The Highs and Lows of Passage Making:

The day before we left Opua, NZ on our passage to Rarotonga, a cruising friend, Catherine on S/V Cobalt from the UK, commented that I probably wouldn't enjoy the passage back to Vancouver but I would get through it. She and her husband, Anthony, have been cruising for 10 years or more so she speaks from experience. Well, 11 days into the passage I am "getting through it", but there also some positives to ocean passage making. I've come to realize that most of us experience extreme highs and lows out here at sea. The highs are really high and the lows are . . . well, very low. For me keeping the end goal in mind keeps me going. Norm and I want to get Sarah Jean II safely back to Vancouver so we can be closer to family, our parents and our twenty something children. So we sail on.

Here are some of the highs of ocean passage making, in my eyes:

It's extremely cool to sail along under sunny skies, skimming over the waves of the incredibly sapphire blue sea, listening to good music on the stereo. When Norm played "Ava Maria" it brought tears to my eyes. My emotions are close to the surface out here and I will always associate that song with this three year voyage and my night watches.

Life is simple on passages; sleep (when you can), eat, trim the sails, watch our course and read. This simplicity allows me to live in the moment and appreciate small things, like the swallow that landed on Sarah Jean's lifelines, 1000 miles from the nearest land. Life on land never seems to be this simple so I'll enjoy this slow life while I can.

Time to contemplate life. Out here at sea I can take a step back and look at the big picture of life. How has our 3 year Pacific sailing adventure changed us? What will our life back on land look like after we arrive home in August? How do I want to lead my life?

Lots of reading time. I read on night watch and take a break every 15 minutes to scan the horizon and check the radar for squalls or ships. When it's a smooth sailing night I read a lot. During heavy weather I may do very little reading, spending the whole watch observing the instruments, trimming sails and adjusting our course.

Learning new skills. We are always learning something new on Sarah Jean, even after 3 years of ocean sailing. On this passage I've become more skilled at squall avoidance. There are lots of squalls in this part of the ocean due to the SPCZ (South Pacific Convergence Zone). They usually occur at night. When a squall hits, the wind may increase and back or veer (change direction), so I reduce sail, head more upwind with the autopilot and track the squall on the radar.

The lows of ocean passage making:

Not getting enough sleep. This has to be the biggest downside of being at sea for me. If I don't get enough sleep I get cranky! Last night the wind was howling, the boat was lurching and rolling in the big seas and I wasn't sleeping. Getting up for my 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. watch was a challenge but had to be done. I sipped my tea and had my cookie from the night watch cookie box and then things were better. This morning I slept for a glorious 5 hours after my watch. When I get enough sleep I can handle anything. Having David on board has certainly made this passage easier for Norm and I Three hour night watches are so much easier than 6 hours! Thank you, David!

Big Seas. When the seas are big on a passage there is a lot more lurching, rolling and pitching. Every step must be taken with care and carefully timed. Currently the seas are over 4 meters and waves regularly crash over the dodger or slam into our plastic cockpit enclosure on the windward side. Generally we have kept dry due to this enclosure which is wonderful when you are on watch.

Low Pressure Weather System. We were unable to avoid a big low that came across our path on this passage to Rarotonga. It was the first time we have sailed through a big low and it wasn't a lot of fun. On a longer passage (14 days) like this one from NZ to Rarotonga, it is harder to avoid these systems. You can't see them coming when you leave.

Boredom. Our Kiwi friend, Grahame on S/V Adamite, commented that boredom was his biggest problem with ocean passages. He and his wife, Lynne, have completed 2 circumnavigations! Although books usually keep me entertained, I also spend time reading up on the islands we will be visiting. I have a list of fun things to do now in Rarotonga. I write in my journal, prepare good things to eat for the crew, listen to music on our Ipod at night and do yoga on board as sailing conditions permit. On this passage I am also planning to spend more time practicing my French! David is a French immersion teacher. What a wonderful opportunity for me to improve my French conversational skills.

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Well look at that! I listed more highs than lows for ocean passage making. Interesting!

Right now landfall is foremost on our minds. We're looking forward to being safely tied to the pier in Avatiu Harbour on Rarotonga, the boys enjoying beers and burgers, and a cool gin and tonic for me. We'll swim and snorkel in the beautiful lagoon and get some exercise hiking the mountains on the island. I'll snuggle into the V-berth with Norm, rather than sleeping separately in our respective sea berths and trying to be content with the occasional hug or kiss in the galley.

I will indeed "get through it", this fifteenth ocean passage of ours, with all its highs and lows!