Pacific Crossing Recap of ‘Musings by Shar’

If you followed our progress across the Pacific on Predict Wind then you can ignore this post-unless you want to see a few pho that I added here. Otherwise, the posts are the same.

April 13 Day 1 Weevils on Board

Leaving Banderas Bay (La Cruz) for the last time. And to make it a memorable experience weevils decided to grace us with their presence in our oatmeal container. So I did what any prudent sailor would do. I added the liquid I needed to the oatmeal and scooped them out as they floated to the top. I must admit, I didn’t enjoy my breakfast as much as I usually do. 

Song to match this circumstance: ‘Enjoy the Humour of the Situation’ by Bare Naked Ladies 

April  14 Day 2 The Dreaded Boat Visitor

Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Rolly Seas came for a visit. He shook the boat and rattled my insides. When he arrives, he usually brings along his annoying and unwanted friend, Seasickness. How I dread this visitor. I use all the necessary precautions to ward it off. But it doesn’t always take the hint.

Seeing as it wouldn’t leave today, I had no choice but to invite it in. Unfortunately, it only wants to visit with me and no one else on the boat. I threw it up, I mean out, a few times but to no avail. I finally went to bed hoping it would be gone when I woke up. But it just lingered at the door waiting for me to get up. When I did get up, it pounced, eager at the chance to continue its visit. It finally left today mid-morning, but the visit has left a sour taste in my mouth. It is a nauseating visitor but one with which I have had to make my peace.

Song to match this situation : ‘Shake, Rattle, and Roll’ by Bill Haley and the Comets

April 15 Day 3 Are We There Yet?

We figured that sailing from point A to B  will be the equivalent distance of driving across Canada, but we will be going at 10-11 km/hour!

Song to match this bit of trivia: ‘Time to Kill’ by The Band

April 16 Day 4 Almost a Catastrophe

We almost had to call the whole trip off this morning when Rob couldn’t make coffee. He discovered the stove wouldn’t light. Luckily, he was able to locate the problem. A wire had come lose on the propane tank. A quick reattachment of the wire and life was back on an even keel once more. 

Song to match the possible catastrophe (from Rob’s perspective): Java Jive by The Ink Spots

April 17 Day 5 Wind

Wind is something of which I have never been fond. It messes with your hair, dries out your skin, is often cold, and blows sand in your face and food at the beach. So why did I choose a mode of transport that requires wind? I guess I see it as a means to an end. I have always wanted to see the South Pacific islands and what better way to do it than in my own home using wind for propulsion.

Additionally, having no access to the internet out here, I’m hoping the wind can answer all the questions I have. After all, rumour has it, there are many answers just blowing in the wind. I’ll think of it as my own little internet.

Song to match my inquisitiveness: ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ by Bob Dylan

April 18 Day 6 Deck Buckets

A few weeks ago our dearly beloved deck bucket became our dearly departed deck bucket while we were staying in a marina. It had history with the Cormack family as it had belonged to Rob’s dad. We figured it must have been at least 30 years old. It was a deck bucket to end all deck buckets. Strong and sturdy. 

I found $1.00 bucket at the local market and reinforced it by drilling holes on each side, putting a rope through them, and encasing the original handle with the rope. It was tested and passed the muster. Not as good as the original but it would have to do. 

Sadly, today this almost as dearly beloved bucket went overboard. All the ‘Man Overboard’ procedures were to no avail.

Song to match all dearly departed deck buckets everywhere: ‘Taps’ by ??

April 21 Day 9 Rain

For more than 9 months (since before leaving Canada), we have not seen rain. And now, just before I started to write this post, it started raining. Wow! What a great feeling. I’m guessing this isn’t exciting for those of you on the west coast.  But here, where it is wam and it has been such a long time since seeing and feeling rain, it is a welcome sight. It will be able to wash the decks, windows, canvas, ropes, etc. If we were short on water it could fill our tanks. And it is happening just at that magical time of dawn. It feels so nice to see the rain…no…wait…don’t stop…no…come BACK!

Songs to match the very short lived euphoric feeling: ‘Let it Rain’ by Amanda Marshall; ‘Singing in the Rain’ sung by Gene Kelley

April 23 Day 11 Broken cable

Our boat is sailing along nicely again, albeit slightly wounded, after spending the last two days reattaching one of the cables (shrouds) that helps hold the mast up, I guess that broken piece of metal we found on the deck a few days ago WAS important. 

Rob was the hero and ‘volunteered’ (as the fearless captain) to be hoisted halfway up the mast to do the job. We idled the boat to do the work. It took about 6 hours and 5 trips up the mast over two days. He was bashed around pretty good and has many bruises as mementos.  I don’t know if he was more scared or more frustrated having to work in less than an ideal situation.  

It still is not quite tight enough but it should do to get us there. We are sailing conservatively so it probably will take us longer than planned by 2-3 days. So much for a passage with no problems.

Song title to match the job: ‘Handy Man’ by James Taylor

PS. I do find you handsome, Rob.

April 24 Day 12 Night Watch

Because our sailboat is on the move 24/7, someone always has to be on watch. At night, to get some sleep, we do three hour watches. More bodies means less night watches per person. So a big shout out to Mike for volunteering to join us on the longest leg of our journey and make less watches for us!

Sailing at night, in the middle of the ocean, under the moon and stars, is a magical experience-if you don’t mind being on a boat at night in the middle of the ocean!

I suppose you could feel a bit lonely,,,..on a boat at night in the middle of the ocean. But most nights the moon drifts by for a visit and creates a beautiful moon river reflection on the water. Thanks for keeping me company, my huckleberry friend.

Song to match the view: ‘Moon River’ by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer

April 27 Day 15 Drifters

The Doldrums, as they are so commonly known, is an area close to the equator where different weather patterns converge. As a sailor, it can have very little wind for long stretches of time (days). It can also have intense wind for short stretches of time (5-15 minutes). Its official name is the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The challenge is to find and cross at the narrowest (no wind) spot with the least amount of time spent drifting. As an added challenge, a purist sailor would try to sail through without using the engine. I think we are doing ok with the narrowest spot challenge. But the purist sailor challenge? And drifting away for days? Let’s just say our engine is on.

Song to match the location: ‘Drift Away’ by Dobie Gray

April 29 Day 17 Cheers!

As we sail southwest across the Pacific Ocean, contemplating the mysteries of the universe (OK, not really but maybe we should be), our latitude and longitude are constantly changing. Yesterday, we hit the milestone latitude of zero degrees-the equator. Tradition dictates that you toast/offer something to the Greek god of the sea, King Neptune, when crossing the equator. It only seems fitting we did so with a Hoyne Dark Matter beer, as the following is written on the can. 

“Deep inside the Hadron Collider, physicists hurdle subatomic particles with lightning speed on a collision course at each other. They do so in the pursuit of Pure Science in the hope of one day being able to unlock the mystery of the elusive unseen fabric upon which our universe is embroidered: Dark Matter.”

Cheers, King Neptune!

Song to match geographical position: ‘Changes in Latitudes’ by Jimmy Buffett

May 5 Day 23 An Anniversary Memory

Happy Anniversary, Rob. Thanks for helping to make this sailing dream a reality, no matter how difficult it has sometimes been. Today, to make it a memorable anniversary, the southern seas decided to help out by christening our boat with a big glass of smoothie all over the galley floor. It wasn’t my fault. It was a stupid, dumb, frustrating, awful, maddening, nauseating, and did I mention stupid wave. I thought I was going to complete the passage with no galley incidences. I think not now. I guess something like this was bound to happen. I am ready to be on land or at anchor to get some relief from this constant washing machine existence. Only two more days I hope. 

Song to match my frustration: ‘Pick Yourself Up’ by Diana Krall

May 6 Day 24 A Perfect Ending

I’m on my last night watch before we reach the Marquesas in French Polynesia. It’s magical. A full moon in a clear night sky, 12-14 knots of wind with calm seas, warm air blowing, and I’m not seasick. Here’s to our Pacific Ocean crossing. Cheers!

Song to match the last night watch: ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ by the Eagles

Special thanks to Rob for getting us here.

Mike Cormack, an invaluable third crew member on this trip.

Mike Danielson who supported and reassured us as our weather router.

Tributes to singers/songwriters who passed away while we were on this passage:

Harry Belafonte who was famous for the song, ‘The Banana Boat Song’ (Day-O)

Gordon Lightfoot who was famous for the song, ‘The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald’

May 7 Day 24.5 Land Ho!

We made it just before day 25 ticked over. Early morning arrival at Hana Moe Noa on Tahuata, a couple hours sail from the main town of Atuona on Hiva Oa. We were greeted by dolphins on the way there. Water is beautiful as opposed to harbour water where customs is so we came here first. The swim felt amazing!

Song title to match our destination: ‘Looks Like We Made It’ by Barry Manilow

Water temp 29 C (85 F)

Air temp in boat: 31.5 C (89 F)

Miles travelled: 3025