Captain Scott's Log ~ Monday, August 4th, 2008

Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 2:56 AM

Sat night I wrote in the log "Colder again and thermal long johns welcome. Fog as always but not so wet. The boat has a slight heel in the weak wind and the sound of the engine all too familiar. On deck faint phosphorescence flows by in the swirl of the bow wave but mostly only the glow of the instruments warms the night. The radar shows light rain to leeward but otherwise an empty sea. The promise of the Aleutians will require a few more lonely nights." Sunday the mast head wind indicator quit and Neil was sent to the top to no avail. By afternoon we had a sailing breeze and the chute up. Before dark the wind backed further and increased. Now blowing directly
from Kodiak and why we are headed to Dutch Harbor. But hard on the wind on starboard tack we had reason to worry about the rig with the broken D3. It was out of column and we tried several different configurations. We lived the night with full main with some luffing, 60% rolled up jib, and loosened backstay. I believe if the mast had been aluminum we would have lost it. But its carbon. It blew 20 last night but now it’s a pleasant and safe 13 knot beat. Unlikely to make Umnak Pass and will probably pass close to "The Islands of 4 Mountains" tomorrow. Water temp 52