The Adventures of Ka'sala: Goodbye Hawaii

We have been in Honolulu for a little over three weeks and we are more than ready to continue on our journey home. We have been very well looked after by the Hawaii Yacht Club and have appreciated its central location for accessing the city, but it is time to move on. After breakfast, on Saturday June 9, we will sail out of the Ala Wai basin and head for the Ko Olina marina on the southwestern side of Oahu to fill up with diesel. We are considering spending the night at anchor at Poka I, a bay a little further north from there, but if the conditions are condusive, we will reach across to the island of Kauai and Hanalei Bay, approximately 80 nauticual miles further on.

Kauai is the island at the upper left and Hanalei Bay is on its north shore

Hanalei Bay has been a traditional jumping off point for cruisers heading north for many years. It is a beautiful, large round bay surrounded by steep green hills and cascading waterfalls. We have been told that you feel like you are in Polynesia when you are anchored there. There are some good beaches and a small town behind the surf. We hope its laid-back atmosphere will be very relaxing for us after the hustle and bustle of Honolulu. Additionally, the clear, warm waters will give Doug a chance to dive on the hull to make sure everything is in order below. The trade winds are predicted to relax mid week, so our plan is to leave for Sitka on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Lifted from the internet - hope it's as nice as this!

The passage north is approximately 2700 nauticual miles. It will be quite different from our straight-line passage from Mexico. We will likely sail due north until we are above at least 40 degrees north, then start easting toward Sitka which sits at 57.05N and 135.33W. Our heading will be dependent on the North Pacific high - an area we want to avoid because it has little wind. As it is a circular flow, we hope to sail clockwise along its outer fringes. As we leave Hawaii the wind will likely be on our beam, then gradually veer to our aft quarter where it will push us all the way to Sitka. Of course, that description is incredibly simplistic and each day's conditions will dictate our point of sail.

We won't be sailing "as the crow flies"!

Another big difference between the two passages will be temperature. We sailed to Hawaii in our shorts and bathing suits. By the time we reach 35 degrees north we will be in our woolies and soon after that our Dickensen diesel heater will be on full time. The ocean temperatures will drop from 24 degrees to a little over 10 degrees celcius! We could encounter fog. We have a greater chance of encountering higher winds and higher seas, though the time of year we are making this passage is optimum for avoiding these conditions. Ka'sala is ready - the boat was made for this passage - and we are as ready as we can be. I, for one, will be so glad to see the coastal mountains and the great forests again!

A cheery little flame will burn in the grate just below the tile

As I did on the last passage, I will be posting to the blog daily from our SSB radio. As before, we will also be checking into the Pacific Seafarer's Net each day. Don't forget, if you don't hear from us in a day or two, it is likely technical difficulties. We are not aware of any other sailboat which is leaving at the same time as us, but we may meet some in Hanalei Bay. We do know of three who have been making the passage over the last month - one about to arrive in Sitka, the other half way to Bellingham and another who left at the beginning of this week. I am sure there will be others.

Sitka, Alaska

For the next two days we will be doing all the last minute chores such as buying provisions and storing them, laundry, filling water, storing canvas and bicycles and making Ka'sala into the ocean going vessel she is supposed to be. North America! Here we come!