April 17 - Lahaina, Maui

N20deg52min/W156deg41min We departed Lono Harbor early and motor sailed in light winds and flat seas in the channels all the way to Lahaina. On the advice of our friend Sam of the HYC, we left Lanai to port, passing it on its west side, and essentially going completely around it before turning for Lahaina. In that way we were able to mitigate most of the adverse effects of the current in the channels, as well as see some beautiful scenery on the west and south sides of Lanai we hadn't seen before. We saw some whales breaching, and hooked into a large wahoo (on the south side), which Matt brought in on the hand line. About three and a half feet long, we didn't waste too much time before preparing it as part of the late afternoon meal. The anchorage here in front of Lahaina is really rolly, so we doubt we'll stay here too long before departing for French Polynesia. We have just a few things to do aboard and will also see our friends John and Melinda (sv Mycia), so if the weather looks good we'll be departing south pretty quickly.

April 16 - Honolulu to Molokai

N21deg05min/W157deg14min We've departed Honolulu! The weather window looked promising, and, although hard to believe, the reality has lived up to the advertizing! We cast off the dock lines shortly after 0700, seen off by our dear friends Richard and Lee of sv Before. We motor-sailed under sunny skies in 10 knots of SE wind. Of course, the wind was coming directly from the direction we wanted to go, but seas were flat and we anchored in Lono Harbor at 1430. The anchorage is 20' deep, and so calm in here that it's hard to remember we're actually out cruising again! It's been a wonderful first day out, shake down cruise. Tomorrow we'll awake early and depart for Lahaina. Let's hope the fishing is better than it was today...
The picture is sunset in Lono Harbor, Molokai

April 13 - Sea trials and new photo album

Things are progressing along fine. We've run the watermaker, the auto pilot, used the anchor windlass, replaced the 2nd reef line, placed a whipping on the end of the new main halyard, and a bunch of other stuff. Sue also downloaded a new Picasa album entitled "Projects, Honolulu." It's a collection of photos of some of the various projects we've done while here in Honolulu. Enjoy
(AlaWai Yacht Basin is in the foreground of the picture.)

April 11 – It won’t be long now!

We're in the final stages of preparation for departure. Provisions are being stowed, tools and spares have been put back where they belong, and we’re doing sea trials this week, going through systems and using various equipment that haven’t seen any use for six months, like the wind vane, sails, etc! The dinghy motor was started and used for about ½ hour before being stowed again. We still have a few issues to look carefully at, and will be topping off with fuel as well. We’ve also been studying the weather charts and discussions, and hope a decent window for departure occurs by this coming Saturday. Our plan is to go to Molokai, then Maui, then stage from Hilo for French Polynesia. We’ll be off internet very soon and back to our SailMail address, which also means that blog pictures will have to wait until we have an internet connection to upload. Although we enjoy receiving email, a SailMail reminder is probably warranted – please do not forward any pictures, junk mail, or forwards; SailMail will delete much of it, and our daily minutes are limited and are mostly used to download weather underway. As always, we’ll attempt to update our blog fairly regularly and let everyone know the local conditions and our progress. It usually takes a few days to get back into the groove of passage making, but we’re looking forward to getting “back on the road.” Newsflash: our responses to “The Interview With A Cruiser Project” has just been posted! You can read the entire interview at:
http://interviewwithacruiser.blogspot.com/2011/04/10-questions-for-infini.html.
Enjoy!
(The picture is the early morning view from our X Dock mooring.)

March 30 – Cosmetics and the cult of teak

It’s that time again. Groan. We’ve completed our allocated major projects since coming here to Honolulu, and thought we’d spruce up Infini a bit as well as make maintenance easier as we’re planning our departure soon to continue our circumnavigation. As many of you know, Infini, being a Westsail 43, has the mixed blessing of lots of teak on deck: the rubrail, bulwark, hatches, pinrails, hatch turtle, and companionway are all of beautiful teak. Sometimes I think half a forest of teak trees were cut down just for our boat. However, after using various types of varnish as well as Cetol thru the years, we finally decided to apply LPU (linear polyurethane) paint to the bulwarks. I know, I can hear the anguished screams and see the tears of those purists out there (who are already planning on deserting this blog and going back to their own varnishing), but I call it “the tyranny of teak,” and we had all had enough. Matt and I stripped the rails down to bare wood and prepped them for the application of Interlux PreKote, the primer used before applying Interlux Brightside LPU Epoxy. We then used 3M Blue Line tape to mask off the bulwarks. As an aside, since we usually aren’t in areas we can purchase these precious blue rolls, we carry enough of them to effectively tape off an area half the size of the city of Honolulu. (OK, a slight exaggeration, but it sure seems like we have that much.) We put on three coats of Prekote, sanding between coats as the instructions indicate, and have applied three topcoats of 4237 Sundown Buff Premium Single Part Enamel (think of a light tan color). Removing all the blue tape should be interesting… The rail looks different to us with paint applied to it; just another thing we’ll all have to get used to! The single part LPU durability is rumored to last at least five years, and yes, we thought about applying two-part LPU, but conditions here are less than ideal, and if we have to recoat in 5 years (vs the 8-10 years expected out of a 2 part LPU like Awlgrip), that’s still a huge improvement over the varnish/Cetol routine we’ve been doing for these past twelve years. The Interlux Brightside is easy to apply, flows smoothly, tacks fast and looks good. As for the rest of the topside teak, Sue’s been sanding and applying Cetol; we are certainly looking quite spiffy! Soon we’ll be doing sea trials and final provisioning (trying to stow everything couldn’t take more than…well, I won’t go there) for our departure back to French Polynesia and destinations further west. We’re all anxious to get going!
This picture is of the first coat of primer being applied. Can you find the marlin fish tail in the picture?

March 11 - Tsunami happenings in Honolulu

First off, we're fine! Many thanks to all of you for your emails, prayers and thoughts. Here's the rundown of what happened. We left the dock at the Hawaii Yacht Club at midnight after finding out about the tsunami warning around 9:15 pm. We weren't really prepared to go sailing, so had to stow a lot of things and change our mind set fast! We lashed the dinghy down and tied down everything on deck as best as we could. Fortunately, we had tied down our new hard bimini, as it still needs trimming out and bolting down, so we weren't quite ready to take it offshore! When we got past the last set of channel buoys, we found the horizon was lit up with hundreds of boat navigation lights...hmmm...We set a double reefed mainsail and slowly "jigged" around. We were in deep water quickly and I didn't want to go too far away from the island, although the tsunami wave was not expected to reach Honolulu until 03:15 AM or so. We spent the entire evening slowly sailing back and forth from Diamond Head to just past the Ala Wai Channel, trying to gauge how close any other boat was and just trying to stay away from anyone else. I think everyone had the same idea! Although there were a few 6-8' waves, seas were pretty small, and we didn't actually feel when the tsunami wave passed; that was a very good thing! By daybreak, we were all tired, but safe, and looking forward to hearing news about what happened at the Ala Wai Small Boat Basin as well as the HYC. The radio was busy with many people inquiring about returning, as every harbor thru out the Hawaiian Islands was closed to boat traffic, so no one could return to their slip! Some folks got a bit impatient, but we enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning, sited some nearby humpback whales, and actually anchored and ran our water maker to further commission this new build out. Final clearance was finally granted to return into the Ala Wai, but by then we had received a cell phone call that informed us the Aloha Dock at the HYC was damaged and could not accommodate any boats. Uh Oh....In nearby Keehi Marine Center, several docks were severely damaged and boats adrift or sunk...Currents were swirling around the harbor at around 4 knots, and eddies were everywhere. Boats were lined up 2 to 3 abreast coming back thru the channel into the Ala Wai area. We tied up on "X" dock, a transient dock owned by the State, and were assisted by our friends from sv Cosmos and sv Before who had docked directly in front of us just minutes before our arrival. It felt good to be tied up and safe, albeit tired! We had a bite to eat, took a 2 hour nap, visited with friends, and relaxed. It's been an exciting 24 hours....Our hearts go out to all those who didn't fare so well, both here and in Japan....
The picture is of the boats behind us returning to the AlaWai Yacht Basin....we're not at the front of the line!

Feb 18 - A bit of sight seeing

We've been keeping busy between work projects. A visit from John & Melinda (sv Mycia) from Maui - we had met many years ago in Port Townsend, Wa! - coincided with some big waves on the north shore. We went by bus, hoping to see an "Eddie" competition. The contest didn't happen, but it was still impressive to experience the huge waves and see the north and east coasts of Oahu.
With all the work projects going on the boat is a shambles, and it's hard for even one person to move around....I've kept my sanity by renting a small condo at the Ilikai for a few weeks. It corresponded with a visit from two friends, Jan & Robin, who have recently retired. So a rendezvous in Hawaii was most welcome! We rented a car to see the 'real Hawaii'--only a half hour drive out of Honolulu. We hiked, explored beaches, and never stopped jawing....a wonderful visit.
The view from our room has a good view of the HYC Friday night race start and finish line, as well as activity off Waikiki. It's whale watching season..the big humpback whales are beautiful to watch.
We were invited to a special Boat Tour of Pearl Harbor by our friends Dave & Sherry. This is not open to the public; you have to be active or retired military. It was a different perspective and presentation of the history of the bombing, and included an interesting tour around Ford Island by launch.
We've continued to meet cruisers...there will be a handful of boats doing the 2011 Pacific Puddle Jump organized by Latitude 38.
....A new Picassa album has been posted, entitled "Around Oahu."

12-10-10 We're taking off...

We're leaving for Florida later this afternoon, just in time for the first heavy rains Honolulu has seen in a long while. The rigging project was completed yesterday, with new Schaefer double jaw headstay toggles for the forestay, backstay and staysail. Lefiel Mast supplied us with new tangs and bolts for the upper, intermediate and lower shrouds. New wire lengths were cut for the upper cap shrouds, intermediates and the lower portion of the backstay below the insulator, and the new Hayn turnbuckles were fitted; we then redid the Hayn Hi-Mod terminal ends. The great news was that the SS wire and terminal fittings looked like new, even though I installed them about 5 years ago (btw, I used 3M 5200 in the terminals). We still have just a bit of mast and spreader work to finish up, like remounting the radar reflector, spreader boots and shroud covers, then have to tune the rig. Last week the serviced injector pump and injectors were reinstalled, and the Perkins is running fine. I also found time to uninstall our Village Marine Little Wonder 150 watermaker, which is now available and for sale to a new owner and many more years of service. (The unit is listed on the SSCA and Westsail Owners Association Bulletin Boards in the Items for Sale section). We have about 20 packages waiting for us in Florida, not including our new Frigoboat unit that our friends have shipped to Honolulu already. So, our upcoming visit will be mostly to see our family and friends, with just a little work thrown in such as hunting down parts to bring back with us in Jan. We hope everyone has a healthy, happy and blessed Holiday season as well as awesome sailing, and we'll add more to this blog upon our return.

11-12-10 Fun & Games

Matt returned at 0540 this morning, sporting a brand new souvenir, a birthday present to himself-- a Samoan tattoo. We had birthday cake after the hamburger grill out after the Friday night race; Michael again joined Zion and they had a great time and also placed pretty high on the race list.

Our "to do" list is extensive, as this will be the last (somewhat) convenient place to do, or have, work done. There's a lot of stuff being shipped to us, as upgrades and improvements continue aboard. Locally, finding reliable craftsmen has been a challenge, as many folks don't return calls, or are "no shows" on previously scheduled jobs. We rely on word of mouth of several of the Yacht Club members to steer us in the right direction, and even then, it seems some folks recommended just don't bother to follow up. At any rate, our dodger is off the boat as we tore one of the window zippers in Panama. The Perkins fuel injection pump has leaked since French Polynesia, and has been pulled, and along with the injectors, sent for servicing and repair. I've also arranged for a pressure test to be done on the valves to ensure that we don't need an overhaul before departing next season. The rigger has been busy, as we've pulled the original Lefiell tangs off the mast and I'll be replacing them as well as the original Navtec turnbuckles. Although five years ago I replaced all the 3/8" SS standing rigging and used all new Hayn Hi-Mod terminals, I didn't replace the (now) 32 year old tangs or turnbuckles. Considering Infini has already been thru one circumnavigation and is now well on her way towards a second, the SS metal fatigue and metal "cycles" take their toll. We don't see any cracks or obvious problems with anything we've removed, but I think prudence is necessary and feel it will be money well spent. The watermaker project is progessing very slowly. Hunting down the myriad parts, both large and small, is taking days of time on the phone and internet and has been a real headache. I've ordered the Frigoboat system for our freezer, and look forward to installing the keel cooler when we haul out for bottom work in Jan or Feb. The boat is a bit disorganized, but we're trying to keep things as neat as possible, all things considered! So, that's a brief summary of some, but certainly not all, the ongoing projects we're dealing with on a daily basis. We're keeping busy!

11-5-10 Friday

We've been having a wonderful time here at the Hawaii Yacht Club. The YC members see transient boats come and go regularly, and are used to extending their hospitality. We try to reciprocate by getting involved in many of the activities here: a regular morning coffee clatch, Friday night races, Monday night BBQ's, afternoon yoga classes twice a month, and various special events as they occur. And we've only been here a few weeks! We've both also visited several doctors and dentists for routine exams. We haven't gone out to eat that often, but one notable place was the Spaghetti Factory, where we accompanied our friends Ray and Ramona, and their children Kai, Kiana and Kahealani. The kids have become accomplished Farkle players and even play in the car as they're being driven around! On the home front, Matt's returning Friday morning from American Samoa, and various boat projects are getting started, which will be discussed in another blog entry. It's also a bit easier to get around, as our friends Dave and Sherry (s/v Soggy Paws) returned to the mainland for a visit and left their car for us to use. M's been busy ordering stuff, and Sue is once again wondering how it's all going to fit aboard the bulging Infini.
The picture is from our visit to the Old Spaghetti Factory.

10-28-10 Honolulu, Oahu

We've moved from the Aloha guest dock to a slip here at the Hawaii Yacht Club in the Ala Wai Basin. Behind the locked gates at the end of the pier, you can forget the big city is a short walk away! We've bought two used bikes from Walmart for our transportation; that and the city bus and shuttles will get us around. We've been meeting new friends; the Aloha spirit is alive and well! Michael & Matt joined sv Zion's family (Ray and Ramona and their three wonderful children) for a weekly Friday night race here. They placed 2nd in the non-spinnaker division, and 11th overall...a grand effort and fun for all! There are many long term members and live aboards here....we feel lucky to be part of their extended family for awhile. We've been cleaning the boat and working on our "list". The new galley sink faucet and spigots have already been installed.
Shortly after our arrival Matt was offered a crew position aboard B2, a Nordhavn 64 Expedition Motor Yacht, going to American Samoa. The captain and 3 crew will get there in less then 2 weeks....Matt will then fly back to his much more basic abode here. What an opportunity for him!
Most mornings here have been spent drinking coffee in the yacht club and tracking down and ordering parts and supplies. Shipping to Hawaii is expensive, but a necessary part of the repairs and upgrades we plan to do. Example: four new 175 watt solar panels (purchased here) are sitting on our deck, awaiting the arch modification from the welder we've contacted (who has yet to show up!). Scheduled visits by local canvas, diesel, and rigging experts have already been booked. Many of our upgrades would, under most circumstances, be done by us; but with limited time and many major things to do on "the list" we've opted to farm out some of the punch list.
The picture is B2 leaving....with Matt as one of the crew.

Thursday 10-21-10 Honolulu, Oahu

Sunrise Tuesday we headed for Oahu and had a magnificent sail across the Kaiwi Channel with winds on our stbd quarter. We've been very fortunate with the winds and seas....we've heard this has been a 'calm' year. We're thankful for that!
We tucked into the Ala Wai Basin, and tied to the Hawaii Yacht Club's 'Aloha' dock. Our friends on Soggy Paws had arrangements at Rainbow Marina in Pearl Harbor, so we separated and will compare notes later. Culture shock once more...the high rise condos, high density population, and 1000 boat slips in this one basin....it'll take some getting used to. Creaking dock lines, general noise and music kept us awake--I guess our 8pm shut eye time will have to change. But, we can't complain about the facilities or friendliness of the folks here; everyone's been great! We're working on finding long term moorage and connecting with the skills and services we need for our repairs and upgrades.

Mon 10-18-10 Lono Harbor, Molokai

We had a great early morning crossing of the Kalohi channel to Molokai, where we spent the night in Lono Harbor. What a surreal experience when a swarm of bees invaded us as I was making a big salad. All they wanted was fresh water,(the drought is really, really bad here), so my sink and anywhere there was water was bee city. Thankfully they were not the biting kind, so I had an up close and personal experience with these soft, fuzzy, noisy critters. I put bowls of water on the deck hoping to draw them out there...it worked a bit...the ones below stayed and the new ones were above. I knew they'd be gone by sundown, but they ended up dying/drowning(??), so by sunset I had bowls full of dead bees. Weird.

Sunday 10-17-10 Maui

Sharing a rental minivan with our friends, we toured two full days around this beautiful island. We went up to the 10,023 foot high Haleakala, in the National Park. Haleakala, meaning 'house of the sun' has 12 observatories, all closed to the public. The views are spectacular from up there...and we enjoyed seeing the beautiful silversword plant, an endangered hearty plant only found in that National Park. We found a great kite boarding beach at Kanaha Beach Park, near Kahului. Matt was stoked, but sad he couldn't kite that day. Next we went to Ioa Valley State Park, where an emerald-green pinnacle shoots straight up from the valley floor to a height of 2250 ft. The Iao needle is a popular tourist stop...the cameras were clicking; it reminded us of similar grandeurs in the Marquesas.... We drove back to Lahaina and had dinner at the Lahaina Yacht Club before returning to our boats for the night.
We awoke and were off our boats at 0630 to start a full day of many sights and stops along the Hana Highway- a famous narrow twisting scenic road with 54 one-lane bridges to cross. Getting to the Kipahulu section of the Haleakala National Park was our goal. Maui has been experiencing a drought, so many of the roadside waterfalls were trickles or non-existent, but the Waimoku Falls at the end of the Pipiwai Trail in the 'Ohe'o Gulch was impressive with its 400' waterfall dropping down a sheer rock face. There are 24 terraced pools connected by gentle cascades and streams extending from this fall to the ocean. We walked through the bamboo forest, and were struck how serene and beautiful the area was. After a refreshing dip in the pool, we drove along the south edge of the island, and the untamed Pi'ilani Highway was like a trip to the boonies along the coast. It was barren, brown, dry and rugged, with miles of driving on unpaved road. The road itself crosses a vast lava flow dating from Haleakala's last eruption in 1790. We stopped for an incredible sunset view from a cliff along the highway and were able to view four islands from our vantage point. We finally made it back to our boats, weary but with lots of good pictures and memories.
Today was our last full day on Maui, and we started it by visiting the Whalers Museum in Ka'anapali. We later met with David, Ellen, Eric, and Jason who live locally and completed a six year circumnavigation in their sv Peace and Aloha a few years back. We had a lovely dinner with them and returned aboard around 2230 hours (late for us!), hoisted the outboard and dinghy to the deck, and prepared for an early morning departure. Our plan is to anchor for the evening in Lono Harbor on the southwest coast of Molokai, and depart for Honolulu early Tues. morning. Crossing the channels between these islands is known to be calmest in the early mornings. We've had wonderful mild weather so far...we hope it continues!

Thursday 10-14-10 Maui

N 20.52 / W 156.41
We're in Lahaina, a place I always wanted to come to by my own boat. Located on the west side of Maui, it's an old whaling town that is now a busy tourist destination, hosting a very active main drag of shops (Front Street) selling jewelry, T shirts, burgers and ice cream. A typical tourist scene. The small harbor is full, mostly with tourist boats, but there are a few lucky private yachts; there's a 35 year waiting list for a slip! To get here, we had sailed all night across the Alenuihaha Channel, experiencing ENE winds of 15-20 knots and 4-6' seas, and felt blessed that conditions were so benign. The winds died after we crossed Ma'alaea Bay, and we motored the few remaining miles to Lahaina, picking up a Lahaina Yacht Club mooring in front of town. We hurriedly launched the dinghy and went in to register at the YC. Moorings are free, and available for short lengths of stay to the visiting yacht. We had a quick shower upstairs, a quick beer downstairs at the YC bar, and proceeded to walk the town a bit. We were running on adrenalin at that point, but it felt good to mingle with the crowds for a change of pace. That afternoon Dave and Sherry arrived; they had anchored at Nishimura Bay on the NW side of the Big Island during the night and awoke early to cross the channel in the calm early morning winds. Avoiding the build up of the trade winds as you cross any of the channels between islands usually means a very early morning departure (like 0400) or an all night sail (like Infini did) before the kick ass winds and seas have a chance to paste you. Again, watching the weather forecasts and being aware of local conditions is imperative for safe cruising. We look forward to renting a car with our friends and visiting the National Parks before heading out to our next overnight stop in Moloka'i.

Sunday 10-10-10 Mauna Kea

We exchanged our rental minivan in for a 4WD vehicle so we could visit the Mauna Kea lookout and observatories without going with a tour group. Before going there, we visited Waipi'o Valley's lookout and all points on the north west side of the island....such as Kahala, Upolu Pt., and the statue of Kamehameha I. The views and history of the area were very interesting. We had a car full as our friends from the catamaran Moemoea Nui (Alain and Odile) joined us. Atop Mauna Kea it was cold for us (45 degrees F) but an amazingly clear evening, so the view and sunset was incredible. The elevation at the Visitors Information Station is 9,300 feet, and is a required stop to acclimatize before ascending to the summit at 13,796 feet. It felt like we were on a different planet up there...awesome, and a unique experience. More pictures will be added to our Album section soon; you'll feel like you were along with us so make sure you're wearing warm clothes!

Wed. 10-6-10 The Big Island

We've had a lot of fun playing tourist. The bus system here is free, but doesn't run after 5pm or on Sundays. Various cruise ships have been in frequently, and we can stand in their lines for free transportation to town if we want. Also, it's only a 2 mi. walk to the quaint downtown area of Hilo, which we've also done.
We rented a mini van with our friends and toured the island. Our first stop was Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We drove the crater rim road, and the rain and clouds didn't stop us walking to see the visitors center, the crater, Kilauea Caldera, steam vents, and lava tubes. We also stopped at the Jaggar Museum. The drive along the southern side brought us to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, where we saw three green turtles sleeping on....you guessed it, the black sand! We stopped for the night in Ocean View at Leilani B & B, to meet Randy and his wife Lynn. Randy (KH6RC) is one of the main voices on the PAC SEA NET that we check in with while under passage. These net controllers are all volunteers and put many hours into their 'hobby', offering a great service to cruisers. Sherry ran the net that night; there were 8 boats checking in from all over. We had an enjoyable evening at their peaceful place. The next day we drove to South Point (Ka Lae), where the cliffs have fishing 'camps' on the bluffs. With the offshore breeze, they use plastic bags to get their line and hooks offshore. It's the most southern tip in the U.S. - views from the vistas were a pleasure. We stopped next at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (Place of Refuge), the Captain Cook Monument, and then on to Kailua Kona area to visit the marina and haul out yard at Honokohau Harbor. It was a full day's driving to get back to Hilo in the evening. The next morning the girls made a trip to the laundry with their many bags of laundry....finally...then 7 of us (our French friends from Moemoea Nui, Alain & Odile) were off to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, a wonderful spot on the coast north of Hilo.
There are many local booklets and visitor information resources, but theses are also invaluable when touring the islands:
Cruising Guide to the Hawaiian Islands, Carolyn & Bob Mehaffy
Charlie's Charts of the Hawaiiam Islands, Charles and Margo Wood

Oct 3 - Team Infini is safely in Radio Bay, Hilo

We had beautiful sailing in unexpected NW winds of 18-20 which allowed us to sail to windward at a 25-30 degree relative wind angle at 5.5 knots. We had to reef down the sails to slow the boat down, and keep her sailing efficiently and comfortably. At 0400 a line of squalls started, and we saw 27 knots in the higher gusts. Let out the main, furl the jib more, feather the boat into the wind in the higher gusts; by that time we had taken Max off the job as it was easier (and more fun) to steer the boat ourselves; Max had done an outstanding job until then. We ended up having to motor sail the rest of the way to Hilo, as the winds were directly on the nose. The weather was forecast to turn worse Monday and Tuesday, so we didn't want to be out tacking all day and night working our way towards Hilo. We called Customs on our cell phone at 0900, and they said to come directly in for clearance when we tied up in Radio Bay. We turned the corner of the long breakwater leading into Hilo and were boarded by the USCG for a safety inspection! The guys were very nice, efficient, and stayed aboard until I swung the boat around to tie stern to the wall (Med moor style) in Radio Bay. We were secured by 1045 and happy to be in still water.
Final stats are:
total miles: 2154
avg speed: 5.3 knots
total elapsed time: 407 hours
total engine run time (including charging batts, bringing the reefer down): 33 hours, which represents 8% of the total elapsed time
number of fish caught: 2
highest wind gust: 27
total sleep deprivation: incalculable....
Once again, Team Infini enjoyed a wonderful transit, and we thank Neptune for allowing this opportunity and look forward to exploring the delights of Hawaii (and completing a long list of boat projects!) over the next six months before returning to French Polynesia.

Oct 2 - Enroute to Hawaii Day 17

1200 (2200Z)
position: N18deg46min/W153deg25min
day 16 run - 113 nm
avg speed - 4.7 kn
wind - NE 6-10 kn
We had a beautiful night sailing in smooth waters. This morning we set the pole to leeward to keep the yankee jib flat; the main has one reef in it. We're doing 5-5.5 kn boat speed in 10-13 kn of NE wind; we don't want to go too much faster as we don't want to arrive Hilo in the dark. We've got around 110 nm to the anchorage in Radio Bay, and we've been advised that a Med mooring is necessary in the small anchorage area. (This is where a boat drops its anchor and backs up to something, usually a concrete wall, and stern ties about 10-20 feet from the wall. The anchor chain and/or the stern lines ashore can be brought in or out to adjust to any surge that occurs.) We can hear USCG Honolulu on VHF Channel 16, so we know land's out there somewhere ahead of us! This should be our last night out sailing until landfall; I think we're all ready for a change of pace. All's well aboard. Btw, for inquisitive minds that want to know, Max is steering beautifully.
And oh yes....the "fish on" call was made....Matt didn't have to struggle bringing a 3ft. 7lb. mahi mahi aboard. Sue filleted the fish just in time before we had a line squall hit.

Oct 1 - Enroute to Hawaii Day 16

1200 (2200Z)
position: N17deg46min/W151deg47min
day 15 run: 107 nm
avg speed: 4.5 kn
wind: NE 10-12
Our night was very slow in very light winds. At 1100 this morning we dropped the BAM sail (see previous post) in winds that had crept up to 10-12, and maintained our speed with single reefed main, yankee jib, and staysail. We're expecting winds to go up a few knots later today; Max likes the set of the sails the way they are, hence the single reef in these light airs. Otherwise, Sue's come closer guessing the previous day's run two times in a row now, so Matt and I have to prepare dinner and clean up (the winner gets the bye). No fish yet, but we're sorely deficient in good lures that might attract them! 218 nm to Hilo. We're looking forward to hot showers and doing a laundry; our clothes are standing up on their own...