Position: 51°07.4’N 172°10.8’W | Course: 034° | Speed: 5.8 knots
Overnight and into the morning, the wind steadily increased to a solid force 6 Beaufort. With reefed sails, we were well-prepared for the conditions. The waves grew along with the wind—less abrupt than the steep and choppy ones at the start of the night, but still unstable underfoot.
The strongest winds came in the afternoon, though not nearly as much as the forecast had warned us about. What did arrive was fairly steady, accompanied by a persistent drizzle that occasionally turned into real rain—then softened back into drizzle again. The kind of drizzle that feels harmless, but eventually leaves you soaked. Micheal dubbed today a Heavy Cookie kind of day – for if we only took out the heavy cookies, they could not fly away in the wind! We had some amazing Nutella biscuits, some fruit and some oreo’s. Perfect!
We made great speed throughout the day, often sailing over 7.5 knots. Even the Dall’s porpoises seemed to enjoy it—they joined us briefly, surfing the waves beside the ship before disappearing again into the grey.
Just before lunch, a tsunami warning came through. An earthquake off the Alaskan coast had triggered alerts across several channels. Messages started pouring in via our Iridium, followed quickly by texts from family, friends, and loved ones asking if we were safe. A couple of hours later, the warning was lifted. Being far south of the affected area, we didn’t notice a thing.
During the evening watch, the wind dropped off completely, leaving us with rolling seas and no pressure in the sails. We lowered the mainsail and forestaysail around 21:30 and continued under engine.
We’re still motoring now. A slight breeze helps dampen the roll, but we’re wrapped in thick fog. Above, we can see the stars—but around us, the world feels very small. Hopefully the morning sun will burn off the fog, as we aim to pass between the Aleutian Islands today.
Back in 2023, we were welcomed here by an abundance of wildlife: orcas, whales, seabirds everywhere. Let’s see what today brings.
All is well on board, Jet
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