Mo Sailed Away Under the Golden Gate Bridge a Year Ago Today
September 30, 2019
Days at Sea: 296
Days Since Departure: 365
Noon Position: 50 21N 146 46W
Course(t)/Speed(kts): SExS 7
Wind(t/tws): W 15
Sea(t/ft): S4 W3
Sky/10ths Cover: Overcast (i.e. not foggy, not raining) 10
Bar(mb): 1011+, rising slowly
On-deck Temp(f): 63
Cabin Temp(f): 67
Water Temp(f): 56
Relative Humidity(%): 75
Magnetic Variation: 15.1
Sail: Working jib full, main one reef, broad reach
Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 116
Miles since departure: 37,634
Mo and I began the Figure 8 Voyage 2.0 one year ago today.
September 30, 2018, 10:30am. The sun lit brightly the hills above Horseshoe Cove, and the water was as still as a lake. I said goodbye to friends, had one last affectionate moment with the wife, and then Mo and I were off under the bridge and out to sea.
A mile past Mile Rocks, the escort boats peeled off. About then so did the wind.
I bobbed for an hour pretending to wait but knew it was futile. The forecast called for several days of calm. So I slunk off to Drakes Bay and stayed at anchor for four days waiting the return of the northwesterlies.
Not an auspicious start.
Jump forward a year, and here we are, 1,300 miles from a San Francisco return; 37,634 Figure 8 miles to the good. We’ve been around the bottom and over the top and are on final approach, more or less.
Though still far from home, I’ll admit a sense of pleasure at the accomplishment to date. And I can almost smell the lavender in the back yard garden.
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Pleasure compounds: we have wind in our favor for the first time in days. A westerly is filling in. We are happily positioned at the bottom of a low that may carry us on for the next three days. Three reefs in the main and three in the jib and we make eight knots in silence.
—
Early this morning was another story. Still rainy and foggy; Mo pounding into a heaving south swell. But I got the batten car fixed before coffee, and we were on our current ride by 10am.
I’m going to miss your adventures.
Are you going to have the boat bronzed and put in the yard??
Yeah!!! Yippee!!! Homeward Bound!!!!!
So exciting! I met you at the westsail rendezvous a few days before you left. I have followed the entire adventure. Also, I will wait patiently for your book that you are going to write, right! Anyway, look forward to seeing you come through the gate, we hope to be part of the greeting party.
Deb and Joe
SV Sosiego
The second picture is a winner, just needs the horizon horizontaled.
Well done on getting the batten car sorted, dropping the boom and getting it back on must be a nightmare at sea.
And Happy Gate Day to Randall, Mo and Monte
I was having trouble figuring out how it was that the main appeared filled right down to the deck! Thanks for enlightening me. I wouldve thought the track would end above the boom but I guess that would be very old fashioned!
Mom says she’s going to miss your daily “News” with her morning cuppa. Will she really have to go back to reading about the “unreal world”? But, she says, the “trouble and strife” will be happy! (Strange things these humans say!!!)
Getting closer, one day at at a time.
Adventure…….
Danger, pleasure, boredom, challenges,failures, successes.
You are still bringing all of that to us vicariously.
And, if at times, it has been exhausting to read, we’re acutely aware of what it is for you.
You are the man
Oh fantastic, almost home! Take care in the last miles.
Almost there! So excited! Relax a bit and enjoy the conclusion of this journey.
Randall – Happy Anniversary! Quite the accomplishment. Mickey and i are looking forward to greeting you back in San Francisco, though i will say I will miss the updates on this extraordinary adventure you are having. Cheers
You’re a horse headed for the barn! Congratulations! I can only imagine the bittersweet feeling of closing the book on this accomplishment. I will miss your missives. So sad I won’t be able to greet you back through the gate. Hope I get to catch up with you in person some day. Thank you so much for doing such an amazing job sharing your journey with us. I’m looking forward to the movie. 🙂
Yes, Randall, the MOVIE!!! Heck, if Maiden could do, so could you!
Amazing journey! I’ll also miss your blog and look forward to your book! I met you at OCSC before your first voyage. You and your wife have provided an awesome experience for so many!! Thank you both so much!!!