Preparing for Sea

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Thu 12 Jun 2014 10:58

Alongside Hakodate
Wind:
East sou' east, F4moderate breeze
Weather: overcast, rain, cool

The last several days have been mostly spent in getting Sylph ready for the next major leg of our voyage across the North Pacific towards Alaska. They have been mostly small jobs but important, such as checking and tightening the bolts securing the windvane in place, replacing engine anodes, checking navigation lights, rigging checks, fixing a connection from the SSB antenna to the radio, and the list goes on, and there are still many things on it that are not going to get done before it is time to leave. That time is fast approaching.  We have been bottled up in port with fresh easterlies and tomorrow a gale is forecast but, after that, the winds are supposed to move into the west which should make for a fair wind and good conditions for leaving Japan.

This passage Sylph will not be alone. Two other boats are in Hokadate, also heading for the Aleutians and Alaska. I mentioned them in my last log entry, namely the Suuhaa, a Canadian boat, with Brad and Tamara on board, and Larissa, a New Zealand boat, with Mark, Heather and David crewing. Also, further up the coast is another Australian boat, the Nomzamo, Howard and Lorraine are her crew. And a fifth boat is already out there and on its way, the Delphine, registered in Austria with solo sailor Erich in command. For those of us still in port Saturday is looking promising for departure. Despite the rain the boats buzz with activity as the crews complete all the last minute preparations necessary for a major ocean crossing in a challenging part of the world.

All is well.