The North Pacific High is an area of high atmospheric pressure located between Hawaii and the west coast of North America. It shrinks during the winter and grows in size and intensity during the summer when most boats are making their crossings to and from Hawaii.
I spent hundreds of hours studying The High before and during numerous Transpac races to Hawaii in an attempt to predict its next sinister move. Sailors heading west need to avoid The High's center, an area of zero wind, if they don't want to park. The further they sail from The High's center, the safer they are, but that takes them south of the direct course to Hawaii, adding miles to the distance sailed. Into the mix, add the fact that The High moves often and quickly, sometimes splits into two or more systems, grows or shrinks. This usually happens faster than sailors can react to its changes. Navigators try to find the sweet spot of compressed isobars south of The High where the breeze that circles it in a clockwise direction is the strongest but the minimum number of additional miles are sailed. It is basically a game of chess against The High. Win, and you feel like a king. Lose, and you spend extra time out there and get to watch someone else collect the trophies.
At the moment The High is a navigator's nightmare. It is poorly organized, spread over a vast area, and forecast to move and surge randomly. Fortunately, the mighty Starr doesn't mind. In fact, the less wind the better as we steam across the Pacific at a steady eight knots. Yesterday's swell has died away to nothing and we have altered course to head directly for Hanalei Bay. It is looking like this will get us there experincing the least wind and smallest seas, just what we want.
Surface currents heading east from Japan roughly follow the wind direction and strength on the north, east, and south sides of The High before they head west towards Hawaii. The High's center and area of least current are roughly colocated. It's an area of no wind and no current and is reported to be the location of the Pacific Garbage Patch.
Our present heading should take us right through The Garbage Patch. Other than a single log on the first afternoon, we haven't seen any floating debris.... yet.... stay tuned.
We are trying a watch system where each watch stander is on for three hours and off for five. That's nine hours on and fifteen off each day, plenty of time to sleep. There are one hour overlaps with the previous and next watch stander at the beginning and end of each watch. This morning when I came on at 8AM, Donna had one hour left. At 9AM I am alone for an hour, and at 10AM Don will come on watch during my last hour. I like it. I can socialize with Donna while I get my coffee and breakfast. I have an hour later to write the blog and stand watch by myself, and then get an hour to talk with Don about his projects for the day. He has already been up to the wheel house this morning, and as I write this he is down in the engine room trying to get the water maker, which was doused with salt water in the lazarette two nights ago, working. Salt water and electric motors don't usually get along well, so we are not optimistic.
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