Homeward bound

Late on a cold wet evening Omache glided into Victoria inner harbour. I was looking for a large red-roofed building under which lay the customs dock. At night of course there is no such thing as red. All colours are shades of grey. Thinking that I had found the correct dock I tied up and went up the ramp to find the customs phone. Not only was I at the wrong dock but I had inadvertently locked the security gate leading back to the dock! So here I was in the pouring rain on the wrong dock looking forlornly at Omache (my home for the last year and a half) who was just out of reach. Welcome back to Canada I thought. A vast difference from my landing in Hawaii where I was greeted with a lei and fresh fruit.

My immediate problem was how to get back to Omache. I could take off my clothes and swim to her but the water was freezing or I could scale the security fence which looked very menacing with nails sticking out from the perimeter to prevent such a feat. Thinking nothing is impossible and with that feeling I clung to the fence and slowly clawed my way round to the other side. No one was more amazed than me to be standing on the other side again without an injury or tear in my clothing. Back on Omache I found the customs dock one dock away and sure enough there was the phone. A few moments and questions later the customs lady (who by the way thought I was ‘nuts’ to have embarked on such a journey) gave me my clearance number and wished me well. I found a public dock next to the customs dock and slid Omache into a berth. I then ‘jerry-rigged’ the security gate so I could return and went ashore to phone Sal. My last thought before I fell asleep (I had been awake for 60 hours) was that the journey of discovery was over – I’m home and despite the weather it felt good.

Kauai was the last of the Hawaiian chain of islands and over the period of 7 months I had visited all of them. Like saving the best for last I really enjoyed the lushness and beauty of this island. Called the ‘Garden Isle’ it certainly lives up to its name. I was anchored in Hanalei Bay which afforded both protection from the strong prevailing NE winds and beauty with its stunning white sand beaches, palm trees and a mountain back drop. If you were to dream of a perfect bay to anchor – this would be close. It also makes for a perfect jump-off spot to go north to Canada . It was here that I swam with dolphins that came into the bay often. Seeing them early one morning I jumped into the water with my snorkelling gear and joined them frolicking…. They let you get to within about a foot of them. It is fascinating to dive down and watch them underwater. They play with the leaves from trees as if they were a kid with a ball.

Donna, my daughter came to stay with me for 10 days while I was in Kauai . This was Donna’s second visit to Hawaii while I was there. The first time we had a week together on the Big Island . After a day’s rest it we set about to explore the whole island in 10 days. We went to some magnificent beaches, hiked along the Napali Coast , swam with turtles, went to two waterfalls and looked down into the Canyon that rivals the Grand Canyon .

To get to Vancouver Island BC (or Seattle ) you have to go straight north till about 40 degrees and hopefully from there you can pick up the NW trade winds that cross the North Pacific. The idea is to skirt around the huge ‘highs’ that becalm you and avoid the ‘lows’ that will scare you. Easier said than done! The barometer was a great help – when it drops you’re getting close to a low and when it rises you get into the high. I had spent a lot of time improving my ham radio set-up and had a lot of advice and help from a number of ham friends on the Big Island . As a result when I left Hawaii I had a strong signal all the way to Canada . This not only allowed me to email but to pull down weather faxes and grib files (small gridded binary data files that show the wind direction and strength for the area you’re in). With those two pieces of information I was able to get a clearer picture of what lay ahead. Every afternoon I reported my position to the Pacific Seafarers Net which was then posted on the internet and available to all on Shiptrak. Randy, a good friend of mine in Hawaii was one of the PSN controllers. His signal was so strong that he was able to ‘phone-patch’ me through to Sal on her birthday. An unexpected treat for both of us. Sal was visiting Jason and Melissa in Hamilton , Ontario and Donna had joined them for the day so I was able to talk to them as well. I also had two ham radio friends on Saltspring Island (Ray Martin and Jim Spencer) who gave me lots of support and weather information along the way. They also kept Sal in the loop.

June 25. D-Day. As in departure day. I did one circle of the bay to sail passed my friend’s boats and then headed straight north to ‘Oh Canada – the true North, strong and free’ or at least that’s what our national anthem says.

Omache was more ready than I as it takes time for me to get my ‘sea stomach’. With all of the boat’s motion I lost most of my Papayas from the basket hanging outside and the inside basket collapsed with the weight of the fruit. So much for fresh fruit! Later in the day I got buzzed by a low flying Navy C130 as it tried to get my attention. They succeeded and I turned on my VHF radio to be told not to go any further west as the Navy were conducting missile testing in that area. I wonder what the pilots thought as they looked down on this naked sailor!

It takes my body about 5-6 days to get back into the rhythm of the sea – to feel at ease or at one with the ocean again. The first three days were great sailing and I could feel Omache was loving being back on the ocean. She was like a race horse that had been pent up in a stable and was now set free. Ahead of us were two fat stationary highs, so huge that there was no way round them. So for the next few weeks the going was slow but I was feeling great again and enjoyed getting the most out of Omache in these light winds. I was so glad to have the repaired Genoa sail back again as it really helped in light airs. I could do 2.5knts in 5 knts of wind. There were a few days and I chose to motor for 6 hours or so to at least get some headway. A few times I would just ‘park’ Omache and go for a swim and check out her bottom. It was an incredible feeling to be swimming in the middle of the Pacific Ocean . It was still warm and pleasant – that I knew would change as I got further north.

One day (as I was looking at my reflection in the mirror) I was thinking about how much I disliked shaving – what looked back was this rather gaunt face full of stubble topped off with a mop of wild hair (hey at my age I’m lucky to have a topping). Back to my thought – ah yes the gaunt face. When I got to Hawaii I weighed 126 lbs, I know because I weighed myself. I had lost almost 35 lbs. It took me 6 months in Hawaii (eating well I might add) to put back 15-18lbs of those 35lbs. Now looking in the mirror I realized that all that eating (as pleasurable as it was) was for naught. I was once again a skinny fellow. Or as I say to myself to feel better – I’m once again a ‘Lean, Mean, Sailing Machine’.

July 3. No-wind Day. “Omache is sitting in the middle of a huge high and I’ve been trying every trick in the book to get her moving. Right now I’m using every connection I have to ask for more wind – not too much mind you or I’ll then be asking for the opposite! Well I did get my wish in the form of 8 knts of wind. I’m delighted to be cruising along at 3.5knts. I love the sound of the sea as Omache slices through the tiny waves. It’s like the sound of a stream running over pebbles. I’m going to record this magical sound for the future when I’m a landlubber.”

On another day I awoke to a beautiful rainbow on the portside. As the saying in Hawaii goes – ‘No rain, no rainbow’. So I had my morning shower in the gentle rain. How soft it felt – nourishing my dry salty skin. I put my face up to the sky to feel the sensation of moisture on my face. I remember a Hawaiian do the same thing in Kauai . Whilst everyone else was scurrying for shelter – he just stopped there in the downpour, lifted his face to the rain as if to thank it for its presence. That’s how I feel today – thanking Gaia for letting me be part of her domain.

Once I got used to the gentle winds I rather enjoyed it. I knew I wasn’t making great progress but it was very relaxing sailing. I got to bake bread, cook decent meals without being thrown around the galley. One evening the sky is full of so many different types of clouds that I felt as if I was in a cloud shop and the sales clerk had displayed every cloud in the universal store for my perusal. They were all so beautiful I couldn’t pick just one. So I just sat in my cockpit and admire them all.

With all of this motoring I was very reliant on Reddi (my diesel engine). Well Reddi decided that she needed a rest so lo and behold she just quit one night. It took quite a time before I located the problem. But once it was fixed Reddi hummed along right on tune. I normally don’t like the sound of a diesel engine but right then it was music to my ears.
On July 21 I eventually succumbed and put on some long pants. It was definitely getting colder. A swim in the ocean was out of the question and I had stopped having salt water baths. The good news was that the winds were starting to pick up. For the first time I found myself sailing wing-on-wing. Omache was now galloping along reaching 6 knts at times. I was now aware that there was more traffic around. This is the second day in a row that I have seen a large ship. I must be in some sort of shipping lane. I spoke to one of the vessels and it was on its way to Japan from the Panama Canal .

Probably the highlight of my journey was my encounter with two whales. It was a fairly calm day so Omache was just gliding along when I heard whales sounding. I rushed outside to see two whales about 100 foot ahead of Omache. I was ready to change course to avoid them when I felt that they knew where I was and they slowly moved to the side to let me slide pass. Then they flanked me as if they were escorting me. They would peel off and disappear reappearing 1 foot from Omache. At first it was quite alarming but somehow I had the feeling that they meant no harm. And sure enough for the next three days they literally played with Omache like dolphins do. Coming right up to her and then at the last minute diving underneath her and re-appearing on the other side. The one enjoyed drafting on Omache’s tail about a foot away from her rudder like a NASCAR racer. It was incredible to have a close up experience with them. They would come alongside and roll on their side having a good look at me as they did so. Talk about communications. I felt honoured to be in their magnificent presence.

That night there was a full moon and I watched it rise in the east as the sun was setting in the west. I looked back at the rising moon and saw my friends the whales about 200 ft off my starboard side. I looked at the setting sun again and there was a huge school of dolphins in between the setting sun and Omache on the port side. It doesn’t get any better than this!

Every day I downloaded weather faxes as the lows were now coming in. The barometer was dropping to confirm the fact and I haven’t seen the sun for days – instead I’ve had a steady diet of fog. The closer I get to land the closer the lows get until 3 days from land I find myself in a gale. Not pleasant!

July 28. I don’t want to be here day.” I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I was sailing along when the winds piped up. I furled part of the Genoa then put a reef in the main. Eventually I had a tiny headsail and when I went to put another reef in the main the sail got stuck on one of the mast steps. There was nothing for it but to climb the front of the mast and take the step out. I had to do it soon as the seas were building quickly. So I asked my guides to be with me as I climbed up the mast. All went well and I was then able to put in the second reef. With that accomplished I furled the rest of the Genoa and heaved to with just the double reefed main. Even that was too much sail up so after much deliberation I hauled the main sail down and put up the trysail (a tiny bullet proof storm sail). I keep the trysail bent onto a separate track for occasions such as this. But this is the first time I’ve had to use it. Waves were crashing over the boat while I was doing all of this sail handling and there were many leaks inside the boat. It was not an easy day. The gale has let up but the big sea remains and it is very rolly. I just hope I get some sleep tonight.”

After the storm the winds got less and less and the traffic got more and more until I had to turn to Reddi again for propulsion and to be able to use the radar to keep track of all the shipping. With the radar on I would know if any ship was in my vicinity. As I was approaching Juan De Fuca Straits I contacted Tofino Coast Guard Radio to advise them of my presence. What an excellent job they do of keeping track of all of the shipping. Then I heard ‘Puttytat’ our friends David and Sylvie call the coastguard. I hailed them to find out that they were 5 miles ahead of me. They left some 2-3 weeks after me but having a 40 ft Catamaran they made a much faster passage. So we both pulled into Neah Bay near the entrance of Juan De Fuca Straits for diesel. They were running on fumes. You couldn’t have planned it better. After some 2,500 nms we were 5 miles apart. I was very lucky to have met them as I found out that my Visa card had expired leaving me in an embarrassing situation of not being able to pay my diesel bill. David saved my bacon and paid the bill for me. I am now happily indebted to him to the tune of $125. We had a full breakfast together before setting out to catch the incoming tide to take me to Victoria and them to Seattle .

Looking at the charts I saw I could save some time by taking a short-cut through Race-Rocks. Bad move! The current rips through there and at times I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I had Reddi going full out and I was still just creeping along. It took forever to get through. I was just glad I made it through. When I spoke to locals the next day in Victoria they said that is one area to avoid. Oh well, I’m still here to tell the tale but it was a lesson learnt.

I couldn’t believe how cold Victoria was. Welcome to the great north – strong and cold – it should read! Meeting all of my boating neighbours I was quickly informed that I had landed on the biggest long weekend of the year. On the Sunday was the Splash event. They float a large barge into the inner harbour to house the city’s Philharmonic Orchestra and the finale is the 1812 overture with real cannons blasting away and a fireworks display at the end. On the Monday it was BC’s 150th birthday so there was a concert on the grounds of the Legislator, which overlooks the harbour with the cream of Canadian talent performing. Being berthed at the city docks I was front and centre for the whole event. So the plans changed – instead of taking off for Saltspring Island the next day I phoned Sal and she caught the ferry and joined me in Victoria for our reunion. It was a fabulous weekend and the weather played its part with glorious sunshine. Sal and I went on many walks around the harbour enjoying the different scenic routes. Late Monday Sal left and Ray, a fellow sailor from the Saltspring arrive to join me on the trip to Saltspring.

Early the next morning we set out for Saltspring. Another glorious day but alas no wind but I didn’t mind. I just enjoyed all of the scenery of the gulf islands from the sea. It is certainly a beautiful cruising ground with every island offering snug little protected anchorages. About 10 hours later we entered Ganges Harbour , the main harbour for Saltspring. At the dock of the Saltspring sailing club was Sal and friends to welcome me home. On the following Sunday friends in the Vesuvius neighbourhood threw a ‘welcome home’ party to celebrate my safe return. After a year and a half of travelling it was a wonderful to be home again and in the company of my friends. The long journey was over but not forgotten. And so it is.

Many thanks to all of you who have followed and taken an interest in my journey. I have felt and appreciated your company…Love Elvin.