Kama Hele Morning Report

Aloha kākou,

The winds abandoned us for a significant portion of last night and into this morning when we traveled sloooowly through the 15-degree North latitudes, as accurately forecast by our wonderful weather advisor, Hans Rosendal.

Hans applies the experience and expertise of his long career with the National Weather Service to daily email weather forecasts to Hōkūle‘a and Kama Hele on all our voyages.  He is a tremendous safety factor and is so invariably accurate in great detail that I often accuse him of being just over the horizon in a small dinghy and making weather observations rather than forecasts. Mahalo nui loa, Hans.

As Hans also predicted, the North swells grew noticeably to about 8 feet. Happily, the 15-second period makes them gentle rollers that are not uncomfortable at all.

Hōkūle‘a this morning at sunrise. Photo Credit: Mike Taylor, First Mate Kama Hele

Despite 6/8-cloud coverage of thick billowing cumulus all night, we were extremely fortunate that the gaps that did exist revealed wonderful stars for Bruce to navigate by.  Ke Ka O Makali‘i starline (Makali’i [Pleiades], Hōkū‘ula [Aldeberan], Mintaka in Orion’s belt, and several others) was quite useful as it set through a very low cloudbank piled only a few degrees above the western horizon.  Ka Iwikuamo‘o starline was absolutely beautiful – It was splendidly displayed all the way from Hōkūpa’a (Polaris or North Star) through Hōkūle‘a (Arcturus) to the masterpiece of them all, Hānaiakamālama (Southern Cross) at the meridian.  They were ideal navigating resources.  Before dawn, Ke Makau Nui O Maui, Maui’s great fishhook (Scorpius) rose in the east – HUGE at this latitude.  Sorry to go on and on, but this was truly a special night - to have so many important stars available at a useful elevation despite truly heavy clouds was moving and impressive to this fledgling student of Hawaiian astronomy.

Kama Hele caught two larger mahimahi at last light and delivered the filets of one and a half of them to Hōkūle‘a this morning at sunrise.   “Meals on Keels” delivers again.

date-time group 140641 HST March 2009;  position 15 degrees 02.43 minutes North 158 degrees 11.79 minutes West

nm since sunset -  42 nm on a bearing of 186 degrees True
avg speed   3.5 knots
distance and bearing to Palmyra 595 nm, 203 degrees True
distance and bearing back to Sand Island 378 nm, 03 degrees True

Sunrise reports from both vessels indicated vessels and crews are fine.  At 6:41 am, we were on a course of 175 degrees True and making 3.6 knots at that time.

Winds: NE 5 knots
Sea state:  N swell 8 ft, 15 second period
Clouds:  Mostly sunny and fine weather, 3/8 cloud coverage –scattered cumulus, no high clouds visible.  Only light showers through the night.

Aloha, Mike Taylor