Dreamin’ On Pakala

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Hi Everyone,

We will go under 500 miles as I type this. Almost there. My brother Tom had a nice comment about the trip. Beside other things he says “you’ll be back sitting in Calif traffic wondering if this was a dream.” This is a dream. To be able to do this race, after all the dreaming, lists, planning, spending, working-to get to the last 500 miles…. Ring, Ring, Ring. Reality check. You still have to sail home. And that takes longer. Oh yeah, that’s right. In 501.29 miles, I’ll be half way. But the good part is, the blog will continue for that part of the trip from Hawaii to Dana Point, Ca. We live in Dana Point, so it makes emotional sense to go there rather than Marina del Rey where the boat is docked…500.84 miles. This morning was spent changing sails again. Presently using the Jib Top and full main, broad reaching toward Hawaii. Winds are 20kts, true, waves 6-8′, and kind of mixed. Sails bang a lot. Took a bucket bath, and boy did that feel good. It’s amazing what smells can come from around the human body. But we have Joy dishwashing soap, and all can be fixed. Hope there’s a Fluff & Fold in Hanalei. Would you believe that with all the planning and packing etc that goes into a sailing voyage to HAWAII. The falling to sleep thinking about this voyage to HAWAII, that one would be prepared with clothes you would use in HAWAII. Not this Bobo. Who goes to Hawaii without an Hawaiian shirt, or maybe a few, and what would be at the top of your list? Trunks. You could be from Indaianapolis, and know you would bring trunks. ( there’s a whole another story about Hawaii & Indianapolis, but that may wait for the trip back) But not this Bobo. All of his kids work in the surf apparel industry. Bobo here is having Marissa Fedex some trunks & a couple of my Hawaiian shirts to her friend’s Mom who will bring them to the dimwit. Dinner tonight is from the day 7 bag, which we just opened.  Drum roll… Santa Fe Chicken with beans and rice.  Didn’t I just have that?  I could change it with spaghetti with meat sauce from the spare pile, but the problem is, I only have a spoon.  No Forks.  We’ll see, I’ll tell ya tomorrow… 499.27nm. I missed it while talking to you guys. Yayyyyyyyyyy!! Less than 500nm. I can smell the plate lunches now. Oh Shit. I gotta take a picture to send since it takes forever for this to get to Marissa, and the bun.

Bye. Pakala (If you look real close, you might see Kauai!)

Traveler explosion on Pakala!

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Hi everyone.

Well, it’s been rough & windy for a few days now. Right now it’s 20-25kts, seas 8-15′. It’s raining off and on. Last night the Mainsail travelor exploded because of a poorly done gybe. This morning showed that it was a goner. Now to figure what to take its place with. I moved the main sheet to the Starboard genny track, and made another tackle that I took to the Port track. Haven’t tried it because we are going just fine with only the Blast Reacher up. Bit short on words today. Tough to type when you have to struggle to stay in the chair. Pix Included

Pakala – Missed a Day

 

Missed a Day

Hi Everyone.Yes, skipped a day. Sometimes the boat and other things take up the air out here. Yesterday we changed sails 5x. We started with the blast reacher, replaced it with the A2, 2 broaches later, we replaced it with the blast reacher again, then that came down for the Jib top, then the wind came down, so the A2 went back up, then 2 broaches later, all at 20+kts, btw, the blast went back up. Yikes, no wonder I couldn’t see last night. Blast reacher is still up since its been 20+ all night, just like now. We are tacking down a line from Hanalei, that I’m afraid lines up directly with the wind. But we can go up to 50% faster than following the line by sailing a hotter line. At least, that’s the theory. But it does feel better having the noise of the water as we surf these waves than being safe. If we wanted to be safe, we’d stay at home, not do this. Last night was chicken gumbo. Cereal for breakfast today with beef stew for dinner. This being Sunday and all, and because yesterday was yesterday, I already had a beer and p-nut butter pretzels. Damn, this surfing down waves has the boat doing all sorts of gymnastics. I got a straight leg working on a cramp, trying to keep me in the seat. I’ve been having a problem all of a sudden where my iPads & iPhone keep telling me that I am trying to use unauthrorized attachments that just “might not work”. I’m in the middle of the Pacific, and Apple has some time bomb on all my comms? These are chargers that have been on the boat doing their charging thing for like 2 years. Apple Store, in the Pacific, is not that close. Yow, the floor is wet down below and I almost went flying on one of those surf rides the midle of the last sentence. Going up on deck to see “what the hell are you guys doing up here”. Shit they did again. I gotta go.

-Pakala

Two Encounters with PAKALA


Last night at about 8:30PM I crossed paths with PAKALA. We had some chat over the radio to make sure we wouldn’t get too close, and about the weather. He said to the west there was a lot of dead air, so he was moving south. I had been trying to work south also, but hadn’t jibed yet. I did so after experiencing at 20deg lift to the north. Strangely, we also crossed paths this morning, at about 0600. I had slept fairly well, and had gotten up to check on things, and I figured I ought to poke my head out to scan for traffic, which I often don’t do, relying on AIS. But there ahead, on a collision course was PAKALA again, a white light about .5 nm off. I hailed him on radio, and since the wind had shifted, I adjusted course northerly so as to pass well behind him. This at a distance ~1190 nm from the finish. He seems to be in good shape, except that now his AIS is not working, either for send or receive. We discussed the low pressure that should cross our track, which may give is some more blustery wind, which he was looking forward to. Me, I’d drive all the way in 15kts for preference.

Geez, What A Morning… on Pakala!

Joe Barry in the middle of the Pacific

Hi Guys,

Remember how yesterday I said Sleep dep was going away. Back to Sq one. Last night was spent trying to get some forward momentum when there was no wind and the A2 and Mainsail were thrashing around. A2 is 1000sqft. And it was raining. I got a text from my son Jack, asking if this was fun. Sitting in the rain hand steering a boat that just wants to thrash back & forth and go 2kts. Fun? No. Finally it got up around 6-8kts and I could go down & try sleeping. Dawn was right there and pretty much the same, rain let winds. Then it popped to 16-18 and instant roundup. Got that sorted, ate breakfast (working on the Avo stash) and wouldn’t you know, Broach. Went out grabbed the tiller, brought it around, then she damn well did it again. Out of control sheets started wrapping around each other from thrashing, mayhem. Got calmed down, struck the A2 and went about untangling everything.Sheets all had to be rerun. Spinnaker packed. I am waiting for the 4 squalls sitting around me to make a decision. Blast reacher went up. Wind is down. I’ll put the laundry back out after I finish this time. All this happened before 10:30am PDT. Phew. How’s that for a busy morning, Hong Kong visitors? Hi Post Dept at The Voice. Keep on cheering!! Lee, the Go Pro hasn’t even come out of the box. I know, I’ll get on it. 974nm from Universal Studios. Seems 3x that. Back to putting out the laundry again.

-Pakala

PS. Wind changed & came up. Since we are heeling to Starboard, I notice the wine bottles clinking. Have to attend to that.

Pakala musings

Hello From Pakala

Hi,

Well that’s where I am right now. Dana Point, is home. Lotta water between here & there. I took a picture of that water that goes forever in all directions. It can be cool, scary, etc, but that’s what the 24 of us chose. The sailing part is actually a relief. Getting here was intense, expensive, and lists morphed in sub-lists that of course didn’t all get done. But when we left the dock, at least I felt finally on the way. Thanks to everyone that has sent emails & texts. It’s way cool to get them. Like getting a postcard from someone on a trip when you were a kid. But you’re the guy on the trip. All you guys that know other people on this race, send them a text or email. They’ll love it. Oh & hi to the people in Mexico & Canada that checked out the blog. That’s right, we can tell where people are when they log in. Who knows, some day we may show up at your house… Well not really, just sounded spooky to say it. Let’s see, what else? Spent most of the day at the computer trying to figure how to miss this high pressure coming our way. Doesn’t seem to be much choice but to just deal with it, but I keep hoping that the weather gods change their minds and make it windy instead. Yeah sure, right. I can at least try. Took down the A3 spinnaker and put up the A2, all before breakfast. Actually everything was done before breakfast, which was Tuna & Avocado at 3:30pm followed by 6pm wine on the deck. Been catching up on sleep as the whacked out dreams and weird thoughts have lessened. Nothing threatening, just out there. We’ll leave it at that. No music or voices yet. Though I would prefer those than the dreams. Gonna try to include a photo again. It’s not always successful. Trying Sqaure on my iPhone camera.

Later. -Pakala

Race tracker: http://www.sfbaysss.org/shtp 

 

Notes from the Deck of Pakala

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Joe Barry’s comments: Hi Brian, Tracker said I sent a message. From what I could see with the dark screen. There are also messages left from a previous user. All is fine. Position at 10:41 PDT is 37 07.345n. 24 46.427w. Win d 15-20 out of the north. Seas 8-12 and lumpy. But 8.73 heading 235 Pakala out —