Report for Thursday, Sept. 30

Just after sunrise Nainoa looked out over a gray sea toward dark far-off clouds and analyzed the weather. "A trough of low pressure passed over us two nights ago and moved east ahead of us," he told us. "The wind picked up south behind the front yesterday during the day. Yesterday at sunset we sailed back into the trough which was stalled in our path. It is now dissipating and creating an area of little wind or variable wind." (Sam Low) At 5:30 a.m. HST, this morning Hokule'a was about 418 miles La Ho'olua (W by N) of Rapa Nui, at 25° 19' S, 116° 53' W, having traveled about 116 miles east and 40 degrees north in the last 24 hours. The canoe's headin was a little north of east (82 true). Rapa Nui lies in the direction of La Malanai (S by E).

At 9:00 a.m. HST, when the canoe called via the single side band radio, the winds were light and variable...about 5 knots from the SW. Light and shifting winds will slow progress and make navigating and steering more diffcult. The winds may prevent the canoe from heading in the direction it wants to go in.

The winds are expected to remain variable in the area of the canoe, as the low pressure system that brought squally weather yesterday moves off to the east, an area of high pressure builds to the south, and another area of low pressure tracks eastward from the S and SW. According to one forecast model, at 2 a.m. tonight the winds may come from the ENE at 10-15 knots; by 8 a.m tomorrow, they may be northerly at 10-15 knots; and by Saturday the winds may be easterly north of 25 degrees S latitude and westerly south of 25 degrees S latitude.

Aboard Hokule`a, Sunrise 9/30, Navigator's Report
Net easting:19 miles
Distance to Rapa Nui: 481 miles.
Latitude: 26 degrees south
Course made good during the period: Noio Ko`olau
Avg. speed (during the night) 3 knots

For back reports on the leg to Rapa Nui, go to Rapa Nui Back Reports

For more information on the leg to Rapa Nui, go to The Mangareva-to-Rapa Nui Page

For more information on the quest for Rapa Nui, go to the PVS Homepage