Hawaii to Vancouver - Part 1 - Flying

We left Hilo (Hawaii) of two minds...reluctant, having had such a great time there and dreading yet more time at sea, but excited about the final stage of the trip...home to family and friends. Like a thoroughbred out of the gates, we loosened our grip on the reins and let Demelza gallop away to the NNW. Yes, that was no typo, the general strategy for getting home is to head around the western side of the NE Pacific high pressure system (the same system that gives BC those glorious summer days) then over the top of it, using its predictable winds. For most boats, that takes them to about 35 or 40N and 160W. You don't want to end up in the middle, or there is no wind. So, we headed NW...straight for Tokyo...but averaging 120 miles a day, which is very fast for us.

Now, the general strategy is of course subject to the vagaries of weather, which were clearly playing havoc with the High on the weather charts we were receiving. Like some amoeba on crack, this thing was nothing like the "typical" high for which the strategy was based. In fact, some of the boats that left a few weeks before us just went straight home, not having to contend with the beast at all. We ran into its thin westerly-protruding arm at about 33N. We turned on the motor and the seas gradually became glassy calm. So much so that we could see garbage floating on the surface. We fashioned a sampling device with our colander and the boat pole and zig-zagged our way from each object to the next, collecting them and plopping them into a bucket of seawater. They were teaming with life...small islands with relatively massive creatures (e.g., gooseneck barnacles and crabs) attached or clinging to their surfaces. These floating reefs, formerly plastic jugs, gin bottles or fishing floats, also provided shelter for small fish. This provided us with entertainment for the better part of a day! Based on the type of garbage and the markings on the plastic containers, we guess that Asian fishermen were the most likely source.

To pass some time, and wash up, we jumped overboard and went for mid-ocean swims (one at a time). Lo swam out to a bottle floating along the surface and sunk it, watching it for what seemed eternity in the clear blueness. A cute little Sergeant Major (black and white striped fish), who was seeking refuge under Demelza's hull, swam out to check out Gary as he swam by.

After a day and a half of motoring, we hit the wind again...big time. A front passed through and we were flying again, in large seas that were such a contrast to the flat lake-like water we'd traversed just days before. The rain poured down on us...COLD! Where were the 30C showers of the tropics? Brrrrr! Just when we thought we had turned the corner onto the homeward stretch, BAM!, the amoebic high alters shape and swallows us entirely. At first, we weren't that disappointed, having nice weather to dry out our gear. But then...(see next post).