Hello All,
We have had an interesting 2 days out here on the water. When I departed I knew there was a low coming through but after that there was suppose to be south to west winds. Well, we met the front and it offered gale force winds and what I thought was to be 12 hours turned out to be 24. It stalled right on top of us and offered lots of rain and wind. We were forced to make a southeast course. The wind finally settled this morning and we had a nice morning to afternoon sail in the right direction which is East. The wind came down a few hours ago and the sea is almost flat so I have decided to start the engine and start working our way off shore.
Weatherman predicts south to west winds in 24 hours so we will just toodle along until that happens.
All is well onboard and I am working on getting my sea legs back. Stefan is doing great and I am enjoying his company.
That's all for now, I will let you know what's going on as usual.
PEACE
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Goodbye Japan
Hello All,
We left Tannowa at 0500 this morning to catch the outgoing tide. A few of our friends came down to say goodbye and Kondo actually escorted us out the narrow channel to the outside bay with his sailboat. Every time I leave the places I spend a lot of time at I always feel so sad. We will be in the Pacific Ocean in a few hours and we have a little south breeze to help us along. I am motor sailing at the moment but if the wind predictions are correct we should be under sail only some time tonight.
Last night one of me friends Hirata took me out to dinner to a really nice French restaurant. He brought a friend along and we had a great time. He called it my last dinner in Japan. We were up really late getting last minute things done and put away so we are a little tired.
I had the time of my life in Japan even though I was only in a few places in Osaka Bay. The one thing that happens when you spent so much time like I did is you make really good friends and I want to thank them all for making me feel so welcome.
We are Alaska bound and I am very happy to be out sailing again.
PEACE
We left Tannowa at 0500 this morning to catch the outgoing tide. A few of our friends came down to say goodbye and Kondo actually escorted us out the narrow channel to the outside bay with his sailboat. Every time I leave the places I spend a lot of time at I always feel so sad. We will be in the Pacific Ocean in a few hours and we have a little south breeze to help us along. I am motor sailing at the moment but if the wind predictions are correct we should be under sail only some time tonight.
Last night one of me friends Hirata took me out to dinner to a really nice French restaurant. He brought a friend along and we had a great time. He called it my last dinner in Japan. We were up really late getting last minute things done and put away so we are a little tired.
I had the time of my life in Japan even though I was only in a few places in Osaka Bay. The one thing that happens when you spent so much time like I did is you make really good friends and I want to thank them all for making me feel so welcome.
We are Alaska bound and I am very happy to be out sailing again.
PEACE
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Osaka Maritime Museum
Hello All,
I have been sitting here stewing over my decision to stick it out a few more days. A Canadian boat I have been chatting with on the email took my original plan of departure and headed out Saturday morning. They are much further north than I am so their weather is a little different than mine. They are also heading for Alaska, Dutch Harbor and Kodiak. It still leaves a feeling that maybe I should have went for it also. My gut told me to wait and now time will tell if it was the right thing to do. On a good note there are south and west winds coming the middle of the week so the old adage, stick stay and make it pay, will hopefully work out.
In the mean time Stefan and I took the train to Osaka and went to the Maritime Museum. It is a beautiful facility and heaps of Osaka Bay history and a real replica of and ancient Japanese tall ship. It is 120 feet long and actually sailed Osaka bay in the early 90's. It is the show case of the building placed right in the middle. I really have no more plans of touring around so I will just enjoy the local sailboat company that stops by from time to time and get my mind wrapped around jumping in the water to clean the bottom off. It has been 2 months since it was last done and it looks like it could use a little scrub. I really hate doing it but there is know one here you can even hire to do it so the job lands on me. I need the boat to move along as fast as possible without dragging along Japanese castaway growth.
Thats about it for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
I have been sitting here stewing over my decision to stick it out a few more days. A Canadian boat I have been chatting with on the email took my original plan of departure and headed out Saturday morning. They are much further north than I am so their weather is a little different than mine. They are also heading for Alaska, Dutch Harbor and Kodiak. It still leaves a feeling that maybe I should have went for it also. My gut told me to wait and now time will tell if it was the right thing to do. On a good note there are south and west winds coming the middle of the week so the old adage, stick stay and make it pay, will hopefully work out.
In the mean time Stefan and I took the train to Osaka and went to the Maritime Museum. It is a beautiful facility and heaps of Osaka Bay history and a real replica of and ancient Japanese tall ship. It is 120 feet long and actually sailed Osaka bay in the early 90's. It is the show case of the building placed right in the middle. I really have no more plans of touring around so I will just enjoy the local sailboat company that stops by from time to time and get my mind wrapped around jumping in the water to clean the bottom off. It has been 2 months since it was last done and it looks like it could use a little scrub. I really hate doing it but there is know one here you can even hire to do it so the job lands on me. I need the boat to move along as fast as possible without dragging along Japanese castaway growth.
Thats about it for now so I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Aborted Passage
Hello All,
I was watching the weather till the last moment this morning. The last depression that came through changed my weather window to just a day and a half of favorable winds then it was going to start forcing us down instead of up. It was a really tough call to make but it is very important to me to leave with at least 3 to 4 days of sailing weather to get off shore.
For now we will just sit tight and keep watching for a day to leave. I will keep you posted as usual.
Bye for now.
PEACE
I was watching the weather till the last moment this morning. The last depression that came through changed my weather window to just a day and a half of favorable winds then it was going to start forcing us down instead of up. It was a really tough call to make but it is very important to me to leave with at least 3 to 4 days of sailing weather to get off shore.
For now we will just sit tight and keep watching for a day to leave. I will keep you posted as usual.
Bye for now.
PEACE
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Typhoon has passed
Hello All,
The Typhoon has passed and all is well. It started to pass over us about 1500 yesterday. Winds reached gale force but no more. Freestyle was well tied and no problems at all. A piece of the eye went over us so I could see blue sky and no rain. It gives you a false sense that it is over then you get the back side. You know this is happening because the wind changes direction. I wouldn't want to get a steady diet of these things but very interesting to observe, at least from a safe harbor.
We have one more small depression that will be here by tomorrow then it looks decent for a Saturday departure. I don't want to wait for anymore of these things and we have a decent westerly to get us off shore. I want to get East, then East North East and shape coarse for the Aleutian's.
I will keep you up to date and we will keep our fingers crossed.
PEACE
The Typhoon has passed and all is well. It started to pass over us about 1500 yesterday. Winds reached gale force but no more. Freestyle was well tied and no problems at all. A piece of the eye went over us so I could see blue sky and no rain. It gives you a false sense that it is over then you get the back side. You know this is happening because the wind changes direction. I wouldn't want to get a steady diet of these things but very interesting to observe, at least from a safe harbor.
We have one more small depression that will be here by tomorrow then it looks decent for a Saturday departure. I don't want to wait for anymore of these things and we have a decent westerly to get us off shore. I want to get East, then East North East and shape coarse for the Aleutian's.
I will keep you up to date and we will keep our fingers crossed.
PEACE
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Typhoon Guchol
Hello All,
Everyone here at the marina is putting extra lines on there boats and getting ready for a little wind and rain. Everyone I have talked to doesn't think it's going to be to bad because it is tracking off shore from us but is lining up to hit Tokyo pretty good. They are calling this a Super Typhoon with winds peaking at 180 knots and 60 foot seas. We should start feeling it by tomorrow night so we will see what happens. These Japanese harbors resemble bunkers so they are very safe for most all weather.
I am looking at a Saturday departure following in the heals of these lows coming. For now we are just hanging tough and see what happens.
I will keep you posted.
PEACE
Busy weekend in Tannowa
Hello All,
This has been a busy weekend for us being entertained by all of our new friends. Friday we were invited to Osaka downtown to check out all of the shops and have dinner. We had a great dinner and sight seeing was awesome. We returned on the last train at 1130 pm. Good time had by all. Yesterday it poured down rain and was windy as hell. I just spent time on the Internet and was studying the weather trying to figure out when we can leave. If it was not for everyone keeping us busy I think I would be going crazy waiting. Today was a very nice day so I was invited to visit on a few boats and was taken to lunch by 2 members of the yacht club. When returning to the boat there was a few families having a BBQ right by my boat so they sat me down and we had a nice chat and had a little food and sake with them. Weekends at the marina are very busy and Japanese love a good BBQ.
The Typhoon should pass by off shore in 2 days so I will be looking at a weekend departure. I will keep you updated and let you know what's happening.
PEACE
This has been a busy weekend for us being entertained by all of our new friends. Friday we were invited to Osaka downtown to check out all of the shops and have dinner. We had a great dinner and sight seeing was awesome. We returned on the last train at 1130 pm. Good time had by all. Yesterday it poured down rain and was windy as hell. I just spent time on the Internet and was studying the weather trying to figure out when we can leave. If it was not for everyone keeping us busy I think I would be going crazy waiting. Today was a very nice day so I was invited to visit on a few boats and was taken to lunch by 2 members of the yacht club. When returning to the boat there was a few families having a BBQ right by my boat so they sat me down and we had a nice chat and had a little food and sake with them. Weekends at the marina are very busy and Japanese love a good BBQ.
The Typhoon should pass by off shore in 2 days so I will be looking at a weekend departure. I will keep you updated and let you know what's happening.
PEACE
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