LAT 21 39.7N
LONG 120 54.6E
DTF 907
ETA 0600Z 22 FEB 12
WEATHER WIND 023@30kts Sea Rough 2m Swell NE 3m Sky 6/8 Cl Baro 1013
Yesterday afternoon saw the wind completely die off, so much so that we dropped the headsails to the deck to prevent any
damage as we rolled in the swell and I jumped over the side and checked out the prop and rudder for any nets that may have
got caught up on them over the last few days. I was glad to find it was all clear apart from a bit of light growth of small barnacles on the shaft which I cleaned off.
The wind gradually filled in throughout the late afternoon and into the evening and for most of the night we were sailing
with full mainsail and Y1 with a perfect steady easterly breeze to get us across the Luzon Straight in good time. I took
advantage of the situation and had a full nights sleeping preparation for the storms ahead, only to be awoken by the boat being way overpowered as a change came through.
For the rest of the morning we have been gradually working down through our sail inventory from Y1 to Y2 and then Y3 and
three reefs in the mainsail. As the wind continues to increase the storm sails have been taken out of the bildge and are
sitting in the saloon. No doubt the wind will continue to increase as the afternoon go’s on and by the end of this watch we will probably have replaced the staysail with the storm staysail.
As the wind picks up so does the sea and as we crash over the waves it is increasingly difficult to type as I hold on in the
nav station to avoid getting thrown against the equipment. I am looking at different routes to the north other than the
most direct route up the Taiwan coast. The Taiwan coast has up to 3kts of current flowing north, but with the wind blowing
from the north it creates a very dangerous wind over tide effect that will create short steep waves that slow the boat down
and tend to result in damage, hence i am investigating routes to the west that will allow us to stay in the Kiroshio current
as long as possible while avoiding the areas on the course with the largest waves.
Not long to go now and we will be in Qingdao..