Posted on 06/16/2009 12:41:28 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
Position: 06/15/09 at 1525Z 17 01.419N 103 37.779W
Still making slow steady progress up the Mexican coast with light winds forecasted for the next 24 hours. This morning I was woken up early by my radar alarm showing a squall 4 miles away. I haven't had a squall in a couple of days and I thought it would probably be low in intensity.
The squall swooped down on Intrepid fast and the wind went from 10 knots to 40 in a few minutes. I furled up the genoa and put two reefs in the main. The winds built into the mid and upper 40s so I put the main away and unfurled the storm jib, an extremely strong and small sail. Even with the small sail I was going 6 knots running downwind and still on course.
The patch of heavy squalls lasted a little over an hour before dropping down to the 25-30 knot range. I raised the main with 2 reefs in it and called home to make sure what I had gone through wasn't an offshoot of a tropical depression forming out there. My mom had received word from David Morris, the meteorologist who has been routing me and keeping an eye on my weather around the world. He said that there was a system building quickly and quite close to me and I would likely be hitting heavy wind, lightning and possibly even some water spouts.
Not being sure whether I had just been through this system David was talking about I kept my eyes on the horizon for quite a while looking for more black squall clouds or flashes of lightning. Thankfully, nothing else came.
The wind dropped back down to the 10 knot range and the sun broke through the black squall clouds. By midday you would never believe the weather of a couple of hours ago. The weather has been calm and clear ever since then. Just another day spent making progress towards California.
Peace, Zac
From an earlier entry:
We have been getting a lot of questions as to when I will be back in Marina del Rey. It is hard to say for sure because there are so many variables. Right now, all being well, I should be back the last week in June or the first week in July. Details will come as they are known.
Hi Dita :)
What a brave kid. Amazing! I will spend time reading his posts about his adventures on his trip. He’s almost home! Book marked site. Thanks!
I just gotta love him, y’know? I’m a sucker for adventure stories like this:o) And, I have the chance to go down to the marina and be there when he comes sailing in!! Thanks for stopping by.
His stories will be so interesting to read. I saw the first page and some of the people’s comments. Will be reading more. I hope you can be there when he returns. How exciting! I look forward to hearing about this day. :)
Also, a DVD documentary is being made of his journey... will advise as that comes along:o)
I would love to see that DVD. Thanks for letting me know when it comes out. :)
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