Hawaii to Vancouver Island
Aug 2004
I arrived back in Hawaii the second week of May. It was nice to be back after a few months at home which included a nice
Christmas with my family.
I first had to get Camelot V moved from the storage yard to the work area. This took a few days, as I had to wait for a
spot in the work yard. But in time it all happened and I got a local rigger to check what all Camelot V would need for
parts and he ordered everything from Honolulu. I had time then to Change the bearing in the drive line and the cutlass
bearing while we waited for the parts. Time went fast and in a few more days the mast was back where it belonged and held
in place by all new rigging. Then another day and back in the water. Sigh! It is always nice to get back in the water.
I moved out of Honokohau and anchored at Kailua Bay. I still had plenty of work to do Camelot V needed a lot of cleaning
after sitting for a few months. And of course various pumps steering cables etcetera needed to be changed.
The first of July my Grandson Michael and his friend Ryan (both 18 years) arrived for a two-week holiday. The first night
they were here was rougher than normal in Kailua Bay and Ryan was seasick. Next morning we raised anchor and moved north
to Kawaihae which was much calmer but I caught heck from the anchor authority (yes that's right. They have one of those in
Hawaii) for not checking with them before I moved.
We were tied bow too just off the wharf in Kawaihae which was quite comfortable. And spent the days sight seeing swimming
etc.
Then about a week later my granddaughter Cindi and her friend Rachelle (19 Years) arrived for a short holiday. Cindi and
Rachelle would be my crew for the sail back to Vancouver Island.
The five of us and a rented Kia Rio car had a great week touring the island.
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| Ryan and Michael | On The Sea | Shower Time | Beach Time |
I had asked the local charter captain on the boat Maile for the best plan to cross Alenuihaha Channel. He suggested sailing for the west side of Maui then out to the east of Molokia instead of beating to get out on to the east of Maui. This proved to be good advice and for once I was smart enough to listen.
The day we left Kawaihae we had about 20 knots of wind form the NE but by the time we got out into the channel we had 25 knots, which reached 30 to 35 knots before we got in the lee of Maui. This was the first time at sea for my crew and they were both seasick most of the day. They felt better as we sailed along Maui then at about daybreak the second day we as we sailed out into the open ocean again and 25 knots of wind the seasickness returned but the crew was in good spirits and did very well.
The second night I was in need of some sleep so explained to the crew how the watches would work. Cindi said “Grandpa I can't do the night watch because I'm afraid of the dark.”
I said, “well that's Ok you'll be alright because were on a boat and there is nothing out there.
Cindi: “That doesn't matter I'm afraid of the dark”
Me: “Well that's Ok Rachelle and I will do the night watches”
Cindi: “Rachelle is afraid of the dark too”
OK! So I had never had a girl crew before!
We came to a compromise, the girls did the 9:00 PM to midnight watch together and I did from midnight to 6:00 AM. And that worked very well.
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| The Group | Luau | First Tuna | Nice Day |
On day 7 Cindi caught a nice 30 pound yellowfin tuna.
We had sashimi for lunch, barbecued tuna for supper, the captain had fish and eggs for breakfast, and we all had fish sandwiches for lunch. Life is good!
We sailed when possible and powered when we had no wind for about a week. Then the wind came from the NW at about 15 knots. We moved well under sail now but quite rough again. But no seasickness this time, my crew has hardened and are ready for anything the Pacific has in store for them. Most days now were cloudy and the weather was cooling. Also we started to get into fog that stayed with us the rest of the way to Vancouver Island.
One day a sparrow, lost and exhausted, landed on deck.
Rachelle was afraid then to go on deck to do her watch. I learned that she is afraid of birds, In the daylight or the dark! Even tiny exhausted little sparrows! She did her watches by peeking her head out of the hatch to look around. I think she spent more time looking to see where the frightening bird was than looking for ships.
The girls caught fish all the way across kept us in good ration and we did not have to break into the Spam.
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| The Fishing Crew | On Watch?? | Deck Work | Sails Up |
News came pouring onto the ship of silly things friends at home had done, who was dating who and all sorts of important things. The gloom lifted from the ship and there were stories to tell, and laughing and smiles engulfed our world.
It had been a good and interesting voyage but much slower than I had expected. The Pacific high I thought would build never developed so we didn't get the westerlies that are supposed to be here. We kept getting nasty little lows down out of the Gulf Of Alaska that would swoop down and sit over us for days at a time. Causing cloud, fog and no wind.
We all were looking forward to getting ashore.
We sailed during the night again and lost wind in the morning so powered into Ucluelet (you-clue-let). Rachelles family met us at the dock and we had an easy time clearing customs. Muriel, Justin, Greg and Lee would arrive next morning.
We were 25 days out of Hawaii and 6 years and two months since Camelot V Sailed away from Vancouver Island and now she was back in home waters.
Justin and Greg would now be my crew for the short sail around the south end of Vancouver Island to Nanaimo. Justin had been aboard and fourteen years old when we left so it was good that he could now as a young man of 20 help to sail the old ship home.
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| Frightening Things At Sea | My Crew | New Crew |
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