Our friends, David, and his wife Krista came to La Cruz early to spend a little more time together in Mexico before David joins Tracy for the crossing. We enjoyed a few days checking out the town and the guys were able to get an early start on provisioning the boat for their 3+ week journey. Erik another crew member and friend, came on March 24th where they continued provisioning and taking the necessary steps to clear customs and immigration as they depart Mexico.
And they’re off!
Tracy has officially left the shores of Mexico and is heading out to sea where he will be for about 3 and ½ weeks until he reaches the shores of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas. I will join him there at the end of April!
You’re probably wondering, how I’m able to share these trip details when I’m not on board Quid Sea for the crossing. The credit goes to David who has been providing daily updates and has been kind enough to share the highlights with me. The following post is in his voice and David’s sense of humor makes it a very fun read. We appreciate him documenting the trip as it allows Tracy more time to focus on keeping the boat afloat and his crew safe.
Day 1: March 27th
The journey began on March 27th, with the last hot showers in the yacht club.
Cheers to the start of the trip!
On the way to the Port Captain’s office, we cruised by to get a closer look of El Primero. Tracy recognized her as a vessel he had seen in Portland. She has a long history in the Pacific NW, including Seattle, Tacoma and Port Townsend. The story below mentions that it is headed to South America for restoration. https://megayachtnews.com/2022/12/el-primero-the-oldest-power-superyacht-in-the-world/
So far, our meals have been rather diverse. For lunch, a large salad with ham, cheese and avocado. Then for dinner, Erik and I had macaroni and cheese with tuna, while Tracy had PBP (peanut butter and pickle) sandwich. Don’t judge us. Our Hello Fresh food orders have been delayed in shipping. We need to cast a line and switch to Hello Fish.
After clearing customs and immigration with the Port Captain in Nuevo Vallarta, with a limited inspection and a friendly smile from the agents, we finally set sail, leaving the safety of the harbor behind.
Our meals so far have been… eclectic. For lunch, we enjoyed a big salad with ham, cheese, and avocado (because we’re fancy like that). For dinner, Erik and I had macaroni and cheese with tuna, while Tracy bravely opted for a PBP (peanut butter and pickle) sandwich. Don’t judge us. Our Hello Fresh order was lost somewhere in shipment. Looks like it’s time to switch to Hello Fish—the freshest catch you can reel in yourself.
Our first sunset on the water was beautiful… though we didn’t spot the elusive green flash this time. Maybe next time.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #2 ~ Noon, March 28-29
Tracy Myers, Captain’s Log, after day#1 & 2
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: March 28 2025
TIME: 1200 GMT-7
LATITUDE: 19° 46’N
LONGITUDE: 106° 39’W
COURSE: 249T
SPEED: 6.0 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 340T
WIND SPEED: 10 kts
COMMENTS: 96 nm miles in last 24 hrs. Slow start out of Banderas Bay and light winds offshore. Decided to sail at 3 kts rather than motor.
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: 29-March-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
LATITUDE: 18° 14′ N
LONGITUDE: 108° 29.0000′ W
COURSE: 235 T
SPEED: 3.7 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 355 T
WIND SPEED: 6 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon (24hr) distance 149 nm. Total Distance: 246 nm
Two heads are better than one, especially at night. Don’t you agree? More about this later.
Dinner was a true culinary adventure: grilled chicken breast on the leeward port-side grill, buttermilk biscuits from the new gimbaled oven, and a romaine salad with blueberries and avocado dressing – the kind of healthy you don’t usually get on a boat, unless you’re like us, trying to balance saltwater with antioxidants. We did wonder, though, if a curious shark would swim by. But, alas, it didn’t. I’m sure that a shark was probably busy wondering if chicken really did taste like tuna. Spoiler: no takers. Dinner was safe.
Sunset, March 28th.
Stowaway Squid
Spotted on deck in the morning. Calamari for breakfast, anyone? 🦑
Two Head sails, better than one?
Tracy tried out the staysail for the first time, at the same time as flying the genoa. Our apparent wind speed (AWS) versus true wind speed (TWS) did seem to improve.
Back to the other head comment
SV Quid Sea is a well-equipped Norseman 447 vessel with redundancy. There’s one head in the v-berth and a second in the aft cabin – hence, two heads 😊. Both are equipped with an enthusiastic flush powered by 12V. Don’t worry – if you’re on board and use the facilities, everyone will know of your recent activity. But proceed with caution – there’s a breaker that trips if both heads are flushed simultaneously.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #3 ~ Noon, March 29-30
Captain’s Log, after day#3
VESSEL: Quid Sea
STAR DATE: 30-March-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
This too shall change. 1hr every 15° Longitude. => then the crew changes shift by 20min throughout the day. This wouldn’t happen if we were in the Gulf of America. Does anyone really know what time it is?
LATITUDE: 17° 24′ N
LONGITUDE: 110° 25′ W
COURSE: 256 T
SPEED: 4 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 345 T
WIND SPEED: 6 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft at 12s
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon distance 122 nm. Total Distance: 368 nm
Our first wildlife! It was fun watching them porpoising their way to the boat, then enjoying the bow wave.
Dolphins playing in the bow wave!
Below is a picture of my mostly eaten dinner before I remembered to take a photo. (You’re welcome for the artistry) Breakfast for dinner, as an ohmage to Dexter: Original Sin, with Tabasco and ketchup. Croissants cooked in the oven, eggs with pepper, onions and cheese, plus hashbrown-ish potatoes that fused to the pan (user error – I’m not doing that again).
Red sky at night. 😊
Dark.
“Nights are frequently dark.”, Erik P.
Close encounter
Our Closest Point of Approach (CPA), of any ship so far, was with a 179 m Liberian vessel, BBC ... Tracy was on watch, and they passed aft of us at around 2AM, 2 NM out.
There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.
Bernard Williams
We had a couple of sea birds taking refuge (and enthusiastically soiling) the solar panels this morning.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #4 ~ Noon, March 30-31
Captain’s Log, after day#4
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: 30-March-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
LATITUDE: 17° 24′ N
LONGITUDE: 110° 25′ W
COURSE: 256 T
SPEED: 4 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 345 T
WIND SPEED: 6 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft at 12s
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon distance 122 nm. Total Distance: 368 nm
Adventure in cooking
On the menu was pork chops on the grill, risotto pasta with mushrooms, and green beans. The conditions, however, were a bit too sporty for the grill, so all the cooking was done in the galley. Tracy did the prep work, chopping the beans, onions and bell peppers that were on their last legs.
Cooking in 15-18 kt winds while close-hauled at a 45-degree apparent wind angle, causing the boat to heel and roll 10 to 20-degrees? Oh, it’s not just cooking — it’s an adventure! It is a full contact sport versus any solid surface, complete with sharp knives, open flames, boiling water, hot oil and a gimballed stove as the moving target.
I walked away unscathed, which I consider a victory. If you look closely, you might spot anchoring points for a cooking harness. Maybe next time I’ll use them. This time, I rode the galley bareback. Yeehaw.
In all seriousness, I never felt in danger. It’s just a matter of bracing yourself, going with the motion of the boat, and hoping the pasta doesn’t burn.
Dinner
Half-eaten dinner, successfully restrained with a strategically placed knife to prevent it from escaping across the deck.
Sunset
A stunning sunset, accompanied by a waning crescent moon and a deceptively calm looking sea.
Time Zone
We transitioned to Pacific Time Zone, UTC -8, by adding an extra 20 minutes to each evening watch. One clock is on UTC and the other is on Pacific.
Passive fishing
Squid on-deck in the morning. Yum!
Yes James, we caught fish today! Please send an appropriately sized filleting scalpel.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #5 ~ Noon, March 31- April 1
Captain’s Log, after day#5
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: 1-Apr-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
LATITUDE: 15° 28′ N
LONGITUDE: 115° 13′ W
COURSE: 245 T
SPEED: 6 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 030 T
WIND SPEED: 10 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon distance (24hr) 142 nm. Total Distance: 666 nm.
April 1st, quotable quotes for the day:
Tracy: “I wish I had a catamaran”, “Only 28 more days until land.”
Erik: “Buy stock in Tesla, it’s a steal!”
David: “I shouldn’t have eaten that flying fish.”
Photos for the day:
Sunset
So, tell me, who noticed that I said that the moon was waning when it’s really waxing?? My apologies. It seems that the phases of the moon look different here. I am used to a quick reference that if the crescent fits neatly in your left thumb and index finger that the moon is waning. Perhaps it looks different near the equator? More research is needed.
Catch of the day
I thought that they said frying fish, but it turns out that this is a flying fish. I hope that we catch something better soon.
Hitchhiker
Tracy did a google search of the image and it turns out to be a Red-Footed Booby sitting on the solar panel.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #6 ~ Noon, April 1-2
Captain’s Log, after day#6
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: 2-Apr-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
LATITUDE: °14 ’39 N
LONGITUDE: 117° 40′ W
COURSE: 245 T
SPEED: 6 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 030 T
WIND SPEED: 13 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon distance (24hr) 151 nm. Total Distance: 817 nm.
An evening adventure
What were you doing at 8-10PM PT on April 1st? Locally, the winds climbed to 20 kts, necessitating us (Tracy) reefing the genoa and the mainsail. There was some spray, which activated the emergency beacon on Tracy’s PFD. The flashing strobe added to the ambiance. When he was dropping the mainsail, it was getting caught in the lazy jack lines, used to guide the sail into the stack pack. We have come up with strategies to simplify the process next time.
Dinner
A simple affair – Ham & cheese sandwiches to minimize the threat of hot and sharp kitchen objects. The food wasn’t photo worthy, but the dinner bell is fun! 😉
Solar panel cleaning
The red-footed booby soiled one of the solar panels, reducing the power output to only 50%. Cleaning has only improved the output 60%. Yes, it is cloudy, but the output is compared to an identical panel adjacent to it. Odd.
Quid Sea Pacific Crossing 2025 – Day #7 ~ Noon, April 2-3
Captain’s Log, after day#7
VESSEL: Quid Sea
DATE: 3-Apr-2025
TIME: 1200 (GMT-7)
LATITUDE: °13 ’35 N
LONGITUDE: 119° 30′ W
Fun fact, this is ~ the same longitude as Hermiston, OR. 😊
COURSE: 250 T
SPEED: 6 kts
WIND DIRECTION: 045 T
WIND SPEED: 13 Kts
SWELL: 6 ft
COMMENTS: Noon to Noon distance (24hr) 130 nm. Total Distance: 947 nm.
= ~33% complete!
And the award for the crew member with the most stamina goes to…
Hydrovane! (Cue thunderous applause 🎉)
The Hydrovane is our tireless, unsung hero. A small sail and rudder attached to the stern, it corrects our course 24/7, without food, sleep, or even a complaint. Befriend the Hydrovane, or risk the wrath of a luffing sail—or worse, an unintentional jibe, which is basically sailing’s version of an unexpected slap to the face. Even the resident boobie bird seems to respect its work ethic.
Sunset
Another dazzling nature show, featuring the Pacific Ocean, the sky, and increasing wind. The boat was heeling over in a 20-knot wind, which means our camera angle was… artistic.
Dinner
Tracy graciously cooked and cleaned up after dinner. The menu? Spaghetti with what I think was red sauce. It looked red in the glow of my headlamp, so I’m going with it. Delicious, regardless. Also, the garlic shaker’s lid was a little loose, and right as I was seasoning, a swell hit. The result? Let’s just say no vampire bat will be coming within a nautical mile of me.
Moon over the Pacific
It is hard to get a good photo, but this should give you a good general idea. Capturing a good moon photo at sea is like trying to take a selfie in a hurricane. But trust me, it was there. Currently, we’re at first quarter. Can’t wait for the full moon. Question: Will our excessive garlic usage protect from werewolves too? Asking for a friend.
Jibing in the night
(Which, honestly, sounds like a great song title.)
Sailing directly downwind is a bit of a puzzle. The dream setup would be a spinnaker, but the wind is a little too… enthusiastic for that. Next best option? Wing-on-wing. Unfortunately, in 6-ft swells, that’s not stable and could result in a big mistake. So, jibing it is. Shortly after midnight, we switched to a portside tack for the first time since leaving Mexico. Doesn’t sound dramatic, but to Erik—who had been sleeping on the starboard side—it meant not being launched across the cabin like a pickleball. Small victories. “Jibe ho!”
17 flying fish on deck(Also a great song title.)
The flying fish are getting bigger and more ambitious. One particularly athletic individual managed to hurl itself straight into our isinglass window before crash-landing on deck. Every morning, Erik embarks on a solemn mission to return our overnight visitors to Neptune. Today’s count: 17 volunteers.
That’s all for now. Thanks David! There’s more to come and I will send out another update later this week. On a side note, I’m able to talk to Tracy most days. He sounds happy, a little sleep deprived and thrilled that Quid Sea is performing well. Both Erik and David are doing well too. They don’t have any regrets so far. 🙂
SV Quid Sea - Sailing with Tracy and Cindy 
Love the updates and the photos! Showed the fish and squid photos to some local (New England) fishermen and they were thrilled!
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