Monday, June 28, 1999 (8:30 a.m.)
Actual Position (From GPS unit on board escort boat).
YESTERDAY'S FIXES/NO CURRENT GPS REPORT
June 26, Sunset (6:05 p.m.): 07 degrees, 27.48 minutes N, 143 degrees, 55.45 minutes W
June 27, Sunrise (5:35 a.m.): 07 degrees 23.12 minutes N, 143 degrees 34.74 minutes W.
Radio Report from Pi'ikea Miller, Apprentice Navigator on "Hokule'a."
No. of Days at Sea: 13
Hokule'a was hammered by squalls last night and early this morning, line after line hitting the canoe. The weather is still squally as of 9:30 this morning. Over the past 24 hours, the canoe has been averaging 5 knots, doing 3.5 knots in light winds between the squalls and 7 knots in heavy winds, gusting up to 30 knots. The crew did not tack yesterday. Current heading is Nalani Malanai (SE by S) at 5-6 knots, with winds at 20-25 knots, variable but mainly easterly.
The SE swell continues to come out of the SE Tradewind Belt; the NE swell out of the NE Tradewind Belt, but the seas are messy and difficult to read with swells generated by passing squalls mixed in.
The canoe has been performing "fantastic," according to Navigator Bruce Blankenfeld. And despite the squally weather, the crew is doing fine.
Position (Navigator's Estimate):
June 27, Sunset: 4 degrees 52 minutes north; 32 mi. E of reference line
June 28, Sunrise: 4 degrees 02 minutes north; 32 mi. E of reference line
Strategy and Heading (with current set): holding the course line of nalani malanai (SE by S).
Speed: 5-6 knots
Navigation
Daytime navigation: sunrise and sunset (ENE/WNW); Akua (14-day old moon) rising before sunset; swells confused.
Nightime navigation: a cloudy night; bright celestial bodies intermittently visible: Navigator's Triangle: Humu (altair), Keoe (vega), and Piraetea (deneb). Ikaika (Jupiter) rising after midnight.
Latitude: early evening sighting of Hokupa'a (Polaris), dead reckoning.
How Non-Instrument Navigation is Done Sun's Position on the Ecliptic Moon Phases (June 1999-January 2000) Rising Points of 21 Brightest Stars Latitude Stars
Fishing report: Lost one lure; one lure missing half a skirt and the hook--sharks biting?
Sea Life: pod of dolphins wake riding at the bow of the canoe early last night; shearwater sighted yesterday.
