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Captain's Log : 06-22-06
47 47.7 N 122 29.8 W
We arrived in Kingston at 7:30pm after a wonderful sendoff at Shilshole by Jeanette, Susan, Kevin, Monica, Pam, Matt, Lisa (and family),
Bruce, Avi, Bobbie, Anna, Carol, Kirby, Rosie, John, Jean, Martin Howard and John. Thanks to everyone who helped us get underway on
our adventure!! Special thanks to Jeanette for keeping the captain from imploding when Shilshole Marina ran out of fuel - I really wanted to
check that off my list, but what are you gonna do!! Leslie and Jude left a trail of flowers off our starboard side as we waved to our friends
who rushed from our slip to the public pier at the north entrance of the marina to cheer us on. After a brief dance with a 65 foot power boat
and a couple of laser sailboats tacking out in front of us, we cleared the breakwater and motored north to Kingston - about 8 nautical miles
north. Winds were 20-25 knots from the NNW, so were were plowing through some good waves and got salt water spray everywhere!! We
took it as a good sign of things to come. Mt. Rainier floated on the horizon behind us, marking our home port in the most beautiful way. At
Kingston we docked, ate at the Main Street Ale House up the block, and promptly went to bed by 9:30 -- not even dark yet at this solstice
time of year. I awoke at 7am on the 23rd after a much needed good night's sleep, ready to continue on to Port Townsend. We'll send more
from there - our current plan is to spend Friday night and Saturday at Pt. Townsend, and leave in the wee hours on Sunday morning. The
adventure continues!
Captain's Log : 06-23-06
48 07 N 122 45 W
We made it to Port Townsend today on a beautiful day - clear blue skies, light winds out of the north and Mount Baker showing us the way
north. Greeted at Pt Hudson Marina by the manager, Chris, as well as the crew of Tethys - Nancy, Kelly, Debbie and Sue - and Kaci and
Aletia from Pt. Townsend. Arrived at 1pm and promptly went aboarde Tethys for some hot chicken and lentil soup courtesy of Kelly. Leslie
and Jude organized, labeled and stowed food along the way, and have barely stopped stowing since we got here!! We're still planning an
early departure Sunday, and will be in Port Townsend all day Saturday. It's 80 degrees and sunny, so we are going to enjoy our time here!
Captain's Log : 06-24-06 and 06-25-06
48 07 N 122 45 W
We spent a wonderful 30 hours in Port Townsend, cleaning and putting away even more things aboard Fraid Knot. Did some boat chores
and maintenance on Saturday, the highlight being a trip up the mast for Jude. Kelly came over from Tethys to lead the hoist, and Jude
bravely went up the mast to retrieve a naughty spinnaker halyard with a touchy "quick release" shackle. Leslie documented the whole
experience - will try to post the pics before we leave the mainland.
We're up early and heading for Port Angeles by 5:30 am, sipping our coffee and tea underway as the sun rose over the mountains. We are
all awash in our feelings of gratefulness - for the beauty, the adventure, the comraderie and the outpouring of love and support from our
friends and loved ones.
We'll overnight in Pt. Angeles, then another early start tomorrow for Neah Bay. Til then, here are some thoughts from Leslie -
Hello Everyone,
Well, let me just say I am having a blast already on this trip. I'd like to share some excerpts from my journal.
Day 1 (Getting ready to leave): The most important activity this morning was taking a walk to the far beach at Golden Gardens. The tide
was extremely low and the wildlife scenery included three Blue Herons fishing in the shallow water and seagulls floating about and one
dropped a shell from up high, hoping for a crack. I decided a couple of days earlier that I wanted to take some rocks from this beach on my
trip. As I walked along the beach I looked for rocks that seemed to say "Take me out to the Pacific Ocean". My plan is to throw one rock
overboard at midnight every night as a way of staying connected to home and, like Gretel, leave a path back to home. My shift at night is
from 11-2 so that seems like a good activity during that time. I picked up 30 rocks, knowing that I should only be throwing about 21
overboard.
Day (Port Townsend): 2: This morning I had an interesting experience. My bunk is in the stern (back) part of the boat. I woke up in the
middle of the night to hear something going on in the cockpit. I thought maybe there was a raccoon on board because that has happened
on Blake Island. I got up and opened the door to the outside only to see a river otter staring back at me with pie-size eyes. He immediately
scrambled off the back of the boat.
Day 3: The ego wants to be comfortable and the spirit wants to be challenged beyond all perceived limits.
Thank you all for the support---it makes a huge difference.
Love, Leslie
Captain's Log : 06-25-06, evening
48 07.6 N 123 27.1 W
Greetings from Port Angeles! We had a peaceful, easy cruise with 2-4 knots of current assist this morning - so 30 miles in under 4 hours.
Spent the heat of the day napping, organizing, and tying down things. We each took a walk into town. Tethys was kind enough to share a
dinghy ride, so Ace, Leslie, Sue Hoover and Debbie had a lovely time buzzing the marina - just like home!
We leave early again tomorrow - with the tide, 50 miles to Neah Bay, our last port before Honolulu. We're keeping an eye on our weather
window - we could be out of sight of land by sunset tomorrow - we shall see what the weather gives us. Early to bed again - but there are 25
new photos in the album - enjoy - we are!!
Captain's Log : 06-26-06
48 22.087 N 124 36.985 W
We arrived at Neah Bay at 11 am, having made 52 miles in under 7 hours. (Thank you, current). We had six foot swells for the last 3 hours
of the trip, but little or no wind. The boat and the crew handled the waves well, although I did get to be the first one to throw up on the
journey!! I was quite proud of the accomplishment! Everything settled down and we motored into Neah Bay for fuel, water and a weather
consultation with Nancy and Tethys. We decided to wait out the weather until Wednesday - gale winds, 10 foot ocean swells and fog were
all in the forecast for the next 36 hours. We settled in the marina, the only sailboats among many fishing boats. Jude sweet-talked the
Captain of one of the newly arrived boats out of some incredibly fresh salmon, which Kelly cooked for dinner aboard Fraid Knot. Dinner was
a joyful occasion - salmon, new potatoes, salad and fresh cookies from our oven - (thanks Marilyn). We lingered and played music for a few
hours - guitars, percussion, harmonica and some lovely voices. There is over 40 years difference in age, and thousands of miles between
where we all grew up, yet we could all join in on many, many songs. Music is the great connection in my life, and it was a good night to be a
part of these two crews going on this journey. Tuesday we are going to sleep in, then do some sailing and safety procedure practice. We
feel ready to go, but are happy to let the trip unfold as it will.
Captain's Log : 06-28-06
Neah Bay 48 22.087 N 124 36.985 W
We've spent another day here at Neah Bay - reported 9 foot seas, 30 knot winds and stories of fisherman turning back. We've been getting
everything ship shape, experimenting with the oven, and finding those last few treasures at the general store. We plan on leaving tomorrow
morning around 10am (Thursday) to take advantage of the slack tide and hopefully lower wave heights. We're getting excited to begin the
offshore phase of the journey. We may not post to the website again until Friday - the 1st day can be quite an adjustment, and probably
difficult to compose emails. We have a radio contact schedule with Tethys, and will be in touch with Nancy regularly. Meanwhile, we will
sleep tonight dreaming that tomorrow night we will be at sea.
Captain's Log : 06-30-06
47 34.464 N 127 59.71 W
It is approaching noon on June 30th, and we have made our way out into the Pacific!
We are motor sailing WSW at 6.5 knots in 4-6 foot seas and light west winds. We are trying to get off the continental shelf ASAP - which is
180 miles out. But we have begun the offshore part of the journey. We left Neah Bay with Tethys this morning at 9am PST and headed out
past Cape Flattery, through some bigger seas and 18 knot winds and fog. The wind and the seas calmed down as soon as we passed the
Cape, but the fog persisted for an hour or so. Our radar served us well, and we headed out with good spirits and high hopes. Our
stomachs are doing fine so far!
We are out of sight of land, but we can see Tethys a couple of miles off our stern - her sails shining in the sun.
Captain's Log : 07-02-06
45 55.5 N 129 00.2 W
Ahoy from the crew of Fraid Knot!! We are adapting to our new rhythm of life - the sea is vast and mostly grey in the overcast, but turns a
beautiful green with sunlight. Yesterday was spent recovering from various levels of seasickness. Jude has not been sick yet, and has been
in good spirits on her watches. Leslie just got sick once, although felt a bit green a few times. Ginger is our friend - ginger tea, ginger
candies, ginger snaps. I got seasick the most, and had to lie down to keep anything down for most of yesterday (5pm Friday to 6pm
Saturday). So I spent a lot of time napping in the cockpit. Leslie and Jude pitched in to help--Jude went below for everything we needed,
and Leslie did all of the deckwork. Noone was on watch alone in the night until last night - but now we are all doing our watches by
ourselves.
We've talked to Tethys twice on the radio - we hear their crew is fine, no seasickness. Nancy has been troubleshooting some electrical and
impeller problems, with great success. We hope to see them sometime today or tomorrow, as they took a more diagonal course off the
continental shelf, and we went further west. Both Tethys and I saw a school of dolphins (or porpoises?) in the wee hours of 7/1. There were
10 - 15 of them, swimming alongside and jumping in unison...they had greeted Tethys an hour earlier.
We've been under sail only (no motor) since yesterday at 2pm - 7-14 knots of wind from the NW, we are heading SSW at an average speed
of 5.2 knots. Our trip log says we've covered 250 miles in two days - amazing how sailing through the night helps!!
Captain's Log : 07-03-06
43 49.88 N 129 15.92 W
All's well aboard - yesterday went by smoothly, with light winds and a following sea. We did some sail trimming and fine tuning which gave
us more boat speed and less noise. We had a real dinner last night, all 3 of us in the cockpit. Our goals today are all about cleanliness -
baths for the crew. Spoke with Tethys and they are having similar winds and conditions...and goals - they all bathed last night!! We had a
great sail through the night - 6-7 knots of boat speed, and a bird that was following us!
Captain's Log : 07-04-06
42 15.7 N 129 45.1 W
Well the rest of Monday has gone quite well - more food, more variety and less clothing needed to stay warm. We've been living in our foul
weather gear for warmth (no rain yet) and it's been nice to be above decks in only a couple of be layers for most of today. Our bath day
worked well for Leslie and Jude today - my turn tomorrow. I am still a day behind on my stomach adjustment, but have found that rice is my
new best friend!!
Got to talk with Kellie from Tethys this morning at 4am - great to hear her positive Aussie accent over the radio. Sue Hoover got on the
radio last night - another positive voice over the airwaves! Also heard from Debbie Monday night - she was celebrating no longer needing
her long johns. We love to hear the voices of our friends on the radio. We feel so connected with the crew and the journey of Tethys, and
are so happy they are doing so well. We are still about 40 miles apart, sailing parallel courses.
Leslie had a bird stalking her on watch last night - I had no such luck, so maybe he just likes Leslie. Jude has taken over our fresh fruit and
veggie intake, and is constantly handing us a slice of pear, or kiwi or something yummy. I am still adjusting sails and rigging - not for speed,
so much, as noise. We've had 5-10 knots on our stern, with stronger winds (15) overnight. So the sails flap in the lighter air when the waves
rock us. I am definitely gaining on the problem - much less sail and rigging noise tonight! We are averaging 5 knots of boat speed, which
makes 120 miles a day. Right on schedule, so far!
The overcast sky parted last night at 7 so we got our first sunset at sea. Also had many stars on watch last night to keep me company - so
bright they didn't look real. We have already been enjoying the phosphorescence of the ocean - glowing an eerie and beautiful blue-white
in our wake and on the crests of waves. We saw a group of dolphins last night showing off in the boat's wake, and getting great height out
of the water. Incredible!
Captain's Log : 07-05-06
40 54.2 N 129 56.7 W
Good morning from a very calm sea - no wind now for 12 hours. We had a great day yesterday in shorts and jeans, wearing sunscreen
instead of layers of clothing. Had fresh baked bread, and homemade chicken soup for dinner - yum! We changed headsails yesterday -
from the 90% jib to the 120 genoa. Quite a team project for the crew, with Leslie and I wrestling the old and new sail on deck, and Jude at
the helm. We're hoping it will improve our boat speed, but so far we've had less than 5 knots of wind for over 36 hours... oh well, we take
what mother nature gives us!!
Captain's Log : 07-06-06
39 07.9 N 129 57.1 W
Good Morning from the aqua blue Pacific off of the coast of San Francisco! We saw our first ship yesterday afternoon - a container ship
heading towards California. It was odd to have company on the horizon, even if it was 6 miles away. The water has turned the color of
dreams - a deep, sparkling azure blue. Just like the brilliance of the stars, the color doesn't seem quite real.
We are really just plugging along, waiting for the wind to fill in. We got to sail through the night last night, but had to turn on the motor again
this morning for a few hours. When the winds are this light, the wind vane steering system is not effective, and the sails bang around a lot,
making it hard to sleep. We have had to hand steer on many of our watches, which is not hard to do, but does add to our tiredness. We
hope today will be the day we get into the steadier winds that Tethys has been enjoying some 60 - 80 miles ahead of us.
We still talk to Tethys on the radio 3 times daily - often with great hilarity, relaying stories between the crews. We are planning on writing
funny songs to sing to each other when we reach Hawaii. Except for needing a little more sleep, we are all well. Last night the Milky Way
was so vivid, I didn't mind staying up!
Captain's Log : 07-07-06
37 49 N 130 03.8 W
Well we had a staggeringly beautiful day on July 6th - endlessly sunny and brilliantly blue. We saw some fun creatures last night and today
- sailing jellyfish called "velella velella". They are little, clear creatures the size of large ice cubes with little triangular clear sails that stick up
out of the water 2 inches. They literally sail across the surface of the ocean...so cool. We are going to try to catch one in our bucket so we
can take pics and look up close at it.
We are sailing in light winds Thursday night after a huge salad for dinner (produce is still hanging in). We just had our 7pm radio call with
Tethys and Sea Fever back in Seattle - so great to hear everyone's voices. We gather round the radio after the meal in the way I imagine
my parents and grandparents did, listening intently and imagining the faces that go with each voice.
We have named two of our pieces of equipment here on Fraid Knot. The wind vane is named Stella (go ahead, everybody yell "Stella").
She works great when we have wind, but not so good in these really light breezes. The Watch Commander beeps every 12 minutes, no
matter what, to remind us to scan the horizon for ships. She is a bit needy for attention, so we have named her Barbra. (as in Streisand).
We sing many songs on watch, so it seems appropriate to have a musical watch commander.
Captain's Log : 07-08-06
36 07.8 N 130 14.9 W
Winds have shifted in the night toward our stern - more north than west. This is giving us a rolling, downwind night that no one has slept
well through. But another warm and sunny day, so no complaints. We've sailed for 24 hours straight - we will have to start the engine in a
bit to charge the batteries - a nice change from motoring through windless nights.
I had a fried egg sandwich for lunch yesterday, and realized that the eggs were from Hobbit at the Hutch (thanks!), the bread was from
Marilyn's beer bread recipe (thanks!) and the garlic was from Lizette's garden (thanks!). So much of what we have brought with us, and so
much of the gearing up process was a result of so many people's efforts and good will. So thanks to all of you who helped us get out here
in the big blue! Perhaps today we will catch a tuna (thanks Bruce). We've already changed the mainsail reefing this morning (thanks Scott)
and I've checked my batteries (thanks Glen.) Really, this could go on all day... Have fun wherever you are - we are having fun here at sea!
Captain's Log : 07-09-06
34 24.7 N 130 49.2 W
We are waking up from a better night's sleep, thankfully. Yesterday was sunny and crisp, but we were all a bit blurry from lack of sleep.
Another family of dolphins came and played with us last night as we ate dinner in the cockpit. They spent 20 minutes playing in our wake
and generally showing off.
Our resources are all holding up - we moved some water from the deck into the tanks, and found we still have plenty in reserve. (Jeanette -
your lashing has held up well!!) We are a day or two from making the big turn into the trade winds. It will be very exciting to be heading west
and toward Hawaii! Tethys is still a day out in front of us, in heavier winds. We are happy to follow along and reap the benefits of their
experience. We compare weather charts daily on our beloved radio calls. So far, so good!
Captain's Log : 07-10-06
32 44.8 N 131 35.2 W
Winds switched to the NE this morning, and increased to 10-13 knots. First time we've seen double digits on the wind speed in a week! We
averaged 5 knots boat speed all day yesterday - also a first for the week. We are approaching the turn to Hawaii - no, there's not a sign or
an exit ramp, although we joke that there is!
Tethys started her turn this morning - she's now headed west in 16 knots of wind. They are all doing well. We have caught up on our sleep
and looking forward to making a little better boat speed with this wind.
Captain's Log : 07-11-06
31 15.96 N 131 54.8 W
We are still meandering our way south, looking for the trade winds in about another 60 -100 miles. Yesterday was quite eventful - we had a
small tear (about 8 inches) in the Genoa (larger headsail), so we had to switch headsails and then sew a patch on the torn one. All was
accomplished with great teamwork and effort from the 3 of us, over a three hour time period. Then we had a stantion break (holds up the
life line), which we also repaired. So, we're back in business, but still very light winds. It is a constant balance between saving our fuel and
not wanting to have the sails flogging and banging around (that's how they rip). We can't motor to Hawaii, so we take what the weather
gives us.
Tethys is doing well out in front of us - they are our beacon of good news and we just keep following them!
Captain's Log : 07-12-06
29 34 N 131 54.6 W
We had a fine day yesterday, quite productive in many ways. Got some fuel transferred into the main tanks, gave the floors a good bath,
dealt with the garbage. Had several fine meals courtesy of Jude and Leslie. Got some good info from Nancy about the approach to Oahu
and Waikiki. Felt great all day - still not much wind, but we refuse to take it personally!
We have fully embraced our alternate reality here on Fraid Knot. We have begun turning every situation into a song. It is starting to feel like
those wonderful summer days at camp -- We are not sure if the rest of the world really exists - except in emails and weather reports and
voices on the radio. Jude is reading a book about a man questioning his reality - and is starting to question ours!!
Actually, we are quite sane, but it is fun to sing and laugh our way through these days at sea!!
Captain's Log : 07-13-06
27 29 N 132 05 W
WIND! We got 12 - 15 knots of wind starting yesterday afternoon, increased to 15 - 20 for part of the night. Still have 15 knots this morning
- we are making good speed south. (6 - 7 knots) We are looking to start our turn in the trade winds at about 27 degrees - so, it's coming up
soon!
We should hit the halfway point today as well - although hopefully the next 1400 miles won't take 14 days (yay trade winds).
We played cribbage last night and blasted Les Miserables (One Day More) in honor of being one day away from the elusive trade winds.
One more night, one more dawn, one day more!
Captain's Log : 07-14-06
26 45.7 N 133 53.9 W
We are heading west, south west towards Oahu at a steady 5 knots. Blue skies and fair winds - although still not the 20 knots we've been
dreaming of. Still, it's great to be heading west!!
We are seeing more birds, albatross and petrels mostly. No other ships for the past 3 nights. Tethys is still leading the way and calling in
regularly to compare notes. We made 150 miles yesterday - hopefully we can keep up that average!!
So it's July 14th already! Summer is in full swing back on land. Camp must be going full speed - hope everybody is having as amazing a
summer as we are!!
We have been joking that there will be a rest stop at the trade winds "exit", complete with singing mermaids and dancing whales and a little
hut that sells pina coladas. Sadly, it was not to be, but we are happy to be in the trade winds anyway!!
Captain's Log : 07-15-06
26 17 N 136 15 W
Steady winds, rough seas, we are doing fine, making progress west. Will write more when it is calmer.
Captain's Log : 07-16-06
26 24 N 138 41 W
Greetings from the fickle world of offshore sailing! Had a rough day yesterday - full on rain, 12 foot seas and our windvane broke. Throw in
some engine troubleshooting, and more rain, and you have our day. Today - overcast, but not raining, and the seas have gone down a bit.
Still not the smoothest ride ever, but we manage. As a result of Stella the windvane giving up, we are now hand steering to Hawaii. Another
song in the making, I think!
Captain's Log : 07-17-06
26 26 N 140 46 W
We are still heading west and hand steering in lighter seas now - much easier on us! Tethys just checked in - they are all fine, but
experiencing some more wind and waves than we are. We have settled into a new routine for this next week - 2 hours on watch, 4 hours off.
It's starting to feel more normal - and we are gaining on Oahu every day. This morning we crossed the 140 longitude line, and also crossed
the 1000 miles to go point - 1900 miles down, only 990 left! We are making 120 - 135 miles per day, so we are doing just fine.
Captain's Log : 07-18-06
26 15 N 142 42 W
Well, we have an auto pilot working - what a relief to get it going yesterday. We celebrated the end of hand steering with baths for
everyone!! We are still heading west in 10 - 15 knot breezes, plugging along to Hawaii. No rain yesterday, and mostly overcast and warm.
We saw 3 ships in the past 2 nights - container ships heading west. We greet them on the radio, and they respond -- mostly we want to
make sure they see us!!
Nancy and Tethys are still doing fine, although they have had their share of repairs and fixes underway. It is quite an adventure in self
sufficiency!
Captain's Log : 07-19-06
24 59 N 144 24 W
Another day at sea with fair winds and pretty calm seas. We are still enjoying the services of Stanley, the autopilot. Got some good boat
tasking done yesterday - moving drinking water from the auxiliary containers on deck down into the main tanks. Tethys had a busy day
yesterday - but successfully repaired their wind vane despite some heavier wind and sea conditions. I'm sure that's a big relief. I'd like to
send out a big thanks to Lynn for spearheading my Honolulu windvane repair task force!! It's a great feeling to have such support waiting
on shore.
Meanwhile, we are fairing well aboard. Still making 120 miles a day towards Oahu. We're heading about 240 true, making 4.5 to 5 knots
with 6-12 knots of wind from the East. Each night the wind picks up in the wee hours and we do 6 knots or more for 4 hours. Otherwise, we
are letting the world unfold at this unhurried pace.
Captain's Log : 07-20-06
24 34.6 N 146 28 W
Another beautiful day and night here on Fraid Knot. The stars were just showing off last night - brilliant clusters everywhere - and the
ocean answered with phosphorescent sparkles of it's own. Lovely. Today is sunny and warm, light winds, very blue sky and even bluer
ocean. We are all doing well, pretty rested and feeling good. Trying not to focus too much on the end of our journey, but live in the
moments as they unfold.
So Tethys has been very kind not to tease us about our slower pace across the Pacific. Each radio call they offer us their support and do
not rub in the fact that they have been having more wind and better speed all the way across (we wrote a song about this called "One
Isobar Away"). Instead, they rub in the fact that they are eating Kellie's wonderful meals and, especially, her homemade desserts. Evidently,
she has been having fun with the Frances Farmer cookbook, and has made upside down cherry cobblers and cakes and shortbreads and
brownies and...well, you get the idea. They are having a wonderful time and eating their way across the Pacific!!
Leslie, Jude and I have settled into our own rhythm again. The days pass easily and happily.
Captain's Log : 07-21-06
24 22 N 148 27 W
Another beautiful sunrise and blue skies greeted us this morning, after more star gazing last night. The wind freshened a bit at 7am, giving
us a little more speed. We are currently 550 miles from Oahu - 5 days at this speed. We are getting excited about seeing Honolulu, and
Tethys, and our friends, and land.
Jude has been doling out the fresh fruit every afternoon - we all enjoying sharing "Fruit Time" together. We are all pretty tired, but
everyone is keeping a positive attitude and a good sense of humor. Everyone has stood all of their watches - despite sea sicknesses,
infections, overwhelming exhaustion, sideways rain, surfing down 15 foot waves in the dark - I am so proud of everyone for doing this.
Captain's Log : 07-22-06
23 32 N 149 52 W
Less than 500 miles to Oahu!! We are doing well - had a great dinner of Salmon over potatoes au grautin last night. Will be busy with
logistics for the boat and crew the next few days, so these will be short. No personal emails for the next few days please, unless you are
arranging transportation, etc for us. We love hearing from you, but our email time is severely limited.
Captain's Log : 07-23-06
22 55 N 151 28 W
Light winds through another day and night - less than 400 miles to go. Tethys saw land yesterday - about 70 miles away. They will arrive
Honolulu this morning. We are so excited for them!! We got inspired yesterday and gave the whole boat a cleaning. Amazing how good that
felt! We should still arrive Honolulu on the 26th. These light winds are really slowing us down, but it has been beautiful.
Captain's Log : 07-24-06
22 38 N 153 55 W
Well, we got to sail through the night for a change - 12 knots of steady wind from the east, and we were able to make 5-6 knots of boat
speed. 260 miles to go on the GPS - hoping to be in by dark on Wednesday. I had a whole flock of birds buzz the boat early this morning -
quite a symphony of sound and movement. We have overcast skies today - a nice break from the last few days heat. Although we hear it's
hotter in Seattle!!
Nancy and her crew made it to Ala Wai yesterday - we heard from her last night - they had all stayed up through the night before out of
sheer excitement. They sounded tired and happy. We are excited to be getting so close. Nancy has already scoped out moorage for us.
We'll be able to see Debbie and Sue when we get there, but Kellie will have already left for Canada and her next sailing job. We have
already been planning a reunion in Seattle in September, so that helps with our disappointment at not being able to see Kellie off now.
Starting to think about things like laundry, and showers, and things to fix, and things to do for the trip home. The pace of life is about to
quicken...
Captain's Log : 07-25-06
21 56.5 N 156 12 W
150 miles to go!! We are quite excited - we had our dinner on party plates last night, complete with crowns, leis and beads. We just felt like
a party. Today we are making 6 knots directly at Oahu - still on schedule for an afternoon arrival on the 26th. The hurricane (Daniel) has
been downgraded to a tropical storm and is slowing. We are still 2 days ahead of it, and it is diminishing. We are not dawdling, however!
Many more birds now, fishing and soaring with us. We hope to see land this evening - what an extraordinary sight that will be! We are all
getting a bit giddy now!
Captain's Log : 07-26-06
21 17.168 N 157 50.597 W
LAND HO! Spotted Molokai and Oahu at first light - about 5:30am local time!! Had a fun evening sailing through traffic - many ships here -
including Navy Warships (2 of them!) who greeted us at about 4am. They were quite friendly, heading east - for their home port, I hope.
They were HUGE on our radar screen.
Opened a present from Jude at first sighting of land -- Hawaiian shirts for all of us! We promptly put them on and felt instantly clean and
perky!!
Should be at the Ala Wai Marina by 1pm local time - that's 3 hours behind Seattle, and 6 hours from the east coast. We will be calling on
our cell phones when we arrive!! I'm looking forward to a shower, hugs, and conversations that are not dominated by "roger" "over" "copy
that" and all that radio lingo. Whiskey Delta Delta 2486 clear for now!!
ps - 11am - update - 8 miles to go - Diamond Head looming. Majig and Nancy are waiting at the marina to take our mooring lines!
Captain's Log : 07-27-06
21 17.168 N 157 50.597 W
Ala Wai Yacht Basin, Hawaii Yacht Club, Honolulu, HI
WE MADE IT!!!
Greeted at the dock by Nancy and Majig, we arrived in Hawaii at 12:33 local time on 7/26 after 27 days and 3008 miles at sea. What a
relief! What an accomplishment! What a journey! What a lesson!
The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind of showers, laundry, drinks with ice in them, cleaning, smiling, chatting with many many wonderful
people here who have been so supportive about making our first ocean passage. Tomorrow I start on my list of supplies and repairs for the
trip home, but for today, we are enjoying the tropical paradise we have sailed to.
I am going to post a new album of photos from the trip over. It will take me a few hours tonight, so it should be on the website tomorrow.
Meanwhile, a huge thanks to Devi for maintaining this website each day and posting my logs so that everyone could follow along. Devi - I
owe you big time!!
08/04/06:
So it's been 10 glorious days in Honolulu - the Ala Wai Yacht Basin, Hawaii Yacht Club. Folks here could not have been nicer - gracious,
friendly, fun and helpful. We met so many people who are coming and going on ocean passages - some are on their way to the South
Pacific, and some are returning home after 5 years of cruising. We learned a lot from their willingness to share their experiences. Looking
forward to staying in touch with Suzette and Paul aboard Altair, who are Seattle bound, and Denine and Andy who are headed to the
Marshall Islands aboard Rose.
We enjoyed the rhythm of yacht club life - coffee talk around the outdoor tables in the mornings from 6:30 to 8 or so with Suzette and
Denine, then boat projects, forays on the bus to West Marine or the food store, dinghy rides to the boatyard to check on parts or repairs,
lunch outside (YAY - ice cream), more chores and chatting and cold drinks, then dinner on the boat with Tethys, perhaps a guitar session
and then a bedtime shower.
Everything is on "island time" - too hot to hurry, so go slowly and enjoy the beautiful tropical setting. Heat is pretty stifling during the
afternoon, but mornings and evenings are just lovely. Went snorkeling which was very cool (many fishies) and ukulele shopping - no, I
didn't buy one - because of course the one I liked was over $400, and I know I won't play it once I leave Hawaii!
The sailomat wind vane was successfully repaired - many thanks to Charlie and Josh at the Ala Wai boat yard for doing such a good job in
a timely fashion. Also, Stellan Knoos, the owner of Sailomat deserves all my gratitude and amazement, since he sent me parts from Sweden
while he was on holiday - and even scrounged up a slightly used part that was no longer available new.
Tethys new crew arrived - First Mate Lynn and learners MaryBeth and Cathy. Everyone has sailed with Nancy before, so it's been a fun
transition. Looking forward to radio time with both boats again. Also looking forward to faster email courtesy of Ron and sailmail. He got me
going at 4000 bytes per minute instead of 200. Quite a difference!!
Joe, the yacht club Port Captain, has been particularly gracious and entertaining. I love watching him move boats around, keeping many
people happy here at the dock. Not an easy job, and he does it without raising his voice (quite a feat when helping new people dock every
day). I will miss his wit and wry perspective.
So Majig and I are gearing up to leave tomorrow or Sunday for Hanalei Bay on the island of Kauai. Hanalei is mentioned in Puff the Magic
Dragon. We have enough snack food to sail to the East Coast, so this should be a fun trip. I am so relieved to have already had a
wonderful passage, so that I know so much more of what to expect. I am in awe of Leslie and Jude, who joined me when I had no experience
at ocean passages - just a lot of ideas, and a desire to try it. Their faith and support and positive attitudes made it all happen.
Next post will be from sea or Hanalei Bay - Aloha til then!!
08/05/06:
We decided to leave tomorrow (Sunday) as the seas are "lumpy" today - 11 foot waves from the east and 4 foot swells from the south. Not
dangerous, but a bit uncomfortable. We spent today stowing food, water and fuel and doing lots of little things which are much easier at
dock instead of offshore. Really looking forward to Hanalei Bay and maybe swimming at anchor. Nancy, Lynn Cathy and Maribeth have
been doing boat projects on Tethys all day too - amazing how much there is to do!! We are going to enjoy teasing each other on the radio
all the way home. I told Nancy if I beat her, I am going to go toilet paper her house (I know, it's so high school!) - just because she is now
openly mocking me about getting here first!!
08/07/06, 08/08/06 :
22 12.622N 159 30.218 W
Aloha from Hanalei Bay!! We are in the most gorgeous anchorage - palm trees, cliffs with waterfalls, outrigger canoes, surf, sun and a
nearly full moon. It is truly Bali Hai!! We spent today (Tuesday) relaxing and going in to town to eat. We swam and showered, enjoyed the
beach, met some nice folks, and mostly enjoyed hanging out together with Tethys crew, since we will be hanging out by radio after today.
We got here at 3pm yesterday, after a pretty rough passage. It wasn't a bad sail - 10 - 20 knots on a beam or broad reach. We sailed with
one reef in the main, and our regular jib. Stella (the wind vane steering system) behaved beautifully and Stanley (autopilot) did his part
while we motorsailed. Quite a relief to have those two working well. Unfortunately the waves, while not that big, were mixed up, so it was a
rough passage on our stomachs. Luckily we knew it would only take us a day, and it did - 22 hours total. So we earned a couple of nights
here in paradise!!
We are leaving tomorrow late morning for Seattle - heading north to get above the high, then west towards home. I am so happy to be
doing this passage with Sharon (Majig), we've been friends for over 30 years now, and it feels great to have this adventure together.
8/9/06 - 8/11/06:
8/10 - 24 25 N 159 04 W 8/11 – 26 26 N 159 11W
All's well - making good speed due north. First days always queasy - but we are all fine. Tethys is doing ok too - they are just a few miles
ahead. Will write more later - when our stomach's settle down!!
8/12/06 - 8/13/06:
8/12 - 28 38 N 159 22 W 8/13 – 30 30 N 159 23 W
We are still sailing north on a close reach - less bumpy today, and over the 3 day hump for seasickness. Both of us are feeling good -
Sharon has been eating ok for the past 2 days, and I finally got hungry last night and had the best bowl of chicken noodle soup ever!!
Spent today trying to clean up and do all the things we let slide for the first 3 days. There is salt everywhere from the constant spray. We
are slowly gaining on it!!
Making good time north - 2 degrees per day or more, 500 miles in 4 days. Tethys is just 30 miles ahead. We talk 4 times daily. They are all
also feeling much better today. It's hot and sticky here - still in the tropics - but at least the rain squalls (10 minute showers) and splashes
aren't cold!!
It's been sunny and blue with puffy clouds during the day, and several hours of bright beautiful moonlight each night. Sharon has seen
several "Moonbows" and lots of shooting stars this week. All is well!!
8/14/06:
32 20 N 159 32 W
We're still heading north with a purpose!! Eating more food and enjoying the days. Occasional things to fix, clean, etc keep us busy.
Thanks to everyone who's been emailing - we are receiving them, just too bumpy still to spend a lot of time at the computer. We mostly
hang out in the cockpit - still warm, though I'm thinking about wearing shoes tonight!! Sharon and I are in an easy rhythm here on the boat -
old friends are the best! Tethys is doing fine also -still talk with them 4x a day. Always great to hear their cheerful voices!
8/15/06:
34 03 N 158 49 W
Greetings Landlubbers, after a very entertaining night at sea! Boy, you don't see light shows like that on land!! 4 or more hours of heat
lightening, followed by 4 hours of downpour. Let's just say the salt is washed off the boat!! Still had nice winds through most of the night, so
it wasn't scary to sail in, just brilliant lights and lots of warm rain.
We are even with Santa Barbara now - working our way north, and a little east. Tethys is about 35 miles ahead - still doing well, and having
similar rain and light shows last night. Both boats are finding lots of little things to keep us busy - today I am rehanging the radar reflector,
which chafed through it's line late last night. There's always something to tighten, re-tie or dry off! Our foul weather gear kept us
comfortable last night, but we still have clothes and towels hanging down the center of the cabin, trying to dry before the next rain squall.
We heard from Altair today(Paul & Suzette) - they are at 45N, 155 W with their bow aimed east at Seattle for the first time! We hope to be
turning east soon too!
8/16/06:
35 44 N 158 42 W
Well, a quiet night of good rest for the crew of Fraid Knot! Today is sunny and warm with moderate breezes and puffy white clouds. Good
stargazing last night and NO rain - not even a little mist - to dampen the cockpit. Today's chores include bravely opening the meat cooler to
see what has survived these tropical days and nights...it's a bit scary, but we will face it down!!
As we approach the center of the high pressure, winds calm down and the amount of stuff in the water increases. One of the great
treasures of sailing this passage is to find a glass fishing ball (from Japan). They have been floating around in the high for decades, since
the new floats are all plastic. Cathy and Maribeth have seen 2 so far, floating by Tethys. We haven't seen any yet, but we have our net at
the ready in the cockpit!
Tethys sounds in good spirits, now that they've dried out from the downpours. We are all proceeding along our individual journeys,
together - if that makes any sense.
8/17/06:
37 18 N 157 50 W
Good Morning from a balmy Pacific. Light winds and waves, a lot of blue sky and a wandering albatross to keep us company this morning!
Had a misty, but fairly easy night after a very successful day of boat projects. We are especially grateful that the meat cooler was not
spoiled, and we have lots of new items on the menu now! Last night we cooked up all the ground beef - and had yummy taco salads. I
finally got the radar reflector rehung the way I wanted to (3rd time's a charm) so I'm hoping to be done with that project for a while!
Our faithful watch commander (alarm) who we named Barbra on the trip to Hawaii has retired from performing, for the time being. No
amount of rewiring seems to be working this time. We have a battery clock alarm as a backup, but we will miss Barbara's cheerful little
voice! SHe just got so soaked with salt spray for this first week, poor thing!
Speaking of salt spray, we have declared this to be boat and crew Personal Hygiene Day! Baths all around!! Can't wait to be clean and get
my hair out of this rat's nest. Tethys had bath day yesterday - all's well there.
8/18/06:
37 41 N 156 30 W
Another beautiful day in the Pacific - we're heading east in light winds, trying to cross 155 West before we get to 40 North. Sharon has a lot
of fun trying to get the boat to certain latitudes and longitudes - it's a game for her. Right now the wind is out of the north, so we go east!
We saw a family of dolphins yesterday morning - right after I sent my log. They played with us for 10 minutes or so, then sped off. We are
so slow and lumbering in comparison to them, they must stop and play with us out of pity! We had an easygoing day - had warm showers
from our sun shower, got my hair unmatted and clean, ate snacks and drank sodas like we were on vacation! After dinner the wind shifted,
so we went to a port tack (alert the media!), heading east through the night and morning. Our other excitement was radio talk with Leslie -
great to hear her voice again out here on the big blue!
The stars showed off their full brilliance last night - no wonder the ancient mariners made up stories about them, they are so omnipresent
out here in the night, doing their dance across the sky.
8/19/06:
38 22 N 155 04 W
A welcome breeze just kicked in, moving us along nicely at 5 knots or so, after a couple of slower days. We had dolphins again this
morning, keeping us company along our way north and east. Sharon took lots of pictures, which always turn out being closeups of water,
since the dolphins move too fast for the camera! I learned this lesson with seals and otters - never gotten one on film!!
Yesterday was calm, so it became boat project day - I spent the morning in the hold with manuals and boat maintenance books trying to
figure out an occasional noise we hear when motoring. We had picked up a huge clump of line a week ago - and had cut it loose, but I
wanted to be sure nothing was still hanging on under there, so I went for a quick swim to look under the boat. I was all tethered in, and
Sharon had the safety line, and the whole process only took a few minutes. Prop and strut were clear, so I can quit worrying about that!
Getting in the water felt like a big deal, even for a waterfront director, but there was little time to celebrate, because, then I noticed the lower
mast spreader was loose. So after some strategy consultations on the radio with Tethys and Altair, up the mast I went! I only had to go up
less than half way (18-20 feet), and Sharon is the climbing/belaying expert, so I wasn't nervous - just hoping to get it fixed before we ran out
of daylight. After about 45 minutes, it was another job done! So I had a very exciting day - this is what a calm sea sometimes brings!
So, I'm hoping to enjoy the breeze and sail today!!
Tethys is still 50 miles ahead, and scouting the winds for us! They sound happy on the radio - we are approaching the half way point, and
spirits seem good.
8/20/06:
38 56 N 152 58 W
It's Sunday morning here, and we are trying to have a restful weekend! We had an afternoon of light winds and motoring yesterday -
probably more of the same today. We are nearing the center of the high - notorious for light winds. We expect to motor through as much of
it as we can.
Yesterday, Sharon made brownies, which dominated our lazy afternoon! The smell! The taste! The sugar rush! The food coma! Yum!
Today we should pass the half way mark, so it's steak for dinner! I am attempting crossword puzzles today - a first for the passage, since
reading can make me queasy. But it's Sunday, and I'd like to try!
Tethys hit their halfway point yesterday and had a celebratory dinner. We spoke with Altair also, and they are getting some brisk winds on
the beam, taking them towards Neah Bay and Seattle. They had a few days of fog, so they were happy to be moving and seeing where they
are going!
Thanks to all who have emailed us - we are enjoying the news from home. I have learned not to plan when we are going to "get there", but I
am looking forward to seeing everyone in Seattle and enjoying the beautiful northwest September.
8/21/06:
38 48 N 150 45 W
Just a quick note today, as the seas are abeam and the ride a bit lumpy! We are still making good progress east under sail. All's well on
Tethys and we are happy to follow her through the high. An albatross kept us company for much of yesterday, which was cloudy. I put on
jeans for the first time...we must be out of the tropics now!
8/22/06:
38 04 N 148 52 W
We are still heading east with good winds towards the high pressure system. The ride is a bit wavy, but not too bad. Sun and clouds, some
squalls overnight - a little bit of everything! We're hoping to do some cleaning and organizational chores today - time to find our warmer
clothes and put away the hawaiian shirts!
Starting to think about life back on land now - we hope to be ashore by Labor Day Weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody and
crabbing and even going to work!! I also want to sail to Vashon and Blake this fall, and do some beach fires at Golden Gardens. Hope
everyone is well at home, and enjoying their summertime!
8/23/06:
39 35 N 148 31 W
We are in high pressure land now - calm seas, blue skies and light winds. We are motoring as much as we can, but have to be careful not
to overdo our engine or fuel resources. As has been the case, we must be patient! Luckily the calm seas means we have our appetites
back! It's good to enjoy food again. A small group of dolphins came by to check on us this morning - 5 or so of them doing great
synchronized swimming - dives in unison, playing in the bow wake, etc. Such a fun sight and a great way to start the day.
Tethys is motoring ahead of us - they are also enjoying the calmer seas. No rain squalls last night - a nice change of pace - especially for
Sharon, who always seems to get the rain. The stars were in full power last night - as bright as I've seen them. I also saw 3 shooting stars!
The shorts are away for good now - it's jeans and long pants - but, it is warm enough today to be in a t-shirt! The sun feels good, after a
couple of cloudy days...
8/24/06:
40 58 N 146 41 W
Hi everyone, from the center of a big fat high pressure system. No wind, no waves - we are motoring along northeast, heading straight for
Neah Bay and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We had a good day yesterday - changed out headsails to the larger jib (in case we get light
winds), had hot showers (yea for sun showers and extra fresh water) and had steak for dinner. Tonight we are talking to Seattle friends on
the SSB radio, thanks to Debbie and Scott. Really looking forward to it!
Our friends Paul and Suzette on Altair are only 150 miles from land (Neah Bay) - they are getting so close, it's very exciting! Tethys
continues her beeline home as well - motoring out in front of us. So we all are making our way across the Pacific. We have come over 1800
miles since leaving Honolulu, and have 1050 to go...we'll be less than a thousand miles by tonight - it's very exciting to watch the numbers
go down!!
8/25/06:
42 13 N 144 37 W
We are under sail this morning, after 2 straight days of motoring. Feels nice to be heeled over a bit, and quiet! We had a warm, easy day
yesterday - I even got out my shorts again! Saw 2 ships - both in daylight - and did some cleaning stuff. The dolphins were back this
morning - maybe they brought us the wind!
Tried to talk to Seattle last night on the radio - we could hear them as clear as a bell, but they couldn't hear us. Still, it was great to hear
voices from home - Leslie, Susan, Scott and Debbie, and Sue Hoover! What a treat! I'm especially happy that Sue has her boat in salt
water now, after a year in Lake Union - way to go! We're going to try to talk again on Sunday - hopefully it will be better reception.
Suzette and Paul on Altair should be sighting land today - we are so excited for them!! They are going to stay in my slip at Shilshole (O-58)
for a few days when they get to Seattle - I'm so happy to be able to help a little as they transition back to their land life - they've been
cruising for 5 years! They plan on arriving at Shilshole on Sunday afternoon.
As for our journey - we crossed 42 North this morning, and broke 1000 miles to go last night at dinnertime!
8/26/06:
43 43 N 142 43 W
Another night spent motoring - we are really hoping for wind today! Not much new here, we're fine - 800 miles to go! Yesterday's highlight -
chicken enchiladas for dinner!! Yum! We also saw 2 container ships, and talked with one of them for a while. He was headed for China, and
was quite funny. He said he'd be sure to avoid us, because he didn't want us to hurt him...meanwhile, he was HUGE and going 25 knots! He
wished us well and zoomed off into the sunset.
8/27/06:
44 39 N 140 15 W
We're sailing again!! As of 5am this morning, we have 10-12 knots of wind from the south. We're making 6 knots, with the wind and waves
on our stern!
All's well here. We're troubleshooting a funny battery charging quirk, so I'm keeping power usage to a minimum as a precaution (even
though my voltmeter says everything is fine, the charging meter is on the fritz). Still beautiful weather, and we're on schedule at 120 miles a
day! Less than 700 miles to go!
We'll be thinking of Altair making her way to Shilshole today, and the gang sailing with Leslie on Blue this afternoon. Looking forward to the
radio call at 8:15pm Seattle time tonight. Happy sailing everyone!
8/28/06:
45 13 N 137 29 W
550 miles to go! Brisk NW winds are keeping us on a beam reach straight towards home. Our stomachs are better, but we are still tired
from the night watch. Had a great radio call last night - great to hear your voices. OK - back to the cockpit for now!!
8/29/06:
46 09 N 134 24 W
Another blustery day at sea - good for our sailing mileage - not so good on our stomachs. Only 420 miles to go! We're ok, just can't write
much in this weather. Talk to you tomorrow!!
8/30/06:
46 32 N 131 54 W
310 miles to go, and we woke to a calmer, sunnier day - yea!! Last night was also pleasant - stars on watch for the first time in a few days.
We are trying to clean up and eat well today - after 3 days of queasiness. Hoping to get to Neah BAy Friday night. Tethys should get there
tonight. We're getting very excited!
8/31/06:
47 18 N 129 07 W
Happy Birthday Sharon!! For her birthday, Sharon got a beautiful day yesterday, filled with food, drink and sunshine - and no seasickness.
We had a great day - cleaned up ourselves and the boat, and enjoyed the sunny skies and calmer seas. Unfortunately, we had bad radio
propagation last night and couldn't chat with Debbie, Scott and Leslie. Tethys should be at Neah Bay - we'll chat with them in a few hours.
We started off the birthday today with the most beautiful sunrise of the trip! Both Sharon and I took pictures as our watch shift changed.
Now we are looking for whale spouts on the way in the straits...Nancy saw a bunch of them 2 days ago. We are 190 miles from land as of
9am...another calm sunny day of motoring, so far. We're getting very close!!!
9/1/06:
47 57.5 N 126 18 W
70 miles to go!! We had a brisk night of sailing - 15 to 20 knots of wind, so we could make good time without using the engine. Went past a
fleet of smallish fishing trawlers - who ignored us - and saw lots of stars. Another beautiful sunrise and now we are motor sailing into about
10 knots of wind. We should arrive Neah Bay around midnight. We plan to dock and sleep there, and then fuel up and go down the straits
Saturday morning. We are eager to get home!!
9/2/06: LAND HO!!!!!
48 22 N 124 37 W
Sharon spotted land at around 2pm yesterday, although I wasn't so sure for a few hours! But her eagle eyes were right, it WAS a mountain,
not just another cloud!! We pushed hard for Cape Flattery and Neah Bay, trying to get in before the forcasted 25 MPH winds (in our face)
and small craft advisory. Everyone who sent us good karma came through big time, because it was calm for the last 10 miles, when it had
been gusting to 30 just a few hours earlier! We motored in to Neah Bay and docked at 11:15pm local time - 23 days, 8 hours after leaving
Kauai. We went to bed immediately!! (Didn't even go to land).
Got up this morning and walked on land, paid for the moorage, got a real cup of coffee, got rid of the garbage, fueled up and motored out
at 8:45am. We had 12.5 gallons of fuel left in our tanks (we left Hawaii with 112 gallons). Now we are motoring east in a calm Strait of Juan
de Fuca towards Port Angeles. We are staying there tonight - should arrive around 7pm. Then it'll be 60 miles home to Shilshole Marina
tomorrow (Sunday).
It's a gorgeous morning here - the misty light showing off all the contours of the Olympic mountains and Vancouver Island. We are quite
happy!!
| Seattle To Hawaii - June 22 to July 26th, 2006 |
| Hawaii to Seattle - August 4th to September 2nd 2006 |