Logs of Shepherd Moon
Leg II Logs - French Polynesia (June-July)
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Log III
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Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005
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17 44 S 149 20 W  Map It! |
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| Left Moorea at first light for a 40 mile passage to Phaeton Bay on Tahiti where Shepherd Moon will be stored out of the water at a boatyard. Most of the windward trip was great until the engine begin getting air in the fuel line (engine repairs had focused on causes other than the fuel pump.......we now know that when the faulty fuel pump heats up after long use it leaks air into the fuel line). Cap'n chose to continue with the "limping"
engine....even through the coral pass rather than sail to Papeete where a tow might be available. Crew thought this a gutsy call....but it was probably the safest choice (if the sailing winds died we could have drifted toward several dangers). Outside the reef it was too deep to anchor, but at the time the wind would have blown us away from the Phaeton Bay reef if the engine stopped. Once inside the reef it was shallow enough to anchor quickly if necessary. We coaxed the engine through the critical coral pass of the reef. With great relief we are now tied to a bouy off the boatyard, After a 4-day holiday weekend, Shepherd Moon will be hauled out for its land stay.....Woody will return to Moorea where he has befriended some international travelers....then on July 21 he will fly to New Zealand to continue his summer travels. Vilnis leaves July 17 to spend a week in Hawaii before returning to Seattle. I will spend a week prepareing the boat for storage and overseeing repairs.......then fly to Kona on July 24 for a short stay (will say hello to Karen of Leg I) before heading to the Northwest. It was not the voyaging spring and summer originally planned, but it turned into a grand adventure......time to reflect now.....next years plans are best made next to a winter fireplace. |
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Log II
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Sunday, Jul 10, 2005
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17 32 S 149 47 W Map It! |
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| On 7/6 Vilnis and I flew to Bora Bora for the day. Over the years I have thought of Bora Bora as a romantic island.....visiting there with my college math mentor was not quite what I had had in mind.....but we did have a good time bicyling completely around the island. It is truely a uniquely beautiful place. Woody joined us on Friday and today we sailed to Vaiare Bay on Moorea (after spending two hours getting our anchor unfouled from a chain in Papeete Harbor). We are enjoying another paradise.... away from the city celebrations..... the quiet...and the southern stars. |
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Update VI
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Monday, Jul 4, 2005
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| A number of extra American flags are displayed about the city today...the people of French Polynesia seem to like American people apart from the international politics of governments.
Shepherd Moon's engine was repaired on Tuesday, but since several possible problems were addressed simultaneously it is not certain which one was the problem. Our third crew member, Vilnis Ozols, could not arrive until Sunday.....but now we have a good crew to sail where ever we wish. Presently, we are paying attention to a cold front and a convergence zone which have postponed some Heiva activities. |
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Update V
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Sunday, Jun 26, 2005
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Shepherd Moon is still idle....the limited availability of engine mechanics and crew have conspired to frustrate even inter-island voyages in French Polynesia. Lesa and Owen are off to spend the remainder of their vacation in L,A. Woody plans to stay longer.....but is not experienced in ocean sailing, so it is unlikely that the two of us will make multi-day passages. I have contacted an experienced ocean sailor in Seattle (my old graduate advisor at the University of Washington)...and he is intrigued at the possibility of coming for a couple of weeks as additional crew. He is thinking it over and things should sort out in a few days. Tahiti has so much to do that it is difficult to be disappointed. Woody is spending several days on Moorea, where he has connected with a marine research center. I am tending the boat in Papeete, where the quai is lined with yachts and the Heiva is in full swing. Every park and street corner seems to have live concerts during the day......and in the evening, the dance festivities center is only a mile away. There under the sothern stars and with a backdrop of tikis and volcanic Moorea (Bali Hai), large numbers of Tahitians of all ages proudly perform traditional dances to the drums of their pre-contact past....dances that have obviously taken years to perfect. The dancing may seem overly sensual to some western eyes, but to the Tahitians, it seems an expression of art...an expression of their life energy. I imagine that Tahitian youth go to dance practice much as American youth would join an athletic team or take music lessons. Cultural identity is much stronger here than in places like Hawaii where westernization has been more complete. Gauguin thought that the early missionaries had managed to import hyprocy to Tahiti.
Whatever the case, uninhibited traditional dancing (and topless beaches) have found a way to co-exist with strong family and religious values. As a visitor to their culture, I find the Tahitians an openly friendly people with little mistrust......a refreshing innocence.
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Update IV
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Tuesday, Jun 21, 2005
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| Shortest day of the year in the South Pacific.....we have checked most minor possibilities for the engine problem and a mechanic will return to the boat tomorrow. It appears that we made a wise (or lucky) decision to return to Papeete for repairs. Shepherd Moon carries a number of spare engine parts, so our continued delay should not be long. It seems odd that modern sailing vessels are so dependent on their engines, but we tend to want to go where tall ships sometimes only sent their oared longboats. Our time is not wasted. Lesa and Owen flew to Bora Bora for a couple of days.
We are also realizing that Tahiti as the largest island in French Polynesia has lots to offer. Woody has surfed and SCUBA dived and will be joined by Lesa and Owen for surfing tomorrow. We are getting excellent first hand exposure to the culture here. This morning the ships company was invited as guests to an end-of-school dance festival...also attended by island dignitaries. Students from a number of island schools performed traditional dances....and afterwards we were treated to authentic Tahitian food. In two days the yearly month-long "Heiva"
celebration begins with widespread dance contests, ocean canoe racing, etc..... |
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Log I
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Thursday, Jun 16, 2005
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17 32 S 149 34 W Map It! |
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| We left Papeete (Tahiti) in late morning for nearby island Moorea (it's mountains recognizeable as backdrops to movies like South Pacific and The Bounty). Robin and I had taken the ferry and spent a couple of days there relaxing and bicycling. so I had an anchoring spot in mind. As we approached the coral pass the engine started losing rpms. Switching to alternate fuel filters and other engine checks did not resolve the problem. I made the decision to keep seaway from the island and head back toward Tahiti. With the engine only working at a very slow speed (and stopped completely
once) and daylight fading, I called for a tow to get safely into harbor. At present we are at the yacht quai....and once again awaiting repairs. Hopefully they are minor and we can be on our way again......if not, the boat will just be a hotel from which to explore by other means. The crew are on vacations from jobs and like most people, are limited in time to do "structured adventures". Long repair delays can destroy their sailing hopes completely. I have more time, but continual boat problems questions my confidence in a vessel that has carried me across two oceans.
I am thinking more of the time when I can store the boat and return home to Seattle....... and spend relaxed time with Robin and other family loved ones....and catch up on the everyday things in life (I wonder how big the kittens are now?).
For now the crew and I are stranded in paradise. Although there may be news reported on the website, regular logs will likely not resume until/unless we are cruising smewhere. I hope website visitors have enjoyed the logs. |
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Update III
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Thursday, Jun 16, 2005
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| The logs so far have been limited to crew and voyaging people...some of them hurredly written.....I apologize to the many support people who have gotten little mention. For two weeks in Tahiti I was joined by Robin, whose fluent French was a great help in getting boat repairs and getting around the island.....she is a big reason why my stay has been pleasant dispite stresses for boat repairs and arranging storage for the vessel.... A special Happy Birthday to Robin. |
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Update II
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Wednesday, Jun 15, 2005
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REPAIRS
Shepherd Moon made landfall in Tahiti using several back up systems and plans. The yacht quai in Papeete was lined with a dozen yachts, many with similar stories. Some limped in or were towed in with no back up system(s) aboard....other yachts were stranded elsewhere with only their skippers in town to order repair parts. Someone said "cruising is working on your boat in exotic places". As the leg I crew left homeward, I began repairs.
The integrated GPS that also serves the radar, VHF radio, and helm display has a bad antenna.....a replacement is no longer available....it will take weeks to send the unit into Ray Marine for repairs (if it can be repaired) or have a new unit installed.
The fridge also has a maqjor problem. I had planned for a generic system that could be repaired around the world, but the installer informs me that the compressor (which appears faulty) is from an Italian company no longer in business. Replacing the gas is considered only a temporary fix. The watermaker has been flushed and using it will determine if additional service is required.
Engine quarks were minor and resolved. The inverter also needs some attention.
TAHITI
My stay has been pleasant: fhe Public Market, Star Wars in French, Tahitian dancers, the Gauguin museum, vanilla, and riding the transit trucks with the local population. I was surprised to meet up with long time friend, John Neal, John and his wife operate ocean sail training voyages. John has sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti several times and it was good to compare notes. Sailing up from New Zealand, he had been tracking the stationary warm front that we passed through.
CRUISING SCHEDULE
(considered an oxymoron by most who cruise.) A part of me was energized by the challenges of Leg I (lightening storms and such) and very much wanted to carry on to Fiji and Australia on various back up systems...... a more rational part realizes that this would create an unintended "Outward Bound" experience for some of the crew......and stretch the safety of the voyage. It is one thing to fall back on back up systems and plans during a voyage (that's what they are for), it is another to begin a voyage on back up systems. A deciding factor is the environmental energy goals of the vessel....to voyage in confort on renewable energy.
Thus I have decided to delay a year and store the boat in French Polynesia before continuing on. Leg III crew are looking forward to next year, but Leg II crew have decided to cruise French Polynesia this year. They arrived June 12 and have been exploring Tahiti while the boat readies for other islands.
NOTE
French Polynesia logs should begin in a couple of days.
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Leg I Logs - Hawaii to Tahiti (May)
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Update I
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Saturday, May 28, 2005
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| Tops on the positive side of the voyage were the radar transponder (detects radar from other vessels), auto pilot, B&G instruments, and the sailing rig (especiaqlly the light-air spindrifter). Tops on the negative side were the lack of fresh water and the difficulty of sleeping in the forward cabin going to weather. The loss of refrigeration was dissappointing, but only led to limited meal choices (there was pleanty of food).The watch schedule got semi-good reviews....all thought that working with all other crew and a continuous flow of information was good, but some crew felt that the sleep/wake patterns were not the best for them....night nav/support watches were not liked by some. Crew was thankful for the critical things that didn't fail (like the head). The possibility of rotating chores was suggested (this was done on the 2003 maiden voyage....primarily due to time zone changes); and more communication to crew about weather, necessity of so much
easting, options along the way, etc. As a crew we felt that we were at our best when challenged, which contributed to a safe trip..
Shepherd Moon is now between crews...... as unexpected friends and contacts have showed up in Tahiti to celebrate with us. We also feel the support of future crews awaiting their turn. It is believed that leg I was the toughest leg (we hope), and it has left some necessary repairs to take care of. Contacts have been made about doing these repairs, but no time-line is yet known..... it is a BIG plus that we are in Tahiti and did not end up in Bora Bora as we once feared. Any changes in schedules (or complete legs) should be known within a week or so...as repair problems are
better known.... for now future crews will need as much patience as the Cap'n.....toast our success so far! |
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Log XXI
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Thursday, May 26, 2005
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17 32 S 149 34 W Map It! |
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| Made landfall after 14 hours of motoring into strong winds and seas....on last of our fuel reserves....could see islands from 35 miles away. Cap'n's first steps ashore were for ice cream....all enjoyed beer, Marguertes, pizza, and walking ashore....will check in with friends and relatives tomorrow. Will also start getting problem systems checked out. postscript to follow in a day or two. |
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Log XX
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Wednesday, May 25, 2005
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16 51 S 150 20 W Map It! |
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| All OK.....winds and seas piped up so much 24 hrs ago that the autopilot often couldn't handle our tight heeled over course (double reefed main and handkerchief for a Genny)...boat hard to handle in breaking swells when autopilot checks out so Cap'n and Mark rotated 4-hour watches at the helm for 24-hours (high angle living below a bit of a mess).....seas lessened a bit in evening and winds lessened about midnight....our struggles brought us directly downwind of Tahiti (as planned) 60 miles away. We are now motoring directly into wind (which has calmed some) at 5 ks with a double reefed main up to stablelize the boat......working well....expect landfall late today or early tomorrow depending on whether present conditions hold....thanks for your best wishes. |
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Log XIX
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Tuesday, May 24, 2005
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14 49 S 149 44 W Map It! |
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Note 1: A connection glitch resulted in the loss of incoming e-mails on 24th. Please re-send these e-mails.
Note 2: Happy Birtheday to Brandy's father (May 25)
Back on tight course..no one wanted a tough sail at the end of a long voyage..but we have adjusted....Sailors view Island Packets as big comfortable boats with limited ability to go to weather. We ar sailing agressively....Shepherd Moon has reefed her sails back and suck her nose into 25 kt SW trade winds.She is slowy inching us toward Tahiti. Brandy has a sore arm and did not stand
watch.....164 miles to go...maybe Thursday...watermaker does not seem tp want to work on an incline (and they sell tjem for boats).
Tahiti in two days |
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Log XVIII
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Monday, May 23, 2005
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13 39 S 149 43 W Map It! |
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| What a lightening display as we motored through the thunderstorms of the stationary front last night....bolts hitting the water within a quarter mile of the boat...but we had no choice but to get past the front. We tucked into the almost solid rain at the begining of the front to save easting...now we are in stong SE trade winds...losing our easting and in danger of being swept to Bora Bora...sailing hard on the wind....may have to motor, but probably don't have enough fuel to motor all the way to Tahiti...it has been a challenging passage.
A bird that had visited the boat a couple of times (a brown bobby?)...rode on our back rail during the lightening storm and at one point collapsed to the cockpit....we placed the bird in a mesh nag until morning...when we tried to dry ts feathers and give it food and water....the bird which we called the "cipher of the storm" died later and was returned to the sea.... |
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Log XVII
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Sunday, May 22, 2005
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12 07 S 148 50 W Map It! |
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| Winds totally died at daybreak...calm...really calm. Dropped sails and waited. Being becalmed is a different sort of challenge...more mental than physical....unless you just accept it as part of the adventure, it can be a disruption...like being stuck in traffic.
The boat motion was not uncomfortable, yet within a half hour of being becalmed some crew suggested that we motor. The Cap'n resisted this temptatpion strongly as our fuel supplies might be needed to dodge storms and/or motor against a strong headwind into Tahiti. Women spent the morning assisting the romance between Gail and Spalding.....Spalding was hauled in, given a face and posed for pictures with a re-inflated Gail. Later crew took turns swimming off the stern of Shepherd Moon....no bottom.....no shore....just an endless expanse of blue. During the evening, a different kind of challenge emerged...for at least a week a stationary front stretching for hundreds of miles and populated with a broad area of squalls and thunderstorms (lightening) has blocked our path to Tahiti. We are now in the procesws of trying to cross that fromt...we are taking a (short) course believed to be perpendicular to the front. Lightening seems to be all around us....capable of destroying boat electrincs, damage vessel, etc.
This is the kind of situation we expected in the doldrums...not this far south. We are using lots of fuel to try to avoid lightening....a bit scary (we have two GPS units in oven for protection..Should our ability to send e-mails be compromised, we will try to communicate by Iridium satellite phone.
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Log XVI
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Saturday, May 21, 2005
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11 23 S 148 11 W Map It! |
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| Very early morning possible sighting of fishing boat.....white light....indistinct radar echo at 12 nm.....no reply to VHF hailing. Slow motion interplay with weather and wind all day...motored for three hours to escape being dragged off to the SE behind a stationary front running for hundreds of miles.....motored for 40 min later to dodge a super-cell squall.....light winds, often in the wrong direction....inching our way toward Tahiti. A late arrival (sea voyages don't really have schedules) would mean less time for system repairs amd/or a delayed departure for next leg of voyage. GPS antenna repair is a must as we are on the backup system now...with only lat/lomg on Inmarsat-C as a backup-backup. The watermaker must be serviced as well as we have gone through our redundancies already and are in danger of rationing already. Reefer repair would also be nice (ice cream helps the Cap'n's mood). Any "schedule" changes for future crews will be reported as soon as determined. No estimate for arrival in Tahiti yet. Last of baking supplies used for fresh bread today. |
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Log XV
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Friday, May 20, 2005
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9 46 S 147 52 W Map It! |
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Becalmed most of day.....watermaker made enough water for showers......very light northern wind....sailimg south-ish wing-on-wing until midnight...thought we saw white light eastward...maybe a fishing boat (no good radar reflection and no reply to radio call).
An ocean voyage probably means something slightly different to each person. Sailing around the world is a nice complete expression, yet most people who set out do not complete it....and not all are disappointed. Those for which the challenge is like reaching a mountaintop would likely feel some sense of failure......and those who run short of finances must sense a shortened dream. For others, perhaps sailing enough to convince themselves that they could continue is satisfying enough....snd then there are those who adopt cruising as a lifestyle....where one circumnavigation blends into the next. I do not believe that ocean sailimg is a lifestyle for me...there are other dimensions of life that I value as much or more....amd I don't need to circumnavigate juat to say I did it.....advenures seldom follow precise schedules .....it will be interesting to see how this adventure unfolds. |
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Log XIIIV
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Thursday, May 19, 2005
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8 37 S 148 27 W Map It! |
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| Light air day..spindrifter up until midnight...we seem to have
enough easting room, so are now wing-on-wing with staysail and
reefed main (decided to wait for daylight to fly whisker pole on
Genoa). Watermaker was balky yesterday, but worked hard today...a
day without water rationing..crew nicknamed watermaker "the little
engine that could" which dates us a bit....life has been
Walden-Pond simple at sea without the distractions and clutter of
civilization. A time for clear thinking and sorting out one's
true priorities in life. A lot of journal writing is occuring...as
well as letters and other contacts with family and soulmates.
Personal growth from experiences such as this is authentic and
often a surprise to those around us in our "civilized" life. |
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Log XIIV
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Wednesday, May 18, 2005
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6 34 S 149 22 W Map It! |
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| Hard on the wind today, but we have successfully clawed eastward.
For much of yesterday we were headed due south at 7 kts, but swept 20 degrees westward by the strong equatorial currant. A bit would be from side slippage of the boat, but we calculated a 2.5 knot west setting currant (students do the math). Currant is becoming weaker today as we expected with moving south. In response to our begging, we did get several e-mails from friends and family.
Someone suggested that the time window be repeated (for those that have direct contact with the vessel): EVEN DATES ONLY: 6:30 - 8:30 PM for Seattle, 7:30-9:30 PM Denver, 8:30-10:30 PM Kansas, 9:30- 11:30 PM east coast. Beautiful South Pacific sailing today...Shepherd Moon needs little attention. |
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Log XIV
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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
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4 17 S 149 25 W Map It! |
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| Strong currant pushing us westward all day....suppose to lessen a few degrees further South...Cap'n asks the watches for hard on the wind sailing. Early today, crew turned on pressure water system for a timed cockpit shower (no one checked to make sure that all boat water taps were in off position). An open tap in the head pumped many gallons of drinking water overboard. Only the watermaker prevents us from rationing drinking water now. The lesson to crew (and future crews) is that boat procedures must never be taken casually. For now the primary concern is loss of easting. Cap'n is skeptical of cruising guides. If we are becalmed, we will have to motor to keep longitude.....and/or we will make landfall in Bora Bora, re-fuel, and motor back to Tahiti. The next couple of days will tell. |
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Log XIII
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Monday, May 16, 2005
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1 51 S 148 57 W Map It! |
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| Were absolutely becalmed for the first time this voyage about midnight..dropped all sails and waited for an hour...then spindrifter gave us minimal speed until breese filled in.,,nice winds since then. Finding it very easy to maintain easting as SW trades have not been evident yet (still early in season ...and latitude). Can't believe we have not seen another vessel yet....radar transponder has been silent except when we have our radar on. With loss of freezer food, meals are becoming creative, Only apples and oranges remain as fruit. Karen called NZ on the Irdium and left birthday greeting for her father. Not getting as many e-mails as expected...either we scared everyone with the cost to boat (already budgeted)...or we are not loved as much as originaly thought. Crew took showers today...and starting to talk of what they willl do in Tahiti. Suspect romance developing between Gail and Spalding. |
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Log XII
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Sunday, May 15, 2005
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00 00 N 149 09 W Map It! |
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A relaxing day....survuved the Doldrums which are entirely north of the equator in this part of the ocean. Calm enough for baking... Brandy treated us to fresh bread and cinnimon rolls.
Late during my 6-9 PM helm watch I let Spirit gently steer Shepherd Moon southward and viewed the upside-down Big Dipper hanging above our stern. I followed the pointer stars for one last glimpse of the North Star....but it was already too low. A "celebration" soon developed....Gail, a life size inflatable was introduced as the 5th crew and after pictures with the crew took her place as the bow bust for the evening. A GPS was set up and a countdown began....at 10:01 PM we slipped into the South Pacific.
We all went from being pollywogs (whatever they are) to being shellbacks (whatever they are). Spalding was made an honorary shellback. Owen's champainge and conversation filled the cockpit.
There will still be challenges before Tahiti. According to the cruising guides, we are where we need to be, but we will have to take care not to lose our easting...a few dozen miles can be overcome by the engine (with 3/4 of our fuel still remaining), but losing several hundred miles would mean an alternate landfall. All is well.
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Log XI
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Friday, May 13, 2005
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1 32 N 149 18 W Map It! |
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| Doldrum sailing....ocean as flat as a lake, towering very black
clouds reaching down to the sea, backlit by the morning sky and
showing no evidence of wind (we avoided them anyway). Very light
inconsistant winds that our spindrifter handles well....have not
been truely becalmed yet....have not found a graceful way to douse
the giant sail when the wind sunddenly pipes up. Sighted a pod of
pilot whales this morning....many seabirds in the calm waters.
Here it's easy to believe that the voyage has been gentle, but our
shredded flags say otherwise....have sighted no other vessels the
entire trip, prompting one crew to ask if other people ever sail
this route.....(before contact, the Hawaiians sailed this route in
double hulled canoes). Watermaker seals have re-seated themselves
and it is back to full duty (crews on later voyages this year will
appreciate this news). Will probably kick the reefer tomorrow...
the frozen food was discarded yesterday (tears for the ice cream),
but cool champange at the equator would be nice. |
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Log X
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Friday, May 13, 2005
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2 39 N 149 28 W Map It! |
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| A welcome calm day in the doldrums. Motored due east at 4.5 kts
for several hours to regain the easting that last nights storm
robbed from us. Surprised to discover that we are being helped
along by a half kt counter currant. Our giant spindrifter sail
allows us to continue to take advantage of this moddest counter
currant (only a couple degrees from the equator) 5 kts boat speed
in single didget wind. Time to dry out wet things and all crew got
good rest. Although it didn't seem so last night, natures actions
are not personal.....last night she dragged our tiny ship about on
the vast ocean at will......and today she ignors us as we escape
back eastward.....we had just accidentaly gotton entangled in her
talons for a few hours. |
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Log IX
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Thursday, May 12, 2005
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3 28 N 150 22 W Map It! |
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| A damp day with more showers and clothes washing in cockpit...
then remained soggy for entire day, leaving piles of undried clothes. We were challanged today by a couple of gale force squalls...one in the evening required hand steering in 30+ kt turbulant winds and blew us 20 miles off course. May have to motor to regain our easting. Hoping for a dryer day tomorrow...have sailed over a thousand miles from Hawaii and.getting very near the equator. |
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Log VIII
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Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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05 23 N 150 19 W Map It! |
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Mid-morning, Cap'n was awakened from day sleep by cries of joy from the cockpit...our first lengthy rain squall had brought the other three crew with their shampoo, soap, buckets, laundry to the cockpit for a "free water" shower and undreamed of laundry opportunity (with bucketfulls of water draining from the folds of the reefed mains'l), They were as happy as swimsuit-clad tethered toddlers in a wading pool and Cap'n did not know whether to join them or take blackmail pictures. With clothespins still along the lifelines, our winds died sharply and we feared the hot, humid, calm doldrums had arrived early. After several light-air hours, we deployed the spindrifter (Shepherd Moon's giant colorful sail) and were back to 7+ kts of speed. Just before dusk we experienced one of those serious moments in ocean sailing (that make our friends and family nervous about our adventure). A small squall suddenly filled our giant sail and put the starboard rail awash....at the helm, Cap'n quickly altered course to blanket the spindrifter with the main (we fly a double reefed main to balance the spindrifter).
When this tactic was not effective enough and with the boat uncomfortably heeled, the spindrifter sheet was let fly to dump air and right the vessel...and Cap'n was already making his way to the foredeck to pull a sock over the giant flogging sail when two other tethered crew quickly popped up from below for assistance.
Mark helped manage the wild spindrifter while Brandy took the helm to give us the best course for our activities. Our exciting situation would not have impressed an ocean racing sailor (who often sail with a rail in the water on purpose), but for us it marked the first time that we have been called on to operate as a team with little time for communication.....and we did well.....we have become a sailing team. Pizza party followed...As a final reward to the day, the watermaker (who we had dubbed the errant 5th crew member) showed up and filled our galley tank with potable water....we'll see if he shows up tomorrrow. Comparisons of GPS and helm information indicate that we may be entering the equatorial counter-currant (students following us might try to determine how we could arrive at this conclusion ...GPS gives course and speed relative to the sea floor, while helm information is relative to the moving water).
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Log VII
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Tuesday, May 10, 2005
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7 18 N 150 36 W Map It! |
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| A hundred dolphins came to greet us and play around the boat for an hour this afternoon...they particularly liked our bow wave.
Spalding was delighted, and Tamone' (Shepherd Moon's cabin-bound
mascott) seemed a bit jealous. Tamone' had left the nav station in rough sailing days ago for a safer area among the paper towels.
Also a number of sea birds skimming the water amng the swells today. Casadias for dinner (cheeseburgers in paradise for dinner last night). Will look at the fridge again tomorrow. Some food has remained frozen in the super insulated freezer for a week after losing power there. 152 miles sailed over last day. Close to the record set on the Maiden Voyage. One crew asked if Owen (scheduled for leg II) would already know the boat systems, snce he had been on the Naiden Voyage. I said yes.....paused....then added, "I guess we have eliminated the fridge, watermaker, and GPS since Owen was last aboard". As we qpproach the intratropical convergence zone (ITCZ) we are starting to encounter heavy squalls and distant lightning....we also may soon be in the equatorial countercurrent... |
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Log VI
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Monday, May 9, 2005
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09 21 N 151 15 W Map It! |
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| SHOWER DAY!! ...enjoyed by all 1 gallon fresh water each for the guys and a gallon and a half each for the ladies. Nice to wash away the salt crust of a week of agressive sailing. As we close the equator there is talk of what kind of traditional ceremony we
will have as we change from being "pollywogs" to become
"shellbacks". The women have talked of swimming across the equator (if the seas are glassy and calm). Called the reefer installer on the Iridium satellite phone and found out where to look for a fuse that might be out....he also said to give it a good kick.. Also called a marine company to troubleshoot the GPS...we will need a new antenna which we can get in Tahiti. Have seen no other boats and little sealife since leaving Hawaii. Today might be our first day of sailing more than 150 miles.. |
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Log V
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Sunday, May 8, 2005
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| |
11 19 N 152 03 W Map It! |
| |
| Another hard day beating to weather in 25-30 kt winds.
The staysil boom cap which had just been repaired in Kailua failed the first night out (sorry Gary) and needed repaired. We retreived a bolt from the foredeck assembled the necessary repair items on the cabin floor, devised a plan; and Cap'n and Mark made their way to the foredeck with tethered tools. The repair was not dangerous, but took most of an hour with waves breaking on us as we assembled small bolts, nuts, screws, etc. We returned to the cockpit quite drenched to the cheers of our shipmates (both of them), and a suggestion that fresh water showers were in order...but with an unreliable watermaker (to be repaired in Tahiti) we will hold off on showers for one more day.
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Log IV
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Saturday, May 7, 2005
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| |
13 22 N 153 28 W Map It! |
| |
| Crew tired of living at an angle, but in good spirits. Making 6 kts in 25-30 kt winds all day. We all have bruises and Mark slightly sprainged his elbow, Our autopilot "Spirit" has done the steering and our little wind generater "Whisper" enjoys outperforming the house solar panals for a change. Cap'n ventured into cockpit locker to evaluate reefer..power is getting there, but a relay or surge feature must have tripped. Will try to call Paul (installer) on monday by satellite phone. As Mark wrote on his watch "It's official..we will not have reefer for this passage" Everyone had ice cream for lunch....including the Hula Bean Tahitian Vanilla donated for the equator (our first corporate sponsor). Thanks Ralph. Shrimp salad for dinner. We are always tethered to the boat, but as a back-up drag an 80-foot line behind the boat with a white marine fender/bouy attached. Brandy and Karen have named the fender "Spalding". Continues to be an abscence of sea life..perhaps when the seas are calmer.
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Log III
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Friday, May 6, 2005
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| |
15 03 N 154 24 W Map It! |
| |
| Crew begins to enjoy living on the swells of the ocean. 25 kt winds all day. we sail 6-7 kts with a double reefed main and a bit of Genoa. Easting seems on track. Had our toco celebration a day late. Resolved pqrtial halyard wrap (thanks to a halyard wrap preventer). Watermaker seals seem to be slowly reseating. We will be patient. Will check for fuses, but ice cream feed may still be on for tomorrow. A couple of sea birds have checked us out...we expect to see more sea life. |
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Log II
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Thursday, May 5, 2005
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| |
16 30 N 155 06 W Map It! |
| |
| Beating to windward to get easting for a good wind angle for
Tahiti at Equator. boat uncomfortably heeled for now, Crew
starting to recover from seasickness. Brandy fixed a great chicken
surprise for dinner that was enjoyed by all. GPS is not getting
antenna information which will probably have to be resoloved in
port. Watermaker mystery continues but for now only means fewer
showers (mmybe we will catch rainwater for showers and laundry).
fridge still runs warm. Maybe a bad breaker that doesn't work all
the time. We have lots of food not in the fridge but may have a
blg ice cream feed soon!!
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Log I
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Wednesday, May 4, 2005
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| |
18 07 N 156 06 W Map It! |
| |
| Clear of Big Island. We go to weather to get some easting.
Everyone except Karen, seasick. Watermaker not working well, but we have plenty of other water. |
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Maiden Voyage Logs - Seattle to Hawaii (June 21 - July 14)
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Log 1: Send-off
|
Saturday, Jun 21, 2003
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| |
N48 7` W122 45` |
| |
| Great send-off by well-wishers from Seattle (even an
article in Seattle Times) Rain followed by fair
weather. Little wind in Puget Sound. Motor-sailed to
Port Townsend - saw seals and Menke whales.
Minor glitch with one radar display resolved. Crew
very tired from pre-trip push. Will spend long night
of rest in PT and study weather information (from
marine VHF radio and NOAA satellite).
Adjusting to close living (snorng) and excited to
enter Strait of Juan De Fuca next.
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Log 2: Morning in PT.
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Sunday, Jun 22, 2003
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| |
N48 13` W124 1` |
| |
| Morning in PT. Friends (Jack;
Brion Toss & wife} came to help us christen the bow of
the boat for the voyage - with fine French champagne
(saved for this purpose) . Crew and friends enjoyed
the remains (last alcohol til Hawaii). Brion tied a
good luck knot for the boat. To get to Neah Bay under
favorable tide and wind conditions, had to pass Port
Angeles with 30 kt headwinds and steep wave. Like a
rodeo or washing machine. Paul steered through the
worst. Everyone felt effects of extreme motion. Owen
lost his dinner and a hat. Lots of boat traffic and a
sub with escourt passed close and hailed us on radio.
Winds and waves lessen by late evening. Spirits
strong.
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Log:3 Neah Bay
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Monday, Jun 23, 2003
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| |
N47 54` W125 12` |
| |
| 6/23/03 Had to slow to arrive in Neah
Bay after daybreak. Changed an engine fuel filter.
Topped off water & fuel and had last latte. Eased into
the Pacific under calm winds and following tide.
Drifted under colorful spindrifter sail for half a
day (lots of ship traffic - all bigger than us) before
NW 14kt winds filled in and we zipped along our SW
desired course. 14 miles offshore and increasing.
Little ship traffic now. Great crew - nice balance:
Mimi's experience, Paul's perception of what needs
to be done, and Owen's positive attitude and
willingness to do any task. Crew needs little
direction from Cap'n. Appetites return.
and spirits high.
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Log 4: At Sea
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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003
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| |
N46 08`W126 21` |
| |
| Sunny moderate wind. Easy
going. Received first e-mails. Small bird (sparrow?)
landed on boat for awhile - 90 miles from shore.
Energy farm working well so far with power to
spare (no grid to sell it back to). Weather turned
nasty by evening. Put a reef in main and furled in
Genoa 15%. Closed engine exhaust valve. Saw lights of
what must have been fishing boats. Mostly radar shows
us as alone on a big ocean.
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Log 5: Passed the 45 degree parallel
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Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003
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| |
N44 37` W128 36` |
| |
| Passed the 45 degree parallel
today - we are now closer to equator than pole. Winds
getting stronger - double reefed main and furled in
Genoa another 15%, then furled in Genoa and set
staysail. Winds gusty (15-30 kts off starboard
quarter). We could easily run at 8 knots but we are
not yet familiar with how the boat handles in all
conditions, so run at 6 kts. Tightened loose shackle
on boom vang. Mimi was not feeling well today (tired,
headache, no fever) so did not stand watch. After
frequent hydration, she is feeling better. There is a
wide area of gales moveing up the Cal-Oregon coast
extending a couple hundred miles offshore and a 1033
high pinching in from the SW. Our weather strategy is
to skirt the gales without getting stuck in the
windless high, We are sailing a barometer of 1027 just
outside the gale area. Next 24 hrs should tell us if
we squeesed through.
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Update 1: 139 miles
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Thursday, Jun 26, 2003
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| |
N43 53` W129 52` |
| |
| And, finally: 11:00PDT (139 miles last 24hr)
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Log 6
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Thursday, Jun 26, 2003
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| |
N43 10` W131 04` |
| |
| Weather changes about
every half hour between clouds and sunshine (stars at
night). Winds about same. Hailed on radio by a
sailboat (Island Girl) motoring on reverse course
passing about a mile to our port (we could see her
bare poles).They said that the fishing was great in
Hawaii - also that they had seen a log about five
miles back. Later Owen spotted
the log floating vertical and we altered course to
miss it. Attached second mainboom preventer to
staysail boom for safety and stability. See frigate
birds ocasionally. Mimi recovered and standing watch -
a happy camper. Owen loves night sailing, so switched
watch schedules with Mimi.
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Log 7
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Friday, Jun 27, 2003
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| |
5/27/03 N42 24` W133 50` |
| |
| No change in weather or
wind - staying just off gale region were we can sail
comfortably with good speed (146 miles last 24 hrs).
Winds died a bit midday so rolled out 70% of our Genoa
- a strange cutter rig, but seems balanced and we can
fall back to minimum canvas if a gale hits. The
autopilot that we call "Spirit" has done most of the
nasty
weather steering, since no crew has been able to match
him. "Whisper", our wind generator, hums along and was
proud on a very cloudy day to generate more than the
house solar panels. Crew had ice cream, microwave
lasagna, and their Friday night showers. Late evening
"pea soup" drizzle with frequent radar checks (not at
all what the factory brochure shows). Will gibe at
daybreak to head south so we don't get caught in a
high which could develop where we are now. We have
been in our foul weather gear for a week - there must
be sun at lower latitudes.
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Log 8
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Saturday, Jun 28, 2003
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| |
N40 55` W134 05` |
| |
| Cap'n's midnight to 0300 helm watch was drizzle, cold,
and bleak.
Owen at the nav station manned our only eyes (radar).
From the cockpit the only thing visible was a stream
of phosphorscence from our hydro generator prop (some
microscopic marine life give off light like a firefly
when disturbed). Along our glowing wake another
glowing patch appeared - half the length of our vessel
- then another. They approached the boat then
playfully crossed paths. I called Owen up to witness
this ghostly display. These were likely porpoises or
dolphins creating their own luminuous paths as they
escorted us. We agreed thaqt this was good luck. We
jibed, furled in staysail, flying full main and Genoa
on port reach. Getting some unwanted easting. Would
like to sail
wing-and-wing directly south, but wind direction too
erratic now. Heard Coast Guard (rescue?) conversation
on radio and saw a radar target about 12 miles to
port. Could not raise anyone on radio and the target
moved out of radar range (later discouvered that our
radio waqs accidently tuned to international channels
- switched back to US). Crew took pictures of our
stuffed mascot (Temone' from the Lion King) leaning
over a cup - being seasick.
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Log 9
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Sunday, Jun 29, 2003
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| |
N38 59` W133 17` |
| |
| Cap'n spent half hour
on fordeck (helmet required) rigging the whisker pole
to run wing-on-wing. Comfortable ride for sleeping
crew. Dropped below N40 (and N39) today. Each degree
is celebrated with a countdown on the GPS display. Sea
temp up to 62F (50 in Seattle) Some sun (later star)
breaks, but air temp is still 68. Amazed that energy
farm is keeping up with demand with so many cloudy
days and shadowing solar panels with a wing-and-wing
southern route. Sail balance and rig tune are great
(thanks Carol & Brion); Starboard preventer (on boom)
has lost its elasticity completely (something inside
came loose?); Instrument FFD sometimes freezes or goes
blank (off and on rebooting solves it - happening less
frequently - guess it wasn't ready for 24/7 service);
stainless work perfect - we have used all handholds -
very secure. Fruit in ship stores is getting overripe,
so we needed someone to inspect fruit daily and set
out
that which needed to be eaten. As a Yale-educated
economist, Paul interviewed well and was appointed
"Fruit Czar". Life is pretty basic at sea: eat, sleep,
read, listen to music, interact with shipmates - and
try not to get run down by freighters.
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Update 2: 1000 miles
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Monday, Jun 30, 2003
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| |
N37 47` W134 |
| |
| Shepherd Moon position 12:05PDT (over 1000 miles at sea) |
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Log 10
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Monday, Jun 30, 2003
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| |
N37 07` W134 53` |
| |
| A flying fish landed aboard during Owen's early (dark)
watch - 10" long with 10" wing span. Owen returned it
to the sea (or its predator?). Eclipsed 1000 miles at
sea today and celebrated with ice cream bars (dark
chocolate coating). Still sailing wing and wing under
cloudy skies and sometimes weak winds. We are west of
the normal route and hope we can sneak south before a
windless high develops. I asked the crew to try to
name the hydro generator (a prop lowers and moving
water generates lots of electricity as we sail - but
it sounds like a dental drill). I said that it's
name should represent something essential to the
vessel, but slightly irritating. Later I overheard
crew suggesting that it be named after the Cap'n. "The
beatings will continue until morale improves."
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Log 11
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Tuesday, Jul 1, 2003
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| |
N35 39` W135 50` |
| |
| Talked to a Chinese freighter on the radio early
(dark) today. It is bound for Mexico with a crew of 23
and will pass astern out of radar range. They could
not see us on their radar either, but we knew of their
presence because our radar transponder was tripped
by their weak (distant) signal. We are impressed by
the
sensitivity of our transponder. Life is basic at sea:
eat, sleep, read, conversations with shipmates - and
try not to get run down by freighters. Last of grapes
eaten today. Mimi`s 36th birthday!! Since we didn`t
know about this before the voyage, much was
improvised: gifts of hard candy and 2 bonus minutes in
the shower - and a stick of margarine (only two sticks
brought along for frying yet to be caught fish in
lower latitudes - but highly coveted by Mimi). A match
stuck in the margarine served as a candle. Winds
became erratic in direction, so Cap`n took down
whisker pole (in 10 minutes - a learning curve). Port
preventer also lost its elasticity. Sailed port reach
for awhile then put up spindrifter. Found a double
reefed main does not block spindrifter and aids
steering. Over the past few days the wind has
periodically backed and clocked as much as 60 degrees
for a half hour or so. We usually just ride it out in
the temporary direction and joke about trading in our
Hawaiian dictionary for something more useful should
we make landfall in Mexico or Japan. I`m reminded of
the general navigation instructions on a big ocean:
"Go south `til the butter melts, then west `til you
smell flowers" |
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Update 3: Position
|
Wednesday, Jul 2, 2003
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| |
N34 35` W136 |
| |
| Shepherd Moon position 11:20 PDT |
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Log 12
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Wednesday, Jul 2, 2003
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| |
N32 09 W138 10 |
| |
| Wind got blustery so
doused the spindrifter - were surprised to discover
halyard badly chafed (toast) two feet from shackle
were it enters mast(apparently the alum mast opening
beneath the entry fitting was not softened properly -
need to confirm aloft). If calm winds return we will
rig a halyard outside of the mast for the spindrifter.
Cap`n reminded crew of need to be methodical in sail
operations - make sure lazy sheets and reefing lines
are not fouled; stow winch handles, if unusual
resistance is encountered, stop and eliminate problem.
Crew remains super. Plexiglas covering to engine
gauges got cracked (same thing happened a couple years
ago) Earl and I will design a guard. Midday we began
passing through a series of squalls, reefing and
unreefing several times. Took showers today and it`s
not even a weekend. Discovered shower sump overflow
goes into
bilge if sump pump off. Still no sun. |
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Log 13
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Thursday, Jul 3, 2003
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| |
N32 09` W138 10` |
| |
| Hydro generator
suddenly stopped about 02:30. We raised the prop and
removed seaweed. While relowering resistance was
encountered and the Cap`n took his own advice and
stopped (the power cord was fouled and would have
pulled out the connection). About 03:00 PDT Shepherd
Moon crossed
the half-way mark to Hawaii (11 2/3 days out of
Seattle). A more seasoned crew not on a maiden voyage
might have run with the coastal gales and and crossed
this line a couple days earlier-but we have had a
comfortable passage. At the half-way mark ship tanks
and stores are in great shape. Since motoring away
from Neah Bay we have only idled the engine a couple
hours to generate hot water for showers and still have
44 gal in our 50 gal tank (plus 10 gal in jerry jugs).
Our initial 100 gal main water tank still has 79 1/2
gal (more frequent showers have ben suggested). We
also
have a watermaker for most daily needs (fresh water
from seawater through a high pressure reverse osmosis
process - "fresh squeezed"). Batteries remain healthy,
though we have had only one day with more than an hour
of sustained sunshine and our sails often block the
solar panels. Lowest battery voltage recorded in
daily logs (taken about midnight) has been 12.4
(Micheal, the system works well). We only run reefer
system (both freezer and fridge) in daytime to take
advantage of "load reduction" from solar panels (good
design Paul and gang). Watermaker also only runs
during daytime. I was advised against a wind generater
for
sailing downwind, but Whisper contributes nicely.
Receiving environmental energy continuously, the
batteries do not deep cycle at all - they behave more
like a car battery.Spent another day dodging (and
hitting) squalls - reef, unreef. On radar we could
often see several individual squalls at a time to plan
our strategy. Dealt with at least a dozen squalls
today hitting about half of them - and they continue
through the night. We wonder if this might be the
remnants of tropical depression Carlos that dissipated
off the coast of Mexico last week. Shifted boat time
to Hawaiian time and changed crew chores (e-mail
schedule still on Seattle time) |
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Update 4: Position
|
Friday, Jul 4, 2003
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| |
N31 20` W139 15` |
| |
| Shepherd Moon position 9:47 Hawaiian |
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Log 14
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Friday, Jul 4, 2003
|
| |
N30 45` W140 12` |
| |
| Note from yesterday:
although SM is a dry boat the Cap`n did provide a half
size bottle of champagne to share for celebatory
purposes (half-way mark). Also ate last of bread (kept
well - probably due to molassas content). On the
Cap`n`s night watch the hydro generator (which the
crew has taken to calling the "junkyard dog") stopped
growling. Expecting seaweed again, we were surprised
to find a section of synthetic fishing net tangled in
the prop. Resisting the temptation to return it to the
sea where it would float indefinitely we brought it
aboard for disposal ashore. Mid-morning the sun broke
through and Owen appeared in shorts and sandals
declaring that we were now in the sunny tradewinds.
The clouds quickly closed in and a rain squall larger
than our radar screen drenched us for most of the day.
(Owen will be keel hauled if he jests with the gods
again.) A distress announcement came over the
satellite system from the Honolulu Coast Guard that an
apparently unmaned s/v "Okie Maru" was sighted
drifting with tattered sails about 290 km away from us
near our track. It had left Alaska in Aug 2002 with
its owner as
its only crew. We will divert to investigate. We do
not have the capability to board another vessel
directly at sea - with swells the boats could easly
slam together destroying both vessels (in very calm
seas we might be able to use our dinghy to board). If
we can intercept Okie Maru, we will confirm its
position to the coast
guard, take pictures, look for clues (has a life raft
been deployed, etc.). We will also try to get the
attention of anyone that might be aboard by VHF radio
and use of our air horn. We might be able to rescue
anyone board by dragging a life ring (horseshoe float)
near their boat and having them jump into the water to
grab it. It, however, seems very unlikely that anyone
is aboard. Late afternoon Mimi spotted a target on the
radar screen. Radio contact with a Russian captain
indicated that it was a supertanker bound for
Singapore. Although they expressed no concern about
our respective courses, our calculations showed a
close encounter. We luffed our sails some to cut 2 kts
of speed and watched an hour later as the giant vessel
crossed our bow less than 4 miles away. We are in the
middle of the largest ocean on the planet, yet almost
daily we see floating trash in the water - much of it
recognizable from American supermarkets. "Ugly
Americans have passed this way and have left their
non-biodegradable trash that will float indefinitely.
An American flag flies from our stern and an earth
flag from our spreaders - and I dream of a time when
these flags might fly in complete concert. |
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Log 15
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Saturday, Jul 5, 2003
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| |
N28 59` W 141 30` |
| |
| Yesterday Shepherd Moon did a
comfortable 150 miles - well designed Bob Johnson.
Rain squalls again fill the radar screen and drench
each helmsman in turn. Wind and swells increase until
we are down to a doubled reefed main and staysail.
Slight clearing at dusk for an impressive red sunset.
We were
going to take showers today but after being wet all
day and with the boat pitching, no one was in the
mood. 15 days at sea and only one sunny day so far.
Tomorrow we may see Okie Maru. |
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|
Update 5: Position
|
Sunday, Jul 6, 2003
|
| |
N28 04` W142 00` |
| |
| Shepherd Moon position 7:55 Hawaiian time
(10:55 PDT) |
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Log 16
|
Sunday, Jul 6, 2003
|
| |
N27 q3` W142 22` |
| |
| (Correction from log 15: celebatory should read
celebratory - smile). We were about 20 miles from
where Okie Muru should be when we got a message from
the CG: "Captain ... Your assistance is not requested
at this time. Please maintain your voyage. Your
willingness to assist is greatly appreciated ...
Honolulu Watch Team." Our track passed about 6 miles
from the calculated position and nothing showed up on
radar. Abandoned vessels at sea are a navigational
hazard and either a crew is put aboard to sail them
to port or they are sunk. It appears Okie Maru will
remain a mystery to us for now. Rest of day sunny and
warm - rest up from days of squalls and take showers.
Owen and others appear in shorts, but the "T" word is
not mentioned.
NIGHT WATCH: Shepherd Moon rocks gently as she
silently glides southward - the invisible hand of
Spirit moving the wheel to compensate for the swells.
The red glow of the compass reflects on the spokes of
the wheel. Below at the nav station, Owen wordlessly
tracks a freighter passing safely out of sight. The
first quarter Moon claims the starboard sky -
backlighting several clouds (and our sails), and
forming a shimmering path across the water to the
cockpit where it casts shadows. Scorpio and the Milky
Way fill the port sky and the Big Dipper hangs astern.
Warm now - my toes enjoy the freedom of sandals and
the tradewinds blow my hair. The boat
needs no tending tonight and I listen to a tape of
music selections that seem to represent chapters of my
life. As the ocean stretches a thousand miles in all
directions, I am alone with my thoughts. Gazing above,
I sense that I am a creation of the universe - no
greater or smaller than the stars. All seems in
harmony. Are there kindred spirits somewhere across
the galaxy? On occasion each soul should find space to
be alone with its thoughts. |
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Log 17
|
Monday, Jul 7, 2003
|
| |
N25 21` W143 26` |
| |
| No more bananas - 1
tomato left. Another fairly easy day. Have been
finding small 6" squid on deck (any recipes Jack?).
Tracking topical depression Dolores blowing itself out
well off the coast of Mexico. Made extra water today
for hand laundry. Have decided to make landfall in
Kailua Kona instead of Hilo - will take an additional
day. Cap`n set waypoints to go around the Big Island.
The coordinates of these will be independently
acquired by other crew members and any differences
reconciled before they are entered in GPS (no partial
credit problems out here). Set sails wing-and-wing for
better direction - expect the wind to shift more
easterly, but hasn`t happened yet.
722 km to first waypoint near Hilo. |
|
|
|
Update 6: Position
|
Tuesday, Jul 8, 2003
|
| |
N24 58` W144 27` |
| |
| SM present position 10:06 PDT |
|
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|
Log 18
|
Tuesday, Jul 8, 2003
|
| |
N24 38` W145 33` |
| |
| Good wind and mild conditions continue. A freighter
(car carrier) passes 6 km to starboard in afternoon
and we make radio contact. Baile on whisker pole parts
- it was on the inboard section of the
telescoping pole and had held the topping lift and
fore and aft guys/downhauls. The pole is now flying
free on the genoa sheet and tending to sky. It will be
tricky to get down (Forespar will hear about this). We
secure the genoa lazy sheet to the sampson post as a
guy/downhaul and reason that we will sail another day
or two wing-and-wing before taking it down. Crew start
talking of what they will do first, once we make
landfall. Three crew anticipate a
long shower first, while one person will seek a beer
first. |
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Log 19
|
Wednesday, Jul 9, 2003
|
| |
N23 24` W 147 0` |
| |
| In the middle of the night the wind piped up and
changed direction drastically - had to take down
whisker pole. Cap`n got small rope burn while
collapsing pole on the genoa sheet (for control).
Lesson learned: take care of problem situations during
the daylight. We won`t be able to sail wing-and-wing
on ocean swells without use of the pole, so running
straight downwind will not be an option. Shortly after
came our longest calm of the trip - two
hours at 0.8 kts and the main flogging badly. We were
ready to lower the main and sit out the calm when the
winds came again. We got a report that a sailboat
"Sugar Time" had damage to one of its
masts and was about 300 km NW of us. They will need a
larger ship for a tow, so unless they elect to abandon
their boat we will not be able to assist them. We will
stand by for more information. We
have stopped celebrating each degree passage and did
not even note when we eclipsed 2000 km at sea a couple
days ago, but today we did a countdown for the Tropic
of Cancer (N23 30`). We crossed at 17:36:52 Hawaiian
time. This matches the tilt of the earth`s axis and
together with the Tropic of Capricorn, defines the
region on the earth where the noon sun is directly
overhead at least one day of the year. We are
officially in the tropics! |
|
|
|
Update 7: Position
|
Thursday, Jul 10, 2003
|
| |
N22 25` W148 01` |
| |
| SM position
8:26 Hawaiian time |
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|
Log 20
|
Thursday, Jul 10, 2003
|
| |
N21 32` W148 42` |
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| No further word about
the plight of Sugar Time. Good weather continues -
crew frequently checks distance remaining to Hawaii
(as if checking will get us there sooner).We think of
a variety of menus for lunch before settling on one of
the two real choices remaining. Not being able to sail
directly downwind, we will have to jibe and sail a day
perpendicular to our waypoint -we`ll wait `til
tomorrow. Paul wishes for rain to wash off the
windshield and a couple hours later we are hit by
squalls that drench each helmsman in turn (crew have
not yet learned to NOT jest the gods). Reef and unreef
and reef... Pizza for dinner - only fruit left is a
handful of apples and oranges. |
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Log 21
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Friday, Jul 11, 2003
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N20 16` W150 43` |
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| Cap`n sugests that we
try running downwind with the main and staysail (by
holding the staysail boom out with a preventer}. We
are able to sail straight for waypoint (for now) with
only a half knot of speed lost. Seems like a good
use of the Hoyt boom (if we turn into the wind we will
be hove-to). Cap`n proves useful - mutiny planned for
today has been postponed. Idle engine to heat water
for showers. Notice that Sunbrella on foot of staysail
is badly chafed. Careful inspection reveals that the
chafing occured when the staysail was furled - the
only possible source would be a flogging lazy genoa
sheet. Will bring the sail to Seattle for repair and
ponder how to avoid this chafing (other than sailing
as a cutter all the time). Nasty squall hits on Cap`ns
night watch - winds shift drastically and lurches the
boat off to the NW (3/4 mile off track in 10 min).
Squalls throughout night. This has to be an unusual
passage weatherwise. Anticipation is heavy - will we
see land Sunday morning?
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Update 8: Position
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Saturday, Jul 12, 2003
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N20 00` W151 |
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| SM position 9:49 Hawaiian time |
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Log 22
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Saturday, Jul 12, 2003
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N19 47` W152 53` |
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| Sometime tomorrow we
will end our weeks of viewing only ocean and with
minds directed shoreward, begin the dissolution of
what has been a society of four individuals. Though we
will go our separate ways and may not all be together
again, we will be forever bonded by the experience - a
memorable adventure. But first - another evening
squall to drench Mimi - and jokes about the chili
dinner - and serious contemplation about waypoints
close to shore (no longer will we
have an entire ocean to sail in). Hear report that
Okie Maru now listed as derelict vessel (apparently it
has been confirmed that no one is aboard). It is only
27` long which explains why we could not see it on
radar (assuming we were within range). Hear Hawaiian
CG small craft warning of trade winds of 10-25 kts
(sounds like much of our trip). |
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Log 23
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Sunday, Jul 13, 2003
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N19 05` W155 13` |
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| Early morning vessel
coming from direction of SE side of Big Island and
moving fast. See lights as it passes to port at 3.3
nm. Seemed multi-decked - Cap`n suspects it was a
cruise ship. All morning a layer of clouds hung over
what was obviously the extent of the Big Island, but
no break to identify high peaks (Mauna Kea) so we just
keep getting closer. By noon a fixed feature shows up
on radar and slowly expands - indicating a shoreline,
but still too much haze for a visual
proclamation ("Land Ho!"?). At 13:00 at a distance of
only 12-13 miles, Cap`n and Paul begin to see details
in the dark shadow at the base of the clouds and with
no ceremony, declare that land has been sighted. As we
approach our waypoint near Cape Kumukahi, the wind and
waves increase - requiring a reef - and then another
reef. At the same time the ship`s primary GPS goes out
(giving our location as Seattle??). Quickly all four
crew are manning the situations: Cap`n and Paul reef
and resolve fouled reefing line while Mimi steers. Two
backup portable GPS units are booted up and our
waypoints entered, while Owen at the nav station,
plots our position on the chart and prepares to bypass
ship`s primary navigation systems. Cap`n troubleshoots
ship`s systems for a half hour - and was able to
re-boot primary GPS and bring it back
online (it can be used directly by the autopilot and
radar). Cause of glitch is still not certain, but two
battery banks were connected with lots of energy being
used and replaced (reefer, autopilot, and watermaker -
and solar, wind and hydro). Voltage
fluxuation is suspected to have tripped the GPS into
self-protection. Then in fresh tradewinds we zip down
the SE side of the Big Island at nearly 8 kts. Our
reason for rounding the island this direction is to
maybe see the volcano erupting (Kilaeua on this side
of the island has in recent years been the most active
volcano in the world. We are not disappointed as we
are treated to billowing steam rising from an active
vent of the volcano. Some crew think that they can see
a red glow from lava after dark, but it may have just
been lights from small towns. We plan to round Ka
Lae (South Cape) in the middle of the night (it is the
southern-most point of land in the U.S.) and
anticipate calmer conditions in the lee of the island
up to Kona. We have seen no boat traffic in the rough
water. We would have made landfall in Hilo today (our
original destination) - 22 days out of Seattle or 21
days out of PT or 20 days out of Neah Bay. We open the
last package of vacuum-sealed cookies (from a dock
neighbor in Seattle) to celebrate. Cap`n eats last of
his sister`s fudge. |
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Log 24
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Monday, Jul 14, 2003
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N19 19` W155 57.26 |
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| It is 8:41 as we
motorsail up the lee of the Big Island - after a very
eventful night: About 20:00 last evening the winds and
seas increased impressively with winds 39 kts - we
were in an unforecasted gale at night on a lee
shore. Suddenly the boat required the attention of all
crew. We immediatly furled the staysail to reduce
speed and thought of flying the storm trysail - but
(on a lee shore) heaving-to was not an option - we had
to kee3p sailing, reduce speed and maintain
steerage. Cap`n elected to run with a double reefed
main (wishing for a 3rd reef) and drag warps (300` of
3/4" megabraid line in two loops). This slowed the
boat to under 7 kts most of the time, steering was
stable (grateful for a long keel), and the main
provided the steering necesary to keep on course and
off the lee shore. The gale lasted about 6 hours as we
rounded the cape (Kau Lae) with only two waves
entering the cockpit (Cap`n and Owen got baths from
the salty Pacific. This morning the crew is tired, but
confident. We expect an uneventful landfall this
afternoon and are treating ourselves to long showers
in preparation (we used less than half of our fresh
water storage on the voyage and no fuel - except
idling the engine to warm shower water - since shortly
out of Neah Bay). We will send one more log (probably
tomorrow). The dry warmth of Kona is calling... |
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Postscript Log
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Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003
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N19 40 |
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(tied up at
the dock in Honokohau Harbor).
We made landfall
yesterday at about 12:30 Hawaiian time - 2869.34
nautical miles since leaving Seattle 23 days earlier.
To some of you this will seem like a significant
voyage - to others with many more sea miles it may
seem rather ordinary - to us it was an appropriate
challenge; and a dream adventure. The boat fared well
with damaged items easily resolved - and the
environmental energy systems were nothing short of
fantastic (they work and work well!). After landfall,
we had lunch (and beer) at the Harbor House, and naps
before dinner. Waterfront Kailua hasn't changed much
since I was last here - same great Kona coffee - same
great ice cream - same laid back paradise... Paul
left for Hilo (and flights home) this morning and Owen
leaves from Kona Thursday. I have hired Mimi to do a
few days work on the boat as I get it ready for a
six-month storage - Mimi is then off to tour the
island and then back to Seattle. In a few days, I will
be organized enough to make plans for returning to
Seattle myself. The "fellowship" is disbanding with
maybe a reunion on Paul's boat (ed: s/v "Indigo," a
junk-rigged steel Colvin-design schooner) this fall.
You have received the Captain's Logs, but there are
clearly four experiences - four perceptions - of the
voyage, The crew would be happy to hear from individuals
interested in "their" adventure:
I don't have any great thoughts to close with, so will
borrow from another voyager: "Once we were soldiers,
trying our best to survive, follow the orders of
Nature, which was relentless and fickle. Once we were
soldiers and had to depend on each other to do his
job, to keep his word to help out in the face of
death. And
that has affected me profoundly."
Aloha... |
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