib, then cleared the island. The breeze softened to about 12 knots and we changed back to the #1 headsail, and headed off into the first night on a tight reach into some moderately confused seas.

And so it has been. The past two days we have seen 10 to 16 knots, all from pretty much the same westerly direction. That has put us on a tight starboard reach as we dive south. All the while, we are nervously watching the weather reports, which are predicting our first big speed-bump. There is an area of light and variable winds developing smack in our path. So most of our class is heading south to get around it as quickly as possible, but it will still take us a couple of days. And the big question is, how far south to go? The farther we go, the more wind, but the greater the distance… so we are all gambling a bit out here, watching the weather, trying to make our most informed choices… The good news is that we are currently sitting second in class, but the tough stuff is still to come.

As of a couple hours ago, we started to feel the softening breeze. Now we have about 6-8 knots of breeze, and clear skies over an incredibly blue ocean (I always seem to forget how blue it can be, and am so pleasantly surprised each time again). Back over our starboard aft quarter we can see one of our competitors. Based on our positions during our roll-call this morning, we are guessing that it is the One Design 35 Relentless. They are a quick boat and well sailed, so we need to keep some distance on them. The advantage is ours early in the race during this upwind work, but later, when the spinnakers come out and the surfing starts, they will start to take off on us… so good to keep them at bay for now…

So we just had lunch… Chef Josh treated us to his sandwich stylings. ‘Fast’ Lane Hill is driving, and we are poking along doing what we can to make time. Bill not seemingly content with the freeze dried raspberry crumble we promised him for desert tonight… keeps insisting on BLUEBERRY crumble… maybe the sun is getting to him already. Too bad. He seemed like a nice guy…

Anyway, that’s about it from out here.

Wayne Zittel & Team J World, signing off…