Short-Lived

Short-Lived

My flirtation with the Northeast Trades proper was short-lived indeed. About three and one- half hours to be exact.

The pictures here are the front-runners of the massive complex of towering cumulus clouds that overrun me last night and stuck with me all day today. After getting clear of the ITCZ’s convective build-up of threatening clouds yesterday afternoon, I figured it was clear sailing to Hawaii. I figured wrong. Sadly, really wrong.

Conditions last night and this morning were not anything I hope to repeat anytime soon. Hard on the wind in 28-32 knots gusting to 34 plus in an incredibly confused, very short, very steep sea running at 9-15 feet or so. Spray to the spreaders, green water to the cockpit and enough noise, commotion, and pounding in the cabin to wake the dead. It has eased somewhat this evening but eased is a relative term. It is still blowing half a near-gale, the sea is still an angry, feisty mess but the clouds have mostly gone. Mostly gone is good. I will take mostly gone even if it is grasping at straws.

By the time I pass under the Big Island, the constant parade of passing cumulus and the associated gusts, showers, and rain is forecast to end. By then I’ll figure to have shaved 10 years off my expected life-span and will settle for anything that remotely resembles an end to what we’ve been up to lately.

Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban