Adventures of Orcinius

11 September 2015 | HOME - Vancouver WA
24 August 2015 | 46 11.4'N:123 51.4'W, Port of Astoria Marina
22 August 2015 | 46 42.0'N:132 09,4'W, 330 West of CR Bouy, Astoria
21 August 2015 | 46 41.8'N:136 13.8'W, 500 West of Astoria
20 August 2015 | 46 22.82'N:140 28.00'W, East end of High
20 August 2015 | 46 22.80'N:140 28.32'W, Middle of High Same as Fish
20 August 2015 | 46 22.79'N:140 28.57'W, Middle of High
20 August 2015 | 46 22.7'N:140 30.2'W, 675 Miles West of CR
20 August 2015 | 45 57.6'N:144 54.0'W, East End of the High
18 August 2015 | 44 38.2'N:147 57.0'W, 1000 NM to Astoria
18 August 2015 | 43 31.0'N:150 28.0'W, 1126 NM to Astoria
17 August 2015 | 41 40.1'N:153 00.1'W, 1200 miles West of Astoria
16 August 2015 | 39 30.1'N:154 53.1'W, West end of the North Pacific High
15 August 2015 | 37 34.5'N:156 00.0'W, 1011 North of Oahu
15 August 2015 | 37 04.5'N:156 23.0'W, 983 North of Oahu
14 August 2015 | 34 12.3'N:157 26.1'W, 800 North of Oahu
13 August 2015 | 31 50.0'N:158 06.5'W, 650 North of Oahu
12 August 2015 | 29 02.0'N:158 51.0'W, 330 North of Oahu
11 August 2015 | 26 32.0'N:158 59.0'W, 330 North of Oahu
09 August 2015 | 23 44.1'N:158 49.4'W, 140 N of Oahu

Another Bay Another Day

22 May 2012 | 08 56'S:140 09'W, Daniel's Bay
Lisa
Last friday the 18th we got our ration of fuel for the day and headed out to dump the holding tanks, make some water, and do some laundry all while dragging some fishing lines. The fishing lines finally paid off. We had a tripple header, two on hand lines and one on a pole. Could have had a quad but I only had the three lines out. We must have crossed a school of yellow fin tuna because it was like all three lines were going nuts everywhere. As luck would have it we couldn't have all three. We pulled in the starbaord hand line first and tied him up by the tail then we went for the port side handline before the pole. As Lisa was pulling the tuna up about 15 feet from the boat we saw a shark come up behind it and it was gone and so was our hand line. We tied it off on a cleat and the shark made away with the tuna and the lure. Back to the pole and we landed that one. In hind sight when we saw the shark, we probably should have let the tuna have a bunch of slack as he could have outrun the shark. These are the first keeper fish we have caught in a long time.

I learned a new way to filet a tuna from watching the guys at the pier. Tuna have very small intestines compared to like a Salmon. They are also rounder in the middle and don't like to lay flat engough to filet off the bone. I was taught to quarter filet then then skin them without gutting. Because of the small intestinal sack it is easier to gut then filet. Once you have the sides off, then split each side down the bones and finally slide your knife between the flesh and the skin with skin side down flat against the table.

We managed to can five pints, freeze three back loins and eat one for dinner. The yellow fins were average of about 10 lbs each. Just the right size to handle on the back step instead of taking out my large filet table. After going back through where we caught the fish with no further luck we headed to a little bay about 5 miles around the point from Baie de Taiohae called Daniel's bay. Daniel no longer lives here anymore but it is a very nice and fairly well protected bay. (The TV show 'Survivor' was filmed here in 2002 - they moved Daniel out of his hut and into the next valley over so they could use the area for one of the tribes.) We anchored in front of about eight other boats and settled in for the night. The next morning we went for a hike up to the water fall - third highest waterfall in the world! We started off on the wrong trail and were about a quater mile in when we heard someone hollering John, Lisa... After a couple moments, we headed back to the person calling and there was Bob from Charisma. He had seen us taking off on the wrong trail from his boat and zoomed on into shore to catch us. Thanks to Bob we did manage to find the water fall. We were still about an hour h ike away when we could see the falls so we took some pictures from there and as it turned out, once you got to the actual falls you were in a canyon behind very large bolders that blocked the view to the top. We swam through the fresh water pool at the base and under two large bolders and back into the cavern at the base of the falls. Still couldn't see the top but the water was coming down very hard and when we tried to swim over to it, it took your breath away. The hike was pretty much an all day afair, we left at 9 and was back on board at 3:30.

Near the bottom on our way back down the hill we stopped at a locals house and farm. The couple had about 40 acres in the valley next to the road. She served us some home made limeade, papaya, and breadfruit. We sat and chatted and finally bought some limes, mango, oranges and pomplemoose (grapefruit) to take back to the boat. The next two days were quite rainy so I proceeded to be the fixit man. First I pulled the old inverter/charger out of its storage and tore it apart trying to find out why the fan wouldn't run. The fan itself was working but the circuit wasn't feeding it any power and so it went into shutdown for overtemp. After spending half the day with it in a hundred different pieces, I finally wired past the circuit with a couple of wires that I lead to outside the case so I could force the fan on. I managed to get the thing back together without any parts left over so figured it was good to try. Replaced the newer inverter/charger with the one I just jury rigged and I'll be darned if it did work property without my jury rig. Go figure. Now I will have to tear the newer one apart with the assumption that it is a bad circuit board terminal connection that is corroded. Hope that is the whole problem.

My next project was to finally replace the transisters in the blown autopilot that went out back in September. All the tools were out and handy so it made sense to tackle a soldering job at that time. It took me about an hour and we now have a functioning spare auto pilot brain. Well I couldn't be done at 2 in the afternoon so I installed the MOB alarm and had everything put away and cleaned up by 5pm. Guests were coming over at six.

Monday being another rainy day, I attacked our vacuum sealer. Well the vacuum sealer works just fine but won't seal the retort pouches we bought to can tuna in. I assumed that the problem was that the sealing timer countdown was counting down at double time. It took me most of the day to chase down the timer circuit to install another one of my jury rigs. I found a way to extend the clamping and heating mechanism with a switch and so tried it out. That was part of the problem but not all. The heat strip is powered through a relay from a 13.8 volt DC supply. I was looking for a way to increase the voltage slightly but the power supply was different than most and beyond my knowledge with what appeared to be a flyback transformer to control the current limits feeding a 1 ohm heat strip. So the real fix will have to come later. I put the sealer to work re-packing a beef back strap tenerloin, packages of chicken and a 5 lb box of calimari steaks. Lisa had taken off with Charisma on a hike and I had a drink in my hand and the boat cleaned up by the time she retuned with yet another job for John. Help another boater with a leaky propane hose. So out come the tools and I make quick work of cutting of the swaged fitting that was leaking and reconnecting the hose with a hose clamp. Gato Go was on their way.

So here I am and it is Tuesday morning. The skies should be clearing for the day and we will be heading around to the North side of the Island after stopping to check on my parts on the internet. Still hoping they show up by the end of the week.

All for now. John
Comments
Vessel Name: ORCINIUS
Vessel Make/Model: Lagoon 440
Hailing Port: Vancouver, Washington
Crew: John LeDoux & Lisa Danger
About:
Sailing since the mid 90's. Prior to this trip, 4 sailing adventures from Vancouver WA to the San Juan and Gulf Islands in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Bought ORCINIUS in West Palm Beach Fl in April 2010. Sailed her South through the Panama Canal and back up the West coast to home port. [...]
Extra: Lisa is the real captain. I have never been at the helm when docking or anchoring, she has a great touch to docking.
Home Page: www.orcinius.com

Who: John LeDoux & Lisa Danger
Port: Vancouver, Washington