Catch~up Jeff's Log ~ Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 In view of Islands Of Four Mountains, Alaska

What a nice sight! At 1120, while on my watch, the clouds parted just aft of the beam, and I was treated to my first glimpse of Alaska. It is also the first time in my life that I’ve seen snow capped mountains. Quite an awesome sight, I must say. The Pacific has cooled to a bone chilling fifty-two degrees, there are more and more sea birds including petrels, albatrosses, and puffins. We have not seen any more whales or seals, however. We are passing lots of large kelp islands, and late last night we even got one wrapped over the keel.

When I came out for my 0200 watch, there was a rumbling type of vibration which I could feel with my feet on the galley sole. The galley sink drain was also gurgling from cavitation.I stopped the boat, and reversed long enough top get going about two knots astern , then resumed motoring ahead on course, and the noise was gone, and boat speed increased by half a knot. I was thankful that no swimming would be required. The current seems to always be against us and lately so is the wind. After the backing episode, I got fooled by a cat’s paw of wind that was usable, and hoisted the main sail. I was just getting things tweaked and feeling really good about being able to motor sail, and the wind shut right off, making the main flog. I had to take it right back down again, and secure the boom. Scott came up and asked if I was practicing for anything special. I told him I was hood-winked by a cat’s paw. He went back to bed chuckling. When Neil came up to relieve me at 0400, I told him what had happened, so he would not fall for the same thing, if tempted. I’m glad I told him, as a little later, he encountered the same thing. That saved a wake up for me, because the electric winch for the main halyard is directly above my head, and usually, that will wake me when it gets used.

Dave has emerged as quite the cook. Today for lunch, he whipped up some corned beef hash that was very tasty. He keeps saying that he’s really not good, just lucky. By tomorrow morning, we should be tied up at the dock in Dutch Harbor. I want a cold beer, and some ice cream, and right now, I would even have them at the same time.