Our Passage from Hawaii to Port Townsend

Tom described our passage back to the Pacific Northwest as "a little of everything".  75 hours of motoring due to no wind (that's a lot), A day of 25-35 knots of wind and big seas.  And some perfect sailing weather, too.  These are the entries we posted (with pictures added) on the Farkwar website while we were underway.

There are 6 entries for you to follow our 23 day / 2300 mile passage from Hanalei Bay, Kauai to Port Townsend, Washington.

Day 4  -Begone's Update - Saturday, June 27, 2015

We're in Day 4 of our 2300 mile sail back to the mainland after leaving Hanalei Bay, Kauai Wednesday 6/24/15 at 1:00 PM local time.  The ENE trade wind was well established and we were able to sail out on a nice close reach (013 degrees) on 15-20 knots of breeze.  Just perfect - well for about 5 hours.

Then the wind and seas picked up and sent us into our first night at sea on an E-Ticket ride.  Wind around 25-30 kts still from ENE, 8 ft. seas that broke over the deck with a vengeance.  Not much rest for any of us.  Begone didn't much care about all that, she just sped along at 6-7 knots.  We found a few leaks -- but nothing too annoying and they apparently only show up with she's under "pressure washer" forces.

The wind settled back down and we have enjoyed 5-6 knots of boat speed until last night when we had to revert to motorsailing on an off to keep our boat speed around 4 knots.  We're trying to get to the Low pressure system that will catapult us up and over the Pacific High.

We'll see if it works!

On Thursday afternoon, we were contacted on VHF Radio by the US Coast Guard and the Navy who were clearing the area for maneuvers.  Wait till you see the pictures of the Coast Guard's C130 airplane on a fly-by at mast level !!

We are buddy boating with David Boyer and his crew Mike aboard the Crealock 37 "Papallion II”.  We met Dave in Hilo and have enjoyed his Canadian company in Honolulu and Hanalei Bay.  We are well matched boats (except he has more fuel so motors faster and we're lighter and sail faster).  We talk via SSB in the morning about weather and evening just to check in.

All's good.  Only 1,925 miles to the Pacific Northwest!

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Day 7

July 1, 2015 - Happy Canada Day!

We're sailing along at about 6 knots on a broad reach on a bunch of wind that has rarely gotten below 20 knots with just a double reefed mainsail.  Our course if 50 degrees True and we're heading straight for Queen Charlotte Sound...only problem is this big High Pressure system between us and there ... we'll have to decide what to do about going over it or through it in 4 or 5 days. Hoping for it will move south or that there will be a "parting of the Red Sea".  This 20 knot wind started yesterday afternoon just as the GRIB weather files indicated and looks like the overcast skies, rain and breeze will be with us for awhile.  But isn't that we should expect in the Pacific Northwest?  And we're glad it's taking us where we'd like to be going!

Minestrone Soup was last nights dinner.  Ginger Beef Stir fry for tonight! 

The boats doing great, we're doing great. 1500 miles to go to land fall! 

Again, Happy Canada Day!

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Day 10 - Happy 4th of July!

July 4th, 2015 -- Happy Independence Day!

Only 1190 miles left in our trip to the Pacific Northwest.  We're enjoying 15 knots of breeze from the South/SE, calm seas, 6 knots of boat speed on a starboard broad reach.  The skies have gotten sunny, there's a bit moisture in the air - which is very good for keeping a lovely completion, but not as good for drying laundry.  

We'll hit our half way point sometime tomorrow (it would have been yesterday or today but we have to sail over top the Pacific High weather "hole" (no wind in the middle).  It's been much further North and stationary than in my past 2 trips across -- and it just doesn't want to split up or move south.  But the 5 day forecasts are showing it changing - so wish us some nice wind to fill in on the north side! 

We're doing lots of reading and eating well and catching up on each others life stories -- often prompted by the books we're reading. Right now, I'm reading "Unbroken".  And just finished "Stones from the River".  Both are about people facing WWII -- the first was fighting in the Pacific Ocean.  The second a story of a young German girl - a dwarf - and her struggles/life as she deals with her differences and WWII in her small German town.   Tom's reading "Sex Lives of Cannibals".  And Vicky "The Cellist of Sarajevo".  And we've all enjoyed "The Boys in the Boat".

And we're eating very well -- much of our fresh veggies are coming to an end but we have plenty of other good stuff. Tonight will be Fillet of Beef with Lumpy Mash Potatoes in honor of 4th of July.  After reading about Japan and Germany for the past while, I'm sure glad to have been born and live in the USA.

Sure hope you all will have a great day today celebrating Independence Day.

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Day 14 - only 900 miles to the mainland

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Greetings all,

We're just enjoying a nice day as a motor boat gracing through what is left of the middle of a Pacific High on calm seas with not much wind.  Looks like we'll have a couple days with the noise maker substituting for the wind before the breeze from the north Low starts filling in.  At night, the moon leaves a long path of light on the still water.  Quite beautiful.

We talk to a freighter or two each night thanks to the AIS warning system that notifies us that another AIS equipped vessel is within 10 miles.  We can see the name of the ship, their speed and bearing to us. 

We call them by ship name on Channel 16 since we have no AIS transmitter for them to see little us (we don't show on their radar unless they're looking for us). 

Interestingly, Vicky and Suzanne receive a quick response for the English speaking officer on board.  "Are you the Officer?  Are you a girl?"  And then they ask to go to channel 06 to learn about us and where we're going and how big is our "ship".  And then they chart our location on their radar and promise to steer clear of us!

We've been thrilled with Begone's ability to sail in light winds.  Last night I watched the 3 knots of breeze "pipe up" to 6 knots.  Trimmed the sails and on a beam reach she was making 4 knots. Sailed for over an hour the first time and almost 2 hours a little later on.  We have a little less than 300 hours of fuel aboard so it great to be able to stretch it. 

Route update:  We decided to sail into Port Townsend through the Straits of Juan de Fuca instead of the scenic (and now we understand smoky) northern route through Queen Charlotte Sound.  We'll save northern BC for when we feel we have more time and the right clothes for the Pacific Northwest wilderness (Hawaiian shirts - in Port Hardy???) 

Course: 055 True

Speed:  4.5 km/hr. motoring

Distance to Landfall:  900 miles

Tonight's menu is Veggie, Salami and SPAM (for Tom) Pizzas (thanks to Betsy for the Boat friendly bread/pizza dough recipe) we're celebrating our halfway mark with a party for the 3rd night in a row!

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Day 21

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

"I'm sailing. I'm a sailor. I sail." (Bill Murray in "What about Bob?")

After 75 hours and almost 700 miles of motoring we're finally sailing again!  The typical weather patterns for this passage just didn't form so for the past 3 days there was only 0-4 knots of wind anywhere within 150 miles of us.  We're grateful for Tom's fuel management strategy and Begone's Yanmar ability to sip fuel when motoring in flat calm seas at 1400 RPMs.  We made 4 knots at 1400 RPMs (so much nicer than drifting!!!) -- and then this afternoon on Vicky's watch, the breeze filled to 7 knots and we're now sailing at 5.5 knots straight to the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Caught a 30 lb. Charlie Albacore Tuna!!! Tom set out the line, Vicky dragged it in, Suzanne took the pics!  It was delicious sashimi, seared, baked!!!

On this leg -- it's 2100 miles completed -- 177 miles to go to the entrance of the Straits. 

Then another ~80 miles to Port Townsend.  Yippee Skippee.  Looking forward to seeing friends, touring and cruising to the San Juan Islands -- AFTER we get showers, laundry done, and clean & polish Begone inside and out! 

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Day 22 & 23 - Begone made it to Port Townsend, WA

Friday morning, July 17, 2015

It's now almost noon and we've checked into the Point Hudson Marina, Port Townsend - had coffee, breakfast, showers and mounded a huge pile of laundry.

Our last couple days of the sail to Washington included mild broad reach sailing, pea soup fog, motoring, and a threat of gale force winds and they joys of dodging freighters, cruise ships, fishing trawlers and tug boats in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  We were grateful for the AIS and radar and "seeing eye bitchie's" eagle eyes. 

We saw land early Thursday morning after 22 days at sea.  We pulled into Neah Bay for fuel just before noon.  Then headed straight onto Port Townsend for an overnight sail.  Arrived in at 7:00 AM and after we checked in, Vicky overheard the office tell someone there were no more slips...lucky us!

We're looking forward keeping Begone here for a couple weeks here in Port Townsend, then a road trip up to Whistler with our friend, Don Morton, a visit to Victoria and Seattle, and sailing up to Lopez Island and Lummi Island to visit friends.

Gee, it's great to be here safe, sound and still enjoying each other!  More adventures to follow.

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