Friday, July 2, 1999 (8:30 a.m.)

Day at Sea: 18

Actual Position (From GPS unit on board escort boat).

Position (Navigator's Estimate from Pi'ikea Miller, Apprentice Navigator on "Hokule'a."):

July 01, Sunset: 01 degrees 07 minutes S; 14 miles E of the reference line

July 02, Sunrise: 02 degrees 10 minutes S; 41 miles E rof the eference line

With a good clean east wind blowing at 15-22 knots, Hokule'a was ripping along at 6 knots in the direction of Nalani Malanai (SE by S). Pi'ikea Miller, Apprentice Navigator, reports "the canoe feels like it's flying, not even touchng the water." The easterly component in the SE trades is allowing the canoe to make back some of the easting it lost in the doldrums.

Last night and this morning, the skies are clear and full of cumulus clouds--another beautiful day at sea. The seas are ten feet and the dominant swell continues out of the SE, with a smaller swell out of the east.

Strategy: Hokule'a continues on the third and final segment of the voyage to Nukuhiva in the Southeast Tradewind Belt trying to gain some easting back by heading Nalani Malanai (SE by S). Estimated landfall in the Marquesas sometime next week

Navigation

Latitude: Holopuni (Kochab) at the meridian, about 16 degrees above the horizon at 7:30 p.m.

Nightime navigation: La'aukukahi (the 18th moon phase) rising in the evening. Starry night: steering by Hokuloa (Venus) setting and the Navigator's Triangle: (Keoe/Vega, Humu/Altair, Pira'etea/Deneb) rising in the early evening.

Daytime navigation: sunrise and sunset (ENE/WNW); La'aukukahi (the 18th moon phase) setting in the morning; swell from the SE.

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: No strikes.

Sea Life: Boobies have appeared for the first time; other seabirds: shearwaters.