Yesterday ended with our first sunset. The seas are still flat with no wind so we are motoring at a very good speed, between 9 and 10 knots; taking us more than 220 miles per day. Bella Donna like most catamarans moves swiftly in flat seas. The only thing missing is wind so we can put up sails and go faster. There is about 10 knots of true wind blowing on our starboard aft quarter; however, our forward motion renders a 4 knot apparent wind near our forward quarter, not enough for the sails to add to our speed.
We are making good on our goal to scoot into San Francisco Bay before the worst of the high winds. The new forecast this morning predicts moderately high winds starting this afternoon and strengthening again tomorrow. With our speed we were estimating a 9:30 PM arrival in San Francisco Bay Sunday night, but we have now have bettered it by 3 hours and at our current speed we should make it by 6:30 PM Sunday night. High winds and higher seas could speed us up or slow us down a little. I am hoping we go under the Golden Gate Bridge in daylight so we can take pictures. The true winds will come from behind us and so should the seas. Bella Donna motor sailing and surfing on the swells might get us there quick. If it is later and dark, there is always a reenactment on another day.
Our little bird friend, we named Sparrow, hung around for a few hours eating and drinking flying in and out of the salon to the cockpit. Seeming almost tame it sat and looked at a finger thrust an inch in front of it not understand the offer of a perch. It just stood its ground declaring its wildness turning its head from side to side as if saying no thank you. Eventually I think it tired of all the partisan shouting on Fox News and on one journey to the cockpit for fresh air and serenity; it flew overboard not to return. The 20 mile flight to the mainland was more inviting than three old men listening to Bill O'Reiley.
Today we made fresh water from Pacific Ocean Sea water. The water maker is working so well, it produced 44 parts per million, very high quality, of fresh drinking water. Maybe we should bottle it.
We still have no inexpensive internet and no mobile phone coverage.
Well tomorrow San Francisco.
God Bless Bella Donna
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