They're Back!

John and crew were officially in protected waters around 7pm Wed.  That means they entered the Straits of Juan de Fuca.  They tied up to a dock in Neah Bay, which is a small bay just around the corner from the entrance to the Straits.  They had a dinner ashore and their first showers in 3 weeks.  You can imagine how good that felt.  And hopefully a good nights sleep.  They were in cell phone range so I was finally able to talk to him and he sounded good.

Early Thursday morning they will get fuel and start the long day to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island where Anne and I will finally be able to hug our husbands again.  Anne is Dick's wife, who is one of the crew for this leg.

Surprisingly, John likes the idea of he and I taking a few days to get to Bellingham and just cruise around and re-acquaint ourselves with our old/new cruising area.  But he did make a promise that this was for fun and no boat projects.  We'll see how that holds, but for now I'm just really happy that he's within a day of me seeing him again.

Thanks to everyone who followed their voyage and helped bring them safely home with their good thoughts and wishes.

Ciao, Gail

Whales Galore

7:20AM HST
48 25.38N    125 54.41W
Next Waypoint: Cape Flattery
Range: 44NM

We just sailed through a huge pod of whales. We believe humpbacks. One even came within a few feet of Music. A few feet!! We are still spotting blows some distance off in front of us. But, what a greeting, particularly after the winds and seas of last night.

So close, but the winds have gone light (8Kt and less) and we must save our fuel. It would not due to run out just as we approach the Straits.

10:00 (HST)

48 25.06N   125 33.00W

I measured about 20 Gal fuel in take so started motoring with 30NM to Cape Flattery & 10 more to Neah Bay, 40 total. Engine rpm = 2000; Speed at present = about 6kt with push from the swell even though there is no wind.

Wish us luck & hope that we have at least 10-15 gal of fuel.

Day 20 - Almost There

John and crew are almost to the Straits of Juan de Fuca, which is the long body of water that takes them into Puget Sound.  They will get fuel in Neah Bay, which is right around the corner from entering the straits.  Then after a good nights sleep at a dock, they will start to work their way to Bellingham - which is still 2 days away.  But at least they will be in protected waters and will be able to stop for the night.  Yeah - I can't wait to see them again.  And Music of course, she has safely brought John home from Tahiti - almost 6,000 miles.

Date: 09/05     

Noon to noon run: 159NM
Time of position: 4AM (HST)
Lat/Lon: 48 25.00N  126 26.02W
Course: 068 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6kt
Wind: about 20Kt.
Next Waypoint: Str. Juan de Fuca
             57NM distance

Just wanted to let you know that we are exiting the compression zone of wind. Had lots of it from mid afternoon yesterday. Good swell too. Really foggy this AM. Will switch clock to PDT, sometime today. Maybe noon, or when we enter the Straits.

Day 19

Date: 09/03            
Noon to noon run: 138NM
Time of position: 6PM (HST)
Lat/Lon: 48 20.20N  132 10.79W
Course: 073 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.5kt
Next Waypoint: 48.00N; 135.00W
        Range: 166
      Bearing: 072m

Synopsis The winds clocked aft in the early hours of the morning and created some slow going for a while until I woke up about 6:30 to 7AM after coming off watch at 3AM, and we polled out the genoa. Then life got better as the boat motion settled down and speed picked up. Late this afternoon the wind has been filling in nicely.

At some point we will have to deal with another section of strong winds created by the HI as it has reestablished itself and is sitting close to the coast. This creates a compression effect, kind of like squeezing the wind into a narrow slot. We see this along the California Coast every summer and is partially why the northern California coast is called gale alley among local sailors.

Well, it looks like we are going to get to deal with the same thing closing on the coast up here. The good news is that we broke the 300NM mile mark just about noon today so we are closing in on Cape Flattery. Now, if we can only get past the compression zone. Once again, wish us luck.

Cheers, John

Day 18

A word of caution - the following commentary is not for the faint of heart :)

Date: 09/02      

Noon to noon run: 159NM
Time of position: 7PM (HST)
Lat/Lon: 47 59.670N  135 28.99W
Course: 060-065 deg Mag
Current Speed: about 6kt
Next Waypoint: 48.00N; 135.00W
             140NM distance

Synopsis

The breeze was light but steady all day allowing us to make good progress. Cape Flattery, still over 400NM distant, is nevertheless gowing closer.

Tropics v/s cold water sailing

My sweetheart, who is also my wife, does not much care for the idea of cold water scuba diving. She says it is too much work, but I can honestly tell you that there is not much difference between cold water diving and cold water sailing. They both require a lot of work compared to sailing or diving in the tropics. Think about it.

Sailing in cold water - getting dressed: underwear, long underwear or at least polypropylene top,then pants, fleece shirt, vest, foul weather bibs, coat, hat, PFD. To go pee: remove the PFD, remove hat (you're going down below), remove the coat, unzip the foulie bibs and pull from shoulders, pull pants down or risk peeing into them inadvertently, move underwear aside or pull down. Tropics - to get dressed: put on shorts and short sleeve shirt. To go pee, pull shorts aside and lean over lifelines. Got it? (OK women have to do a bit more in the tropics, but at least they are not sitting on a cold toilet seat.)

Cheers, John

Day 17 1/2

Date: 09/01      
Noon to noon run: 159NM
Time of position: 4PM (HST)
Lat/Lon: 47 25.46'N  139 32.34'W
Course: 060 deg Mag
Current Speed: 7kt
Next Waypoint: 48.00N; 135.00W
             186NM distance

Synopsis:

The low passed last night and all remained fine onboard Music. The skies are still gray and temperature cold, but we are scooting right along, the seas very raucous with some truly big rollers frequently coming through from the northwest. The good news is that just after coming off watch at 3pm I saw that we broke the 600 mile mark to Cape Flattery and we are less than 200NM to our next waypoint at 135W.

Cheers, John

Day 17

Date: 09/01 05:00HST    (we have not yet changed our clocks to PDT)
Lat/Lon: 47 09.00'N  141 13.65'W
Course: 054 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6-7kt
Next Waypoint: 48.00N; 135W
             257NM distance

Synopsis

Double reef in the main; genoa furled to about 80% at present.

The wind and seas have slowly been building all afternoon signaling that the low is upon us. Weather doesn't travel by man's estimates, rather of it's own accord. That said, the worst may well be over by this time tomorrow with things settling down to a slightly more reasonable state.

Things are rocking-n-rolling. Good sized seas but Music is handling them well at present. The good part is that we are putting  miles under our keel.

Cheers, John

Day 16

Date: 08/30      
Noon to noon run: 88NM
Time of position: 6PM
Lat/Lon: 46 57.55'N   146 42.43'W
Course: 070 deg Mag
Current Speed: 7.0
Next Waypoint: 47 00.000 N  140 45.000 W
                           Range: 234NM

After being becalmed since sunrise yesterday, a breeze started filling in from the SW about 9PM local time and has been picking up ever since. Now we are scooting along at about 7-8 Kt under full main and genoa, but the time ahs come to reef the main and furl the genoa, especially since there is a very real promise of more wind than we want. A low is forecast to pass over our area in the next 2 days that we have been preparing for. We should be fine with increased reefs in the main and a handkerchief of a genoa. Even so, we need to make all due haste getting east as another low is out there heading our direction, even though it is several days away.

Day 15

Time of position: 08/29; 04:00
Lat/Lon: 46 37.34N  150 22.44W
Course: 030 deg Mag
Current Speed: 5.4
          VMG: 5.4
Next Waypoint: RTWG-4: 47N 150W
        Range: 27NM & closing

Remaining WPS: RTWG 5: 47 45N; 145 00W

                          Cape Flattery
Synopsis: We've used as much fuel as we dare getting north and for several hours after shutting the engine down the breeze was barely a whisper. It filled in on my midnight to 3AM watch, however, and grew to a steady 10-12Kt allowing us to make excellent boat speed. Consequently, we are finally making good progress under sail, and the best part of it is that we are heading a direction we want to go. That said, we have some unpleasantness coming down on us in the form of a low that should arrive in about 36-48 hours more or less. Even after we make our next waypoint (above) we still have 1016NM to go to reach Cape Flattery.

Cheers, John

Day 14

Date: 08/25      
Noon to noon run: 119NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 44 19.15'N deg 153 deg 10.66'W
Course: 031 deg Mag    
Current Speed: 4-5kt
Next Waypoint: 47 00N; 150 00W
             210 NM distance
            
Synopsis: It has been gray since yesterday and getting colder. A good reminder that we are indeed getting north. We had sushi again today and still have frozen tuna but will not be eating anymore fresh unless we catch another one. WE have started our turn for Cape Flattery, but still have more north to make as you can see by our next waypoint. But we are getting closer.

Day 13

Date: 08/26      
Actual Miles Motored: too many
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 42 34.42'N deg 154 deg 13.16'W
Course: 353 deg Mag
Current Speed: 5.4
Next Waypoint: 45N; 154W
             145 NM distance

            

Synopsis: We had dolphins off the bow this morning just after dawn and again this evening, in fact just a few moments ago - always a good omen. In between we had pancakes by Dick for breakfast, and appetizers by Scott. For dinner we are having seared Ahi by Scott who has grown back into his Sea Chef legs of 4 years ago.  Yesterday we caught a bonito and with that added to our dinner meals by 2 days.

But the best part of the last 24 hours is the mileage we've made north. We've been motoring and burning fuel, but at the present it is the best way to get north.

We thought that at our next waypoiont (noted above) we would be able to turn toward Cape Flattery, but our weather router has given us another waypoint to steer to after we reach our current waypoint, and it is even further north (47N; 150W).

Does this make sense? - Actually it does, because the winds have been out of due north for days and the best thing we can do is make sure we can make Cape Flattery after we turn. And, that is what our weather router is doing for us.

All of this adds miles of course, so while I would like to believe we are half way, we are not quite yet there, at least by miles. But, with a little luck after we make the turns we will be able to put some serious miles under our keel and head for the barn, as it were.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed that in a couple of days we will be heading for the destination we've been working for.

Cheers, John

Day 12

Time of position: 08/26; 06:00
Lat/Lon: 41 29.58'N deg 154 deg 34.24'W
Course: 357 deg Mag approx (Motoring/motorsailing/ sometimes sailing) Current Speed: 5.6, VMG: 5.5

Next Waypoint: RTWG 3 at: 45 00N; 154 00W

        Range: 210NM & closing

The seas have moderated and the wind has cooperated, coming from a direction more favorable to motorsailing under main alone, on at least not interfering with our forward progress, so we've made good speed throughout the night.  Yesterday we caught a tuna.  Fresh sashimi for lunch was a joy, especially prepared by Scott, who has once again claimed the title of Sea Chef.

Day 11

Date: 08/25      
Noon to noon run: 91NM (Course Made Good)
Actual Miles Sailed: still too many
Time of position: 3AM
Lat/Lon: 39 21.81'N deg 155 deg 08.12'W
Course: 356 deg Mag
Current Speed: 4.0-4.4
Next Waypoint: 40N  155W
            38 NM distance

Synopsis: We headed off the wind this morning to the NW for about 3 hours until the wind dropped and swell resided. Then resumed motoring to our new mark set by Rick, the weather guy as noted above. As we headed back north, we replaced the jib halyard with a wing halyard because of chafe. Not to worry, the line was over 10 years old, and had started making a lot of stress noise over the past couple of days. I also ascended the mast with Scott manning the halyard in order to check the sheave for the jib and lube it. By the time we were done with those projects it was about noon, and the seas have been relatively quiet and the wind light but on our nose, slowing our progress. Nevertheless we are making progress, albeit slowly. Sure would be nice to get a break with the wind angle.

We are heading north and that is good, but we still have a long way to get north as we are only nearing the town of Mendecino, south of the California-Oregon border (42N) and we are spending fuel. Then we still have to make a very long way east before we arrive off of Cape Flattery.

Day 10

Date: 08/23
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 37 19.00'N deg 155 deg 33.96'W
Course: 350 deg Mag
Current Speed: 5Kt
New Waypoint: 40 00N; 153 .00W
              200NM distance

Synopsis: The last couple of days were spent dealing with a low we were trying to get east of in order to take advantage of a trough that would carry us north, but with a couple of tacks and a bunch of broken eggs, we did not get far enough east to make use of it. So, this morning at Oh-dark-thirty we headed north again, and shortly abandoned our plan - Oh well. Such is life at sea. I guess the good news is that we started from about 158W and turned north in earnest again at 155 14W and that is a huge difference from 158 from where we started.

Some of the Un-fun things over the past few days include scrambling a few dozen eggs on the cabin sole (floor) when the cabinet drawer they were in  jumped out of it's rack to the floor shortly after we tacked from starbord to port. What A Mess!!

We took time to thoroughly cleaned it up (lots of paper towels, water, and bleach) to prevent salmonella germs from cultivating. Then later that night I inadvertently stepped on a protrusion from a wall at foot level, lifting the toe nail on the fourth toe of my left foot - Ouch!! We also discovered the source of a loud bang we had heard in the middle of the night, and dealt with it.

Dick has been great helping with repairs and maintenance and has added a lot of his personal nautical touches to Music. For example, he wove a couple of pads that our block for the running blocks rest on when not is use, instead of just sitting on the deck. He also laced a bunch of pull tabs together out of light line for to be attached to all the pull pins we have on board - things like the pull pins to open the gates through of life lines, and on various snap shackles, etc.

This evening the wind is but a breeze and we are enjoying a well deserved dinner and gorgeous sunset in quiet stillness as we slowly head north.

Cheers, John

Day 9

Date: 08/22
 
Lat/Lon: 36 24.36'N deg 156 deg 07.27'W
Course: 110 deg Mag
Current Speed:5.5kt
Current Wind: NE (our observation); Grib: 058-060
              Apparent wind: 17Kt @ 30 deg port
Next Waypoint: Temporary Waypoint at: 38 14N; 150 .00W
              309NM distance

At present we are doing our best to head east. We sacrificed north because we were heading 300 deg magnetic and ultimately moving toward a hi in the central Pacific. Grib files look like this low will last another 24hr, maybe less, and weaken. We will turn north as the wind allows, but for the moment we are really going to try not to head NW again.

Day 8

Date: 08/21
Noon to noon run: 80NM (Course Made Good) Actual Miles Sailed: 120
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 35 56.68'N deg 157 deg 30.34'W
Course:
Current Speed:
Next Waypoint: Temporary Waypoint at: 38 14N; 150 00W
                    384NM distance

Synopsis: Our winds yesterday were east of north so we were making a heading of about 340M (degrees magnetic) on a starboard tack close hauled in light air. Unfortunately, we kept getting headed as night came on and progressed.

About midnight we tacked to port after over an hour of making a heading of only about 280M. Upoon tacking, we were making 030M but the winds grew lighter and more fluky, and by 6AM we were heading 080M in 3kt of breeze. With that we started the engine and were able to get to about 030M which we kept until noon when I received an email from my weather guru friend, Simon. After reviewing all the info in his email, we cracked off and headed about 055 toward a new temporary waypoint we established as noted above.

We are now back in about 12Kt of wind (while according to the grib files it should be about 6Kt) and going into night we again have a double reef in the main and furled genoa to 100% and can only hold about 60 degrees to the wind without pounding as the swell and wave have increased as well. This means ultimately give us a course over ground (COG) of about 80 degrees with leeway. So, we continue to claw our way north.

Cheers, John

Day 7

Date: 08/20

Noon to noon run: NM
Time of position: 20:00
Lat/Lon: 34 51.33'N deg 158 deg 39.15'W
Course: 305 - 320 deg Mag
Current Speed: 5.0 - 5.5
Next Waypoint: 39 deg 00.00'N; 156 deg 00.00'W
                   Mid North Pacific, North and slightly east of Oahu
                   328 NM distance

Synopsis: We sailed into a mini hi pressure zone late yesterday afternoon, but that's Ok because we were running the engine to make water anyway, which meant we were motoring anyway. Taking advantage of that we headed about 20-30 degrees magnetic and motored all night in light to nonexistent winds. Sometime between midnight and 3AM we entered a small low pressure zone that we finally exited about 6AM this morning. But not before a couple of rain showers which rinsed the boat nicely.

The 48 and 96 hour surface forecasts look much better today than they had in a few days, meaning that both highs and their associated winds appear much more favorable for when we should be in passing through the area. That said we will always keep a close eye on the ever changing conditions while out here. In the mean time we continue to make our way north, sometimes slightly east of north, sometimes due north, and sometimes, like now, even slightly west of north. The main thing is to keep moving north and not get sucked into the idea of heading toward the coast too early. What's at risk in heading east is when (not if) the high establishes itself off the coast we would have no choice but to make landfall near what ever latitude we could and beat our way up the coast. - Oh Boy!

I forgot to mention a couple of days ago that Dick made brownies. We kidded him about being Canadian and with the decriminalization of pot north of the 49th parallel they should be Alice B Tokalas (sp?) brownies. But, of course, they weren't. What they were - was delicious!

Cheers, John

Day 6

One thing I'd like to clarify is that when John says things might get ugly - that doesn't mean any bad weather is coming.  It means they might have to sail into the Pacific High weather which means they could have a few days of very light wind.  And to a sailor - that is ugly. 

Date: 08/19
Noon to noon run: 112NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 33 deg 00.77'N deg 158 deg 39.76'W
Course: 350 deg Mag
Current Speed:
Next Waypoint: 40 deg 00.00'N; 156 deg 00.00'W
                   Mid North Pacific, north and slightly east of Oahu
                         On the north side of the Hi's current position
                   NM distance

Synopsis: The wind has grown so light that it appears we are heading into the High, and visually the seas and sky match. I just downloaded a GOES IR satellite photo that seems to concur with where we currently are in relation to the High we are concerned with. That said, according to the grib files we are on the eastern edge of one High and the western edge of another. And, if I thought the 96 hour forecast looked grim yesterday, it looks even worse for where we expect to be 4 days from now. If so, then this could be a very long trip if the current 96 hour forecast bears out. I don't think it will however, but that remains to be seen, so cross your fingers for us that we get some favorable wind but not too much.

Day 5

Date: 08/14
Noon to noon run: 128NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 31 13.82'N deg 158 deg 15.24'W
Course: 340 deg Mag
Current Speed:5.0                        
Next Waypoint:    32 deg 59.00'N; 157 deg 43.00'W
            Mid North Pacific, due North of Oahu
                  100 NM distance (based on our 7PM position)

Synopsis: Our winds and waves continue to keep us sailing somewhere between close hauled and close reach, and while the winds are moderate (about 15Kt) for the most part they vacillate as low as 8Kt and up to 20kt. Even though it seems like we are crawling our way north against wind and wave, at 8AM this morning we were 520NM north of the northern most point of Oahu, so progress is being made and we are getting closer to the "Hi" (a high pressure zone that dominates the northeast Pacific this time of year). Currently it is due north of Hawaii having been pushed west by a low pressure system off the northern California Coast. When we reach the Hi we will either have to motor through or sail around it. Thankfully the 96 hour forecast keeps changing because if it does not, in terms of light to contrary to nonexistent winds, things could really be ugly for us in about 3 or 4 days.

Cheers, John

Day 4

Date: 08/17

Noon to noon run: 116NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 29 08.74'N deg 158 deg 11.85'W
Course: 360 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6kt
Next Waypoint: 32 deg 59.00'N; 157 deg 43.00'W
               Mid North Pacific, due North of Oahu
              207 NM distance

            

Synopsis:

At about 10:15 this morning we finally passed the turn-a-round spot from our first delivery attempt in 2008. - Yea! At 430Nm north of Oahu, that was a painful return.

The squalls never developed last night and in fact we spent most of the night sailing painfully slow. When I came on watch at 3AM. The first thing Dick and I did was take the main sail from second to first reef. Then, over the course of my watch I sequentially unfurled the genoa to its full 130% size and shook out the main sail's first reef as well long before sunrise. Unfortunately, throughout my watch the wind grew lighter and lighter, so much so that by the end of my watch I was struggling to keep Music moving at all.

Yesterday one of my crew observed, "What does it matter if we arrive a day later?" In answer, my philosophy is, and always has been, to sail as efficiently and as fast as possible without unduly working the boat hard or pounding. When I was mountaineering I learned to spend as little time as necessary under objective hazards, as the more time you spend among objective hazards the more likely you are to get your butt spanked. Applying this to an ocean crossing I believe that you should spend as little time as necessary on the ocean to get across it. While I am not afraid of being on the ocean, the more time you spend out there the greater your chances (on any one given crossing) that you will encounter some real nastiness. Besides, I never met a sailor who complained the crossing was too fast or said, "Boy, I wish we spent a few more days out there!"

Cheers,

John

Day 3

Date: 08/16

Noon to noon run: 137NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 27 13.10'N deg 158 deg 16.74'W
Course: 360 deg Mag
Current Speed:about 5Kt
Next Waypoint: 32 deg 59.00'N; 157 deg 43.00'W
                   Mid North Pacific, due North of Oahu
                    346NM distance

Synopsis: With an overcast sky and no moon, last night was black indeed. With winds still way forward of the beam we passed through several squalls, but they were bigger than the normal squalls which usually accompany the tropic trade winds. It was more like passing through a low pressure zone and I could not help but wonder if we were dealing with some cast-off weather from the latest hurricane making it's way along the Mexican coast to Baja.

Tonight is shaping up much the same so our main is double reefed again by crew consensus,and our genoa is furled to about 100% genoa. (For the non-sailors reading this a 100% genoa means it extends from the forestay back to the mast.) While this means slow progress it also means no drama during the night.

Cheers,

John

Day 2

Date: 08/15

Noon to noon run: 154NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 24.59'N deg 158 deg 35.98'W
Course: 300 deg Mag
Current Speed: about 6kt,
Next Waypoint: 32 deg 59.00'N; 157 deg 43.00'W
                   Mid North Pacific, due North of Oahu          
                   480NM distance
        

Synopsis: We are moving well away from the islands with a good initial 24 hour run as noted above. The seas and winds have moderated a bit (from 20-25kt and 8 to 10ft to about 15kt and 4ft), but the direction of the wind at this point is causing us to sail from close hauled to close reach and we are still not able to maintain a heading of due north. At least the boat is not pounding like it was yesterday.

At about 7PM we passed some 49 nautical miles west of the "turn around" spot of our second delivery attempt back in 2008. The cause of our turning around was a crew medical emergency. (One of my crew, not Scott, had developed a staph infection in his right knee.) While it is nice to have that behind us we still have one more turn around spot from 2008, and that one is still some distance ahead. I'll be glad when both are well behind us.

Cheers, John

Washington Bound

Hi All - John is now on his way heading home to Bellingham, WA.  The trip should take 16-20 days so he should get here around the end of August or early Sept.  I have been in Bellingham for a few weeks getting ready to move into our house.

Date: 08/14

Time of position: 19:00
Lat/Lon: 22 31.36'N deg 158 deg 32.95'W
Course: 340 deg
Bearing to waypoint: 353
Current Speed: 7.0-7.5kt
Next Waypoint: 32 deg 59.00'N; 157 deg 43.00'W
                   Mid North Pacific, due North of Oahu
                   622NM distance

Synopsis:  Onboard for this passage are Richard (Dick) Towson and Scott Saulovich. We met Dick and his wife, Anne, at Santa Catalina while on our way to San Diego in October of 2012. They have a lovely sailboat named Full & By. Scott was with me when September of 2008 when we sailed Music back to Alameda, CA from Oahu, after the Pacific Cup race.

We cleared the channel to Ko Olina marina, just north of Barber's Point, Oahu, at about 7AM Hawaii time this morning. By 10:30 were abeam of Oahu's western most point. Eight nautical miles later we cleared the island completely.

By about 4PM we passed Kauai's north coast, with it being about 70NM leeward of us. With that, for all practical purposes we are now north of the major Hawaiian Islands. Let's hope we keep it that way.

The course I've plotted is 2500NM in length and starts near the Ko Olina Marina and ends near Cape Flattery WA, near the entrance to the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Once in the straits we still have some distance to go to get to Bellingham.

Dockside

Just got a call from John and they are dockside.  Yeah, a good dinner and a good night sleep for them.

It appears that the channel they were approaching in the last message from John threw out all that the Hawaiian channels are known for.  Big wind, big seas - at least they got some speed out of it.  I'm just glad they've made it safely

So Close Yet So Far

July 22

Noon to noon run: 166NM

Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 19 45.38.'N deg 156 deg 40.33'W
Course: 320 deg Mag
Current Speed: slow

Next and final Waypoint: 21 deg 17.98'N; 158 deg 08.70'W

                   Near barber's Point, Oahu Is.
                    124 NM distance

The island that was not: We arrived at our waypoint off of the SE tip of the big island of Hawaii at 03:00 seeing only the lights from one small town through the haze. By 06:00 we were at the southwest corner of that 20NM coast, and only saw a small part of a slowly sloping shoulder of the island. That's it. Nothing more. So much for being excited at our first sighting of land in about 2200NM of open and remote ocean.

We are now slogging our way up the leeward side of the island chain at 4Kt. We went from 18 knots of wind on the beam to nothing in a few short miles. And now, believe it or not, the wind is directly on our bow. It is most likely coming from the channel between the islands of Hawaii and Maui. Even though progress is slow, we are coming up on the west end of the Big Island and will soon be approaching the channel between the two. The seas were relatively flat only a short while ago, but now in addition to the head wind, we also have big ocean swell running under our keel even though we are 53NM south of the narrowest part of the channel. Hopefully we will soon be getting a lift from the wind and be able to start making better time and speed toward our destination on Oahu.

Oahu bound

Imagine my surprise yesterday when my phone started ringing and the caller ID said it was from John.  He was within cell phone range off the big island of Hawaii so we had a chance to talk.  The wind had dropped so they were starting the engine and it looks like they will be motoring most of the way to Oahu.  They should be arriving at the Ko Olina Marina late today, Monday.  Our boys will be glad to have a quiet night's sleep at the dock.

Almost There

Date: 07/21      
Noon to noon run: 160NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 17 deg 44.88'N 155 deg 12.72'W
Course: 312 deg Mag
Current Speed: 7+ Kt.
Next and final Waypoint: 21 deg 17.98'N; 158 deg 08.70'W
                   Near barber's Point, Oahu Is.
                    268NM distance
Synopsis: Anticipation of seeing the island of Hawaii is growing even though we are still over 100Nm out from it. Having tucked the second reef into the main last night, just before sunset, we have been beam reaching with it and a partially furled genoa ever since. According to our chart plotter's ETA calculator we should be passing our waypoint off the SE point of the Big Island about 3AM. After that we still have 200Nm to go to our final destination near Barber's Point, Oahu, which is now the waypoint we are aiming for. We have been close reaching to beam reaching for 2 weeks now, since leaving Tikihau atoll in the Tuamotus and we are all looking forward to lighter winds and flatter conditions. Even so, we still have 90NM of open ocean to traverse (67 to the above mentioned point and another 20 miles of parallel coast line) before passing into the lee of the Hawaiian Islands. We are close, but not yet there.

Of stars, constellations, and the Heavenly Night Sky When Music was at Tahiti and Moorea, about 16 degrees south,  we could not see Polaris, or North Star. In fact we could not even see most of the Big Dipper which points to Polaris. But, what we could see, big, and bold, and beautiful, and filled with majesty was The Southern Cross.

It is now 23:00 on July 20 and we are crossing 16 degrees North on our way to the Hawaiian Islands which start at 18 degrees North. I have not been able to see The Southern Cross for several nights now. It appears that at this time of year at this latitude it is too low on the horizon to be seen. I miss it already. But in its place is the complete Big Dipper, Polaris, Cassiopeia and a host of other constellations which I haven't seen for months. Seeing the heavenly bodies of the northern hemisphere summer sky is like seeing an old friend. The acquaintance picks up where you last left it.

Gazing back to the Southern Hemisphere one constellation I can still see, and will be able to enjoy for several more weeks while on our way north, is Scorpio. And like The Southern Cross it too is big, and bold, and beautiful, and filled with majesty. When I lose sight of Scorpio I have no idea When I shall see the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere again. Or even if I will ever see them again. But I have at least enjoyed them for a while. I will miss them more than I can say. Silly isn't it! Or maybe not.

Cheers,

John

Closing In

Date: 07/20      
Noon to noon run: 152NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 15 30.87'N deg 153 deg 33.43'W
Course: 320 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.5kt
Next Waypoint:  18 deg 50.39'N; 155 deg 36.08'W
            SE point of Hawaii Is.
              231NM distance         

Synopsis: The wind and seas moderated for a time today and we shook out the second reef in the main and unfurled the genoa to it's first reef position (about a 110% genoa). In an hour so, however, we will tuck the second reef back in for the night, primarily because conditions have been so changable.  We passed the 250NM mile mark from our waypoint off the the Big Island about 3:15 this afternoon. Basically that means we could be passing the Big island the morning after tomorrow.

Cheers,

John

Date: 07/18      
Noon to noon run: 173NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 11 00.050'N deg 150 deg 52.60'W
Course: 322 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.2-7.0Kt     
Next Waypoint:    18 deg 50.39'N; 155 deg 36.08'W
                  SE point of Hawaii Is.
                  543NM distance

Synopsis: We had steady 15-18kt winds again today just forward of the beam giving us a real strong push and letting us really put the miles behind us. This evening, however, we put in a second reef in the main sail to reduce our motion more than slow us down as the seas are building rather than the wind getting stronger. Just at 6PM tonight we passed 11 degrees North and with that we only have just over 10 degrees of north to make to reach our destination on Oahu. Along with our heading north, we have gained a lot of light. It now starts getting light a little before 5AM and the sun set tonight at 6:30 still giving us light as I write this. While this is not much for those living in the northern states it is a lot here in the tropics. Especially when you are used to it being totally dark by 6PM.

Date: 07/16      

Noon to noon run: 135NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 06 02.31'N deg 148 deg 17.02'W
Course: 310 deg Mag
Current Speed: 4.6 kt
Next Waypoint:    18 deg 50.39'N; 155 deg 36.08'W
            SE point of Hawaii Is.
             881 NM distance approximate

Synopsis: Yesterday, even as we turned the corner from our previous heading of due north and pointed straight for Hawaii, the wind clocked as well. A lot of it is the effect of Emilia. Even though Emilia has been totally downgraded from a hurricane to not even being mentioned as a post tropical depression any more, and even though it is 400 NM north of us it is still impacting the winds and weather in this area. And, according to the grib files should do so for the next couple of days which means even more close reaching, and probably at times close hauled sailing. To this point this crossing has been a totally different ride from our down wind sleigh ride from Mexico to the Marquesas.

The latest surface analysis indicates that the ITCZ lies between about 5 and 7 degrees north and we have seen an increasing proliferation of squall lines and grey skies as the day progressed. As such,we expect tonight to be quite black and filled with squalls. With no moon until about an hour or so before sunrise (and even then it will only be a sliver) it will be a black night indeed. But, hey, maybe we will get lucky and it will be a whole lot nicer. Last night even though we had a few squalls we enjoyed long periods of clear skies and a heaven filled with stars, not to mention our own milky way galaxy!

Cheers,

John

Date: 07/15      

Noon to noon run:  NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 04 00.26'N deg 147 deg 05.85'W
Course: 342 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.0kt, approximately
Next Waypoint: 18 deg 50.39'N; 155 deg 36.08'W
               1020 NM distance
Synopsis: Yesterday evening the light air dissolved into zero wind for the night resulting in us firing up the iron genoa (our diesel engine) to make any speed at all. We finally reached our turning mark this morning just after 9AM. And with that, our next mark is located off the SE corner of the big island at the coordinates above. While this is about 200NM short of our destination, it represents our earliest possible landfall which seems a good thing to aim for. After all to get to Oahu we would have to sail by it anyway. As our destination gets closer, we may well decide not to pass by the big island so close, but that is a choice for the future.

Our latest surface analysis weather faxes show the ITCZ running through this longitude at about 5 deg N. So we may well get to deal with that too. Let's hope the wind gods are favorable and supply us with adequate, but not to much wind to safely speed us on our way. This morning we made about 5kt boat speed with 7Kt apparent wind. Over the day the wind built to about 10Kt while the seas remained flat with long rolling swells. Even though we are close reaching again we have had no spray on deck and that has allowed us to open hatches and port lights, and air the boat out - Ahh! for appetizers tonight we had a variety of cheeses, crackers, and our last apple. Even though we are half way, we are going to hold off celebrating because it was so close to our equator crossing celebration of last night that it just seemed to soon to have another celebration. Maybe instead we will have a "less then 750 mile mile" celebration -or- a "past the doldrums" celebration.

It is time for me to post this and hit the rack. After all, I'll be back on watch in 5 hours, at midnight.

Date: 07/14     
Noon to noon run: 139NM
Time of position: 17:00
Lat/Lon: 01 deg 59.89'N; 146 deg 40.71'W
Course: 340 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6Kt     
Time of position: 17:00
Next Waypoint:    03 deg 14.085'N; 146 deg 54.48'W
                              74 NM distance

Synopsis: We had nice wind until the early hours in the morning, even if it was close to beam reaching. But this morning it veered a bit southeast allowing us to sail off of the wind - yea!! But then it dropped to about 3kts. So, we are motorsailing this afternoon and probably will be all night. But hay! It was really nice to dry out and get some of the salt out of my shirts and shorts.  It's beginning to look like we are getting into the ITCZ, or Zone as I call it.

 
Tonight we have our celebration dinner for crossing the equator. Steak! And another really good bottle of wine (if it has not gone bad from 2 seasons in Mexico and all the heat of French Polynesia).

Special Report

It is official! S/V Music has re-entered the northern hemisphere! Steve Jacobsen, John Knepper, and I have crossed the equator on board Music at longitude 146 deg 46.53'W Hawaii/Tahiti Time:19:58 July 13, 2012. Immediate destination Oahu. Final destination - Bellingham, Washington. Music's new home and port of call!

Date: 07/13      

Noon to noon run:  164NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 00 12.55'S deg 146 deg 48.36'W
Course: 355 - 000 deg Mag
Current Speed:6.5 - 7.0 Kt
Time of position: 18:00
Next Waypoint North of Equator: 03 deg 14.08'N; 146 deg 54.48'W
            206 NM distance

Synopsis: Just a few miles to go to reach the equator. - Yeah!! - Again! This time we will be back in the Northern Hemisphere. But even so, we will still have over 1400NM to go to get to Oahu. We are close reaching again and trying to hold our longitude until we get about 3 degrees North. The reason is that with the weather systems moving through the low latitudes north of us (10-20 deg N) the wind directions become very north as they arrive and we'd like to be able to maintain as nearly a beam reach as possible.

Days 4 and 5

Date: 07/11      

Noon to noon run: 159 NM
Time of position: 17:00
Lat/Lon: 05 deg 25.00'S; 146 deg 51.77'W
Course: 000 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.0-6.5
Time of position: 17:00
Next Waypoint:    05 deg 28.00'N (equator); 146 deg 52.30'W
             328 NM distance

Synopsis: The wind moved from east to northeast at about sunrise today and has stayed that way all day. Consequently, over a period of hours we slid from the right side of our course to the left, giving us a cross track error of about 5NM. Fortunately shortly before sunset we got a lift and can close the cross track error. A low pressure cell is forecast to be moving through our area at about 3 degrees south about the same time we should be crossing that latitude so we will try to move to the right of our course again to give us a little room to sail down when that happens. That's about it. Hope this makes sense to our nonsailing friends.

Date: 07/10

Noon to noon run: 164 NM
Time of position: 17:00
Lat/Lon: 08 deg 07.60'S; 142 deg 48.23'W
Course: 340-350 deg Mag
Current Speed:
Time of position: 18:00
Next Waypoint:    00 deg 00.00'N (equator); 146 deg 53.36'W
            492 NM distance

Synopsis: We have less than 500NM to go to the equator and it certainly is getting more humid. We've moved our waypoint a bit west to be able to take the wind on the beam instead of close reaching and to shave off a small distance not sailing two legs of a triangle. A minor milestone is that in a few short miles we should be past the northern most islands of the Marquesas. We've been watching the hurricanes develop in the eastern Pacific and while disturbing do not appear to be "threatening". It seems Daniel is on the wane, but we'll continue to watch it closely to see if it may rebuild since it is not moving off north. And it looks like Emelia is predicted to peter out well east of us. That said, predictions are one thing reality is another. We had a rainbow just a few minutes ago, and along with it a bit of wind and of course, rain.

On Their Way

Date: 07/09/2012 
Noon to noon run: 144.8 NM
Time of position: 16:30
Lat/Lon: 10 deg 51.70'S; 146 deg 51.49'W
Course: 005 deg Mag
Current Speed: about 7Kt
Next Waypoint:    00 deg 00.00'N (equator); 145 deg 00.00'W
             661 NM distance

We sailed through two squalls at the end of Steve's watch and the beginning of mine (about 9PM)last night and in between them set a reef in the main. It was a good thing too, because the second squall had winds of about 30Kts. Leaving the second squall behind we sailed into clear skies and about an hour later, I saw a beautiful orange three quarter moon rise as the stars slowly winked out in its presence. Early morning hours we see two planets grow incredibly bright long before sunrise. Which planets they are - I have no clue. But they are impressive.

Today winds continue at about 15Kts, and we expect more squalls tonight. The grib files show us that a series of low pressure cells or fronts are sweeping the are at about 5 degrees south but they should have moved on long before we get there.

John Knepper has gotten into the swing of things and is doing quite well despite his recent years of nonsailing, and he is most knowledgeable and helpful with issues that develop onboard. For those of you who do not know him, John is a superb wood craftsman and has built a Nordic 44 out of wood and sailed it with his wife to the Sea of Cortez back in the mid nineties. Having worked for other boat builders his experience at boat construction and maintenance is invaluable.

It is time for me to go on watch.

Cheers,

John

The Society Islands

My how the time flies.  We had a great time in Anse Amyot.  Gaston and Valentine run a small pearl farm on Toau and are fantastic hosts.  When a new batch of cruisers come in they will prepare a dinner for us and we have a wonderful time getting to know each other better.  The day after the dinner Valentine brought out her pearls for us to look at and explained the process - we didn't get to see the actual process.  She basically spoke French so I just caught bits and pieces.  French Polynesia is known for their black pearls - but that is not for the color.  It is because they use the black lipped oyster to grow the pearls.  The pearls actually come in many different colors from cream to black.  The color is determined by where the 'nucleus' is planted inside the oyster, along the lip or down in the middle.  We were lucky enough to do some trading for our pearls - we traded toilet paper, suntan lotion, chapstick, sunglasses, and hats - things they can't get on their little island.  John surprised me by having some of the pearls made into a beautiful necklace and earrings when we got to Tahiti.

We left for Tahiti the end of May and spent about a week in Marina Taina provisioning, washing the boat, doing laundry, and a bit of maintenance.  It was so nice to have unlimited water for a change.  We went to the Papeete market which reminded us alot of the market in Manzanillo, Mexico.  But after 2 wonderful months in quiet tropical anchorages Papeete seemed too busy.  So we left for Moorea which is only about 20 miles away.  We anchored in Oponou Bay and I was in awe of the majestic scenery.  We really got a sense of the volcanic action that created this island.  Unfortunately the reef around Moorea is basically dead so there wasn't much interesting snorkeling to be done.  There was an infestation of crown-of-thorns sea stars which destroy the reef and then a hurricane in 2010 and the reef was too weak to survive.  There are signs of recovery, but it takes decades for reefs to recover.

But there was something special - sting rays.  Sting rays are common here, especially in sandy areas.  There is a large sandy area where the tour operators have started feeding the sting rays and they've become quite social.  They've learned that when the boats come - they get fed.  So we got in our dingy and went to the site before the tours got there and had an experience.  They come right up to you, actually rub up against you almost begging to be fed.  There were a couple who would come vertically out of the water flapping their wings to bring their mouths up to you.  They look so cute.  There isn't much danger of getting stung since they are acclimated to this and don't feel threatened.  And not to be left out - the black tip reef sharks come in looking for any left over food.  Luckily we had done our shark dives in Fakarava so the sharks didn't freak me out because they are close.

We, well actually I, decided to spend the rest of our time in Moorea and not go to any other of the Society Islands.  So no Bora Bora for us, but I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Moorea.  We participated in the Tahiti Moorea Rendezvous - an event sponsored by the Tahiti Tourism Board.  About 40 boats participated.  We didn't do the sail to Moorea from Tahiti since we were already there, but they had a big polynesian lunch, traditional games, music and dancing.  Great fun and we got to reconnect with alot of folks we haven't seen since Mexico.

 Since we didn't get our extended visas for French Polynesia we were limited to 90 days and our time was growing very short.  John's friends Steve Jacobsen and John Knepper met us back in Tahiti to help bring Music to Hawaii.  They were able to spend a few days relaxing at Moorea and Tikihau back in the Tuamotus before starting the big push north.  They left Tikihau on July 7 and it should take them about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks to get to Hawaii - 900 miles to the equator and then another 1900 miles to Oahu.  I'll be posting the reports as John sends them. 

Anse Amyot, Toau

We are currently at the anchorage of Anse Amyot, on the atoll of Toau (pronounced Toe-ah-oo). It's actually at the west end of Toau, on the outside, not actually in the atoll. We've been here 3 days already, but Gail had a horrible crossing from Takarava to here, even though it was only 35NM (nautical miles).

All together, we spent about 3 weeks in Fakarava, with the highlights being 3 scuba dives at the Gaure, or North, pass and 5 at the south pass. Never in my life have I ever dreamed of seeing sooooooooo many sharks in one location. We thoght we'de seen a lot of sharks at the North pass when we saw about 50+ on our drift dive there. But, the South pass is so confined that we literally saw hundreds on each dive. More than I ever need to see again.

So, now were are here at Anse Amyot, and I am planning a dive tomorrow with some other cruisers just outside this pass. Anse Amyot is actually inside the fringing reef, even though it is outside the lagoon. Then tomorrow mid day we may get a tour of an actual pearl farm. And, then have dinner shore tomorrow evening at a small restaurant (in the most meager of terms) here.

It should actually be one heck of a feast according to the guide books. But - Hey! In doing so, we are supporting a very small local economy.

In a few days we will make the 220NM jump to Papeete, Tahiti.

Love,

John

Getting Fuel

Hi There,

Thursday afternoon the fuel supply ship came in and Gail and I joined the thundering herd at the quay for our meager portion of diesel. The best I can describe the scene is organized chaos.

When the ship arrives the quay starts filling up with vehicles, some with small trailers in tow containing a 55 gallon drum or two, and some without; all jockeying for position to get their share of diesel, gas or even propane, or other assorted supplies that might be on this ship. Then there are other islanders and cruisers like us setting up our jerry jugs near the guy in control of the fuel hose. The poor guy dispensing the fuel starts pumping diesel first into the tank of one vehicle, then fills a 55 gallon drum, and maybe a jerry jug or two. While he's filling some 55 gallon drum that's been deposited next to him, other supplies such as lumber and pipe were being off loaded as well. And, other vehicles and fork lifts start working their way through the throng. One car, just fueled up shuffles it's way out of the line, shifting back and forth to gain a route free while another vehicle, maybe this time a truck, somehow shuffles into the exact spot left by the car as the two dodge people and other cars waiting their turn at the pump as it were.

Then you happen to notice that a table is set up off to the side. A guy (the captain as it turns out) with a cash box, a rubber stamp, a calculator, and some sort of receipt book is responding to a throng of people gathered about the table, and who, like the vehicles shuffling around, are jockeying for a position to speak to the man. To some the captain gives a kiss on each cheek, others get a warm hand shake. While transacting business with one person, he somehow acknowledges each person approaching the table long before he has a chance to take their cash, give them a receipt for fuel or whatever, and address the needs of the next person. Like everyone jockeying for fuel, there is no line, it is a throng! But somehow it all works, everyone gets taken care of, no shouting cursing, or anything remotely like that. The non fuel supplies disappear toward the main road. The fork lifts having gathered their goods on pallets move off, and one by one the vehicles needing fuel begin to thin out.

I join the throng at the table while Gail keeps an eye on our jerry jugs. When I finally got to speak to the captain, he corrected my 30 gallons (113 liters according to an application on my I-Phone) to 111 liters, then proceeded to tell me that it will be something like 17,534 Polynesian Franks). As I start pulling out money to pay him, Gail materializes at my side and starts reorganizing the cash I'm sorting out so we can pay the captain the exact amount. Some extra falls on the table and the captain quickly scoops it up and says enough, enough, but doesn't hand back any change. We don't know how much we've just lost but figure it's probably just a few buck US and move off with our receipt to show the guy dispensing the diesel that we've paid. He then promptly fills our jugs - not just to the "full" line but to the fill opening. We definitely get more than 30 gallons. The captain's happy - he got over paid, we're happy to have our jugs over filled, and the guy dispensing the diesel is happy to be rid of yet another person in line. It all works out!

We got back to Music just before dark, but the scene at the quay goes on for perhaps another three hours. Finally, with no more apparent customers, the supply ship shoves off for it's next destination, another island here in the Tuamotu's. Tomorrow, the whole scene will be repeated on another island, at another port, until the supplies are gone. Then the ship will return to Papeete for another load of supplies and start making the rounds again.

Hi Everyone - Gail here. John does such a great job giving you updates that I haven't had much need to write, but felt that I could add a few things here. We just finished having appetizers of brie, pate, and baguette. Even here in the remote Toamotus we get baguette and pate with no problem. The brie we picked up in the Marquesas and just finished it off. We can get food here, but the selection is limited especially with vegetables and fruits. Just after the fuel supply ship left, the other supply ship came in and the stores are more well stocked. I managed to pick up some lettuce and tomatoes from the veggie stand which I consider quite a score. We have certainly come to appreciate the grocery stores of the US and Mexico for availability and variety. But the availability of fresh tuna here can't be beat. While John was waiting for the diesel, I picked up some fresh tuna right off the boat. It seems that Tatui, the husband of the woman who runs the local restaurant goes out fishing for her a couple times a week and he shared some of his catch with me. One kilo, around 2 lbs, for 1,000 French Polynesia Francs - roughly about $12 US. We had a great sashimi dinner and more tuna left for another meal.

This local restaurant, Snack Tevara, is run by Yvonne who is from the Marquesas. Her husband is born and raised here in Fakarava. The term restaurant doesn't seem quite right - we'd probably call it a cafe by the beach. Yvonne's is open Fri - Sun for dinner only. She serves poisson cru (raw fish marinated in lime juice with coconut milk), a great chicken chow mein, and steak with frittes (french fries). Her restaurant is the only one in town so it's been fun to go for dinner and interact with the locals. It's bring your own wine and music. People bring their boom boxes and listen to Polynesian music while they eat dinner. We've gotten to know Yvonne and Tatui a bit. They go to Anchorage Alaska in July to visit with friends and fish up there. They've been doing this for many years. Their friend has a vineyard in Oregon, but my mind fails me as I can't remember the name. It really is a small world in some respects. Here we are in what we consider a remote area of the world, and one of the locals has a friend who owns a vineyard in Oregon.

That's it for now. Time to make dinner, whose highlight will be a salad with lettuce and tomato! We haven't had a salad in almost 2 weeks and are craving the crunch. Bon soir mes amis!