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haulback
05-10-2008, 10:17 PM
Will expand a little on answer to the query during last week’s seminar - about sailing back to the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Hanalei. (PNW to you - PSW to me)

Disclaimer:…… I’ve only done it three times, ’99, ’02 &’06 so cannot claim to be any sort of expert. Anyone else wants to jump in with their advice, contradictions or ridicule, feel free……

I agree that when leaving Hanalei, looking for a nice few days, if possible, at the beginning makes it a bit easier to settle in to the passage, but trying to look for weather much past that, seems to me is pure snake-oil.

My times have been anywhere from 17&1/2 to 31 days. Mileages were 3105, 2520 & 3045. This is just to the entrances, either of Juan de Fuca itself or the top end of Vancouver Island. The 31 day trip (‘99) was from Hilo in my previous boat, and was a ‘pure’ sailing passage – no engine used for propulsion.

The general theory for this trip goes thus-ly……beat north from the islands as close to the wind, as either you can - or are willing to for comfort’s sake, until you get out of the influence of the NEl’y breeze. Then you alter heading to the NE or ENE and work your way through the belt of variables, until you find the higher latitude Westerlies to ride the rest of the way home.

Don’t take this to the bank, however. It has been my experience that each time I have sailed this route has been somewhat different from the times before.

I have ‘made the corner’ out of the NEl’ys anywhere from 500 miles (’02) to just shy of 1000 miles ('99 & ’06) north of Kauai. (whether these are trades or High-induced wind-flow really doesn’t matter – they are, without question from the NE)

The good news is that IF the High is off to the east a ways, and IF it is not stretching too far north, you may be able to sail right over the top of it, when transitioning from the NE wind to the Westerly. This is a best-case scenario, and I have done it, but you may have, in greater likelihood, a few days of ‘more challenging’ sailing –or plain motoring if you are so inclined - between losing the NE and finding the Westerly..

One small note – the Westerly holding all the way home is not a guaranteed sure thing. It may fade, or blow from a different direction for a few days, but it IS the prevailing breeze, as long as you sail far enough north to find it. Turn too soon and you just stay in the top part of the High for longer. W-fax is good, gribs helpful - but I have made do with a barometer and the wx report on WWV over a portable SW radio.

The westerly it seems to me, is generated either by the rotational breeze off the top of the High, or off the bottom of various Lows passing above you headed for the Gulf of Alaska. Expect to be sailing with limited visibility in fog for days on end once you get a fair breeze from the west. Interesting in that you can sometimes see nothing, hear nothing...... but smell bunker fuel in the moist air!!! Makes one consider his own vulnerability….

I have my own theory about avoiding the majority of shipping on the approach to Juan de Fuca , which I will tell you in person as it requires drawing diagrams in the sand, long explanations, much waving of arms, along with with frequent backtracking and sidetrips. But DO contact Tofino Traffic VHF 74 on the approach …they are the Canadian traffic guys out that way and really very friendly and helpful.

Hope this helps those sailing up this way for the first time.

Jim/Haulback