Hello all! so sorry no updates while at sea, sailblogs are not responding to my several requests for some stupid key code I need to access my account when at sea, so for now you will have to wait with baited breath in between when I can get wifi. it had been an incredible 6 days at sea! here is the 411 of trip so far.

Left Neah Bay at the butt crack of dawn on 9/19 for tattoos island & cape flattery….out into the big blue rolling heap of the Pacific Ocean! Now, it’s been 12 years since this boat and captain have been in deep water. Was I nervous? Kinda. Was I confident? for sure….Did I get seasick? not even a little! Crazy, I and my mighty ship took to it like white on rice. Albeit the first day was a miserable slog into lumpy seas and shit wind….I found out quickly just how poorly I stowed some items! I will say that even with the best of instruments and weather routing info via my Iridium GO! sat phone, it was good having Howard by my side multiple times a day (thru texting on the sat phone) comparing weather notes and more importantly watching a NASTY low generating potential brutal winds in excess of 50 mph farther south.

First day may I say, sucked ass. But as I was once told by a good friend of mine…”Lawnboy, sometimes you just have to embrace the suck?” which I did. After the baptism by fire part 2 was over, winds backed to N NW and the sleigh ride began. I tried every sail combination I could come up with and finally give in to a single reef in the main, let all the way out with a preventer (line tied to boom to keep sail from slamming about) and we were off! buy the 3rd day the winds built to 25-30 knots and i was FLYING!!! green water over the bow, frothy sea foam moving down the sides of the boat and a nice dessert of massive 12-15’ rolling waves from behind to finish off my 5 star pacific ocean meal. I was in my element…until….

It’s 0300 (3am), I’m taking a 20 min power nap and my AIS goes nuts…I wake from the deepest of sleeps, delirious from any good REM sleep for days….and see 6…yes SIX fishing boats all around me! It happens fast at sea, which is why when you are a solo sailor, you cannot sleep for more than 20 min at a time…so I shake off the eye boogers and get my poop in a group to decide which one of these fisher people to take on first. Of course…the one closest to me gets my undivided attention! Raise him on the radio, he says, “ yeah man, we been watching you on radar, you are hauling ass!” we agreed to give each other 10 degrees lee and pass with room to spare…wash, rinse, set, repeat. until the last boat….he was just sitting there….no response, no AIS position, nothing….now, understand, when sailing down wind…you do not have much leeway to adjust course without creating big problems with the sails. after my 4th try on the radio (and a few not so nice words) he finally responded, “Wades Aweigh, we are not required to have AIS and we are drifting down to our set, engines off, so NO, WE WILL NOT ADJUST COURSE and you are about to run straight into our bow!”. So, its pouring rain, blowing like stink, late, I’m tired as S*#@ and dont have much of a sense of humor….

As I put autopilot on standby, tried to adjust course, in perfect synchronization of “what if’s” it all came crashing down at once, I came side to wind, the main backfilled, I had no steerage and of course…as my luck would have it…the biggest wave I had seen yet….careened over my stern shoved me sideways…and there I sat, hove to in front of the massive fishing vessel, stopped! literally not moving…no helm, no steerage…just sitting there….so, instead of freaking out, I eased the sail, let go of the helm (clearly i wasn’t going anywhere) and got on the radio….”Raven, Raven, Raven…this is sailing vessel Wades Aweigh on 16”. they come back, yes Wades Aweigh? then in my best British accent and a big shit eating grin…I come back with….”DO YOU HAVE ANY GREY POUPON?’
it was a moment.
I gained my little yar ship back on course and careened down the waves at 8 knots for the rest of the night….one for the record books for the heavy pig of a boat!

Next 2 days after that, you would have thought I was on Lake Stevens….glassy seas, motoring along at 5 knots, reading books, cooking great meals and just taking in this new life of mine….the world was right. oh, and thanks to Howard’s keen routing and urging to ramp up the RPM’s, I missed the low that fizzled out and made it safely to Bodega Bay where I will do small projects and be lazy till Fridays departure….

Did I tell you I hooked up 4 nice albacore and lost all said fish in the same day? back to hamburger helper i guess.

thanks for tuning in, and hope to get the tech issues resolved before too long!!!

Hello All! This entry primarily is to see if remote codes and radio link now work for blog updates while offshore! Past couple days have
been consumed with servicing engine & systems, meeting crusty salty fisherman (super cool people!) chasing off harbor seals who think
THEY are the ones paying for moorage, sampling local chowder houses, walks along the bay for groceries (town is 45 min walk) taking
$2.00 barely tepid showers at the marina, reading, planning and watching weather.

It's amazing to me how fast a day storms by doing small projects combined with breaks visiting with passers by always lending free advice
on how to do something better or differently than how I'm doing it :)

Well, if weather predictions hold true, I will be leaving Saturday morning...next stop Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island! Super stoked to
finally be able to experience this place.

All for now, and back to problem solving on my electrical system for the fuel polishing system :(

Capt. LB!

Hello All!!! After a successful launch with much fanfare (including Dave’s taking some killer drone footage) I have slogged my way out to Neah Bay, for a days rest (sans a multitude of boat prep) and writing this blog not knowing if my high seas hookup is going to work just yet, please stay tuned! the trip out was full of action! first a fouled furling unit up at the bow, sail stuck out as wind increased…a few swears later I gained posture and went to work in the waves and wind….yes mommy I had on my life jacket!..I learned real quick to be mindful of letting sail out under control so the furler line doesn’t foul…guess I’m a bit rusty.

then, the canvas cradle tore with yet another line that was fouled when it was put away wrong….not taking credit for that one!

NOW, I’m hammer down with engine gulping fuel at 2200 rpm to get the speed I needed to make Neah before nightfall.

To add to the excitement, whale boats….and lots of them!…I also became a short term spectator of these majestic creatures (grey variety) until one almost ran into me…and radio blaring at me to get the hell outa the way!! Well, one nice captain responded to my hailing about where the HELL do you want me then!..ended up being a great experience and I know they have to make a living too, so chill Mr. SailorBoy…chill!!

thanks to the urging and advice from my friend Howard to use all sails and motor at an RPM I wasn’t comfortable with…I had anchor down well before dark….oh, and yes, HOWARD…you were right…engine did just fine :).

finished off my day with a gourmet meal of Mac & Cheese followed by 1? glass of Pendleton :). Slept like a baby.

So, sports fans, tomorrow is it! Hope to talk to you all again soon!!

This is a test to post to my old blog. Hopefully ya’ll can see this. I will be making regular blog posts as I get this NEW adventure rolling…first leg: offshore sailing to San Diego, then hang till November. Leg 2: MEXICO! (Again) then, well….you will just have to stay tuned…exciting stuff to come! The boat is totally new again…super stoked!!!

testing. had many technical difficulties from internet to cell to blog account not renewing as planned...hopefully all is in working order now??
if this posts, I will get you all caught up in the next day or two with a few pics also!...its been in the mid to upper 70's every day here....ahhhhh, mexico.

ok folks! I was able to swooze my way through immigration using 100% spanish with two officials who wanted to know more about how I could survive on a boat for 2 months than how I lost my form! Thank god I listened and practiced mucho espaniol this trip! I was stamped and on my way in 15 minutes!! We passed through security and I got frisked and had my bags gone through...must have been profiled or something? Our friend Dave from Scott Free's crew was on our flight too, and has offered us a ride home since he lives in Snohomish!...SCORE!!!

The layover in LAX flew by with not much time to lollygag around. A couple of Whoppers and fries later we were boarding the second leg....and here I am, logged on the the in flight internet for 10 bucks for some entertainment value!

Feels good to be through all the security and immigration measures, albeit it was pretty easy. Should be home after 1130pm with a one hour cutback on my watch. Ooops, hang on...."well yes miss flight attendant...I'd love a glass of red wine!" ok, I'm back!

Oh, Poppie says hi to all and would have liked to contribute to the text but his fingers JUST don't work on this little machine....in fact, every time he does an email to Mommie....it's, "AH DAMMIT! HEY BRIIIIIAAAAANNNNN....as I'm always busy doing something else...hang on dad...let me fix it...."what the heck are you doing in my spreadsheet program? " "I DONT KNOW! I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING!"
so now you get the deal.

my salad just arrived....MMMMMMMM.....looks good!

not much else to tell, other than I already miss the sun, but looking forward to being home among friends. My life is GOOD!

Love to all, closing comments coming soon :)