Cayenne's Pac Cup Log

Catamarans to not heel. Not very much. They have a hull on each side that prevents that. The space between, that is where the water rushes through.



Sometimes, a wave is high enough (only about 6 feet) to slap the underside of the hull between the side hulls or "amas." When that happens, it makes a big ol "boom" and shakes the boat. When you are sleeping, it's like having a little kicking person right beside you. Ka-slap. Ka-boom. All night. Complaining has about the same effect.



We got that last night.



On the plus side, we are going faster. On the minus, see above.



We have gybed over to get souther faster. More wind. Faster. More belly slaps!

And fore and aft. We were absolutely surrounded by them. What kind? Umm? Atlantic? Speckled grey dolphins with bottley-noses. You tell me.



Turns out, "Dolphins" is one of the many words the dogs know, and they scurry to the side as fast as we primates do to see the spectacle, whimpering excitedly. I fear that they will jump in, creating the legend of the curly Portuguese Water Dogfin, but they are smart enough to stay on the boat (illustrating the difference between their line and the less popular line from the same area (Cao Dom es Tiburon Comida or Dumb Sharkbait Dog).

A mid-afternoon start got us well away from Gran Canaria before night fell. Phil and Dennis of Souverain were nice enough to run out to the end of the breakwater and take some pictures of us, which was very nice.



Our router had predicted light winds, and that was sort of right, though right now we are scooting along in around 12 knots wind on the beam, which moves us at about seven knots.



We are planning to go faster later.

It's Thursday morning at the aptly-named Sailor's Bar in the waterfront at the "Muelle Desportivo" here in Las Palmas. I have met up with Michael and Jeri aboard Aphrodite to do a 2700-mile crossing to St Lucia. We are awaiting two things: Margi, our fourth crew and, with Margi, an oilpan for the leaky Yanmar. It's a pretty new engine but it got some saltwater and rusted out the bottom.

Okay, it's a long lead-in to sailing across the atlantic. but we are having a great time wandering around rome. Yesterday, Sisiine chapel, spanish steps, Tiber river and more. Today, Trevi Fountain, colliseum (not the one in Oakland) and a visit to the Jewish quarter. Truly a trip of biblical proportions. Oh, did I mention a plague of locusts is on its way to the Canary islands? Oh yeahhh.

Okay, we did not do the world's best job recording the Pacific Cup. Now we will do better. Rome to Barcelona aboard the Windsurf, then Canary islands to St. Lucia aboard Aphrodite. I am sure that there will be nothing but free time to blog the heck out of this.

Pictures too, if you are lucky. Or if I am.

Okay, on a reach, we got the best run of our fleet and a bunch of others. Secret to winning.. Be on a reach. And don't hit a whale as one boat did. No damage to either, but startling.



The sun has finally come out to play and the water is warm. We've seen one tropic bird and are fishing for Mahi-mahi. It's getting late, so I think we'll reel in the line.



Tonight for dinner... Cornish Game hens!







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The wind has clocked behind us enough to put up the spinnaker. The Cal 40's, darn them, are about a day ahead, and so got theirs up a day before we did. However, we are making nine knots, more or less, steadily, and expect to start eating into their leads. We are hoping that they see us and get nervous and do something silly.



Like go way too far north or something. We are also hoping for a crab pot to catch them. That would be pretty nice for us too.

33N by 129 W. -- Weather has filled in nicely, as I mentioned before. The skies are still grey, but we are making a good 7-8 knots pretty much towrd Hawaii, and that is great. Oh sure, we are near the back of the fleet, but we are gaining on those rascals. See, they went north when we went south, a bit, so now we are going west when they are going southwest. All going to converge in a big mid pacific party.



We hope.



The food has been great: connie sent Chicken Legs and Lasagne, and we started in on NOelle's Mac and Cheese, with visions of Pork Chops and Applesauce in our heads for tonight. We have learned to eat with a sporf, which is a combination spork and knife. Sporf. It's what's for dinner.



From an upcoming press release:

As you've no doubt gathered from others, the start was a casual romp out into some pretty light stuff. Our light-air tacking angles forced us to choose between a course of around 320 (Alaska) or 200 (Mexico). We took a loop up and over the Farallons, passing Southwest Farallon Island within a quarter mile. The cries of the birds and barks of the sea lions made for a magical moment, alloyed only by the eye kept on the radar, charts, and rocks so as not to end the trip before it began.



Off we went on a Southward course, like birds, too stupid to know that NORTH is the summer direction.