Melissa first started having contractions a couple days before the 8th. On Wednesday morning she was awakened by more severe contractions although they were inconsistent. By that evening the contractions were becoming more regular and by 8 o’clock she felt that she needed to go to hospital to get some “pain relief”. We arrived at the assessment area and Melissa was hooked up to a machine to monitor the baby’s heart rate and her contractions. After 30 minutes and a physical exam the Dr felt that Melissa might have as many as two days before the baby would come because she was only 3cm dilated. On our drive home from the hospital Melissa was brought to tears with the thought that she would have to cope with the pain for any longer. At 1 AM that night I was awakened to panicked screams as Melissa’s water had broken. It was a frantic dash to the car and off to assessment again. This time the contractions were minutes apart and she was 5cm dilated. The Dr asked Melissa if she would like anything to help with the pain and she immediately said she would like an epidural ASAP. The anesthesiologist was soon there and I quickly sussed her out. I have been nervous about the idea of an epidural ever since I heard about them. Having back problems of my own, I found it hard to believe that it wasn’t extremely risky to put a needle into your spine. It was this combined with the young age of the Dr and having to wear a surgical mask that made me feel nauseous and then an overwhelming urge to pass out. I decided that my best option was to leave the room. Well when I returned Melissa had a big smile on her face and I knew everything was alright. After that it was pretty much a waiting game as the nurses and Dr’s came in every 30min or so to check on her condition and progress.

At 8:15AM the pushing began and that’s when the “fun” started. Melissa had a hard time feeling anything because of the epidural and I think this actually caused her to have to push for much longer than she should have. The nurses began to turn the epidural down so she could have more feeling because progress was quite slow. After about 45min the Kaitlyn’s heart rate began to get quite high and the Dr’s became quite concerned about the length of time she was in this state. During one of the exams meconium (Baby’s poo) was discovered which increased their concern. The perinatal department was contacted because of the possible side effects of the meconium and it was decided that the baby had to come out soon. By this point Melissa was making great progress, but still not fast enough so the Dr’s felt that they might need to use the vacuum to get her out. Melissa and I shared a glance and we were both clear that we didn’t want it to happen this way. I could see Kaitlyn’s head clearly at this point and began to really cheer Melissa on with the equally enthusiastic help of the nurses. The Dr’s began to set up the vacuum, attached it to her head and realized that it didn’t have any suction because of a leak in the line. We all continued to rally around Melissa and the Dr caught on to our enthusiasm and proclaimed that the baby was going to come out unassisted. By this point there were between 10-15 people in the room because the perinatal team had showed up to assist with checking over Kaitlyn as soon as she came out. With incredible strength Melissa dug down deeper than any man could go and pushed Kaitlyn out. It was the single greatest moment of my life watching Kaitlyn slide out and begin to cry. Not a day has gone by since then that I have not thought about that miraculous moment. I have never been so proud and amazed by someone in all my life as I am of Melissa and what she was able to do.

Oh and Kaitlyn came out perfectly healthy.

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.

July 14^th After a week in Balboa it was time to move on. I knew I had been there too long when I started ordering the water taxi in Spanish. They won’t let you use your dinghy as the currents are too swift for all but the largest outboard motors. The story goes that a couple got swept out to sea in their dinghy never to be seen again. Whilst in Balboa I took the opportunity to see Old Panama City. The 500 year-old Spanish buildings are stunning. Every corner or street reveals another gem of a building or church. The whole town is under going a major renaissance with a lot of the original private buildings being renovated and turned into offices, shops, cafes or luxury apartments. The architecture is similar to Havana in Cuba but unfortunately most of Havana’s buildings are in a state of major decay. So with my diesel and water tanks full and my larder restocked with fresh fruit and vegetables (later I would be so grateful for over-provisioning) I bid Adios to Balboa but not to Panama because first there was a detour to be had called the Las Perlas Islands. One of those “Can’t miss” places. Only 50 miles from Balboa it is like stepping into another world. A group of islands of which only a few are populated with pristine waters and lush, unspoilt vegetation make these islands a unique cruising ground. Of course if you need daily supplies or entertainment then these islands are not for you. At Las Perlas I took the opportunity to dive beneath Omache to check the hull and give her bottom a good scrub. On land most people run for cover when it rains. Here you run outside to shower and cool down. So when a squall moved through the anchorage I stood in the rain for a fresh water shower and then once the decks were clean I devised a way to divert the water flowing down the decks into my water tank to top it up. I was glad of the chance to practice this as I might have to catch water along the way to Hawaii. And so Hawaii beckons and with it the longest passage of the journey - a mere 4,500 nautical miles from Panama as the crow flies. A journey of the unknown as I have never been more than 500 miles off shore before. This time I will be more than 2500 miles from any land. Hawaii is literally in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is a time for learning not only how to sail long distances but a time to learn more about yourself. Your inner resources. The route to Hawaii will take me 3 ° N of the equator until I reach 110 ° W then I will start to turn up towards Hawaii. This is the old Clipper route that was used by those trading vessels to take advantage of the trade winds. If it worked for them, it should work for me.

August 16^th I am now half way to Hawaii with 2,800 nms under my belt and about 2, 500 nms left to go. Having just passed through the Intertropical Convergance Zone or more well known as the Doldrums the winds have now changed directions from the SE Trades to the NE Trades. I spent three days in the doldrums fighting for every mile, chasing every ghost of a wind and still consider myself lucky as some people get stuck here for weeks on end. The good news is that it rains a lot in the Doldrums so I was able to replenish my water supply which was running near empty and have a few refreshing rain showers as well. Oh the life of the sailor. I watched the development of Hurricane Flossy with much interest as she was in my vicinity. In the end she passed 500 miles NE of me speeding on her way to Hawaii. Next there was an earthquake in Peru which sent a Tsunami scampering off across the Pacific towards Hawaii. I did not feel any effect from that but I decided that I had enough excitement for that week together with all of the Squalls I had sailed through in the Doldrums. Life ain’t boring out here. One thing you realize is that the sea is rough on your boat and equipment. I had the reefing line part from constant chafing and had to take the Genoa (fore sail) down to run a spare line to the system. Getting it down was easy. Getting it up in 25 knot winds was hell. A few choice words were heard by the sea world. Weather totally dictates what you do on that day. A stormy weather day or high winds day means you need both hands on the boat so I call that an “Open a can of something to eat day”. On good weather days I’ll make a proper meal in the pressure cooker and maybe bake as well. You learn to sip your tea or coffee in between the waves or find yourself with a few scorch marks to complement your tan. I had just finished baking Bisquick drop biscuits when a huge wave hit the boat. Everything went up in the air and for the next few seconds I learnt how to juggle biscuits. I only let one drop, I wondered afterwards if that was why they were named “drop biscuits.” I have not been without company. Two birds have been my constant borders for the last 1,000 miles. At first the one slept on the rear solar panel but made such a mess that I banished it to the front porch (bow pulpit). I guess birds don’t believe in the saying “don’t shit on your own doorstep”. Or maybe they thought “hey it’s not my doorstep it belongs to that fellow down there!” Anyway it was joined the next night by its friend and they both slept on the front porch as I had put a pole across the solar panel at night to stop them using it. The front porch is not a problem as the waves constantly break over the bow keeping the foredeck clean. These are not small birds. With a wing span of about five feet they are quite impressive as they come in for a landing. Sorta like a scene out of Top Gun where they were landing a jet on an aircraft carrier in turbulent seas. Sailing in the Trades is the best sailing there is. Constant winds from the same direction makes life a lot easier. Put the sails up and leave them there. Just a bit of tweaking now and then does the trick. If all sailing was like this there would be hoards of people and boats out here. I can see it now those real estate developers would build housing on huge oil derrick type structures with hot dog and hamburger stands to feed the needy sailors. What a nightmare! To get back to my last email and the water in the bilge problem. The answer is in case you’re wondering “No, I haven’t solved the problem but it hasn’t got any worse.” I now have a Pop-Eye type right arm from all the pumping.

Aug 20^th Everything was going along swimmingly with Omache knocking off 100 nautical mile days till when I ran into a gale. I tried to furl in the rest of the Genoa as a quarter of it was still out but the winds were too strong so I tacked and heaved too. It immediately became calm and I when down below and cooked dinner and started to relax even though the wind was howling outside like a banshee. The next day the winds had dropped a bit and I managed to reef in the rest of the Genoa. Even though it was hard to reel the rest of the Genoa in I thought nothing more of it and continued on with the staysail and a double reefed main. That night I heard the most awful banging and crashing noises on deck. Up like a flash I was out on deck to see what could be causing such a racket. The furling system had parted from the stem of the boat and was flailing all over the fore deck. As fast as I could I put on my hardness and tether and went foreward. It always surprises me how in situations like this one just focuses on the job at hand. And a job it was indeed. Somewhere deep down I found the strength to harness the furling Genoa and lash it to the lifelines while I tried to insert the clevis pin that had come out allowing the system to part with the stem of the boat. After many tries I managed to get the pin back in much to my relief. Then it occurred to me that the forestay must have broken for this to have happened. I tied everything off and decided to wait till morning before going up the mast and accessing the total damage. I was very thankful that Omache is a cutter rig as the staysail stay had kept the mast from coming down. Why, I questioned do these things always happen at night. Thankfully I had a LED light that fits like a headband so I was able to see what I was doing. With the gale now blown out the next day was calm so I took the opportunity to go up the mast and saw what I had suspected. The forestay had indeed separated from the mast. I used the spinnaker halyard and another spare halyard to jury rig the mast to the fore of the boat. That meant 3 trips up the swaying mast. At the end I was exhausted and drank a gallon of water. I could still sail Omache but it would be without the wind power of the Genoa so my progress towards Hawaii was going to be a lot slower Genoa provides more than half of the wind power that drives the boat). I knew I couldn’t risk another gale with this jury rig so my first decision was to head south closer to the equator where there was very little chance of another gale. It took me ten days to get below 8 ° N where I felt safe from gale force winds. But in doing so I was further than ever from Hawaii. Looking at the situation realistically I put my expectations aside and surrendered to the fact that the journey will take as long as it takes. A peacefulness came over me with this acceptance. I am now thankful that I overstocked food wise and am sure that I will be able to catch rainwater along the way. So with this new outlook I settle back and stop counting the days and began again to enjoy the journey. The next few days remained calm and I was constantly going in the wrong direction. Almost as if by compensation I had a wonderful time watching the most colourful Mahi-Mahi, Zebra Fish and Nurse Sharks all in the same day. I think they enjoy the shade that Omache provides. That evening the Dolphins came to play in Omache’s wake. All-in-all a magical day. The next day it was totally calm so I went up the mast again and secured a spare halyard to the top of the mast down through a snatch block at the stem of the boat and back to a winch. With this ½ inch halyard in place I felt a lot more comfortable with the jury-rig. Just as I was relaxing from all my climbing I heard a crash on deck. The tri-colour mast head lens had fallen off and landed on the deck. Ah well “no peace for the wicked” up the mast again to tape it back on. At the end of the day my legs were shaking from exhaustion. This time I remembered to drink lots of water so I didn’t get cramps again. At last the south winds arrived and Omache was at last able to head west towards Hawaii. Not for long though and that evening saw me battling to make any headway at all. I decided to head further south even though it was off course with the hope of catching the south-east trade winds that would certainly point me in the right direction. So for the next week or so Omache staggered like a drunken sailor towards its eventual goal. Once again I went through the doldrums and the only good thing I can say about the experience is that it gave me an opportunity to catch some much needed rain water. During my diversion south I had both the traveler shackle and snap shackle break at different times leaving the boom flying back and forth (gibing) out of control. What amazes me is where one gets the strength from to harness the errant boom and lash down allowing one to make the needed repairs. But I guess that’s when adrenalin kicks in.

Sept 2^nd What a beautiful day. The kind of day that reminds me why the great French sailor Bernard Montessier chose to change direction and sail to the South Pacific instead of staying on course and winning the “Round-the-World” race. Or in his own words to save my soul. A big part of me being here is to connect with my soul and all that is. To feel full consciousness and there is no better place than the sea for this to happen. Interesting to note that all ancient temples were built on water or close to water. The going is slow but the fact that it’s in the right direction makes it peaceful and I feel a great joy. I am trying to separate myself from time judging my progress by miles achieved. Instead I surrender to the fact that the journey will take as long as it takes and when I arrive it will be over (or at least this longest part of it). Sometimes you have to go “off-course to get on-course.” In the meantime there is the journey itself, filled with nature’s blessings and challenges. The birds, dolphins, beautiful fish, Pacific blue water, star filled nights, phases of the Moon, the gentle waves of the trade winds and the soft silky feel of the morning breeze on your face. These are all blessings. The challenges happen quickly as if Mother Nature (Gaia) wants to know if you have enough gumption to be out there in the wild blue yonder or maybe she’s just letting you know all sides of her nature. I don’t go looking for challenges nor do I want to conquer Mother Nature. I merely want to be at one with her. To enjoy her blessings and learn to deal with her challenges which once dealt with also bring me joy. The only thing I wish to conquer is my fear. The strange thing about fear is it only comes into being when I think of what may happen. When it happens there is no time for fear only action as your mind is fully concentrating on the task at hand. So to alleviate the fear mongering mind I try to live in the present moment. It is far more peaceful that way.

Sept 3^rd My birthday. I feasted on a hearty breakfast of pancakes. For dinner I cooked a mushroom and olive Risotto, cooked in a leek based soup in the pressure cooker. For this birthday I asked for nothing no expectations, no gifts, no family, no friends, no land, no wind - and it was bliss. Just me, Omache and the ocean. I was in a state of grace. Truly at one with all. And so on my Blue Water Birthday I received the greatest gift of all full consciousness. The only dampener on the day was discovering that my two wine bladders (5 litres each) had leaked into the bilge. At least I had a bottle of red left which was duly opened. The weeks that follow were steeped in frustration of no winds or winds out of the wrong direction. What’s new! The one day I woke up to the patter of rain on the cabin roof top. My legs were burning from another climb up the mast the day before to secure a piece of wire from the mast head to the broken stay. It had been hell hanging on for dear life while trying to attach the bulldog clamps around the wire as the mast swung back and forth with the not so gentle swell. Dragging myself outside I was soon feeling totally refreshed by showering in the rain. It started to really pour and within an hour I had collected 20 gallons of water. Enough to replenish my total water supply. I even had water to spare so I did some much needed washing. That night I ate the last of my potatoes my fresh food supply was now finished. Still I had lots of beans and rice, pasta and canned vegetables plus canned and dried fruit. Once I got below 5degrees south the wind changed to South East. Although they were not consistent it did allow me to go in the right direction again. The one day the sea was alive with a huge school of Mahi-Mahi. As far as the eye could see they were there, many of them jumping out of the water and landing on their sides making a huge splash. Their iridescent colours - unlike anything you see on land - sparkling in the sunshine. I also tried using the sextant for the first time but the boat was bucking too much to get a good fix. But at least it’s a start. Having spoken to a ham radio operator in Hawaii he told me that I should try eating the flying fish that occasionally land on the deck. So having had seven land on deck the night before I decided to give them a try. Surprise, they are actually very tasty. I fried them in a saucepan to cut down on the oil splattering and ate them with some canned veggies. I would have loved to have had some potatoes left to have with them! Seeing my obvious delight in eating the flying fish the next morning Neptune sent me no less than a dozen of his best. These I declined and fed them to the now ever present Mahi-Mahi. I only hope that Neptune doesn’t take this as an insult! The follow day, more fish from Neptune I guess he isn’t upset. I heard a drumming noise and wondered what on earth it could be. I made my way into the cockpit in time to see a yellow helicopter flying past. I wave and it banks circling back to Omache. Coming so close that I can clearly see the two persons on board. I give the thumbs up signal to let them know all is OK on board. They reply in turn and head off into the far horizon. Helicopters are used out here in the ocean to spot large schools of fish and to direct the fishing boats to them. Later that day I did indeed see the fishing boat. This is the second one I have seen on my journey. I’m reading this book about a fellow traveler only he is traveling on the American river system and stops every night at a local pub for food and refreshment. His description thereof is so vivid that it is totally unfair to me with my dwindling food supplies. I have to put the book down till I restock my larder. After a couple of weeks of Omache staggering around like a drunken sailor searching for his ship and making no headway towards Hawaii I am treated to the sweet sailing following winds. Omache lifts up her skirts and scampers along doing 60 nms in 24 hours. The most mileage in a long time. I am elated. Even the fact that the head (toilet) has stopped working doesn’t dampen my spirits. For the next few days I wrestle with the head problem and find that the seal on the toilet seat is not sealing. The Lavac head as it’s called works with vacuum to draw in the sea water. In true McIver style, the solution I found was to seal the head with Glad Wrap to seal it when pumping. Just remember to take it off when using!!! After weeks of almost no sunshine the solar panels were just able to providing me with enough juice to run all of my electrical needs on board. The next day the sun is out and all is suddenly well. What wonders the light can do for ones soul. I had a feeling about catching fish so that afternoon I trailed a lure and to my surprise within 10 minutes I had a bite. A huge Mahi-Mahi was on the line and leaping out of the water fighting me all the way as I slowly reeled him in. As I bent over the side to gaff him, he gave one last leap and managed to throw the hook. There goes dinner – or so I thought. !0 minutes later I had another fish on the hook. Not a Mahi-Mahi as it wasn’t leaping out of the water. I had to get this one on board before I saw that it was a nice mid-sized tuna. While I was filleting the fish the lure was dangling over the side. I heard a commotion and looked over the side to see a number of Mahi-Mahi trying to get to the lure. And I thought catching fish was going to be hard! Thanking the fish for giving me its spirit I feasted on Sushi and fried fish for dinner. It would have been nice to have a refrigerator on board to store more fish but it’s comforting to know that nothing is wasted in nature’s food chain and the rest of the fish is soon consumed by other fish. I am now at 5 ° north and the SE trades have kicked in. The winds however are fickle and Omache has good and slow days but at least I am able to make some progress west. I practice using the sextant and am getting better with my sights. I also use the time to try “sheet-to-tiller” steering. It works and I’m elated. Sheet-to-tiller works by connecting your staysail sheet (line) on the windward side to the tiller. Using a bungee cord on the other side of the tiller balances the set-up. As the wind changes direction so does the sail and hence the tiller as well keeping you on the same angle to the wind. Simple yet effective. Most of my self steering is done by my wind vane Schwing but it’s nice to know there is a back-up that does need electrical power.

Sept 26^th Full moon and a beautiful clear night which I appreciate each time I get up to adjust the sails. Lots of flying fish aboard, they must be more active in the full moon phase. The next day I was treated to a perfect sailing day and achieved 63 nms, a record with the jury rig. I now have to be more careful with my water supply as I’m down to 17 gallons. At a stretch that will last me another 34 days. Not enough to reach Hawaii. Still I know in the back of my mind I have to cross the doldrums and their rain bearing squalls yet a third time as I head up towards Hawaii. I’m not panicking, just being cautious. Two days later at 128 ° West I do indeed head up towards Hawaii and as I enter into the doldrums there is thank goodness more rain. Within a couple of hours I totally replenish my water supply. With this abundance of water I can once again cook Jambalaya and my Cuban dish as the dried beans take a lot of water to soak in. Salt water doesn’t work as they do not soften in it.

Sept 30^th It’s my son’s birthday and I try to send him a message via email. No luck I’m just too far from the ham radio stations for the signal to get through. Still I send him a message telepathically hoping he picks up on it.

Oct 1^st It’s been six months since I left Salt Spring Island. Hard to believe. What a difference a few days make. Now I have virtually no wind, only did 13 miles in 24 hrs most of it backwards. Very frustrating, I feel like tearing my hair out except I’ve cut my hair so short that that wouldn’t work! After three days of good mileage I thought I was over these light winds. I must collect myself and look at the situation from a different point of view. I look outside and see the Mahi-Mahi jumping out of the water as they chase the flying fish and later I see my spirit bird who once again circles and looks in on me from high above. These things together with a magnificent rainbow lift my spirits. I have now run out of a few of my staples, notably rice and flour. No more boat made bread. Boo-hoo! I have also finished all of my snacks but I do have some dried and canned fruit and Arborio rice left. On the liquid side I have long run out of alcoholic beverages, powered Ice Tea and Gatorade but have more than enough Rooibos tea and coffee left. I do a total food inventory and to my relief I actually have enough canned food on board to last another 50 days. I am extremely thankful for my over stocking of the larder in Panama with every nock and cranny filled to capacity with provisions. I’m up the mast again. This time to attach a block for the spinnaker halyard. The plan is to see if I can use the Yankee foresail just attached to the halyard and fore stem. The spinnaker would be perfect in these slight winds but I am not really comfortable using it. The sea is calm but there is a strong swell so I have to once again hold on tight to the mast. At this time I am glad that I weigh so little. Back on deck I look down at my legs and hardly recognize them as my own. They’ve become matchsticks. The leg muscles believe in the use them or lose them theory. Nothing like running or walking to keep them in shape. Try that on a 27 foot boat being tossed about at sea! So I’ve been doing legs exercises to keep the strength if not the baulk. One of the best things I did before leaving for this journey was to get my amateur ham radio license. Not only do I have contact with other hams but certain nets like the Maritime Mobile Net in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Seafarers Net in the Pacific track your progress on Ship Track for all to see. All you have to look for is my call sign VE7WCO. On the Atlantic side being closer to land I was able to use a modem connected to my computer to send and receive emails as well. It hasn’t worked out as well in the Pacific maybe because I’m thousands of miles from land. I spoke to a fellow South African on the radio who was delivering a Moorings 43 foot catamaran to Tahiti then flying back to Cape Town (where the boats are built) for another delivery, this time to the Caribbean. Nice job. He teased me telling me he was having Boerewors (South African farmer’s sausage) for dinner. The bugger had me drooling! I consoled myself with a great chili made in the pressure cooker. Well, when the North East trades kicked in, they did so in force. I went from little or no wind to 20 plus. I put 2 reefs in the main to stop Omache from being over powered and sat back and enjoyed the ride. With the winds aft of the beam it is very comfortable sailing. These NE Trades are what can be expected all the way to Hawaii. Both Omache and I are happy on this new course. As expected our daily mileage climbs significantly, one day even reaching 121 nms. The most on the entire trip. Not bad seeing as I have no foresail. What made me even happier was being able to talk to Sally. Tom, a ham radio operator noting that we had an exceptional signal asked if I wanted to call anyone. A few minutes later he was able to patch me through to Sally. It was as if Sally was next door the clarity of the call was that good - what a wonderful surprise. That night I saw a shooting star a fitting end to a most wonderful day. This morning is grey but it’s stopped raining. I’m delighted with my solar panels. I’ve only once had to run the engine to charge the batteries. And that after days of grey skies. The Lavac head (toilet) is playing up and I’m unable to pump out the holding tank. I think there’s a composting toilet somewhere in the future. There’s a beautiful full rainbow on the horizon. Always a good sign. The sun comes out and I’m able to dry out wet clothes and towel. With all the water I have I treat myself to a good scrub and fresh water shower. I put clean sheets on the bed - what a luxury, what a feeling to be clean again. Even with clean sheets on the bed I slept fitfully as I haven’t got used to the new movement of the boat. You need to get into the new rhythm of the boat it’s like changing from a waltz to a Tango. Once you are comfortable with the rhythm everything falls into place. That evening I’m sitting in the cockpit eating dinner watching the Mahi-Mahi chase the flying fish and the birds doing their aerobatics stunts thinking how much better this is than watching TV. This is the real reality show! Jim Spencer, a ham radio operator on Salt Spring Island has been a fantastic support in monitoring my progress and keeping Sal informed. Unfortunately the signal is very seldom good so we haven’t been able to use a phone patch.

Oct 18^th Crash! My jury rigged furling forestay has come crashing down. And yes, it’s nighttime. I go on deck to have a look and too my relief the other jury rigged halyards are in place and the mast is still secure. I lash the furler to the lifelines and decide to tackle the disassembling of the furling system in the morning. Next morning after making sure I had breakfast for energy I took the system apart and lashed the pieces to the deck fittings. Some of the aluminum foils were damaged and will have to be replaced. Other than that I hope to be able to repair it in Hawaii. The sail however is another matter. It is in a sorry state as I had to cut it in places to get it down. The sailing is now great with consistent winds and mostly sunny weather. Each day I’m getting closer to my destination as the mileage drops away and I’m once again in tune with the rhythm of Omache and her dance partner, the sea. On a very sad note my brother-in-law, Emil passed away. In any other circumstance I would have been there for my sister Maureen in South Africa. But being some 600 miles from the nearest land that is impossible. I will always remember Emil as the big brother I never had and he will always be in my heart. Last night I had the most vivid dream of watching Hawaii rise majestically out of the horizon. It was so real yet even in the dream I knew I was still 500 miles away from Hawaii. In my dream I was so excited that I called on all of my guides and angels to share my joy. They love seeing beautiful visions through human eyes. It will be interesting to see how close in detail the real Hawaii is from the dream Hawaii which is still vividly etched in my memory.

Oct 23^rd - 100 days Enroute. Sitting in the cockpit I watch in awe as the as the 3 metre North East trade winds that tower above me lift Omache up and gently let her surf down the other side. Momentarily she reaches speeds in excess of 8 knots then the next wave comes along to do the same as if effortlessly changing partners in an aquatic dance. Looking back, as frustrating as it was at the time I realize that it took a gale and losing my forestay for me to lose my “goal oriented” ways and except the journey for what it was. A true bonding with nature. With the sea providing me with a bounty of fish, the sun providing me with energy and the sky with rainwater for drinking. It doesn’t get more simple or enjoyable than this.

All in all - it was a “Journey Without a Journey Within”.
Enough said, I’m off to go and find myself a COLD BEER.
Cheers to all! Elvin

Thirty minutes after the anchor went down – my head went down upon the pillow. An hour later, somewhat refreshed I went ashore to contact my Panama Canal agent. Going thro the Canal it definitely pays to hire an agent as they handle all of the reams of paperwork that is required plus your visa and boat clearance. Both Cristobel on the Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific are the crossroad of the sailing world. Here there are Australians, French, Swiss, New Zealanders, British, one American boat and of course quite a few Canadians. With the San Blass islands close by a number of yachts end up staying a number of years instead of days.

Colon the city on the Atlantic side is like walking into a Mad Max movie. The crime is extremely high and everybody drives as if they are in a Formula 1 race. You cannot leave the Yacht Club unless you go via cab. Luckily the cabs are very cheap - $1 a ride. All of the beautiful old buildings are in a total state of disrepair and there is obviously a lot of poverty. The good side of the coin was that food and beer was very cheap. At the Panama Yacht Club you could get an entrée and salad for $5 and with beers at a $1 you couldn’t afford to stay sober. You see quite a few Kuna Indians in Colon with their colourful clothing and their molas are works of art.

Four days after I arrived in Panama I, together with two paid line handlers and Peter, a New Zealander and his nephew, Howie motored out to the yellow mooring buoys where we picked up an Advisor and a Pilot from the Panama Canal Company. So with seven people on board little Omache it was certainly crowded. We left the anchorage at 1730 and were at the first locks not long after. The advisor explains what is going to happen and gives you instructions all along the way. So my part was to steer and control the boat under his direction. At the locks the plans changed as a large container ship was coming the other way so we had to wait an hour or so before we could enter the lock.

Two other New Zealanders I had befriended, Malcolm and Joan on Sarau, a 55 foot sailboat were going thro at the same time so we were rafted to them in the middle of the lock. By the time we were secure in the lock with all of the lines tied off it was already dark. It is hard to describe how big the locks are but when you look across from you at the next lock and see a huge container ship it all comes into perspective. To transit the Canal you need 4 100’ lines. There are four line handlers on the canal walls and they throw down feeder lines with a ‘monkey fist’ at the end for throwing. Inside the fist is an iron ball so you have to protect not only your solar panels but your noggin as well. You could get a serious headache if it landed on your head. Your lines are then attached to these feeder lines and pulled back by the canal handlers. They then walk with the lines into the lock whilst we motored the yachts slowly forward. When in position the lines are then secured at both ends. This is repeated 3 times for the three locks. All of them were ‘UP’ locks and very turbulent as the water rushes in at 1.5 million gallons a minute.

Once we were out of the Gatun Locks and into Gatun Lake we separated from Sarau and motored a couple of miles to a huge plastic mooring buoy where we were to spend the night. The advisor and pilot were picked up from the buoy by a canal launch and the remaining five of us enjoyed a long overdue meal. It was a beautiful evening with a slight breeze to keep the mosquitoes away and it was close to midnight before we got to bed. Peter, Howie and I inside and Fernando and Wolf (the handlers) sleeping in the cockpit. Wolf, the main handler was amazing. He organized and bought the food for the two days and did all of the food preparation as I couldn’t leave the helm (that was my excuse). You have to feed the advisor and pilot a decent meal or the agents get fined $400. You could eat off of gold plates for that price.

At 0500 after I had drifted off one hour before we were awaken by howling monkeys. Natures alarm clock. We watched the sun rise as we sipped our coffee. As the sun rose we were able to appreciate what beauty surrounded us.

Gatun Lake is a lake in the middle of a lush rain forest. Dotted with small islands and layers of hills in the distance it is incredibly beautiful. The new crew of advisors and pilots arrived at 0600 and we were on our way. They tell you that your boat has to be able to do 8 knots but we averaged 5.5 knots and made the next locks with time to spare. The five and a half hour trip across the lake was like very enjoyable but also very hot. It is a rain forest after all. I had stocked up with bottled water and cokes for the trip and they were greatly appreciated. We passed one of the few buildings to be seen and I was told that it housed the National Geographic research centre. As it was a nice day we were able to take a short cut through Banana Channel and Monkey cut. This took us in between the small islands whereas the large ships coming the other way had to go all the way around.

Half way across there were maintenance buildings and next to them was the largest crane in the world. named the ‘Adolph Hitler’ crane it was brought over from Germany after the war by the Americans. We were also able to see where they are widening the waterway to take the new super tankers and cargo boats being built.

Once we were at the locks we once again rafted with Sarau and this time being daylight we were able to get a much better appreciation of how amazing the locks are. The lock gates are massive each one weighing about 700 ton. For the large boats there are little train engines that run on tracks and pull the vessels into and out of the locks. This set of locks and the next are ‘Down’ locks so there was very little turbulence as you are lowered. As the last lock opens you are in the Pacific. What a great feeling.

It was now 1300hr so the transit was about 21 hours. A lot quicker than sailing round Cape Horn! I took a mooring at the Balboa Yacht club and will spend the next week getting Omache ready for the longest part of the journey, 4500 nautical miles to Hawaii. I am still trying to find a way to fix my water bladder system and find the source of the water getting into the bilge which is still a mystery. Balboa is almost the opposite of Colon. It is very clean and safe with wide tree lined boulevards. Even the stray cats here are well fed. So are we as there are hundreds of mango trees everywhere. I now have free mangoes for breakfast everyday. It doesn’t get much better.

Fifty miles from Balboa there are a number of islands called the Las Perles. I will spend two days there, one cleaning the bottom of the boat and the last one just plain relaxing before heading due west.
Till Hawaii…Elvin.

It always takes a while to get used to being on the boat again and remembering how every thing works. At first you have to consciously think about what you are doing – eventually it just becomes second nature and you just do and don’t think. Closer to a state of bliss. The oneness of the sea, the boat, and me. In the meantime there were things to try out for the first time such as the Schwing wind vane. I had spent a lot of time and money getting the wind vane to a state that it hopefully would work. Because it needed to be mounted on the stern of the boat I had to take down or change many things to make room for the wide swing of the wind vane itself. This meant dismantling the radar pole at the rear of the boat and mounting the radar on the mast. Also the large solar panel that I had between the backstays now had to be moved. Tom, an ex-neighbour of mine from Leuty Street helped me dismantle the radar pole that was a good weight as it was nine feet long and was made of stainless steel. Together we worked out a way to turn my bimini frame into an arch to support the three solar panels – one on the top and one on each side of the boat. The windvane was finally bolted on to the rear pulpit and the new parts that I had had machined (there were no longer parts available from Germany) were fitted and suddenly Omache looked very ‘Blue Water’. To cap it off I painted the Maple Leaf (Canadian flag) on the vane itself. No more buying flags for the wind to chew up!

So half way down the Chesapeake I decided it was time to try out ‘Schwing’ as I had now named the windvane. It just worked. What a joy and not to mention a relief. I was counting on the windvane to do most of the self-steering as she doesn’t need any of the precious electrical amps and should work happily as long as there is wind to steer by. And lets face it, you’re not going anywhere without wind anyway. So there I was sailing down the Chesapeake with the windvane feeling pretty good that all of the planning and work had paid off.

It has often been said that the two most important pieces of equipment on a boat are a windvane and a good anchor. Personally I would add a compass to the list.

I left Deltaville at 0600 and arrived at Norfolk at 1800, twelve hours later. It had been a good sail and a good day to be able to test all of the equipment aboard. Once anchored in Norfolk I made a meal in the pressure cooker and soon after retired for the night. During the night I heard the wind pipe up and thought about letting a little more chain out to increase the scope. But I was too comfortable in bed. At 05:30 I was awoken by a neighbouring boat to tell me that I was dragging. Yep my first instincts were right; I should have got up and let more scope out. So in a mad dash I pulled up anchor and quickly made up my mind to get going instead of re-anchoring. It was getting pretty wild out there and I was literally being blow away by the wind. Luckily it was a Sunday so I didn’t have to wait for the bridges to open and soon I was at the Great Bridge Lock. There were dock handlers to help me with my lines and it was a very smooth passage. On the other side of the lock was free docking for 6-7 boats. I had visualized a place for me and sure enough at the end of the dock was a place perfect in size for Omache. A neighbour came out to help me with my lines and soon I was all settled.

That day the wind blew from the NE at 25 knts with gusts to 45 knts. It was wild. I was so glad that my anchor had dragged as I would still be in a bad anchorage in Norfolk. Funny how things work out. The winds increased throughout the day and it was a constant adjusting of the fenders. I felt for all the boats caught on the Chesapeake as it sounded pretty wild out there. One sailboat was sunk as the waves got to ten feet in height. Out in the Gulf Stream, the waves were almost 60 feet!

Now committed to the Intracoastal Waterway I continued on south once the high winds had blown themselves out (two days later). Beaufort (North Carolina) is a great place to jump off-shore from – so it was here that I found myself after six days on the Intracoastal Waterway. Beaufort has always been a good place to anchor in the past but now so many locals have put in mooring buoys that it was hard to find a spot to anchor. That night I had to let out more scope (chain) as another storm blew through and in doing so found myself part way into the channel. The next day the coast guard came passed and told me I had to move the boat. It was still blowing like stink but they wanted me to move and move NOW. My only choice was to go to Beaufort Docks, the town’s marina. Not an expense that I wanted to occur but in the end it turned out to be a blessing. When I went to change the engine oil I noticed that there was water mixed in with the oil. Not a good sign!

I changed the oil a couple of times and started her up only to find that I had blown a head gasket. So knowing that I must learn how to fix these things myself - after all once I’m out in the ocean there is nobody or no service to call upon, I got out the work shop manual for the Bukh engine and proceeded to tear it down. When I ordered the new head gasket from a dealer he mentioned that I should machine the head as it could be warped. Luckily there was a very good machine shop in the next town and as I was staying at the marina there was a car I could borrow daily. The new parts arrived, the head was machined and I put it all back together again. Crossing my fingers I started the engine and with and loud BANG, Bertha my Bukh diesel engine sounded her last dying breath. Yep she had decided that it was time for her to become an anchor for a mooring buoy or whatever else happens to dead engines.

Now, not only had my engine gone BANG but my budget had as well! The cost of a total overhaul on the engine was more than buying a new one. Once this fact was known I went on the internet and found that the Beta-Marine engine dealer was not more than 30 miles away. So after looking at all of the alternatives (I even considered going on the trip without an engine but soon realized that you can’t get through the Panama Canal without one and an outboard motor whilst a lot cheaper wasn’t very effective) and many phone calls I decided to buy and install a new engine. That’s how I met Stanley, the dealer for Beta-Marine and an ex-South African.

Over the next 10 days I became a grease monkey as I worked in the engine bay disconnecting the old engine to get ready to put the new one in. I lost so much liquid from sweat that I had cramps at night and it was so acute a pain that I would just lie there in a pool of sweat waiting for the pain to go away. No matter which way I turned another of my leg muscles would cramp. I tried getting up and walking it off but that just made it worse so I would just lie there and try and distract my mind away from the pain. When I spoke to Sal the next day she said to drink more water and sure enough that did the trick. I just wasn’t replacing enough of the liquid lost.

To replace the engine I had to move to another marina where they could hoist the engine out and put the new one in. The good news was that it was a lot cheaper but of course I had to be towed there and that cost me a bundle. Stanley was to become not only an adviser and overseer of the project but a friend as well. He lent me a car and I spent quite a few nights with Stanley and his wife Mila enjoying their company and of course the good food. We even had a Braai (South African barbecue) one Sunday.

I did most of the work myself but I didn’t feel comfortable doing the alignment as it takes a bit of experience to get it right. Ron a local mechanic who does engine replacements helped me with that part of the installation. After 9 days of literary blood, sweat and tears the new engine was in. It took me another 2 days to hook everything up as all of the systems where different. But late one afternoon Stanley popped in on his way home and we started her up. I normally don’t like the sound of a diesel engine as they are noisy but when she started - that was a sweet sound.

My intention was to do sea trials the next day and come back to the marina but a very good weather window opened up so the next day I decided to head back to Beaufort and be ready to take off from there if the weather held. It took 5 hours of motoring to get to Beaufort on a wet blustery day. The engine performed great with a lot more power and less noise and vibration that the Bukh. The only thing that I had to fix was the cables that ran to the control lever. I had put them in the wrong way round. So reverse was forward and forward was reverse. I could live with that but I knew that I would have to correct that before I transited the Panama Canal.

The next morning, June 6, I headed out to sea. What a wonderful feeling to at last be on my way. Omache with her new engine was flying through the Beaufort Inlet and out to sea. I felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. That feeling lasted for about another hour until I heard my bilge alarm go off! The bilge was full of water. I quickly checked all of the through hulls. All were OK – so the boat wasn’t sinking! Once I had pumped out the water I tried to work out where the water was coming from. I knew that I had gone through a lot of waves as I was going through the breakwater so maybe the water got in through the anchor chain hole in the fore deck? Thoughts of having to go back or even abandoning the journey ran through my head. Suddenly the weight was back!

I decided to switch off the engine and sail from there and just see how things went. It was a beautiful sailing day with the winds from the right direction so before long I started to feel better again. I knew I had a problem but I wasn’t going to let it get in the way of my journey. Some how I must find the problem and solve it along the way. With that decision made I sail due east away from the sunset and land. I’ve always thought – go to sea and all of your problems will be solved. Or at least without all of the other influences of land living, your thoughts become much clearer. And so it was.

The route I had mapped out will take me due east 200 nautical miles across the Gulf Stream and then due south passed the east side of the Bahamas, through the Windward Passage that separates Cuba and Haiti into the Caribbean Sea and directly to Panama. A total of close to 2000 miles. In my estimation that should take about a month.

After a glorious 24 hours of sailing during which I covered more than 100 miles (I only had one other 100 mile day on the trip) I was happy that Omache was at last in her element. I on the other hand was fighting sea sickness. Yes Poseidon wanted his due and before long I was feeding the fish. I had obviously been on land tooo long! It takes about 6 days before you get your sea legs and you feel more in tune with the motion. On a monohull your body never really relaxes as even when you’re asleep your body is still constantly moving to adjust to the motion of the sea. I’ve often thought the best weight loss program in the world would be to send people on a long passage on a small boat. Guaranteed to loose 20 to 30 pounds. I know I do and I’m slim to start off with.

The best sailing of the trip was those first 200 miles east as I had glorious weather and the winds from the right direction. It seems that no one goes south at this time of the year so I had the ocean to myself. I only saw two boats from the time I turned south to the Bahamas, some 600 miles distance. Pounding into heavy seas with the wind constantly on the nose, I now know why. It was not an easy part of the journey but I didn’t expect it to be. I did go though one squall that really got my attention. It looked as if it would be just another rain cloud. I checked the barometer and it wasn’t dropping so I thought no problem. It hit so fast that I didn’t have time to shorten sails. One minute I was cruising along at a leisurely 4.5 knots the next moment I was at a 45 degree angle with water up to the cabin sides flying along. There was nothing I could do but watch with my heart in my throat. After many a deep breaths and the fact that nothing was breaking I started to be amazed at how well Omache was handling it. The worst was all over in about 20 minutes and I was able to go outside and heave-to and lick my wounds.

What I had in fact gone through was a weather ‘through’. I found out that evening when I contacted the Mobile Marine Service Network (MMSN). MMSN is a ham radio network that provides weather info, ship tracking, and emergency help for off shore sailors. Because of them I was able to miss another storm in the Caribbean Sea (this time a ‘Tropical Wave’) by changing directions to avoid it.

In Deltaville I had purchased and installed a ham radio, auto tuner and Pactor modem so that I would be able to email and talk to other ham radios thousands of miles away. Most of all it allowed me to download weather Grib files and listen to NOAA marine weather forecasts. An invaluable service. MMSN followed me all of the way from Beaufort to Panama. Every day I would report my position and they would enter it into the ship tracking system. The same service is available on the Pacific side as well. Emails are a blessing but you are only allowed so much time a day and this is only enough time to keep in touch with family and download weather information.

At each stage of the journey I had places where I could stop for a while if I needed to. The first stop was San Salvador in the Bahamas and when I got close to it I knew I was going to just continue on. After days of empty ocean it was strange to see other boats and to be aware of where all the island where as I was now sailing in between the Bahamas Islands, I knew I was getting close to land before I could see the islands merely by the amount of birds around.

Every day on my trip south a bird used to visit me at the same time. Do circles around the boat and literally ‘look me in the eye’. At first I thought it wanted food so I threw out some bread but it was not interested in food. I looked forward to seeing that bird every day. Its gracefulness as it skimmed the waves – a feeling of total freedom. Always it would circle a couple of times, look in on me and assured I was all right it would happily fly away until tomorrow. As soon as I got to the Bahamas the bird didn’t appear again. It had down its job of getting me safely to the Bahamas. Or at least that’s what I want to believe.

I was actually glad to be out of the Bahamas chain of islands as now I didn’t have to worry about hitting some island or outlying rocks plus I was now into the Trade Winds. These easterly winds blow all the way from Africa and are what the original explorers used to discover N. America. Now it was my turn to use them. With constant winds from one direction it became easier to sail Omache. And she loved it.

The Windward Passage is known as a difficult passage with extreme high winds as the winds get squeezed going between Cuba and Haiti. For me it was the windless passage. Having switched off the engine clearing Beaufort I was reluctant to start it again so I spent two days just barely moving as I went through the passage. At one stage I was so close to the Cuban shoreline that I felt I would be able to swim ashore. Of course I didn’t!

The Caribbean Sea is very boisterous sea. Rarely do you see winds less than 20 knots. And that was my experience. After two becalmed days I found myself flying along in a strong choppy sea. Not the most comfortable ride but at least I was moving. Jamaica, another of my ‘could stop’ place fell to the starboard side of me unseen one night and now it was a straight run to Panama.

Every day the winds piped up another notch and the wave grew bigger the further SW you went. And so it continued until I had only the main with two reefs in it up and I was doing over 5 knots. There was a warning of a Tropical Wave in my area so with the help of MMSN, NOAA weather and my downloaded grib files I was able to avoid this one. Most of the time I tried to slow the boat down to make the ride more comfortable but with the winds from behind I had a constant rolling of the boat. Even my normal putting the staysail up didn’t help. The one night as I lay in bed I could feel every muscle in my body reacting to the movement of the boat. You can sure burn up a lot of calories with this constant motion. Back to my Weight Loss scheme!

The one thing you learn on a boat is ‘one hand for the boat’. You always have to have one hand holding onto something at all times. This of cause makes you effectively not only a single-handed sailor but a single-handed chef, typist etc, etc…!

After a week of these boisterous seas I was surprised to find the seas and winds decreasing as I neared Panama. The last two days of the trip were slow in comparison but that suited me fine.

On a wet dull June 29th , 23 days after I left Beaufort NC, I entered Panama. At 1200 the anchor was down in 36 feet of water and the first part of my journey was over.

If this was my ‘shake-down’ part of the journey then I was to be very happy as other than the water in the bilge incident most things worked as they should. The windvane ‘Schwing’ was fantastic steering day and night without robbing the batteries of a single amp. Likewise the solar panels were great at keeping the batteries charged even on cloudy days. The LED masthead light was also amazing in its scrooge like way of using power.

The next stage of the Journey starts Tuesday 3rd or Wednesday 4th July with the transit of the Panama Canal. That will take two days and then into the Pacific and onto Hawaii.

Stay tuned….Elvin