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Pacific Crossing FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about the sail aboard Kālewa from Mexico to Hawaii, June 2014

1. How far did you travel?

3,200 nautical miles (or there abouts : )

2. What if I was driving a car? How many miles would that same distance be?

3,682.49 miles

3. Why the difference? Why not have one measurement?

To mess with you. Here’s what I found online, so it must be true. ;-)

“A nautical mile is based on the circumference of the planet Earth. If you were to cut the Earth in half at the equator, you could pick up one of the halves and look at the equator as a circle. You could divide that circle into 360 degrees. You could then divide a degree into 60 minutes.”

4. How long did the voyage take?

15 days from when we shoved off from Cabo San Lucas and tied up at Hilo, Hawaii.

5. Why Hilo?

Because we had to go through U.S. Immigration since we were coming from Mexico. The two choices in Hawaii are either Hilo on the Big Island or Honolulu on Oahu.

6. Even though you arrived in Hawaii on a boat rather than a plane?

Yes.

7. Is a 15 day crossing fast?

Darn tooting! I’m told by friends with monohulls that it normally takes about 34 days.

8. What boat did you sail on?

Kālewa. A fifty foot custom catamaran designed and built by Kevin Millett.

9. How did you get so lucky?

Not sure. Our friends invited us along for the ride, literally.

10. What was the boat doing in Mexico?

They’d left it there last year and wanted to bring her back to Kauai.

11. What did you do on board?

The usual things. Eat. Sleep. Drink. Poop.

Also read, danced, looked at the stars, listened to the guys play music, watched Marisela cook. Played “little sister” and chopped and diced veggies now and then.

12. Where you really fit when you returned?

Not really.

13. Why not?

Because all one could really do for exercise was dance around. And that can only go so far.
One needed to be aware of anyone down below sleeping. : ) Courtesy, you know?

14. But what about all that raising of sails, pulling in sheets?

Once the sails were set, they were pretty much set. And it was mostly the captain Kevin who did that.

15. You never once pulled on a sheet, Sj?

Yes, I did. A few times. If the guys were on deck, it was their thing. If Marisela was on deck, it was her thing. There were a few times when I was on deck with only Kevin. Then I got to crank the winch.

16. What’s a sheet?

The thing you cover yourself with when sleeping.

17. And?

The thing you pull in when you’re tightening a sail. Landlubbers would call it a “rope.” A real no-no on a sailboat.

18. Why?

‘Cause.
Here’s some information I found to further confuse you:
Origin of Navy Terminology

cover text:
There aren’t many “old salts” in today’s Navy who haven’t been required sometime in their career to heave around on a length of hawser in order to tie up a ship. Hawser used in this backbreaking task is called mooring line and gets its name from a combination of two terms used in the early days of sail. The Middle Dutch word “maren” meant “to tie,” and the Middle English words “moren rap” meant “ship’s rope.” Through the years the terms merged and were Americanized, hence any line used to tie a ship to the pier is called “mooring line.”
19. What about steering?

Kālewa has two large and beautiful wheels; one on either side of the boat. I did get to steer a few times. It was not pretty. She doesn’t react anything like a monohull. She travels so fast that she creates her own wind. I couldn’t tell where the wind was coming from.

20. So what happened instead?

You pushed a button. One degree this way. One degree that. Or a big jump of ten degrees this way; ten degrees that.

21. Really?

Yes, really.

22. Is that typical on a sailboat?

Not on one I’ve been on before. On our boat, Mapuana, you steer using a tiller. It’s a workout and shifts are usually only for two hours at a time.

23. Explain shift.

Besides being a thing a woman might where, it’s the time you’re on deck responsible for watching out.

24. What are you watching out for?

Other boats. Objects. Large objects. Thing you don’t want to hit.

25. Did you ever hit anything?

Yes. On my watch. Read 7/2/14 for the low-down. I didn’t see it coming. Though I was literally looking straight ahead on the starboard side (where it hit), I didn’t see it. It was a pitch black night. Dark. No moon.

26. What’s starboard?

The right side of the boat.

27. For Republicans?

No, I think it was mostly Libertarians, Democrats, and Rotarians on board. And Pedrata’s not talking.

28. Who’s Pedrata?

An adorable stuffed rat that Marisela’s cousin, Flavio, gave me. She stowed away out in the open.

29. Why?

Why not? Just because she’s a stuffed rat doesn’t mean she doesn’t like to travel. She’s excited about her next trip.

30. To where?

You’ll have to wait and see.

31. What did you eat?

Delicious food prepared mostly by Marisela. This day-by-day log lists the menus.

32. You mean you didn’t cook at all?

Not much. Marisela’s a wizard with food, and she’s got a distinctive style and idea of what she likes to make. Besides, you gotta consider provisions.

33. Can’t you stop to get things?

Nope. Once you leave land, you leave land.

34. No 7-11s?
Nope.

35. No Micky Dees?
Nope.

36. Costcos?
Double nope!

37. So what’d you do for food?

We bought fresh and canned things while in Mexico. Marisela has a very highly developed food construction database in her head. She sees connections from a can of this to a slice of that. Out pops a magic meal that I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams. And I do mean wildest.

38. Such as?

Tortilla soup. Clam chowder. Mexican tuna salad.

39. You’ve never made those before, Sj?

Nope.

40. Have you since?

Nope. Tony and I are rarely home together at night to prepare ANY kind of meal. Our lives are pretty full with lots of stuff going on.

41. Such as?

This and that.
Check ifok.co. My YouTube channel. InsPirates.

42. And what did you drink aboard Kālewa?

You name it. Water. Agua Fresca. Beer. Wine. Juice. Cuban rum. Tequila.

43. Were you ever sober?

Yes, 99% of the time.

44. What’s Agua Fresca?

These most delectable drinks that Marisela created out of fruit just about to go bad. She’d press it, squeeze it, talk nicely to it, and the next thing we knew, we were sipping a cool fruity beverage made with all natural fruit. Watermelon Agua Fresca. Cantelope Agua Fresca. Papaya Agua Fresca. Usually with a sprinkle of something green on top.

45. Green?

Yes, like mint. Or cilantro.

46. You had fresh herbs in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

Yes. Not gobs. We had to cherish them. Use them wisely. Conserve and maximize. Marisela’s a master of that.

47. Is she available for hire? To cook fabulous meals for my friends and family?

Possibly. Call HoloHolo Charters in Eleele and ask her. I’m not her manager.

48. How is being on a catamaran different from being on a monohull?

Can you say no heeling over?

49. I suppose. What’s that mean?

When on Mapuana (a 36 foot long, 7 foot wide sailboat designed and built by Gene Wells) we’re usually practically standing because the boat is heeling so much (i.e. L E A N ing over).

50. Is that normal?

No. Mapuana’s not a “normal” boat.

51. But do other monohulls heel?

Yes. Just not as much as is normal for Mapuana.

52. What’s Mapuana mean?

Fragrance coming in on an ocean breeze . . . more or less. Consult a Hawaiian dictionary if you want the “correct-correct” meaning.

53. What’s a monohull?

One hull.

54. What’s a hull.

The place where you go when you go “down below” be out of the elements.

55. Why would one want to do that?

Because you have to sleep some time! And eat. And take a break from nature.

56. Why?

The sun can be unrelenting. The wind can be cold. The rain can drive hard.

57. It rains in the open ocean?

Can.

58. What’s is like out there?

Like it is on any body of water. Sometimes the seas are flat. Sometimes there are waves. Sometimes it’s dark. Sometimes it’s light.

59. When’s it dark?

When it’s night and there’s no moon.

60. What do you see out there?

Depends.

61. On what?

On what’s out there.

62. For example?

Here’s a list of some things we saw:
Turtles copulating.

63. Really?

Yes. Hundreds of miles from land, and there they were trying to get away from their mother-in-law.

64. Were there several?
No, just one couple.

65. What else?

One lone turtle floating (poor fella didn’t look like he was able to dive down underwater)

One sail fish (hung with us for at least 45 minutes one sunny afternoon)

Dolphins, lots of dolphins (two different times)

Birds

66. What kind of birds?

I’m not an ornithologist. They were “sea” birds as far as I was concerned.

67. And?

A jar of peanut butter.

68. Really?

Yes, really. It was sitting straight up like it was waiting for a piece of chocolate.

69. Did you fish it out of the ocean?

No. I let it go. We already had a jar of peanut butter.

70. Did you fish?

Yes.

71. Did you catch anything?

Only once. We were moving too fast for the fish.

72. How fast did Kālewa travel?

On average I’d guess between 8 and 15 knots.

73. Is that fast?

For a sailboat, yes.

74. How fast does Mapuana sail?

Usually around 5 to 7 knots max. Though we broke the sound barrier a few times when we caught a wave and went well over 10 knots.

75. What’s a knot.

Per my computer’s dictionary, a knot is “a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, used esp. of ships, aircraft, and winds. Chiefly historical it’s a length marked by knots on a log line, as a measure of speed : some days the vessel logged 12 knots.”

A more accurate statement would be: some days the vessel logged 21 knots. That’s how unusual Kālewa is, that the dictionary inverted the numbers based on more “standard” vessels.

76. Did you make any of those other kind of knots?

Yes, now and then. Mostly it was the Captain and 2nd mate who did that sort of stuff.

77. Did you learn any new knots?

Yes. A groovy one called a longshoreman bowline.

78. How’s it different from a regular bowline?

You do a rodeo move that’s super fast and super impressive.

79. Can you still do it?

Yes.

80. What’s a bowline knot?

Only the MOST important knot of all time, in my opinion.

81. Why?

Because one can 99.99% of the time undo the know without the use of a tool (i.e. by hand).
You can read about it here.

82. What’s the difference between a bowline and a bow line?

One is a useful knot mentioned above, the other are lines tying a boat to the dock at the bow.

83. What’s a bow?

Besides in the theatre?

Yes.

The front of a boat.

84. What kind of clothes did you wear, Sj?

The type that were cool in hot weather.

85. Such as?

Sun shirts. The groovy white cotton togs I bought in Puerta Vallarta. Long pants at night.

86. Why?

It gets cold when the sun goes down.

87. Even in the “tropics”?

Yes.

88. What else did you wear?

A wool sweater at night. Sometimes fleece. Sometimes my foulies.

89. Your what?

Foul weather gear.

90. What’s that for?

Well, it’s not for a pleasant sunny day. Here are some different types of foulies.

91. Did you wear a hat?

Darn tooting.

92. At night too?

Yes! Thanks to Tanya of Kauai.com for that tip!

At night I found a beanie or toboggan (as I used to call them when I was a kid in Tennessee) was just what the right thing for keeping my head, ears, and even forehead warm!
I think this is a Southern use of the word btw. Feedback anyone???

93. What else did you wear?

T-shirts. Shorts.

94. Did you wear the same things that you would have on Mapuana?

Some yes. Mostly no.

95. Why’s that?

Because on Mapuana we usually get wet. And in that situation, you want to be either wearing foulies or something that will dry quickly (provided it’s warm, otherwise, you really want to stay dry!)

96. Why do you want to stay dry?

Because you can get really cold really quickly. AND that salty ocean water turns into a slimy feeling against your skin when you’re about two feet away from the mooring. No, I change my mind. Make that one foot.

97. What are you talking about?

Unless you’ve been out at sea, you’ve probably never experienced that slimy, yucky feeling that comes from the salt spray which rises up and lands on you at the most inappropriate times.

98. How can you avoid that slimy feeling?

On Kālewa it’s pretty easy. Stay behind the captain’s groovy dodger guard.

99. What’s a dodger?

Are you asking what or who?

100. Please explain.

Because if the question is a WHO? It’s a gal named Katerina who’s especially good at dodging balls. If it’s a WHAT?, its Nautical meaning is “a canvas screen on a ship giving protection from spray.”

101. Is Kālewa’s dodger canvas?

No. It’s made out of some super duper material shipped in from at least 12 light years away. Kālewa’s design and form is literally “out of this world.”

102. How is Kālewa different from other catamarans?

Its style. Its class. Its designer.

103. Really? Or are you just wanting to be invited back for another sail?

That would be lovely. But for real. It’s just so very, very beautiful. She moves so fluidly in the water. She’s fast. She’s graceful. “And she’s noisy!” I just heard Marisela say in my head.

104. Is she loud?

Well, at times, yes. There are all kinds of sounds happening on a boat.

105. Such as?

Water slaps. Literally water will just rise up and slap the hull. The dodger. The whatever numbered shipmate who is sitting in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

106. Did that happen often?

In my opinion, no. Not nearly as often as on Mapuana which is about every 5 seconds or so.
Okay, maybe I exaggerate. A little. But not much. Someone’s soaked by water on Mapuana about every 15 seconds.

107. Where did you like to hang out the most?

Below deck in the dining area.

108. Why?

Because there’s the most amazing view towards the bow past the curves of the galley and the curves of the entry way.

109. Curves?

A boat is a she after all. And this boat has nice lines.

110. What else is nice about Kalewa?

Her fridge. And freezer.

111. There’s a freezer on board?

Yes. Like I said, this boat is literally from out of this world.

112. What was it like sleeping on Kalewa?

At first it was a bit tricky.

113. Why tricky?

Because it was a new experience for me to sleep on a constantly moving object.
A bed with a mind of its own.

114. Constantly?

Yes. As long as we were on the open ocean.

115. In comparison to?

Being tied up at dock. Then she just rocks and sways with the conditions of the harbor.

116. Did you sleep well during the crossing?

When one’s tired. One sleeps. Eventually.

And then, when I relaxed into the idea, the image really of myself lying on a trampoline and bouncing non-stop, I got into it. I enjoyed it. In fact, it became fun.

117. Fun?

Yes, how cool is that to get to play on a trampoline day in and day out!

118. Did you ever get sick?

No.

119. Seasick?

No.

120. Do you get seasick on Mapuana?

Sometimes. It’s miserable.

121. What was different?

Maybe that it was a catamaran. Maybe that I was lucky. Who knows? I don’t want to think too hard about it.

122. What would you guys have done if someone got sick, really sick?

We had a book called When There Is No Doctor. We’d have used that. For guidance. And we would have prayed. A lot.

123. I thought I heard that Marisela had a physical ailment of some kind?

She did. The book helped her. She told me that I’m free to talk about it, but I don’t want to. Not here. That’s her story.

124. What was the bathroom situation like?

Comfortable. At least for us. The poor captain had to deal with the tanks a couple of times; fortunately, that worked itself out without too much hullabaloo.

125. How many heads are there on Kālewa?

Two.

126. What’s a head?

The nautical term for a bathroom. Or toilet. Or washroom. WC. Loo.

127. Any showers?

Yes. Two.

128. How did that work?

You flipped a switch, got naked, and leaned against the pleasantly curved wall. Kevin thought of everything.

129. Was the water fresh?

Yes. There’s a water maker on board.

130. How much water does it make?

Enough. You’ll have to ask the captain for details. You can’t draw a tub’s worth every day (no, there wasn’t a bathtub on board, but IF there had been a tub on board, it wouldn’t have been used).
But there was enough water made to have drinking water, cooking water, dish washing water, and an occasional, quick shower, please-don’t-waste-it water.

131. Where’s the water come from that was used for making fresh water.

The ocean. : ))))

132. What happens to the salt?

It goes back into the ocean. Rumor has it there’s a new species of fish that follows water-making vessels.

133. Really?

What do YOU think?

134. Let’s change the subject . . . What do you think is absolutely necessary to bring on an ocean crossing?

Hmmm . . . ABSOLUTELY necessary?

135. Yes, what in your opinion is absolutely necessary?

Fresh water. Food. Warm clothing. Foulies. A hat. Sunscreen. A spray bottle to spray that salty stuff off one’s face. A book. Many books. A radio. GPS navigating stuffs. Charts. Binoculars. Flashlights. Spare Batteries. Pen & paper. A friend. Someone you like to be with. Could be just yourself if YOUR self is a good sailor. : )

136. Any other cool things to bring along?

Treats. Food treats that you like.
Entertainment treats that you like.
Your personal version of Pedrata.
And a wool sweater, long pants, and toboggan. It would have been miserable without those last three things.

137. Anything you wish that you had brought that you didn’t?

Yes.

138. What?

Long underwear. There were a couple of times when it was long underwear cold.

139. Even on a super comfortable boat like Kālewa?

Yep. It still gets cold out there. Colder than you think.

140. How cold?

Wool sweater, long pants, toboggan, foulies, and long underwear cold.
141. What was the best thing that happened?

The entire sail, the crossing.

142. Anything in particular?

I loved being on deck alone at night. Especially when the sky was clear, and I could hang out with the many stars and the Milky Way.

And Pedrata. I loved getting to know Pedrata.

143. The stuffed rat?

Yes. The stuffed rat. She has quite a personality.

144. Do you think the crew was worried about you? Worried that you were losing it?

They might have been. But I didn’t care. I knew that I wasn’t (losing it). I simply have an active imagination. I like to use my imagination; it’s a fun place to explore.

145. Were you ever scared?

No, not really. Captain Kevin is so competent, and he took all kinds of precautions, care of the gear, boat, etc., that I felt it’d all turn out well. And it did.

146. Did you see any other boats?

A few. We went 8 days, I believe, between boats and before we saw any off Hilo, Hawaii.

147. Did you guys all get along?

Yep. No major squabbles. Laughter was the main music besides the daily guitar jam/lesson/serenade. Though it did get fierce at times when the rubber chickens came out to play.

148. Rubber chickens?

Yep, the photos will come out sooner or later. Poor Pedrata got the main butt of them.

149. On her butt?

No, mostly all over her face. She does have a rather large nose.

150. Anything else?

Nope. Best of luck with Hurricane/Tropical Storm Iselle. She’s flying to the islands at this very moment. First saying hello to Hilo.

+Sj out

Almost Home to Kauai!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!

: )))))

4th of July Sunset Sail

Aloha from the good ship Kālewa!

We’re currently traveling at about 14-knots with 15-knot wind!

“Slow us down!” Marisela just called out. “I’m getting beat up down here!”

What’s she doing down below? Cooking us  up another sumptuous meal! Mahi mahi we caught two days ago, grilled chicken, and a salad with freshly made dressing. Yum, yum!!!

We’ll see you on Kauai soon. Planning on taking the “backside” (or Northern route) home.

The speed now? A mellow nine! LOL. This boat can move!

Happy 4th everyone!

with Aloha,

+Sj

: )))

Day-by-day Log of Pacific Crossing

Hi Everyone,

We made it! From Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to Hilo, Hawaii in 14-days.

The following is a day-by-day log of highlights and such. Some of it very likely won’t make any sense to you. But use your imagination anyway and see what you can conjure up. Perhaps the pictures I’ll post soon will help fill in the story. Or maybe not. Regardless, we appreciate you coming along for the ride in spirit.

Bottom line. We had a GREAT sail and are very thankful to Kevin and Marisela for inviting us to join them on their FIFTH Pacific ocean crossing.

With a big hug and lots of Aloha from the good ship Kālewa Tahiti-tied in Hilo.

Kālewa Pacifc Ocean Crossing Summer 2014

DATE/DAY: 6/14/14 Saturday

LOCATION: departed La Cruz at 1630 (PV time)

CONDITIONS: flat

RIGGING: main and jib

MENU: something yummy that Marisela made!

PHOTOS: departure

***: Conch shell blowing off Punta Mita

DATE/DAY: 6/15/14 Sunday, Father’s Day

LOCATION: dropped anchor at Isla Isabela at 0907 (PV time)
Las Moñas islands
Pulled anchor at 1530

CONDITIONS: sunny and crazy hot!

RIGGING: main and jib

MENU:
Snack: Marisela’s bean dip from leftover beans, chorizo, and the cooked salsa she’d made that afternoon AND grilled corn.
Pistachios.
Dinner: M’s grilled cheddar cheese and ham sandwiches.

PHOTOS:

***: Snorkeling, HOT walk on island, rainbow.
Another hot night. Sweated profusely and awoke in a pool of dreams.
Lightning all night off starboard side toward landfall; it accompanied us till dawn.

DATE/DAY: 6/16/14 Monday

LOCATION: at sea sailing to Cabo

CONDITIONS: bouncy at night, motoring most of the way

RIGGING: main and jib

MENU:
Oatmeal with raisins, dried apricots & butter and brown sugar for Kevin and Tony. With the fruit and yogurt for Sj.
Around noon, Marisela cooked herself up a yummy looking dish of chicken and this and that and two rolled up tortillas.
Margaritas for Kevin and Marisela, Beer for Sj & T.
Lunch: quesadillas
Dinner: Mexican penicillin i.e. Tortilla soup. Excellent!!! Sj & M first at the table, then K & T.

PHOTOS: dolphins!

***: Marisela saw tuna-sized dolphins during her nighttime watch.
LOTS of dolphins around noon. : ) Guys watched Superman under dodger.

DATE/DAY: 6/17/14 Tuesday

LOCATION: Tied up at 1300 local time at CABO SAN LUCAS (2-hours behind PV)

CONDITIONS: bumpy night ride, middle of night reefed main (then about 4 knots) and backwinded the jib, then motoring

RIGGING: main

MENU:
Marisela’s yummy breakfast sandwiches (with egg).
Nachos with margaritas and beer at restaurant during the game.
Boat treat: M’s cantelope agua fresca

PHOTOS: Pedrata coming into Cabo, at Soccer match

***: Saw a big seal when motoring into Cabo! México versus Brasil !!!

DATE/DAY: 6/18/14 Wednesday

LOCATION: in Cabo San Lucas

CONDITIONS: HOT !

RIGGING: n/a

MENU:
Brunch in town at a local fastfood place: huevos rancheros.
Joint Fab Four dinner at Mexican seafood place then cute little place up the road. Marisela got Pozole that she was wanting (normally it’s a breakfast dish, but the cute restaurant had it for dinner)

PHOTOS: Cabo

***: Practically heat stroke! Pool hang.

DATE/DAY: 6/19/14 Thursday

LOCATION: left Cabo San Lucas harbor at noon

CONDITIONS: crazy windy after turning the corner North

RIGGING: main and jib

MENU:
In town: fruit cup with tajine (pronounced: tah-heen)
Lunch: rice cracker & peanut butter
Dinner: hot dogs

PHOTOS: Pedrata when leaving Cabo, Kevin with needle fish

***: fish on deck

DATE/DAY: 6/20/14 Friday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: wind around 20 to 25 knots after made turn North of Cabo

RIGGING: main and jib

MENU:
Breakfast: Churizo, potato, eggs & tortillas.
Dinner: Meat chili and rice.

PHOTOS: orange moon rise (Sj’s iPhone), dolphins

***: LOTS of dolphins!
Marisela was getting beat up in her bunk.
In the galley, Sj & T serenaded Marisela to the tune “My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

DATE/DAY: 6/21/14 Saturday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: wind around 10 knots, motoring in the morning, flat, lots of clouds

RIGGING: main

MENU:
Breakfast: “leftovers” – Kevin had rice with an egg, Sj and T each had a Marisela-made omlette with leftover beef chili and cheese and tortillas.
Lunch: BLT’s.

PHOTOS: Pedrata with Kindle, Tony with hammock

***: Sea life: SAILing fish. One lone turtle with a dry circle on its back.
Kevin’s Ground Hog story. Sj & M painting nails down below.
Improv show on the Lido deck. Sunset green “double-dip.”

DATE/DAY: 6/22/14 Sunday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: flat, still motoring

RIGGING: main

MENU:
Oatmeal
Lunch: Chili Rellenos, Mexican beef aranchara.
Dinner: Tacos with freshly madeverde salsa and simple guacamole.

PHOTOS: Tony in hammock with Pedrata, Marisela under dodger and Kevin Port side playing guitar, Tony & Kevin Sunshine song, Pedrata mirror & with bottle message letter.

***: First group mail call.
Marisela’s phantom nighttime boat.
Breakfast forward while Kevin playing the guitar.
Tossed first message in a bottle (all 4 wrote something).
Thousands of fish held up lighters to Kevin and Kālewa.
Austin Powers III.

DATE/DAY: 6/23/14 Monday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: cloudy, now sailing (Marisela’s fav conditions – flat, going around 8 knots), the direction was around 270 (on the compass)

RIGGING: main and jib, then CODE ZERO in morning and then again in afternoon

MENU:
Ramos Fizz in the morning
Group meals down below:
Lunch: Nachos – oven baked with refried beans, olives, jalapenos & cheese.
Dinner: Thai curry noodles with veggies and chicken.

PHOTOS: Pedrata in green backpack, and Tony playing guitar.

***: Ramos Fizz “breakfast of champions.”
Out of the blue Kevin called out, “I’m so pretty!”
Sunset on the Lido deck with Tony serenading Sj & M.
Marisela’s 2 questions.
Crossed 2,000 knot mark at dinner time.
Nighttime code zero sounds.

DATE/DAY: 6/24/14 Tuesday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: Code Zero sailing (i.e. at night LOTS of phantom talking/gibberish)
Sailing around 8 knots or so, wind 12+ knots

RIGGING: main and code zero until 10 a.m. HST

MENU:
Oatmeal
Lunch: grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches (with jalapeno mayo for Sj & T).
Pupus: cheese, salami platter with a pear and an apple, crackers.
Dinner: homemade clam chowder.

PHOTOS: Pedrata at computer with Tony, Sj mango tongue, Marisela in galley with reflection, Pedrata in brace and at the wheel of the boat and under the step in cozies.

***: 1Q84 quote of the day, “Like fish that live at the bottom of the ocean, most of her dreams weren’t able to float to the surface. Even if they did, the difference in water pressure would force a change in their appearance.” Mail call: México beat Croatia

DATE/DAY: 6/25/14 Wednesday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: 12 to 13 knot winds, moving around 9 to 10 knots. Cloudy day. Hauling! Cold on deck. (220 nautical miles this day?)

RIGGING: main and Code Zero until 2 p.m. HST, then switched to spinnaker

MENU:
Breakfast: Marisela’s unique creation of pan-fried enchiladas (top secret combo!)
Lunch: Leftover enchilada.
Dinner: Leftover clam chowder.

PHOTOS:

***: 1733 nautical miles . . . going back in time.
“The air is feeling more moist,” said Captain Kevin.

DATE/DAY: 6/26/14 Thursday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: cloudy, sailing 13 to 15 knots sailing speed at times

RIGGING: main and spinnaker

MENU:
Tony’s pancakes with REAL maple syrup, fried egg(s) and bacon.
Lunch: tuna ala Kevin, tuna ala Sj, and turkey ala Tones.
Leftover pan-fried enchilada (and pretzels and an apple : ) for Marisela.
Dinner: doctored-up macaroni and cheese.

PHOTOS: half-way celebration, ballons in the ocean behind boat

***: HOT showers for the crew!
HALF-WAY celebration, i.e. chicken flinging with Hermano Pollo making eye contact with Marisela’s glasses!

DATE/DAY: 6/27/14 Friday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: started sunny and then turned cloudy, no ball at sunset but beautiful colors

RIGGING: main and spinnaker, 1915 HST stowed spinnaker and switched to regular jib

MENU:
Oatmeal
Nibbles. Pringles. Nuts. Dip.
July 4th meal of cheeseburgers and homemade french-fries with the last two potatoes.

PHOTOS: spinnaker stuff, Kevin telling the “cherry pit” story

***: 2nd bottle toss at noon HST.
1111 nautical miles at 1930 HST.
4th of July meal.

DATE/DAY: 6/28/14 Saturday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: cloudy (no “sun” at sunrise), turned sunny and hot, wind was around 17/18 knots in the evening, first time we had some rain, sailing a steady 8-knots.

RIGGING: main and jib, changed to spinnaker at 0530 HST, then back to regular jib to mellow things out overnight

MENU:
B’fast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Marisela’s Mexican tuna salad – diced tomato, jalapeno, cucumber (no seeds in these 3), diced onion, black olives, olive oil & lime juice with saltines and tostadas.
Dinner: Marisela’s experiment with rice, curry, chopped veggies, cilantro, and a can of Progresso soup.

PHOTOS: Pedrata and rubber chicken shots, rainbow

***: Broke the 1,000 nautical miles mark.
Full rainbow.
Marisela’s science experiment.

DATE/DAY: 6/29/14 Sunday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: sunny happy cloud day, perfect SUNday

RIGGING: main and spinnaker

MENU:
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Last two Bimbo buns for half-sandwiches with cold cuts (turkey, salami, cheese, onion, tomato).
“You have to have good buns to be a Bimbo.” +Sj
“Bimbo has good buns.” – Tony
Dinner: Chicken, bean tostadas with cheese, salsa verde, black olives, chopped lettuce and mashed avocado.

PHOTOS: Beer bucket shot

***: Broke 800 nautical miles on this day.
First rainy night.
Kevin’s getting ready to be home.

DATE/DAY: 6/30/14 Monday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: sunny the squally

RIGGING: main and spinnaker, dropped and then raised it now and then for the many passing squalls . . .

MENU:
Breakfast: Tony’s pancakes using this and that. Topped with a variety of things: maple syrup, Scandinavia berry preserves, peanut butter, and cream cheese.
Lunch: Leftovers. T – curry rice dish encircled with cucumber slices. K – brown rice ala Marisela. Sj – rice cracker with mustard and cheese also encircled with cucumber slices. M – ceasar salad.
Dinner: Spaghetti with artichoke hearts and last of fresh veggies.

PHOTOS: rainbows

***: Crossed over into the 500s.
A little “slower” per Kevin. CLEAR, CLEAR SKY Monday night, so many stars and Milky Way bow overhead : )))

DATE/DAY: 7/1/14 Tuesday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: clear and sunny, wind 14-20 knots, sailing a consistent 10-knots
(overnight when Sj was on watch, the waves rolled from starboard to port—sometimes reminiscent of being on Mapuana)

RIGGING: main and spinnaker (had it on Monday overnight)

MENU:
Breakfast: Marisela’s huevos rancheros. YUM !!! Sj’s fav!!!
Lunch: Kevin & Tony – leftover pasta, Sj – oatmeal.
Dinner: leftover pasta and salad with last of the lettuce.
Snack: popcorn

PHOTOS: Marisela with headphone-tissue-guard on®.

***: Broke 400-miles.
Lost a rubber chicken over the side : (
Tony’s syphilis letter.
ONLY day without music on the Lido deck.

DATE/DAY: 7/2/14 Wednesday

LOCATION: at sea

CONDITIONS: rainy off and on, the water is getting “bumpier” as we draw closer to Hawaii

RIGGING: main and jib, wing on wing

MENU:
Oatmeal
Lunch: quesadillas with the last of the Frieda Kahlo beans and chicken.
Treat: pineapple upside down cake
Dinner: fresh sushi (and for the boyz, a shitake-mushroom-gnocchi-asparagus-blue-cheese-topped-casserole started before we caught the fish)

PHOTOS: Pedrata at navigation chart showing Hilo, chicken close-up over the freezer, Pedrata getting ready for Hawaii, guys with fishing lines, catching a mahi mahi, Marisela’s sushi dinner

***: The wind was considerably warmer in the early morning hours. When Tony came down to get me he said, “The air’s really warm. I’m just wearing this.” He had on a t-shirt, my Dad’s long sleeved shirt, and long pants. (rather than a jacket or sweater or wool cap)
Kālewa encountered a presumed-to-be “logger” at 0400 HST.
197 nautical miles to go at 1100 HST.

From the 3rd mate, Sj:

At 0400 HST during my solo starry sky watch, a large noise on the starboard side vibrated up to my toes, torso, and ears as it thunked repeatedly, passing from the bow to the stern, leaving the movable rudder up in its wake.

A logger? A fish? An errant snorkeling giant? We’re still not sure.

2nd mate Tony Baloney, aka Hermano Pollo, came bouncing up from down below. First contact had been made not too far from his family jewels as he lay sleeping in the forward starboard bunk. “What happened? Wake up Kevin!,” he shouted as I was touching Kevin’s left heel (which was facing the stern as it rested on the starboard dodger bunk).

“What the!?!” Captain Kevin cried while pulling ear plugs out of his ears.

A beat later, the auto pilot jumped ship, the dials playing the hokey pokey.

Thank goodness the spinnaker had been stowed a short 4-hours earlier when Kevin and Tony were on watch, this 3rd mate thought to herself.

The navigation panel showed Kālewa’s speed as .01 knots.

What the?

Captain Kev quickly brought the jib to the starboard side; Hermano Pollo pulled in the sheet. Another THUNK! as the main sail decided to join in the fun. This final exclamation point got Marisela’s attention. She too joined us on deck with eyes wide open.

It didn’t take long for Captain Kevin to get things back under control.

“Now I’M awake,” said 1st mate Marisela as she made herself comfortable in a deck check.

After a few more enjoyable minutes taking in the little dipper that clearly shined off the starboard stern, I swapped places with her and went below. No more bumps in the night besides the standard sloshes and water slaps. I slept like a baby. Safe in the Millet’s well-built, comfortable, and original boat, Kālewa.

DATE/DAY: 7/3/14 Thursday

LOCATION: at sea until arriving in Hilo harbor at 1530 HST.

CONDITIONS: clear and sunny, lighter wind, sailing a consistent 5 to 6-knots until pulled out the spinnaker (then sailing around 7 to 8-knots)

RIGGING: main and jib (until spinnaker was brought out around 0930 HST)

MENU:
Breakfast: beautifully sliced fresh pear and apple by Tony, oatmeal
Nibbles: nuts, last pear and apple, and roasted chayote – Yum!
Dinner: Ken’s House of Pancakes in Hilo : )

PHOTOS: Hilo in the distance, hanging on the forward deck, GoPro arrival shots

***: Tony spotted Mauna Kea first at 0700 HST (about 45 nautical miles away).
Completing Sj, T & Pedrata’s FIRST ever Pacific ocean crossing and Kevin and Marisela’s FIFTH!!!
Meeting up with good buddies, the Okutani family, at Ken’s !!! All the way from Sweden!

LOG PAU for the moment!

We’re planning on departing Hilo tomorrow morning (yes, July 4th!) for the final leg – back to Kālewa’s home, Kauai-nei.

Captain Kevin says that we should arrive some time on Saturday.

Until then!

+Sj out

image

No idea why this wouldn’t load right side up!

15.9 Nautical Miles to Hilo!

Hawaii, here we come!

Father's Day morning June 15, 2014 - The guys pulled the heavy all night shifts, and I had the priviledge of "watching" as we approached Isla Isabela and the two Gaudi-esque islands, Las Monas.

Shoving off soon . . .

Dear Friends,

We’ve just spent two fun-filled nights in Cabo San Lucas. So much fun that T and I haven’t gone through our photos to choose selects.

Other things have taken our attention and focus . . . such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer. Can you say Guillermo??? And that exciting game between México et Brasil ?!?

Heading now to Kauai . . . should be there in about 2-weeks . . . for those of you on Kevin’s email list, you’ll get the scoop that way. Perhaps Thor posts something on Facebook? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. : )

Without further ado, A D I O S  Amigos! Hasta pronto!

+Sj out

Featured photo caption: Father’s Day morning June 15, 2014 – The guys pulled the heavy all night shifts, and I had the privilege of “watching” as we approached Isla Isabela and the two Gaudi-esque islands, Las Moñas.

Tip of the day (this one from Marisela): paint your nails! Helps keep nails in good shape while they continually get wet during a voyage.

Sj and T’s FIRST ever Pacific ocean crossing

Yahoo!!!!

“SI!” Tony and I replied when Kevin and Marisela invited us to join them on their return trip to Kauai aboard their one-of-a-kind, original (can you say MAGNIFIQUE?!!) boat KALEWA — designed and built by Kevin.

Invitations like these don’t come every day!

From where to where? you ask.

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico to Nawiliwili, Kauai.

When?

Now.

But how can you make a post when you’re underway?

We’re not yet. There are a few details to take care of. Parts needed for this and that. And, most importantly, cousins to visit with!!!

I’ve been speaking a sloppy mix of French, Spanish, and German. BUT I made a promise to Flavio, Marisela’s cousin who’s a Biology teacher and gynecologist, that I’ll know Spanish by the next time we meet up. Yup, that’s my goal!!! Hablar con mia en espanol next time you see me. I most likely will make a mess of my reply, but I’ll give it my ALL, that’s for darn tooting!

Kay den, without further ado, below are pictures that fablisio Tony Baloney has taken so far . . .