Heading Out

We finally have everything ready to go and have pushed enough to overcome the inertia that had set in with the owner of the boat.  It is easy to see the allure of continuing to hang out here, the weather is nice and the location is great but it is time to get going.

I did manage to finally get down to the beach yesterday for some swimming.  The water was pretty incredible, nice and warm and beautifully colored.  As I did, I felt a bit of inertia building myself, a few more days of swimming on the beach and I may not want to leave either.  Time to get going.

This isn't helping me leave

The weather looks pretty reasonable for the next several days so we have decided to skip a planned stop in Hanalei Bay on Kaui and just head north from here.  The winds are pretty steady and strong from the east so we will have a few days of broad reaching before we can get up to the southwest wind that will let us have an easier downwind sail back to the Pacific Northwest.  Skipping Kaui should let us get to it by the time it sets up on a nice northeast direction in a few days.

You never know what will happen beyond a few days but we will start with the best ufo we have and deal with what comes after that.  The friends who left on Sunday have apparently all had a few days of being seasick in the first few hundred miles so that does not bode well (they are all pretty seasoned sailors).  I have a few things to take to help with that the first few days and I am usually fine after that.  here's hoping that trend continues.

I don't have a great way to post updates along the way but I will be testing out my new Delorme InReach satellite tracking/messaging device and it will post position updates here:  https://share.delorme.com/AlexWalter.

Optimistically, the trip should take about 25 days.  It could be a bit shorter if the high pressure area stays to the east and longer if it backs to the west.  Planning is helpful but ultimately you have to get out there and deal with what comes along.

I have arranged another trip for a few weeks after I get back.  I'll be headed down the west coast on a near coastal trip.  Things seem to be coming along well.