tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52187870427100710962024-03-14T07:10:46.799-07:00Aboard IO: A Two Year Pacific CrossingMike and Hyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00490773216007792129noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-33017711625045491152015-11-05T15:36:00.000-08:002015-11-05T15:36:30.012-08:00A New Adventure - all aboard at Tall Ship!<h5 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;">
Trading in the laser pointer, lecture hall and boardroom presentations for a life on the high seas - again.</h5>
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We're trading in the morning commute, the monthly board room priority meetings, the hours preparing lectures about marine ecology, genetics or community studies for a life filled with endless horizons far out to sea. The daily commute starts with a morning swim and a snorkel to identify the local reef fish, and maybe I'll have my spear along for some spearfishing, or with gale force winds during long crossings, or perhaps finding "parking" in mirror calm anchorages. And beaches, perfect white sand beaches offering a gateway from the warm tropical water into the terrestrial life of jungles, rainforest, wildlife and the cultures of distant shores. Life on the high seas again - for the foreseeable future.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;"><a href="http://www.mountocean.com/2015/10/15/tall-ship-ocean-adventure-begins/">Tall Ship Ocean Adventure</a></span></div>
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We're excited to launch a new journey and to share every mile under the keel, every challenge and every experiential rollercoaster with you. This time there will be all new ways to <a href="http://www.mountocean.com/contribute/">interact</a> with us and some great new footage to be shared! Let the "to do" lists begin: 1) pack up life (especially the ice-climbing, snowboarding and cold water surfing gear), 2) sell most things, cars, trucks, couches. Donate majority of cold weather clothes. And go.</div>
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Please join in on an all new adventure - this time aboard a Tall Ship Schooner.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mountocean.com/">www.mountocean.com</a></div>
Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-57609436898107508742013-10-04T17:48:00.002-07:002015-10-15T11:48:00.577-07:00Let the Adventures Continue<br />
Since I returned to terra firma in 2011, I've been lucky to be occupied with some new adventures. I've developed a new blog to document and to share my latest exploits on land and on the ocean. I invite you to check out <a href="http://www.mountocean.com./"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>mountocean.com</u></span><span style="color: blue;">.</span></a> You'll notice a number of posts from IO's Pacific Voyage mixed in with a lot of recent entries, including posts about my experience sailing a <a href="http://wp.me/p3fZND-J" target="_blank">151' Brigantine tall ship</a> to the North Pacific Gyre to research ocean pollution, my first solo attempt at <a href="http://wp.me/p3fZND-8C" target="_blank">skydiving</a>, and my <a href="http://wp.me/p3fZND-2z" target="_blank">coast-to-coast expedition</a> across Cape Breton Island on skis. <span id="goog_416748538"></span><br />
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For my fellow die-hard sailors looking for sailing resources and stories of adventure on the high seas, you're in the right place. Steam ahead.Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-63752159715443123632010-12-03T12:28:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:33:08.217-08:00From Brisbane to Bamfield in 5 days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGYxPQdBtR-K6zjFhslByxsz023_hxo8rG8woKbyqy6d_QtE6b2ZD0rj79Ue_jHmOAWaa_M3J7ClS6sJuRzRq0qbNrEtsgKn_vhZMaw0XzqxTli2LqRgO0UZbD9NiarXImIBE1uQ9KfA/s1600/DSC02815.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGYxPQdBtR-K6zjFhslByxsz023_hxo8rG8woKbyqy6d_QtE6b2ZD0rj79Ue_jHmOAWaa_M3J7ClS6sJuRzRq0qbNrEtsgKn_vhZMaw0XzqxTli2LqRgO0UZbD9NiarXImIBE1uQ9KfA/s400/DSC02815.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546556276259220642" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p><span lang="EN-CA">Like they say, nothing goes to windward like a jet airplane! Sidney to Calgary in 13 hours, incredible! I don’t think anyone living in modern society appreciates what an airplane can do until you have taken 10 months to sail what a plane can do in 13 hours. Of course on the boat your body has allot more time to acclimate to the weather en-route. 19 hours after leaving sunny, warm 25<sup>oC <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></sup>Brisbane, the weather in snowy Calgary was -21<sup>oC</sup>. OUCH! I was there for 2.5 days and the weather dropped to -41 with wind-chill. There was a reason we moved out of that place and headed for the tropics! I thought I was going to be prepared by bringing my big red float coat for a warmth, but at those temps the foam inside the jacket froze solid and became like steel plates, certainly not retaining any warmth. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN-CA">Now I am above 48<sup>o</sup> North back out on the West coast teaching at the Bamfield Marine Station, taking students out onto the cold grey waters of the North Pacific. While it is still beautiful and interesting to have the contrast, those warm aquamarine lagoons we had begun to take for granted sure seem far away.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-CA">m</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-44259630843328468182010-11-23T08:25:00.000-08:002010-11-23T09:22:24.398-08:00We sailed across the Pacific Ocean.<!--StartFragment--> <p><!--StartFragment--> </p><p><span lang="EN-CA">We have sailed IO from the Northern BC coast, down North America, across to the South Pacific and all the way to Australia.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-CA">I counted how many miles we have come. I counted how many days we traveled pushing our tiny vessel to the opposite side of our planet. I have written about how many perfect anchorages we found, how many countries we visited. I have photographed how many fish we caught, how many markets we shopped at, how many perfect white sand beaches we walked. I have remembered how many days we feared for our lives, how many waves tried to break IO and terrified our minds. I have experienced what it means to fulfill a dream, to think it into being, to plan, to build, to begin, to endure and enjoy and finally, now, to end.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p><span lang="EN-CA">But friends, fret not. We will continue to post our Australian adventures over the next few months and know that I believe that a person is only as good as their next great adventure. So stay tuned, as the next great journey has already formed in my mind. I am planning on leaving the Ocean far behind and returning to my Cowboy roots. I hope you will come with us along for the ride as we <a href="http://reinfree.blogspot.com/">Reinfree</a>.</span></p><p><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></p><p><span lang="EN-CA">mike</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-11111396576372697312010-11-23T08:21:00.001-08:002010-11-23T08:25:10.611-08:00Approaching the Australian coast<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x1HCz_GwyGyNd0pqk_DuSvmmSM5Sx55odyzs27mNbQS8UJdn5-aSPtucjRLsQwC9gxmpnw8iB2Sz3gFGIvTwvyzKXwqSxILfVaRFXrs3QM16xuAPqsIh-ddUqJV7qKGALhRmfZ1Wcs8/s1600/DSCF1891.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x1HCz_GwyGyNd0pqk_DuSvmmSM5Sx55odyzs27mNbQS8UJdn5-aSPtucjRLsQwC9gxmpnw8iB2Sz3gFGIvTwvyzKXwqSxILfVaRFXrs3QM16xuAPqsIh-ddUqJV7qKGALhRmfZ1Wcs8/s400/DSCF1891.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542781400939315570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbwH1y0nsg4_UHxfLtncLIkdnrwRh-Ijo6QjlTHoQh6JmRI8yKvrlhwxjFksvi48GLwHWUWMoUrqjpwZ959hmr65F89xipYNIkM6B7a7IqJgmzBn4GI0xZPXIm9mMjq9XG3BsC_veQY0/s1600/DSCF1888.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbwH1y0nsg4_UHxfLtncLIkdnrwRh-Ijo6QjlTHoQh6JmRI8yKvrlhwxjFksvi48GLwHWUWMoUrqjpwZ959hmr65F89xipYNIkM6B7a7IqJgmzBn4GI0xZPXIm9mMjq9XG3BsC_veQY0/s400/DSCF1888.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542781399907505330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngoSA2R5BN1W9Hj8N7EXwNEeUIHqUtu7jt7rYsjb6ROQuu55D3joCqusFZqgqMeDpSyPHMASUTeaSVJrNafTNk7RBcUsJY-t9YHR_tkeRv82jLGgaA0kMZfriH8nQTDhCQM67jSU1O34/s1600/DSCF1875.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngoSA2R5BN1W9Hj8N7EXwNEeUIHqUtu7jt7rYsjb6ROQuu55D3joCqusFZqgqMeDpSyPHMASUTeaSVJrNafTNk7RBcUsJY-t9YHR_tkeRv82jLGgaA0kMZfriH8nQTDhCQM67jSU1O34/s400/DSCF1875.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542781389857778994" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p>We approached the Australian coast just as the sun was setting over the Glass House Mountains North of Brisbane.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-14247932362747670622010-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:002010-11-23T08:21:17.859-08:00The last of the spearfishing in New Caladoinia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI11pgcuzIwXnIcMAr9VCewA1LTOli61kfrBkfQKaj37uVTFbm_n6wyQhZV9pZmPFsYgtRuhD70hK00rQuyYrF-1uhlXjZk_o3Mfq0PkKacnwf1K31zVuT6g4b_AVMwec7-WzhK3oxmM/s1600/DSCF1835.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI11pgcuzIwXnIcMAr9VCewA1LTOli61kfrBkfQKaj37uVTFbm_n6wyQhZV9pZmPFsYgtRuhD70hK00rQuyYrF-1uhlXjZk_o3Mfq0PkKacnwf1K31zVuT6g4b_AVMwec7-WzhK3oxmM/s400/DSCF1835.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542780958782772978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UOVA1uLDow6t61D3IbpOD36rGB9YZWwRSpg0gSEkSo-hXpddlAnpXAkv15y18atqkgqG5-AQEhCO-yVBbJGIem_nCb2BVUbBV59Ssd_hyR_69JF8eVit4HVR6wMF06vV9o5Ud24cD-Y/s1600/DSCF1836.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UOVA1uLDow6t61D3IbpOD36rGB9YZWwRSpg0gSEkSo-hXpddlAnpXAkv15y18atqkgqG5-AQEhCO-yVBbJGIem_nCb2BVUbBV59Ssd_hyR_69JF8eVit4HVR6wMF06vV9o5Ud24cD-Y/s400/DSCF1836.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542780956759254706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlnRa6p49fRXO2DC9cmEdEqQKeJu9yfjweQo-YwMShZpiPvqvpo4fgh0X359PVS1DsiKn7z0u-DJIAXYcMw-JAYp5Ijgm6Hd4cEEXCAF3KE6Rb3msX4csQciEBzjuYbxsBc2T_31zGic/s1600/DSCF1837.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlnRa6p49fRXO2DC9cmEdEqQKeJu9yfjweQo-YwMShZpiPvqvpo4fgh0X359PVS1DsiKn7z0u-DJIAXYcMw-JAYp5Ijgm6Hd4cEEXCAF3KE6Rb3msX4csQciEBzjuYbxsBc2T_31zGic/s400/DSCF1837.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542780948319557570" /></a><br />Af few last shots of spearfishing Trevally and Walu.<div><br /></div>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-15943018515108635612010-11-21T12:42:00.001-08:002010-11-21T12:42:16.019-08:00november 15, 2010 The ApproachNovember 15, 2010 The Approach<br>My head told me making landfall in the evening was not ideal and so all my senses became more alert. But my heart simply melted at the sight of a beautiful sunset decorating the landscape of Australia. Those peaks are Australia! This is my first time on this continent! The city lights appeared and drowned out the entrance marker lights. Numerous giant freighters started to light up. We decided to follow one ship into the NW channel, and for hours, dodged them one by one coming and going. Even inside the channel, we were still exposed to the wind and waves and got tossed around. I sucked on a piece of dark chocolate to numb the intimidation. Marker after marker, we concentrated on flashing green, flashing red, and strong currents that almost got us crashing into a cardinal marker. During the 360 scan every two minutes, I caught a glimpse of the moonlight on the water. It was only one of the many stimulations and things to process in my brain. Wow, what a contrast to the previous night when it was the main focus. Then it hit me, my goodness, that was it. That was the end of our trip. <br>Arriving in Australia had another kind of exhilaration to it, just as significant as arriving in the Marquesas. We went up the Brisbane river at dawn and realized, we did it. We made it across the Pacific Ocean. We made it to Australia. Of course, now that it's done, I think it would have felt unfinished to leave the boat in New Caledonia. That could have easily happened. Oh, how thankful I was to arrive! <p>I think it will require some time for all this to sink in. I had complained, cursed, cried, sobbed, and shouted out of frustration on some passages. The sucky part about cruising seem to never make it into spoken or written tales about sailing. It is a double-edged sword, a cruel mistress, a love-hate relationship. Yet all of that seems to quickly fade away as each hour goes by, almost as quickly as the saltwater on deck got rinsed away. It's strange how things work that way. Now, I am going look for a Magnum bar. Arh, sweet as!<p>hyo-jungExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-31637209775699990372010-11-14T17:19:00.001-08:002010-11-14T17:19:44.373-08:00November 11, 2010 The Moon and StarsWe started this passage on new moon. Nights were spooky dark. The seas had calmed down and so have my nerves. Usually, the night sky would be stunning and I could observe the stars to my heart's content. However, it was overcast for night after night and we were getting water sprayed from the beam incessantly that I stopped looking up at the sky. Then last night, the slit crescent moon shined its light on the jet black water, like an old friend saying hello, and laid before me my favorite scene in the whole world. Just like staring at a campfire, watching the moonlight is mesmerizing. It comforts me very much at night. She briefly said her hello, then hid behind the clouds. <p>On passages, Mike and I have passed time daydreaming and talking about many things. If it's not about a big bowl of ice cream or endless long hot showers, it's about the kind of land activities that sound enticing. What lies ahead? What are our next goals? What do we need to do to get there? Although I'm looking forward to many of the conveniences offered back home, I cannot help but think at some of the significant things our friends have said upon their return home. The common theme of the culture shock is contained in this quote: <p>"It's shocking how fast we were pulled back into the crazy rat race, despite our determination to keep a good balance." <p>This sentiment also seems to be there whether they were cruising or not. Our friend who spent a year traveling and climbing shared with us how crazy it was to return to the consumerism frenzy and how she missed the simple lifestyle she had lived. Is it all a fleeting dream? There are many thoughts on my mind, but for now, it is to soak in the moon and the stars. <p>Hyo-jungExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-57886612845277294782010-11-14T13:21:00.001-08:002010-11-14T13:21:50.656-08:00Aboard IO in Vanuatu<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9EnYH0PkUU8?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9EnYH0PkUU8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-17970170327260622102010-11-14T04:17:00.001-08:002010-11-14T04:17:35.175-08:00November 13, 2010G'day, mate!<br /><br />Mike & Hyo-junghyo-junghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384470043668811722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-74281503032626777572010-11-11T02:11:00.001-08:002010-11-11T02:11:34.043-08:00November 11, 2010 Remember, Remember, November, NovemberPosition S26 21 E155 20 <p>The last night far out to sea. Beautiful day of rolling waves and trailing winds. Today has been the most calm and pleasant day of sailing since I can remember. Far out to sea, today slid by in the endless wake, with the gurgle of water sweeping past the hull and a gentle lull of the waves lapping as we are swept on by. We dislike passages so much, but one could dream, if we had experienced the elusive "trade wind sailing" on the trip, today would be what it should have been like. <br>I watched a movie today. actually several movies. Pleasant, lazy and enjoyable. I promise that even in this lifestyle, those days are few and far between. Watching a movie or being enthralled in a book far out to sea is like nowhere else. When you stop to take your mandatory 360 look around, you are transported out of your dream in to another reality that is so vastly different than your mind is ready for. You step outside of your faraway place, back into a tiny boat. When you look around, you are in the middle of an ocean. Water, windswept water as far as you can see, farther than you can even imagine. The vastness here is so grand, it extends farther than your book or movie can take you. This endless water is our reality. It is the oddest sensation that one could try to describe.<br>Today is the last day out to sea. Tomorrow we will have to think about all the things required when approaching a new continent on a small sailboat. Big freighters, shipping channels, shallow water and other hazards to navigation must be minded tomorrow. But today, just worry free off-shore gliding. Don't get me wrong, sailing across an ocean is so very stressful. I have often said my PhD work was far less stressful than this trip has been. Just three days ago, I worried all day about being over-canvassed in rough and building seas with the possibility of breaking the rig. But that was then, not now, not today, that was then some 200 miles away. <p>mExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-58436297173919699512010-11-09T11:47:00.001-08:002010-11-09T11:47:41.600-08:00Morning day 5: The cruxNovember 10 2010<br>Position S25 53 E158 55<p>Early last night we passed the halfway mark and the height of the winds we should see for the rest of this passage. It did get windy, 25 gusting 30 knots with a large breaking sea developing. We have been getting slapped with breaking seas on the beam (side of the boat) which for the most part are loud and scare you but are not dangerous unless they get to big. Sometime last night at O'dark-30, we got hit with a wave so large that it completely engulfed IO such that water spurted in the butterfly hatch on the roof. This hatch is covered by our dingy so there must have been a tremendous amount of force to spurt through those window seams. We cleaned up the water, checked the bilge to make sure we were not taking on any more and then went back to bed.<br>The wind finally began to back (move counter clockwise) and ease up so we spent the rest of the night running down wind which sounds better but in fact is worse. The motion of the boat as it rolls down each wave gets old fast. My chest is tight this morning from trying to sleep in such a way that holds my body immobile while trying to rest. That is simply not restful!<br>I guess I'm a bit cranky this morning. In about 35 miles (5 hours) we will be turning right (east) and that should bring the wind back on the starboard quarter making for more comfortable sailing. 310 miles to go!<p>mExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-11708367103268917742010-11-08T11:29:00.001-08:002010-11-08T11:29:49.915-08:00The last passage; Morning day 4November 9 2010<br>position S24 54 E161 02<p>We are currently riding the North end of a high pressure system located in the Tasman sea which is keeping the wind fresh and the boat speed up. Yesterday we ticked off 143 nautical miles, not our best day ever, but good for IO. If we keep that speed up we will shave 2 days off this passage. Race IO, please race. It's always a balance of trying to fly enough sail to keep her moving fast but not break things. We are still almost 700 kilometers from land, and to break anything out here, especially the rig would suck is so many ways. <br>We have been lucky in this respect; we have not broken anything major at all on the trip (knock-on-wood). I actually don't believe in luck, luck is simply opportunity seized and in this case the opportunity to prepare IO to be strong and have lots of new oversized gear has certainly paid off.<br>We have seen many boats with snapped masts, heard of man-over-boards and even heard about two lost vessels (one with all hands) this year, which remind us that things could go wrong out here fast. I having been climbing and mountaineering for over 15 years, I thought that I had been in remote places. The Pacific brine is simply so vast and movement here is so slow that despite our little radios and beacons which likely offer only a false sense of security, we are simply out here remote and alone. Truly more remote and more alone than anywhere else I have been.<p>mExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-34406463165480392772010-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:002010-11-07T11:57:12.901-08:00The last passage: Morning day 3November 8 2010<br>Position S23 52.2 E163 15.4<p>We are under way to Australia. It's just another gross passage, but it does feel a bit different. 550ish miles to go, but it's the last 550. The piped up to 25 gusting to 30 last night so I dropped the jib and raised the staysail with a double reefed main. Now the wind is on the beam at 20 knots, waves are down to 2 meters since last night's 3m. Still getting the occasional big wave slap against the hull. I might drop the staysail and put the working jib back up after the morning's radio net. All is well aboard.<p>mExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-90963291878615428912010-11-06T12:57:00.001-07:002010-11-06T12:57:36.997-07:00Walu not WahooNovember 5, 2010<br>New Cal<p>Early morning light flitters and dances and fades into the deep blue depths. One at a time Jaime and I dawn the gear and slip in to the water. It's a bit colder here, we need shorties to stay in for a couple of hours. After the initial splash and chill and when all the bubbles from the entry rise clear from view, I always do a quick 360 to both orient to the surroundings and look for the brethren, the dudes in the grey suits, sharks. We have repeatedly returned to the southern point of a small nearby atoll where we can anchor in 10 meters of water and then swim out to where the bottom drops from view as the depth drops to 30 meters. We have found a spot where the pelagic fish seem to frequently pass by looking for near shore baitfish. It is a game. The game has rules and players. We are learning the rules and have learned that we are not the biggest players. 4 times now sharks much bigger than me have approached. <br>For me, the most satisfaction has come from how much we have learned from our now countless hours in the water. We watch the baitfish, they usually tell the story. We swim past the edge of the reef, where the depth drops beyond sight and try to find a school of Blue Streaked Fusiliers, (Pterocaesio tile) which are about the size of a trout. In the hundreds they abound, schooling and meandering this way and that, feeding on plankton, never venturing to far away from the reef or each other. They don't mind our presence, we are of no threat and they seem to know that. So we sit and wait in the blue depths, hovering, watching, usually within sight of the other swimmer. Abruptly the school tightens and spins 180 degrees heading for the reef. I dive. Out of the blue a predator will appear. Often we have seen various species of meter long Trevally and Dog Tooth Tuna larger than my spear gun (1.7 mteres). Mostly we are after Walu, (king Mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson) a 1-2-meter silvery fusiform predator that has teeth like a wood saw and blazes through the schools of Fusiliers selecting out any that are weak or unaware. We have learned the trick to getting the Walu to approach closely. When at depth (5-15 meters) a pack of Walu will usually approach to check you out, but usually never close enough for a good shot. However if one blows out a few bubbles, they come in closer to investigate, then WHAMM! My 160 cm spear hits the sweet spot behind the gill and the real work begins. These are ultra fast, powerful fish that have pulled me through the water for longer than I have wanted before I could get to the surface and breath. Once at the surface, I struggle to lift them out of the water as much as possible because the thrashing fish and the blood in the water often bring in the brethren. We swim towards the dingy and the other swimmer escorts you back always looking for the dudes in the gray suits. Pure fun! <p>Now when I speak of the baitfish turning 180 and tightening up the school for a retreat, when a predator is near. It turns out that they also do this in response to the brethren. We have gotten used to the behavior of the three species of reef sharks and know when to draw the line (usually) but here in New Caledonia we have run into bigger and (supposedly) more aggressive sharks. Yesterday I saw the school tighten and I dove, only to find that no larger fish came in, that is until I turned around and looked directly into the jaws of a bulky gray shark that was much larger than me. It was so large that it had its own entourage of smaller fish schooling with it. I looked directly into its small eyes and saw both the first and second rows of recurved teeth. When I startled and raised my gun, it turned from me and slowly swam away. While this was the closest view I have had so far, I have had three other similar experiences where I have turned around to find this same species of shark approaching me from behind. Each time that I have faced it, the shark has retreated, but it is a bit unnerving of the repetitiveness of this rear approach behaviour. I have narrowed down the species to either the sandbar or bull shark, both of which a bit of a reputation for aggressiveness. I am convinced that they are of no real threat, especially considering that I speared a Trevally and was fighting it to the surface when out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of these large sharks in the distance. I immediately let the fish drop to the end of the spear and line, putting at least 3-meters distance between the bleeding thrashing fish and me, but the shark did not take interest. Regardless we left the area.<br>We did hear that there is also a Great White Shark that reportedly ate a surfer last year in the reef pass 10 km from here. So there is certainly cause to stay on our toes.<p>While we are stuck in New Caledonia waiting for a decent weather window for the last passage across to Oz we have taken advantage of this time to get lots of water time and spearfishing, which has turned out to better than anywhere else on this trip save Suwarrow. <p>mExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-80442784360136536862010-10-30T12:59:00.000-07:002010-10-30T15:01:29.108-07:00October 31, 2010 Weather Poem - UnknownWhether the weather be fine,<br />Or whether the weather be not,<br />Whether the weather be cold,<br />Or whether the weather be hot,<br />We'll weather the weather<br />Whatever the weather<br />Whether we like it or not.<br /><br /><p>Thank you Totem, for finding this.</p><p> </p><p>Hyo-jung</p>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-49072205230684183692010-10-28T15:43:00.000-07:002010-10-29T16:50:22.402-07:00October 29, 2010 Weather wafflingLife is trying to teach me something. Yet I resist once again. As the Korean saying goes, I am trying to break a rock with an egg.<br /><br />We are stuck. I know we must be extra cautious in planning this next and last passage as the Australian coast can generate some narly weather. Sure, fine. But that weather window constantly changes. One day we prepare to leave the following day and then the next thing you know, we're stuck again.... for who knows how long. Yes, the worst part is the uncertain nature of all this. In my hand is a one-way ticket with my name on it, but every time I look at it, the departure date changes. And the fine print says, "the date may change depending on weather conditions..... indefinitely".<br /><br />Mentally, we're ready. But mental preparation has nothing to do with what weather has to say. The truth is, this has been a part of cruising all along. Arrivals and departures at each port were done with such planning for a good weather window. But now with the end of the trip in sight, patience level is low. This is very hard. I'm raised in a generation and a society in which a few hours' delay in a flight schedule causes an uproar. There's a sense of entitlement that life should pan out the way you plan it. It is absolutely ludicrous. This is the time for those to shine, those who know to let go when the issue is outside of their control. Mostly, I am stressed out over how much work needs to be done on the boat upon arrival in Australia and Mike having a fixed flight schedule leaving Australia. I take a deep breath in and feel how tight my chest is. I ponder over something I recently read:<br /><p>Why be unhappy about something if it can be remedied? </p><p>And what is the use of being unhappy about something if it cannot be remedied?</p><p>Well, I don't know. Like I said, life is trying to teach me something and yet I struggle. This is not the first time I've been in such a place. Whether it is immigration or work or whatever, I've had to frantically hurry up and patiently wait numerous times. I cannot think of a more useless thing than being angry at weather. Look at what the heck we're trying to do..... hop on a plastic boat and cross an ocean. So here we are, we hear of another boat's arrival in Australia, and I think to myself, we will be there, too. </p>hyo-junghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384470043668811722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-35253890444002809412010-10-25T15:14:00.000-07:002010-10-29T14:52:28.535-07:00October 24, 2010 Noumea, New CaledoniaWe arrived last night in New Caledonia, our last stop before heading to Australia. As we munch on delicious baguettes and croissants, we are feeling the time pressure and monitoring weather patterns. It seems as though we're always in a rush..... hurry up and wait. But there's a different kind of energy here at the visitor's dock in Noumea, similar to what we felt in La Cruz, Mexico before "jumping". Stories of arrivals and departures include a range of good and bad - blown sails, dismasting, and my worst nightmares, MOB (man overboard). It's no joke. It may appear that we take it for granted, but passage-making is a humbling experience. Another 800nm left.<br /><br />Hyo-junghyo-junghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00384470043668811722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-78302074929227727842010-10-25T14:44:00.000-07:002010-10-25T16:44:49.994-07:00October 16, 2010 Port HavannahWe are on the west side of Efate island due to weather. It's been cooler and I put on a pair of socks for the first time in six months. It does not seem as though we'll make it to Epi island to see dugongs (manatees). However, we've encountered some fabulous snorkeling sites on Paul's rock and the south end of Moso island. Mike and Jamie are happy about swimming with big fish again. With Totemites, we took a dinghy ride upstream a river. We said hello to villagers tending to their gardens, washing laundry, and naked kids playing in the local freshwater swimming hole. Then we found a giant tree perfect for an adult-size jungle gym just begging to be climbed. It was super fun to feel like a little kid again. <p>On Moso island, we visited the local school and learned of a conservation program protecting the turtle nesting sites. Managed by locals, one being the village chief's son, it sounded like a success story when it comes to conservation projects. With permission, we joined the three Aussie volunteers and the beach manager on their nightly beach hikes. Although we did not get to witness turtles nesting, we did see tracks and one nesting site. Interestingly, Mike and Jamie have seen more turtles snorkeling in three days than the volunteers have in three weeks. <p>I could not leave Vanuatu without having the famous kava. We tried making some on the boat with store-bought kava powder, but it only resulted in kavamucil (kava + Metamucil). So at 5PM, we visited the local nakamal (traditionally, men's meeting place). Despite the small bowls, one smooth gulp resulted in instant numbing of the mouth and burning of the back of the throat. Mike called it, "kavacaine". Vanuatu people must be early birds, these nakamals run out of kava by 7PM. We each had three bowls and Jamie and Mike reported no difference. None of us felt any heaviness in the legs as some others report. However, when I returned to the boat, I felt a sense of mellowness that did not affect the brain. I'm sold. I like kavacaine. <p>Hyo-jungExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-57419042761885728922010-10-25T12:53:00.000-07:002010-10-25T15:13:36.133-07:00October 13, 2010 BislamaOne of the great things about our travels has been the opportunity to tickle that part of the brain that makes you communicate in different languages. Spanish is certainly fun and I must go back to learning it soon. Three months in French Polynesia and the only sentence I can put together is, "Est-ce que vous avez quelque chose pour diarrhée?" ("Do you have something for diarrhea?"). We find ourselves saying greetings and using expressions of gratitude from the previous country we visited. Vanuatu's first language is called Bislama although English is spoken as well. Bislama is an interesting one. You can get a taste of Bislama by looking at public signs: "Pablik Laebri Blong Port Vila" (Port Vila Public Library) or "Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta" (Vanuatu Cultural Center). <p>Here's another example in a children's story: <p>Storian blong Mun mo San<br />Long long taem bifo i bin gat tufala fren<br />We oli singaotem San mo Mun<br />Tufala i bin pleiplei tugeta altaem<br />Wan dei nao <p>Translation:<br />The Legend of Moon and Sun<br />Long ago there were two friends called Sun and Moon<br />They always played together<br />One day.... <p>That's the written form. In spoken form, one would ask, what's the communication like? It happened to be in a public bathroom that I engaged in a conversation with a local woman. After a couple of minutes into it, I realized she was speaking in Bislama and I in English. I believe the look on our faces changed as we both understood and accepted that we were speaking different languages. But interestingly, we smiled and continued on. It is true that a significant percentage of our communication is nonverbal. I appreciate the importance of a smile when interacting with people. Although languages may differ, when it comes to communicating about which fish is safe to eat in a certain bay or how to cook an unfamiliar root vegetable, it just all seems to work!</p><p>Hyo-jung</p>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-23560280996762739132010-10-16T19:50:00.000-07:002010-10-17T03:14:17.040-07:00A month aboard IO in FijiFiji. Images of paradise come to mind and rightfully so. We spent one glorious month on the Northern and Western islands of Fiji and could have spent another year without hesitation.<div><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EI9yTVADABU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EI9yTVADABU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-21565113229504281162010-10-12T19:42:00.000-07:002010-10-15T21:52:53.062-07:00october 11th, 2010 a small fish in a big pondI am a small fish in a big pond.<p>Vanuatu. Anchored position: S17 34 E168 12</p><p>I do realize that we are floating in the South Pacific Ocean which is the biggest pond of all, but during most of this trip, with the exception of Suwarrow atoll, I have been one of the largest predators on the reef looking for a meal. Of course, there are always reef sharks and, without fail, the more sharks the better the fishing. However, here in Vanuatu, the game has changed slightly. We are anchored in another pristine bay with the usual assortment of palm tree lined white sand beaches and 28 oC turquoise water. Our morning routine consists of waking early and heading out with the boys for our morning swim/spearfishing in hopes of procuring supper. Tonga was heavily overfished and was hard to find a fish big enough to eat. Fiji was better but still, large fish were few and far between. Vanuatu abounds with monsters. When I say I am a small fish, yesterday I got in the water and within thirty seconds I was six meters away from a fish the size of a fridge! I was face to mouth with a Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) measuring well over two meters long and in excess of two hundred kilograms! The reef shark's mouth is not that big and supposing one bit you (so unlikely) it would just do that - bite you. This grouper, however, could have easily engulfed my entire torso in one gulp. I was so amazed at its girth that I just floated there and stared at it. Oddly, it moved away from me despite the fact that I was in no way a threat to it.</p><p>Today Jamie and I were on the reef for a total over five hours and were within meters of a 1.5 meter, 40 kg Buffalo Head Parrot fish (Bolbometopon muricatum), a 2 meter, 180 kg Napoleon Wrasse (Cheilinus undulates), five white-tip reef sharks, a 2.5 meter Gray reef shark, and three Spotted eagle rays. The highlight was a half hour before sunset. The light was angled in the water in such a way that it made the beautiful streaked wavy "god" light. I had just begun a 12 meter dive over the edge of the reef when I was startled by a spotted eagle ray approaching fast over my right shoulder. My startle caused it to startle and fly directly into a 2.5 meter white tip reef shark, which in turn startled and bolted off into the distance. I surfaced to find Jamie laughing because he had witnessed the whole scene. He then pointed out a one-meter-long Coral grouper and we both followed it from a distance to see where it would stop. I lagged behind a bit and when I had swum the last 30 meters to Jaime, I found him jabbering and gesturing like mad. I finally got out of him that a two meter, 200 + kg Yellowfin Tuna had just swam within meters of him. To top it off, while motoring back to Totem and IO in the dinghy, three dolphins approached the dinghy, so we jumped in and briefly swam with them before they took off. What a day!</p><p>I have felt guilty for not blogging in months. I think it is because that "sailing the South Pacific" has become a bit routine. Believe me that I do realize how awesome this experience is. Soon enough I will be back in office-traffic land lamenting our return, but for here and for now, our daily routine has become normal and therefore does not seem spectacular enough to share on a daily basis. Our repetition consists of a long boring sail for days and days ended by a stressful approach to land. When you are most weary at the end of the sail, you get to immediately deal with the Immigration and Customs to check in a new country. "No, I don't have Cholera", "No, there are no rats aboard with Cholera", "And No, nobody died on the passage from Cholera" etc. We go to the ATM to get out a new set of funny money, and try to remember the conversion "was that a thousand dollars or a thousand Tong for that hamburger?", "No wait, we are in Vanuatu now, so that was a thousand Vatu!" I used to get excited about using new currencies in different countries; admittedly it's getting to be a bit of a blur. We see new shaped faces and hear new languages while spending the new "pesos" to get provisions. Then it's off to find the best anchorage based on where I think the most pristine reefs (i.e. farthest from people) and spearfishing might be. We then explore every coral-head in the area, hike, explore and investigate. Then re-provision for the next passage and check out of the country. Begin the long, boring/terrifying sail to next island group, and repeat!<br />This will all end soon. Way too soon.</p><p>m</p>Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-88711825048433449912010-10-04T01:10:00.003-07:002010-10-04T02:13:46.265-07:00October 4th, 2010 VenusWe are on our way towards Vanuatu. I've been able to read and cook with the usual amount of discomfort and minimal swearing. I looked at the night sky and Venus, my friend, is as bright as I've ever seen her. The moon is hidden tonight so Venus' light takes over and reflects on the water surface. It is absolutely beautiful. It occurs to me that passage making is one of the few times when we experience no light pollution. The night sky.... the milky way.... it is so special. It would be perfect if it wasn't moving around so much. I would like to see the night sky like this on land. Where do I need to go, the north pole? Or the south pole? Then, with a big SLAP, a spray of saltwater touches me and I immediately turn grumpy. Sigh..... <p>Hyo-jungExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-36830714178947118562010-10-04T01:10:00.002-07:002010-10-04T02:13:39.296-07:00October 2nd, 2010 Leaving FijiThe following is a poem written by Totem:<p>Oso & IO, our comrades divine,<br>We know that our happiness is also thine,<br>Those who call parting sweet sorrow don't know<br>The circles of life in which we cruisers flow.<p>We know there's a time and a place - a boat<br>We just have to wait and we'll all be afloat<br>At an atoll, islet or a bay<br>Sharing a sunset and rehashing the day<br>So when you hear GayJo or Rummy or Hoy<br>You'll know fellow travelers are coming to play.Excidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5218787042710071096.post-40929847992811187962010-10-04T01:10:00.001-07:002010-10-04T02:13:32.136-07:00September 30, 2010Our time in Fiji is coming to an end. This was a month full of unexpected events, many sayings of bula (hello), moce (good-bye), and vinaka (thank you). We did not expect to meet a Korean cruising couple heading to Korea. Blue Chip was the boat name and we were happy to meet each other. Nor did we expect to have a feast with Oso Blanco and Totem at a Korean restaurant in Namaka. Yummy!<br> <br>In Yalobi village on Waya island, we met with the chief and presented kava for sevusevu. He clapped his hands in a sideway cupping motion and chanted something in Fijian which included the words "Canada" and "Vinaka (thank you)". We went for a hike one day with Totem and Syzygy. After the hike we learned that it would cost us ten Fijian dollars per person fee for our guide. As much as we felt that it put a damper on the experience, I had to think about this for a while. In many of the places that we have visited so far, many people have told us, straight up, "We are poor". Although we don't consider ourselves rich by any means and as much as I hate to be associated with the term "yachties", we are perceived as such. As stated in a guidebook I was reading, it is true that charging fees for tourist attractions such as traditional dances or walking to a cave or waterfall is common in every country. I also agree that it is one of the few ways that villagers can earn money and it is ecologically better than selling their forest or marine resources. But maybe it's the dirtbag in me.... ten dollars seemed a bit steep for a fee. <p>Hyo-jungExcidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556948609588423278noreply@blogger.com1