Darwin Bound

Hello world!
Yikes what a struggle this morning with the radio/email. To give you an idea of the possible challenges, imagine this. You have three PCs and they all have to be working at once and working to together. Put that in your Microsoft and see what happens! In the case of our ship board radio/email system its a laoptop, a radio and a special Pactor modem that must all work together. This is the second time I am typing this blog post because the computer crashed in the middle of it all. Why do we take
these damn things to sea with us!

Anyway, now to the news. BTW, we heard by shortwave radio, the US has a new President elect. Seems they finally got it right! Hope its not too late for the US and the world economy. I digress.

Our course to Darwin has us arching WNW across the Corral Sea Basin toward the top of Australia. Now that we a clear of Vanuatu, we will sail across the bald open sea for 1300 miles, headed for the entrance to Torres Strait. In all this way there will not be an island, a reef or other hazard, except maybe weather. We will be within 100 miles of Papeau New Guinea when we enter the pass over the top of Australia's great barrier reef headed for the Arafura Sea, where we will find Darwind on the north
coast of Australia. The pass over the reef is about 190 long, reef strewn and twisted through islands, coral reefs and lots of large tankers. Two sailboats have been lost in the approaches to this passage this year, so you can be sure we will be hyper vigilant! And it will be hot, hot, hot.

But today has dawned clear and bright after a moonlite, starry night. The wind is at our backs and the smell of coffee is in the air. What could be better!?

"EPI"cure fpr sunburn (Kava experiences)

As an active participant and mostly observer.

During the course of our stays in Fiji and Vanuatu we have all had the opportunity to take in some of the local culture and partake in some rather unusual celebrations. The first tasting (generous description) was at Plantation Cove where a large Kave bowl was set up near the beach with a community bowl for dipping out your portion of something that looked like dirty dish water. Since there were many vacationers at the beach they might have been trying to stretch the Kava but when the 6 of us (crew
from Hawaii, Rita and myself) got there, there was plenty of the stuff to go around. It tasted (as Rita described it as some old Chinese herb medicine)and left a mild tingling on your tongue with a little buzz. The second tasting was in Port Villa where Cress, Matt, Rita and myself went to the chief's Kava Bar. It was a tin shack (8X12) with a bunch of wooden benches and chairs scattered around it. For 100 Vats ($1Cdn) you got a somewhat thicker bowl of dishwater (double dos). Both Rita and I had
a bowl full while our courageous captain and First mate had a couple of bowls. There were about 20 men standing around the Kava Bar drinking and spitting. After each bowl full the men went around the side of the Bar and spit so much that ground was wet (rather gross). Anyway it was a much stronger taste?? than the first experience. Maybe it was because we had already been expecting the taste that it seemed stronger. So after our drinks off we went down the road looking for a place it eat. We happened
upon a open store where Cress started inspecting all the things (he liked the colors of the merchandise) that were for sale and decided the boat needed more storage containers. After a nice dinner where we tried flying fox, and pigeon we went off looking for another Kava Bar (Blue Light Bar) and the boys had another couple of hits of Kava but nothing really happened during the walk back to the boat. Boys seemed very jovial as we walked. The final tasting occurred in Paradise Cove on Epi where the
owner sent out his granddaughter to get us a 2l bottle of Kava from a local bar. He instructed us that we had to have the Kava before we had our lobster dinner. All 6 of us had a bowlful but the Cap and First mate felt they had to finish the bottle as we did pay for it. The stuff was much stronger as all of us felt a bit of a tingle from it and not just on our tongues. As all of us enjoyed an absolutely fabulous dinner both Cress and Matt were giddy and saying they were seeing double. Cress had to
stagger out of the cafe to relieve his stomach and when he returned his whole conplection had changed. Cress had sunburned his head and shoulders while swimming with the turtles and degongs but after his Kava experience his skin was white as a sheet and stayed that way for about a 1/2 hour while he ate another meal of lobster. All of the blood from his head and shoulders seemed to have drained away. Matt on the other hand was very quiet and played with his food trying to focus on cutting his lobster
(while seeing double I would guess). Both were having a good time while the rest of us just pigged out on the great food. The Kava effect lasted about 2 hours and they were both half normal by the end of the evening.Matt wanted to buy some of the powder for the boat but was unsuccessful (Thank God). We are off to Darwin today but with no wind we are sitting about 5 miles off of Epi sweating to death.
Someone will write of our snorkeling with the turtles and degongs.

Dennis

Well...now we're movin!!!

Matt here again,

Finally after a day of puttering around the open seas, with confused trade winds and washing machine like swells, we're finally moving. Since about six this morning the SE trades have settled in, gradually picking up in intensity throughout the day and finally settling in around 15 knots in the afternoon. The boat was moving at a steady 6-7 knots in and around the afternoon as well. My watch fell between six and nine in the evening and the winds really started to pick up then. At around seven
thirty the winds picked up and settled in the 20 knot range, and with both the genoa and the main sail working the boat was cruising in the high seven to eight knot range, with Natasha keeping the boat as steady as she could on the broad reach point of sail!!! The winds got up to 23 knots and the Genoa was rolled in. We're now sailing under the power of the lone main sail, but still trucking along at around 7 knots!

The new crew is beginning to see what it's like to sail in the open sea with the waves slamming the boat side to side, although today seems to be more gentle than most of the days on the Hawaii - Fiji trip. But, that doesn't mean a lot of spills, breaks, and a fair share of green faces didn't occur. Actually today was one of the worst of all. It all started in the can locker. We had placed a massive jar of olives in there after we had opened it a week or so ago. I was reading in the main salon
and heard Cress releasing profanities in the galley while staring at the broken jar leaking all over the locker, pouring out into the galley and all over the locker and floor below. Bob, Cress and I were just finished cleaning the over whelming olive smelling mess (by the way I HATE olives) when Dennis' fishing rod started going nuts. Lure one was gone! Within a matter of seconds the fish had ripped the 40 lb test line faster than we could get to the rod, and by the time we got there the line,
lure and a chance at some fresh dinner was gone! Oh well, we had another line in the water....well, that one was gone too! Big fish I guess. So far, one olive spill and two lost lures. Finally, Cress and I were making some pasta for dinner. I went up in the cockpit to get away from the hellacious heat of the galley only to hear the rubbermade container filled with pasta slam to the floor, releasing the green, red, and yellow spiral pasta all over the floor! Well better than olive juice! And
of course, as I'm writing this we have Rita in the galley spilling her tea just to top it off! Luckily enough no one got sick today but a lot of us were certainly close! Thanks Stugeron!!! I'm sure there was more today but I can't think of it. The good news is we're moving along at some good speeds, and we're only two more sleeps from Tanna, Vanuatu and some live volcano action!

Talk to you soon, Matt

Was it worth it??

Hello dear friends,

After a roly poly night and a pretty tense morning, with a strong wind blowing and large swells throwing us about, Captain Cress maneuvered us into the tranquil waters of Port Resolution, Tanna Island, Vanuatu on Tuesday, October 28. The sail took us 4 days in total. We only saw one other ship along the way from Fiji. What a lovely little piece of Paradise Tanna Island is. Calm waters, lush green hills, palms swaying in the gentle breeze... There are several small villages and a school with 150
students from K to Gr. 8. The people are very poor, with little more than their small hut, garden, and a few animals. But they are very friendly and welcoming. And the scenery is breathtaking! The village of Port Resolution is preparing for a week long celebration (150th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church) and they expect 1000 visitors from all over Vanuatu. As we walked by, we could see women sweeping or raking their dirt paths or cutting their grass (with machetes).

While on Tanna, we met several other yachters/cruisers. What a friendly, helpful community they are! Our second day there, we took a truck ride up to Mt. Yasur, one of the world's most accessible, active volcanoes. We were fortunate, as the evening was clear so visibility was excellent. After a very bumpy ride we walked the last 100 or so metres to the top of the volcano. As darkness enveloped us, we saw not one, but two caldera, each spewing red hot lava. Occasionally, there would be a large,
thundering thud and huge pieces of molten lava, some the size of cars, would catapult skyward. We can hardly wait to show off and share our many photos and videos. It really was like watching a special National Geographic programme, except this was in real life! I am a great fan of Vancouver's summer fireworks displays on English Bay, but this was so much more fantastic!! We all felt very privileged to witness this amazing wonder of Nature!

The next morning we set sail for Port Vila, Efate Island. It was a "robust" sail of about 24 hours. We will likely stay in Port Vila till Tuesday morning. If you ask any of us, "Was it worth it?" you would get a resounding "YES" (with maybe just a tad less enthusiasm from our Captain who got no sleep last night)!

Life on board has been so much fun! We newbies worry that we must be driving poor Cress to distraction because we are just so slow to "get it", but he is an amazing captain and teacher!! We try to make up a little for what we lack in sailing savy by feeding the crew decently. But even that varies from pretty darned good meals to barely being able to pour water from the kettle into the coffee pot! But I guess that's life -- it can't all be smooth sailing!

Life is good!
Rita

What's that noise?

"What's that noise?" asks Matt.
He and I have been sitting idly in the cockpit digesting an excellent dinner of Dennis' spaghetti and meatballs and Rita's fresh baked scones. It was only a few minutes after sun down and already it was as black as only a starless, moonless night can be at sea in tropical latitudes.

I knew what that noise was alright, because today it had been familiar. 'It's the beans we all had had for lunch' I said to myself. Earlier in the day we had all agreed that being at sea is the only respectful place to each beans and garlic - lots of wind around. So we all had had a really good go at a guilt free lunch of garlic bean salad made by yours truly.

When Matt had disturbed my introspection with his question, I had been quietly exercising by prerogative as delicately as I could, and I was darned if I was going to fess up, so I sat on in the dark silently pretending I was either dead or asleep. 'Could be anything' I said to myself.

"Hey Cress, what's that noise?!" Matt asked more loudly, "What the heck's going on in the galley"
'Ahhh, I am in the clear' I thought.
Yes, there was another familiar sound that had not really risen into my conscious until Matt asked his question. I looked around the companionway opening and sure enough there was Bob working the galley sink with the plunger. And he was having a really good go at it with both hands on the plunger, apparently with no success. It was making a very gratifying sucking sound, but not yielding.
I turned to Matt. "Just Bob having an after dinner treat" I said, "he's plunging the sink."
I turned back to watch over Bob's shoulder for a moment longer as he worked away at the sink full of 'tomatoey' water splashing this way and that with no relief in sight. The girls had had a go at it earlier, apparently, equally without success. They had called in 'a man' to get the dirty job done. Hmmm.
"You know Bob", I said as helpfully as I could leaning in the companionway, "You sure look like you know what you're doing and all but have you tried plugging the other sink at the same time?"
"Yuppp" he said between pressed lips as he continued with ever greater more gusto.
I watched for another moment or so. I had never seen the galley sink plunged with such intention.
Now, I don't pretend to be any expert, but it is my boat after all and I plunge that sink at least every other day and it yields a lot easier than that.
"You know" I said again, "There must be something wrong".
"Do you figure!!" said Bob and he trenched away with even more vigor
"Well.. yeah …. It's not usually that…. recalcitrant"
Finally, Bob stopped for a breath and leaned his chin on the plunger staring at the slopping contents with great concentration, willing the answer to come, as if from the swill itself. Then his right hand let go of the plunger almost of its own accord and attacked the drain. His fingers were gouging the drain, fiercely determined to find the problem. 'Here was a man of determination, not to be defeated by a mere galley sink.' I thought approvingly.
There was a small cry of anguish from Bob. Out from the murk he hauled this big black object. Initially, in revulsion, I wondered 'Where in gods great mercy did that horrible dark mass of muck come from?'

But I saw I was mistaken. It was the sink plug.
"What the…." sputtered Bob, but whatever he said was lost in the laughter from the cockpit. Even Dennis woke from his slumber to join in. Bob looked at the Rita and Jan in the galley beside him but they were not laughing. "I just assumed you had…….."

"Dibbs on tonight's blogg" I said between tears of laughter, "that's one for the books."

……
We are underway again, sailing overnight between Tanna Island and the Island where Port Vila is located. Great volcano action of a different kind last night. We should arrive shortly after dawn.
C. Cresswell

A Trampoline on board !!

Tueseday, October 28/08

Hi there:
Jan signing in- finally! I was going to write this a few days ago while we were at sea but sitting below in the Navigation Station with the hatches closed, no air movement and the boat tossing around was not my idea of fun, so let me back track a little.

Monday afternoon started off as a very quiet, almost windless afternoon, lazily bobbing along at 1 1/2 to 2 kts, listening to Bob playing his guitar. The setting was perfect. As I look around in all four directions, I see nothing but water, horizon, sky, more water and rolling swells big enough that my writing is affected as I write in my journal. Yet the sea is as calm as it's been since we left port Danarau in Fiji. We are the only ones out here, as far as the eye can see and probably beyond.
We haven't even seen a boat for two days!! The only noise out here is the occasional "cracking" sound of the sails as they flop windless in the breeze. We had left the fast paced, hectic, deadline driven city life for this. What a great decision!

I however quickly realized that without the wind, we could be out here for ever. Judging from the wind to this point, we had estimated our arrival in Vanuatu at dawn the following day. Now it appeared like it would take 2 more days. After four days on the boat, I was really looking forward to a hot shower.

That evening Bob and I prepared a meal of pork chops, mashed potatoes and coleslaw and then went to sleep early so as to catch a nap before our 3am - 6am watch. Well around 10 pm the action started. The south east trade built up momentum and soon we were sailing at 8 to 9 kts. in what now had become 5 - 6 ft. swells. All this was happening as I was "trying" to sleep. Sails were changed and immediately I noticed a change in my salon berth. Where things before had been a slow soothing rock, suddenly
I felt like I was sleeping on a trampoline, with 4 year old Jonathon jumping up and down beside me. I had ignored Matt's suggestion to use the weather cloth. (a cloth which you tie next to you to keep you from rolling around in your berth or onto the floor). When I turned on my side, the washing machine action started. I was literally lifted off my berth and tossed back and forth. At one point I landed on Bob's knees. He wasn't too thrilled about that as moments before he had been hit with
a shower of water as we had forgotten to batten down the hatches. Ah - beginners at sea !! Dennis and Rita and the two of us are on a huge learning curve and are enjoying every minute of it. (Well, almost every minute). That one hour of nauseousness I experienced yesterday when I decided to try living without the Stugeron was not that enjoyable!

Anyway with all this activity and the action above in the cockpit, I was too excited to sleep. Watching Conversations gliding along (okay, mastering the swells, might be a better way of describing it) was a sight to behold. It was even more exciting when it was finally my turn to take the helm. I was beginning to feel when she was happy. When the sail angles were completely balanced, one slight move to port would slow us down and a little to starboard would cause the sails to luff. Keep her on
course and she's happy. Now, that is until the wind direction changes slightly and then we start all over again.

As night watch turned into dawn, it became Matt's turn to master the helm and bring us safely into Port Resolution Bay on Tanna Island. This island has an active volcano which we were all interested in seeing. Bringing the boat into the bay was no small feat considering we had to come in from the windward side of the island with what were now 10 foot swells, good wind speed and coral reefs to watch for. Matt did an excellent job and later Cress took the helm, and Matt, Bob and Dennis were on
the sails (with Cress' expert guidance). They handled everything exceptionally and we arrived safely at 9:30 am., to my biggest relief !!

The next few days would be spent exploring the local village and going up the mountain to see the volcano. Much excitement still ahead but I'll leave that to someone else to write about.

Cheers -
A Prairie Girl at Sea !

Keeping on Course for Vanuatu

The trade winds are back. And we are sailing! Now the challenge for everyone on board is to keep the ship on course for Vanuatu.

For the beginner helmsmen we have on board, this is especially challenging. In the unfamiliar world of ocean waves, changing winds and slanting decks, steering a straight line seems impossible. And, in fact, it is impossible. The best any helmsman can do is to swing back and forth across the desired course, doing our best to minimize the amplitude of each swing. A beginning helmsman? - well its not too much of an exaggeration to say I have come on deck from time to time to find Conversations II going
back to where we just came from! But mostly, even after a few hours, a first time helmsman can stay within 20 degrees of course either way. An experienced helmsman can keep within 5 degrees of course.

But even as we get more practice in steering the boat, we still go off course. As we become more 'dialed in' to the current conditions, we can get our swings down to a narrow groove. But just when we finally find the sweet spot for the current conditions - the right combination of sails, heading and steering technique, something changes and we are again swinging way off course and have to begin all over again. And isn't that just like life? We each pick a destination, figure out our course to that
destination, and then as we start down the road, we begin to wander, some of us more than others. (Personally, wandering is a favorite of mine!) All the vagaries of life seem to throw us off course. But like ocean passages, if we keep our destination in mind, and stay focused on the task of steering our course, sooner or later, despite our wandering, we will get there! And think of all the cool things that happen while we make the passage.

Last night, the GPS tracked our course over the ocean bottom from dusk to dawn. As each watch crew came on deck and took the helm for their three hour stint, the GPS slavishly recorded our wanderings. By morning, from the GPS trail, we could see that some watch crew were more practiced than others at staying on course. Some watches tended to steer to the left of course, others tended to steer to the right of course. Some watch crews pretty much ran down the line. By morning, overall we were about
40 miles closer to our destination, but 6 miles off our track.

As we sat around the cockpit this morning for coffee, we kidded one another on our steering prowess and then someone asked, "What do we do about being 6 miles off track?" "Should we work to get back on our track, or should we just 're-set' our GPS track to take us to our destination from where we are this morning?"

Surprisingly, re-setting our course from wherever we find our selves 'in the morning' is the most direct route. We try not to wander too far from course, but when we do inevitably, we just say "oh well, silly me, I'm off course again" and then re-set our course from where ever we are. There is only extra mileage involved if we work hard to recover our original track, because when we do, we are aiming for our track, not our destination. Here is the neat thing about life from this metaphor, it reminds
us that 'its about the destination, not the track'. Keep the destination in mind, and reset the course track frequently to make the best progress to the destination. Forget the old track when you wander off it. Trying to recovering the old track only adds extra mileage, the fastest way to our destination is to reset and go back to steering as best we can directly to our destination.

I can think of the times in my life when I have mistaken my track for my destination. I have wasted a lot of energy when I forgotten that 'the job', 'the marriage', 'the toys' - the 'whatever' that made up my track - was my track - and not my destination. This whole exercise last night and this morning only reminds me why keeping our destination in mind is so important, and why letting go of the track is so important. It also reminds me of why knowing the difference between our track and destination
is so important. Sometimes we have to let go of the things on our track to get to our destination.

So here some questions for all of us everyday. What is your destination? What is on your track to that destination? Where are you confusing your track with your destination? What, on your track, do you need to let go of to reach your destination more directly? At home, or at work, these seem to be great questions for us to ask ourselves every morning as we re-set our GPS track for yet another glorious day on the sea of life.