mauivic.html

My journey to Hawaii and back

- including some notes on the returning journey from Maui to Victoria on board sailing vessel "Windshadow X," one of the competitors in the Victoria-Maui Race. July 2000

[I was to be a crew member helping to return a sailboat "Windshadow X" to Victoria BC Canada following its participation in the Victoria to Maui Race which is held every two years] Written by Dave Colwell

Introduction: Victoria- Maui by plane

To begin with, it was possible to get a really clear view of the Gulf islands in Georgia Strait, including the southern tip of Vancouver Island and the extending coast line of Washington state. This vista did not last long as we would soon turn out into the Pacific and on toward my destination, the island of Maui in Hawaii. Here I would start an adventure which would, hopefully, become the beginning of an exciting chapter in my life.

The going was easy- a five hour plane ride, smooth and uneventful. I was quite interested in the cloud patterns and their changing moods as we coursed south. Puffy layers of cumulus with intermittent breaks reminded me of the leads in the ice of the polar regions that are so much the scene on the air route to Europe. By looking carefully between the clouds, it was possible to see the white streaks of breaking waves where the weather was obviously rougher. As time went on, this feature became more obvious as we moved into the region where the trade winds blow relentlessly. I contemplated the immensity of this great area of our "water planet" and was awed by the upcoming task of sailing back across it from Maui to Victoria....some full 2,600 nautical miles. This was to be my first offshore experience to prepare for my change in lifestyle following retirement from 33 years of high school teaching.

My first glimpse of the Hawaiian Islands was sudden. Maui quickly loomed out of the towering white cumulonimbus cloud banks and revealed itself as a patchwork of rich red soil interspersed with lush green quilt-like patches of pineapple and sugar cane fields. The airport building and runway soon came into view below as we banked steeply. The plane's wing seemed to almost brush the vegetation, shuddering with the turbulence from the thermals rising invisibly as a result of the baking heat of the afternoon sun. We landed with no great event and taxed smoothly to the terminal building.

The blast of humid air was reminiscent of the Amazon display at our Vancouver aquarium. Since I had never been to these latitudes before, this comparison will have to suffice. It was strangely pleasant, probably because of the sweet fragrances of the various plants blowing rather violently in the steady trade winds. The palm trees were bent over and their finger-like straps were lashing randomly in the gusts. The airport employees seemed to be predominantly native Hawaiians which lent atmosphere to my first impressions.

I collected my luggage with no need of passing through customs as this had already been done in Vancouver. After making a quick enquiry about car rental procedures, I was immediately directed to a shuttle bus which took me to the dispatching office a short way from the terminal. It was getting dark which added an element of intimidation to my quest to reach Lahaina efficiently. In fact, I did get lost and the trip took me an hour longer than intended. Arriving finally was a relief as I was beginning to feel quite spent.

My hosts at the Aloha lani Inn were quite charming in their welcome and I was kindly introduced to a most delicious traditional Hawaiian dish called Lau-lau. This consists of tender roasted young pork with smoked fish rolled in spinach and sheathed with large tea leaves. Later I retired to bed but slept fitfully as I was still rather strung out from my journey.

The next day ( Sat. 8th July ) I arose at six thirty and went for a stroll on the beach before the sun showed its scorching head. Later I went on a longer hike in the hot sun to begin acclimatization to this area. It seemed to work. The rest of the day was spent getting used to the layout of this little town which was once an important part of the whaling industry in these parts. Brunch was a rather tasty hamburger and a slice of sweet pineapple. An accompanying beer was refreshing after my little stint in the sun.

I returned to the guest house after visiting the yacht club trailer to check on Windshadow's progress. Their ETA at that time was to be Tues 11th in the afternoon. In the later part of the afternoon I went for a snorkel just off the local beach and enjoyed browsing among the coral heads watching some of the local fish which were very colourful. Paul and Lane's arrival was the next day and I had arranged to pick them up at the airport at around 10 am.

Sun 9th July

Paul and Lane were accompanied by a Debbie who they had met on the plane. She had overheard their conversation about the race and had asked for a ride to Lahaina. She was to be meeting her longtime friend, a crew member aboard the sailboat Turicum. Her sense of humour was immediately obvious and we enjoyed "adopting" her for the time leading up to the boat's arrival. She and Lane both are employees of the"Save on Food" supermarket chain but we agreed to suppress shop talk as much as possible. We all explored Lahaina's "water holes" for the afternoon to let everyone unwind from their flight.

Mon 10th July

We all took a trip north to explore the coast and bays etc. We had a wonderful time snorkeling in one bay which had crystal clear water with numerous coral heads and caves rich with a great variety of colourful life. I got quite burned through not wearing a T-shirt while swimming. The evening following this had a hint of over indulgence which was duly paid for the next day.
We welcomed Turicum at 1:30 am and left Debbie with her friend. We suspected at the time that this was to be the beginning of more than just a friendship. We wished them well and were apparently not wrong in our initial hunch. The next day Debbie reported that she did not get much sleep!

Tues 11th July

On this day we had to find other accommodation for two nights. We arose rather slowly and cooked a breakfast of ham and fried eggs with sour dough toast. This was perhaps not the ideal choice to follow on from the last nights activities...ah well!

Arrangements were made to book into the Aston Maui Islander and we then proceeded to the dock to find out the progress of Windshadow.

ETA 1400
1450 Windshadow crosses the finish line.
1500 Windshadow arrives at the fuel dock where all the Vic-Maui race boats are received with great ceremony accompanied by ample food and liquid refreshment
( 2 blown spinnakers and other miscellaneous damage)

Wed 12th July

1150 Meeting with Skipper and return crew

This return trip was to be run with the emphasis on safety and teamwork. The skipper is an ex Navy S.E.A.L. with considerable ocean sailing experience and expertise.

The crew:
Ken Keith (Skipper)
Walter Clarke(Leading Assistant)
Dave Colwell
Susan Fenwick
Paul Marlatt
Angela McKenzie
Bruce McKenzie
Glen Reid
Lane Romano

We were all asked to submit an outline of our experience and on this basis the watches were arranged as follows:

0600-1200 and 1800-2400 Bruce, Glen and Walter
0000- 0600 and 1200-1800 Dave, Susan, Paul and Lane
Angela would be the Cook with Susan as a back-up. Angela would get her deck experience whenever possible.

Thurs. 13th July

Boat secured to dock after being at anchor. Several of us slept on deck and found this most comfortable.
Much of this day was spent reprovisioning. Approximately $1000 US of food was loaded and dry-ice was procured for the freezer (a home-made device constructed of styrofoam and plywood which had its place in the middle of the salon area).

Fri 14th July

Some problems surfaced which delayed our departure until Saturday morning:
- Leak in fresh water line (fixed apparently)
- Steaming and Anchor lights not working (fixed - bad bulbs)
- Grounded in dock. Rudder lifted and hydraulic linkage pin dislodged.
(This was finally fixed by machining a new bolt and nut on the other side of the island.
We have to thank Angela, Bruce and Glen for lots of running around)

Sat 15th July Departure Day
Maui - Victoria
(Notes from a crew member on board sailing vessel "Windshadow X" returning from the Victoria - Maui Race).

Note: These notes will only be references to impressions and activities on board during a six hour day watch and a six hour night watch. The other half of the crew had their own experiences . For log details see the accompanying summary sheets. All times are in Victoria Daylight Saving Time

At 1445 HST (1745 Victoria Daylight Saving Time) we slipped the dock and headed out through the narrow shallow channel which been blasted in the coral reef. The trades were blowing at 25 -30 Kts. which added to our feeling of excitement. Our long awaited journey of 2600 nm had at last begun. We motor sailed through the Pailolo channel between Maui and the island of Molokai. We had been told that this channel can be extremely rough so we were naturally expecting some kind of sea as we nosed out in to the open pacific trade winds to leave this tropical land to fade in the clouds behind us.

The waves soon became long and steady with 3-4ft easterly swell as the afternoon wore on and the light began to fade. During the raising of the blade (our working jib),I had my first interesting experience. My self inflating life jacket demonstrated all its capabilities on the foredeck as a wave swamped me while I was crawling along to untie the sail from its anchoring spot beside the rail. The crew were amused and I was very wet in my freshly donned clean shorts and T-shirt. These clothes never did dry again and ended overboard (for the sake of hygiene). In this climate we were to soon learn that micro-organisms grow very well.

During the afternoon all crew members got to try the helm to get used to its feel in relation to the action of the boat and the sea. Ken begun and continued to convey to us his passion for the interlaced rhythms of the ocean. In this way he welcomed us to"his world".

We sailed on through the night encountering several squalls. Ken hove to on the 1st. just to get us used to it. They are usually short lived with gusty wind and rain. They loom up from time to time as small "islands" of dark cloud, often in the evening and it was fun to predict whether or not they would pass by.

A word or two on sea-sickness. Only Glen had a short brush with this malady and only on this first day. We were all lucky. Each crew member took a pill for the first two days but many of us fancied that we didn't need them. Seasickness on a long voyage can be dangerous as one can become very dehydrated and in any case,"it aint fun!"

Sunday 16th July

This day was first recorded in my journal as "wonderful" and it was to be the first of so many. There was a clean blue sky with scattered cumulus clouds. The winds were blowing steadily at approximately 25 kts. with a beam sea including a 6-8ft swell. The air was warm and we all felt relaxed and so privileged to be there. We fished with an 80 ft line and squid lure tied to a cleat at the stern. It was not long before we caught three Mahi-mahis, of which we kept two for a delicious supper. These are beautiful fish to see. They are an iridescent yellow and blue with a frontally flatted head and a streamlined tuna-like body. The colours quickly fade once they are out of the water so photographing was done with due haste. Lane filleted them using his professional meat cutting skill. The flesh of this fish has a sweet tuna-like taste and is flaky in consistency.

Mon 17th July (1200-1800 watch)

The steady winds continued. The daylight hours were uneventful and much the same as the day before. Ken did try out his home -made knot meter but it was rather too buoyant so a return to the drawing board proved necessary. The night however extended toward the next morning sporting a close to full moon. It was very bright and illuminated the wind ruffled clouds against a star lit background. The waves were spangled beneath the moon as the boat joyfully sheered onward as if it knew its destination.

Tues 18th July (0000-0600 watch)

During this early morning night watch we were sailing by the pole star which was a much easier method for keeping our intended course than using the compass. It was heads up and onwards. This way we could also take in the majestic beauty of the sky (also good for posture). Soon a small squall threatened to spoil this peace but it passed by with no event. As a precaution against any more this night, we reefed the Genoa which we had been using to maintain speed.

"If you think about it, do it !"This maxim was to be reiterated several times during our journey and probably saved us from not only inconvenience but also dire consequences. This particularly applies to the early reefing of sails at the possible onset of heavy weather.

We arose for our 1200 watch after a good sleep with the offer of an unusual breakfast of green salad. My venturesome spirit clicked in and I downed it without further ado. The time of day really ceases to matter much out in the middle of a great ocean (except of course to the navigator). One watch merges into another to make one long surrealistic day. We had some more great sailing with a boat speed of 9 kts over water. We often had little competitions at the wheel to see who might break the 10 knot barrier.This was to be rare and only under later stormy conditions.

The sea had an azure blue colour which is not found in higher latitudes. It is a result of both the high angle of the sun and the acute clarity of the water. The small white caps dancing on the wave tops lent an ice-drink impression of freshness to the warm day.

There had been no boat sightings (aka "traffic") since we left Hawaiian waters which prompted the comment from one of our watch. "We own this circle of blue!"
After we caught two more mahi-mahis and released them we had a sextant lesson from Ken which was both fascinating and informative. We all found it difficult to keep the sun's image on the horizon and coordinating this with the dipping process required of the instrument. We shall need practice.

There had been an ongoing water accumulation in the bilge which was cause for concern but we now had another whaler pump installed in the cockpit which seemed to help control the situation. Paul our "fixup man" decided to keep a daily tally of the number of pump strokes required.

On a more elevating note (pardon pun please), we had seen several flying fish on this day .They leap out of the waves suddenly and glide surprizingly great distances, perhaps as much as 100 metres. Previously, one small one had even landed on the deck.Unfortunately when this happens they quickly shrivel and lose the butterfly beauty they once posessed in life.

Thurs 20th July 0000-0600 midnight watch (Oops we appear to have missed a day somewhere-never mind,carry on!)

Bella nocce! We started the watch with a full star lit sky and no moon.

All the assembled crew were briefed regarding our approach to the shipping lane between San Francisco and points west. We were instructed to watch for traffic contacts and for debris associated with the ships. Each item was to be reported to the skipper immediately along with relative bearings. The first report proved to be a false alarm as it was only the moon rising through some cloud! However this was considered to be a good practice exercise. The skipper did wryly say. "Tell me when it comes up the other side."

The wind was fair and the barometer was still slowly rising as we gracefully gained on our objective.We spent most of the watch star gazing and spotted no debris or ships. Our sail plan was a full main and reefed Genoa, We were on a starboard tack as from the start.

This was the night that I first wore my sweater under my sailing suit. Alas we appeared to have left the tropics

The daylight 1200 watch was a relaxing day, monitoring debris and writing our journals on deck. We referered to the cockpit as our "teak beach." The distance covered at this point was 767.9 nm and we had chicken stir fry for supper. The next time we would have this dish would be under different circumstances.

At the end of this watch the wind dropped and we changed to the 150 Genoa, our largest sail.
These sail changes require efficient teamwork which involves untying the one to be hoisted and then tying down the dropped sail. Often the larger sails are hard to hoist especially under load.
Putting the luff into the headstay slot, the tying, hoisting and helm control, all have to be be coordinated. This often had to be done in the dark, quickly and often several times in a single watch.All this might even be combined with a single or double reefing of the mainsail.Whenever one sail was switched with another the sheets also had to be changed. We soon became adept at tying bowlines with one hand in the dark.The foredeck of any sailing vessel is a dangerous place and all crew had to be clipped on to jacklines at all times after emerging from below.One slip could mean death as it is often very difficult to find and rescue anyone who falls overboard.After a watch of more than four such changes we would sleep well.

Fri 21st July (0000-0600 watch)

Sometimes one has to use the term "beyond description." This watch was one such time.

It was another star lit night; we were still running on the 150 and the winds were very light. There were long periods of silence as each of us retreated into personal contemplation. We watched the moon rise as we tried to keep the boat moving along. Our course was now 020-030 so we were making some easting. The peace of this night, combined with our particular place, brought a lump to my throat and a watering of my eyes. I think it was the undefinable simplicity we all felt and will all remember. Our thoughts were allowed to wander freely.

1200-1800 watch

Sun, running on engine, cleaning of the deck etc. Here was the first time we listened to music. We danced to "the Gypsy Kings" with high spirits.

At the end of this watch we turned the engine off and glancing over our shoulders we could see a classic weather sign. There were high cirrus cloud streaks radiating from the horizon toward us. This forecasted an oncoming front which would give us a strong westerly flow and probably an associated low pressure system. For the outcome we would not have to wait long.

We had a great supper of penne and the long awaited delicious sauce which Lane had so painstakingly pre-prepared in the Hotel.

Sat 22nd July (0000-0600 watch)

I climbed the companionway anticipating some fresh air. I was not disappointed because the wind was now blowing quite strongly. It was our watch's privilege to be at the very beginning of the first gale of the journey. The wind increased to 25 kts. through 30 and finally peaked at 40.

This was a ride! It became very noisy down below and the 8-10 ft swell was on the beam which caused the boat to roll considerably. We had sensibly already reefed the Main and lowered the Genoa. We had thought about it and had done it ! Two large thermoses ended their days on the galley floor and sleeping was reported difficult by the other watch who were fastened into their cocoon-like bunks. Dolphins had visited us just before we reefed and we mused at the possibility that they were trying to tell us something. In any case these animals are considered lucky omens to sailors; perhaps this is the reason why.

In our bunks most of us wear ear plugs to filter away annoying sounds of conversation and higher frequency deck noise. The lower level sources remain audible so one has an idea of what is happening. The interior of the boat has different modes of movement which parallel what is occurring outside.Sometimes when we would be moving fast, the boat would vibrate and pitch from stem to stern as if one was on very bumpy road. There would be intermittent bangs as the bow rose and fell crashing onto the incompressible brine below. At other times the ride would be soft with a slumber inducing roll and yaw. This combined with the creeks and muffled snaps of the blocks and halyards was very soporific.

We were all very much into a rhythm out there in the middle of the Pacific. There was always the "circle" which from day to day, hour to hour, changed in mood and appearance. This "fluid hologram" could, to us, never be boring. It was powerful, gentle, soothing but always deserving respect. It knitted together the great jig-saw puzzle to which we all belong. Whether I was in my bunk, at the helm or doing necessary chores, its influence could always be felt. I felt I was in the right place at that point in time and I know shall return.

1200-1800 watch

We arose to a washed cloudy sky, The wind had settled to 11kts. so we raised the 120 Genoa and shook out the two reefs in the Main. We sailed along contentedly taking our usual share at the helm. We were trying to pinch up to the north to avoid dropping too far into the high pressure system that other returning boats reported they were in. In such a place there would be very little wind and excess use of fuel would be necessary to escape.

Sun 23 rd (0000-0600 watch)

Very little good wind and certainly not in the right direction. We motored for most of this watch to keep our course on the right track. The other watch did see some albatross and twelve or so dolphins after we had gone to bed.

1200-1800 watch

We were still hoping for stronger wind but sailing on a port tack . Having heard over the side band radio that there was a Low to the north, we hoped that this would perk things up a bit.

Mon 24th (0000-0600 watch
Unstable conditions with some showers and clear patches.

1200-1800 watch

At this time we had some problem with bacteria. The eggs had begun to spoil and the remaining ham was a write off. There is only so long that these items will keep without full refrigeration resources. This boat had had battery charging deficiencies from the start; the alternator was simply not large enough to adequately keep up with the demand. Paul had taken on the responsibility of "Battery policeman" among all his other fix-up duties and was doing very well, but there is a limit.
The "High" to our south was consolidating and growing extensively. Some boats were locked in, especially Turicum. She would soon after lose half her rudder and be slowed in her progress. She never actually got to the point of asking for assistance.

Tues 25th July (0000-0600 watch)

Cloudy with clear patches. Variable gusts. Full main and blade. Wind NW-NNW.
Some light showers.

1200-1800 watch

We were in the westerly wind on a beam reach with a course good for Cape Flattery. The weather was cloudy with sunny breaks. Here was some great sailing; the skipper was happy and so was the boat. The only downside was that Susan had not appreciated the bad eggs and had subsequently not been feeling too well. It does not take much to upset the body's balance in the churning seas. Even talk of such things can be enough to prompt a negative visceral response!

At this time the bilge water problem had seemed to have been completely solved but there was to be more to this that was at first obvious.

Supper was messy. My beef stew decided to fly across the boat and spread itself on the upholstery of the dining table seat; in future I resolved to "gimbal" my bowl in my hand instead of leaving it to its own devices on the table.

Wed 26th July (0000-0600 watch)

We started this watch with a single reefed Main and blade. We were in the true westerlies and the wind had started to build as the light faded. Soon we were putting in a second reef and by 0330 it was necessary to lower the blade. The sea must have been 8-12 ft but we could not see for certain in the dark. Winds were peaking at 30-35 kts. with a beam sea. The waves came roaring toward us to lift the boat up and in most cases pass under benignly. The occasional one would break at the side to give us a salty shower.. Steering was a challenge but Lane, who had a passion for the wheel, was in "his world" He would deny this kind of emotion for any but his wife but this was my observation and I stuck to it.

The bioluminescence,caused by single celled planktonic organisms, was spectacular. We had the added bonus of a school of dolphins which would rush alongside and dive under the bow. All that could be seen of each was a serpentine glowing form curving through the inky black waves. This reminded me of the scene in the Spielberg movie "Raiders of the Lost Arc" where the arc of the covenant was opened and the fiery entities streamed out, whirling ghost-like around the onlookers. Each breaking wave was visible as white phosphorescent froth which could be seen as flashing tongues clear to the horizon.

The air was much cooler, indeed somewhat chilling. At night I was wearing a full weather suit and fleece under garments to stave off the creeping hypothermia of the early morning hours.
There was a new crisis. We had mysteriously lost all our freshwater from our main tanks, leaving only the emergency jerry-cans. This necessitated a rationing system for the rest of the trip. While not devastating, it was to be rather inconvenient. Lack of sufficient water in our position could have proved very serious if other problems were to arise. We suspected that our previous bilge water build up was in fact a leakage from the fresh water tanks.

1200-1800 watch

Awoke to 8-10 ft swell and breaking waves. Wind westerly. Running on double reefed Main and comfortable.

Thurs 27th July (0000-0600 watch)

A good night. A strong breeze of 20kts. More Dolphins and accompanying light show.
A tasty chicken stew at the beginning of the watch, thanks to Angie ( she worked so hard and was a talented cook)

1200-1800 watch

It was overcast at the beginning and we passed some squall lines but they all missed.
We had a lazy day listening to jazz while the engine was on charging the batteries. Each day-watch we would wash the dishes from the previous group and indulge in ever descending frivolous conversation. However at no time, during the whole journey, was there any negative comment levelled at any other crew member. This I found gratifyingly unique considering that we were at such close quarters.

The wind had switched to the NW... onwards to the Cape. We had 716 miles to go.

Fri 28th July (0000-0600 watch)

Winds light with the sails luffing annoyingly. Our improvised boom- vang which had replaced the real one following an earlier blow had broken and had to be be fixed in the morning. The engine was started and we ran under power for the most of the night.

1200-1800 watch

More engine.Little wind. Cloudy sky with sunny breaks.
The wind started to pick up at the end of the watch so we raised the 150 Genoa and trimmed it with full Main.

The highlight was that we saw a group of whales though we were not sure of the species as they were too far away.

We could see the ominous threat of a front following us behind so we were ready for further sail changes. By the end of our watch we had switched the Genoa to the blade.
The next watch would reef the Main as necessary.

Sat 29th July (0000-0600 watch)

The prediction was correct; we awoke to 30 kts. of wind and driving rain. It was dark with bioluminescent fire all around us and we were running on a double reefed Main and blade.

At first the helm was easy to handle with a course of 020 even though the wind howled with spray everywhere. But gradually the waves built as we screamed along at more than 10 kts. The sensation was somewhere between a freight train and a continuous seismic tremor. Clatters and bangs were everywhere in the rigging. The shaking, the rolling and the flashes of light from within the already luminous foam created a surrealistic experience which is difficult to describe. Thoughts wandered from "why am I here?" to an almost smug feeling of appreciation of the uniqueness and very personal nature of the situation. I wished my family and friends could share in this then I would not have to struggle to explain it. The helm became more and more difficult to hold the required course and I began to hope that we would not be asked to go on the foredeck to lower the already tortured aging blade. It was now making a noise like a gun ship helicopter as the leech flapped with the turbulence created by the pieces of mylar panels stripping from the kevlar base cloth. Yes, I was thinking about what we should do but we did not do it. The wind roared and the night's progress seemed to be suspended.

The skipper finally decided to "heave to" for the rest of the night as a compromise instead of risking an accident on the foredeck. We would not lose too much ground and we were not in a race anyway. The boat immediately slowed and began to bob rather sadly and squirm in the twisting rollers; perhaps she had been enjoying the fray.

Our watch came to an end and we retired with wet clothes, very fatigued.
Unfortunately during our sleep Angie had slipped on water which had spilled on the floor from toppled containers. She had hurt her back and would be out of commission for a few days.

As an example of irony from this night, I recall a comment from Lane:
"I was battling with the helm in 35-45 kts. and the rain was stinging my face when Dave
emerged from the companionway and cheerfully said, "The chicken and ginger stir fry is quite delicious! When will you have some?"

1200-1800 watch

"All hands on deck!" was the cry from the skipper. We all scrambled up on deck to discover that the blade had been ripped beyond repair. We hauled it down in the remaining gusts from the previous night's turmoil. They were, at times, as strong but seemed more benign in the daylight. Lane particularly enjoyed playing at the helm in the spectacular rollers while we rigged the staysail ready for future use.

We were all complimented on our speed of response to the "all hands" call, though I was in my undershorts and Lane had been sleeping for the only time in the nude. He did however emerge on deck fully attired.

Sun 30th July (0000-0600 watch)

The sea was calmer with much less wind so we hoisted the staysail. This only made about a knot difference so we lowered it and ran on the engine for the rest of the night.
We had 326.5 nm to go.

1200-1800 watch

Fog. Not much wind but at the end of this watch we hoisted the 120. The wind had risen and we were able to make 9 kts.

Mon 31st July (0000-0600 watch)

A traffic contact was sighted as we awoke but it went by. A little later a large ship appeared on our radar to our stern and was closing fast. It was first sighted at 8 nm but the gap was quickly reduced to to 2 miles; concern developed. I was at the helm and we could see a large brightly lit freighter looming up on our starboard stern quarter w ith its engines throbbing threateningly. On glancing over my shoulder the definitive comment which burst out was "holy shit!"

The skipper soon asked for "hard a'starboard" and I responded by bringing Windshadow round from 060 to 180 under power. Luckily our adversary slipped away into the night, allowing us to gather ourselves with relief and and return to our original heading. Carrying the 120 Genoa and double reefed Main, we trudged on through the fog and darkness with increased vigilance on the radar.

This vessel had not answered our radio calls and probably didn't even notice we were there. This is a common situation where large vessels are often manned by minimal crews who do not pay full attention to safety. No other vessels were seen for the rest of the watch and we were able to munch on one of the many snacks Susan kindly prepared for us on these cold nights. Our regulated cups of water were flowing more freely as we neared our destination. Soon we would leave the SE winds and the unstable air and slip back into the North Westerlies. A push to Cape Flattery with good speed was anticipated.

0600 200 nm to go.

1200-1800 watch

The fog cleared as we went on watch. The staysail soon replaced the Genoa as the wind was around 20 kts.

I stripped the husk off one of the two coconuts we had carried from Hawaii and pierced the nut to release the milk which was shared. A quick blow with a hammer exposed the "meat" which we also passed around soaked in Kahlua. (Thank you Glen!)

We were fast heading for Buoy Juliet at the mouth of Juan de Fuca strait.

" What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East and Juliet is the Sun."(Thankyou,William Shakespeare)

Tues 1st Aug (0000-0600 watch)

Star lit night. West -NW wind, gusting to 30 kts. The seas built to 15ft. as we climbed the continental shelf and the crests became closer together. We all saw the sunrise as we dodged fishing boats and freighters getting our first look at the mountains of Vancouver Island in the distance.

"Land ho!" someone said.

1200--------------------------------end

Fog to begin with as we headed for the buoy. We stopped for a ceremony with "Juliet" which involved rum all round. Ken consigned his shot to King Neptune and we also threw in the second coconut to please the Dept.of Agriculture.No plant materials from other countries should be imported without special permission and we did not want any delays at Customs.

This great journey ended as we secured to the Customs dock in Victoria inner harbour around 2100. We all celebrated in the expected way.

We are all so grateful that we had such a firm, fair and knowlegable Skipper.
Thankyou Ken, for making this an experience of a lifetime. Thankyou Angie and Sue for your extra efforts. Thankyou to the rest of the crew for tolerating each other with never a negative comment.

Especially, thankyou so much Walter for introducing me to sailing. I am hooked!

(Windshadow was owned (at the time of writing) by Al Byers who,unfortunately, could not be on the return trip for medical reasons but did race- Many thanks to him for conceiving this whole adventure as an ocean sailing experience.)