March 11 morning report from Hōkūle‘a

Palmyra Voyage Log – Date: 3.11.09  10:00am
 
Current Weather (wind, rain, cloud systems, ocean conditions):
Hōkūle‘a’s crew woke to clear blue skies with small patches of clouds.  The wind is steady NE trade, a good direction for our course.  There are medium sized open ocean swells with small cresting whitecaps.
 
Significant weather in past 24 hours (altered sail/rigging/repairs to canoe):
Our first night of the voyage was marked by near perfect voyaging conditions.  There was a steady East North East wind as Hōkūle‘a sailed out of Māmala Bay, swinging to more easterly bending around Makapu’u, O‘ahu’s eastern peninsula.  As we entered the open ocean the predominant NE wind became established.  The beautiful full moon rose in the east just as the sun set off Barber’s Point in the west.  With clear skies the moonlight illuminated the night allowing the crew to easily walk on deck without flashlights.
 
We are running only one of two main sails and a genoa.  The main is a traditional crab-claw sail on the foremast.  Bruce has decided to sail without the second crab-claw, typical rigged on the aft mast, as our speed is sufficient with just one main sail.

Our current course (star house & compass bearing):
For the first days of our voyage our heading is Hema (South).  This will allow our position to be east of Palmyra as we approach the Line Islands at 6 degrees North Latitude.

Our present estimated speed (or average over the past few hours):
Through the night we averaged close to 6 knots.  This morning, winds are slightly lighter and our speed is 5 knots.
 
Stars and Planets used for navigation during previous night:
During our first night of Celestial Navigation
-Hōkū Pa’a (North Star) is estimated at  21 degrees __ degrees above the horizon.
-What is the moon phase?  Full moon.  Rising as the sun sets.
 
We held our course in the early evening by keeping the star Hōkūle‘a off of the port beam, thus maintaining the canoe Hōkūle‘a’s southern course.  Hōkū Pa’a was directly behind us and we lined up this star above our stern manu to keep our course.  In the early morning the southern cross rose and we steered using this constellation fixed above our front manu.
 
What was our last two or three meals:  Did we catch any fish?
For our first dinner we ate spaghetti and marinara sauce with onion and garlic.

Observations in Nature (marine life, birds…)
Captain Bruce set two hand lines of our Hōkūle‘a’s stern this morning.  We hope to hook into medium sized ‘ahi, mahimahi, shibi or aku.  Which we will sun cure in drying box. 
 
Two red-footed boobies landed on our starboard railing and joined our crew for the early morning hours.  Both birds appeared to be right at home sailing and were not skittish of the crew moving to and fro.

Photo Credit: Monte Costa