Logs from Lille Ø

2026-04-09 - Pacific Ocean, 3989NM WSW of Catalinia

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:42:41 +0000

As our target draws nearer, we need to start paying a bit more attention to navigation. It is no longer enough to follow a roughly westerly course whichever way the wind blows. And so, we gybed right after dinner to gain a bit more northing.

The night was a bit lighter than forecasted, but with the easterly wind. Sunrise brought more wind, and from the southeast, and so we gybed again. Now the bow is pointing straight to target.

Distance today: 100NM
Lunch: pea soup
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-08 - Pacific Ocean, 3889NM WSW of Catalinia

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:44:17 +0000

Slightly after watch change, it was time to roll in the genoa and go wing on wing with the staysail. The night came with variable windspeeds littered with occasional squalls and rain. As the sun rose, the skies cleared but the wind stayed. We were moving fast, with the whole barnacle farm. Even the windvane servo rudder is rocking its first few small individuals. The boat starts showing the length of the passage. The sun cover strip of our genoa needs some re-stiching, we moved the windvane steering line by 20cm to move the slightly chafed bit away from the blocks, and our staysail had a little hole in the bottom that we fixed with some sail tape. The pole-out sheet we use with both sails got turned around as there was some significant chafe developing in it where it goes through the eye of the pole. The genoa sheets look like they want to be turned around so that the good end of the line replaces the parts where wear and tear are starting to take their toll. And the sides of the boat - brown with algae growth. Lille Ø will need some TLC after this one.

Distance today: 108NM
Lunch: chanterelle risotto
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-07 - Pacific Ocean, 3781NM WSW of Catalinia

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:16:09 +0000

The light winds prevailed through the night. Light enough that we actually let the tillerpilot steer for some time, as there wasn’t enough for the windvane.

In the early hours we watched a slow-motion chase scene, as the French sailboat La Bulle approached behind the horizon, and pulled ahead in about 7h from first contact. Boats are getting closer as we all head for the same islands. This was our 16th vessel sighting, and the second sailboat.

Just before dinnertime we gybed again, as now the winds should again carry a southerly component. Under 400NM to go!

Distance today: 91NM
Lunch: navy bean soup
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-06 - Pacific Ocean, 3690NM WSW of Catalinia

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:19:13 +0000

With the evening came a bit more wind, but only for the dark hours without moonlight. The boat bobs gently on, accompanied by periodic bangs from the sails. Not the most pleasant sailing wise. The Pacific isn’t pacified. The swell is constant, large and confused. At all times there is at least two swell directions and when they meet at your position, the boat lurches into a random direction. The barnacles are plentiful and their growing size brings the slow speeds even slower.

But there is much to celebrate! On this date two years ago we set sail from Berlin towards the cool waters and climate of Scotland. And look at us now! Nearly half way around the world in the tropical heat of the Pacific!

At dawn we gybed as the wind persistently was easterly. On other days we have meandered with the wind shifts, but that option wasn’t available today. What a weird sight to see the sails this way around!

We also moved the ship’s time to UTC-9. Only another half hour shift remaining before we are at Marquesas timezone.

Distance today: 92NM
Lunch: spaghetti aglio e olio
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-05 - Pacific Ocean, 3598NM WSW of Catalinia

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:32:22 +0000

At night the boat was visited by a pod of whales. Large black shapes rose out of the dark sea all around the boat. They stayed for a few minutes, and then continued on their way.

Sailing-wise today has been a rehash of yesterday. Winds are light, just barely enough to keep the three-sail setup filled.

Distance today: 100NM
Lunch: paneer coconut curry
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-04 - Pacific Ocean, 3498NM WSW of Catalinia

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:36:28 +0000

We sailed into the night with the Parasailor up. A bold move for sure. With the moon and the motor light on, the sail is fully illuminated and easy to control. Just after 23 the wind started picking up. At 23:20 a gust of 17kn was enough to prompt a early wakeup call for the off-watch, and we packed the Parasailor up and went back to wing on wing.

Since the sail change the day has been a steady progress towards our destination and the rest of the cinnamon rolls have been eaten as watch snacks. Life at sea is sweet at the moment!

Cheers Petra and Uli!

Distance today: 98NM
Lunch: cashew-tomato pasta
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-03 - Pacific Ocean, 3400NM WSW of Catalinia

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 01:18:13 +0000

The wind kept dropping throughout the night. At midnight we packed away the mainsail to keep it from slatting. And then at sunrise the Parasailor came up.

As always, this big sail with its built-in wing stabilises the boat, as well as making it possible to sail in lighter winds than otherwise possible. Outside of the doldrums this passage has been surprisingly windy, meaning that until now it hasn’t made sense to deploy the Parasailor.

While today’s mileage has been low, that additional stability made for better sleep, as well as more elaborate cooking. We enjoyed some stovetop pizza followed up by cinnamon rolls.

Distance today: 79NM
Lunch: pizza
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-02 - Pacific Ocean, 3321NM WSW of Catalinia

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:07:50 +0000

In the morning we saw a sail in the horizon. Mastegot was the 15th vessel we’ve seen on this passage, but the first sailboat. We had a brief VHF conversation, and learned that our AIS wasn’t transmitting.

Some investigation later, it turned out the problem was that the transceiver didn’t have a GPS fix. Moving the antenna outside helped, but it is curious for this problem to occur now, as the particular antenna has worked fine in its original location since 2021.

At noon wind dropped substantially, so we shook the reef and rolled out the genoa. Now we’re back to the three-sail setup.

Right as we were finishing dinner, a large pod of dolphins arrived to play in our bow wave.

Distance today: 107NM
Lunch: pea soup
Engine hours: 0

2026-04-01 - Pacific Ocean, 3214NM WSW of Catalinia

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:31:45 +0000

At sunset a gust came through incentivising us to go to second reef. After that was set, we also went back to wing on wing. The southerly component in the wind was gone. The night was boisterous with wind gusting up to thirty. The second reef had indeed earned its setting. We also made good miles and at dawn we saw it. 999NM to destination. Mere 3 digits! Numbers so small that we had started to doubt their existence.

As the day grew older, we were at the edge of grey and blue skies. We took the staysail to starboard side and sailed slightly more to the south to secure our spot in the sun.

Distance today: 114NM
Lunch: chana masala
Engine hours: 0

2026-03-31 - Pacific Ocean, 3100NM WSW of Catalinia

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:08:31 +0000

The latest GRIB changed the forecast quite a bit, and we now have couple of days with stronger wind ahead of us. In anticipation to that, we rolled the genoa away for the night watches.

Unlike forecasted, the wind only picked up around midday. But at least we were ready for it, with staysail and main in 1st reef, and well-slept free watches of the night behind us.

Today’s wind has a slight southern component, meaning that we’re now on port tack instead of poled out.

Distance today: 100NM
Lunch: lentil soup
Engine hours: 0