Day 19 Pacific Passage

Date: Tuesday, May 1st, 2018 Time: 17:59 UTC Location: 06° 20.6′ S 135° 16.8’W COG: 225° T SOG: 6 knots 24 hour distance traveled: 122 nm Distance to the Marquesas: 307 nm
Cameron here; life is about lots of little goals. In our lead up to the cruising life, my goal was just to sail out under the Golden Gate as a family and turn left. I used to day dream about how that was going to feel, what music would be playing, what would the weather and seastate be like? What would the bottom of the Golden Gate bridge look like on that day. We completed that goal on May 4th, 2015. The next big day dream is what it would feel like to yell “Land Ho” after first sight of the Marquesas. In the last couple years I often looked beyond the bow of Banyan and thought “what if we were making landfall now in the Marquesas?” Who will be first to see it? I want it to be the girls. Will we smell it first? Will a bird approach us with an olive branch? Will we see the big puffy clouds being pushed from just above sea level high into the atmosphere above the 3,888′ Mt. Takao? We are now about 2-3 days away from realizing that goal. I can’t wait to answer all those questions!
Today we were blessed with about 30 dolphins off the bow. I regularly tell myself that the moment I stop coming up on deck to see the dolphins is the day I should stop cruising. They are such amazing creatures. These ones all had white tips on their noses and chins and white spots on their bellies. A couple seemed to have orange tags just behind their dorsal fins on their right side. They resembled miniature versions of the ear tags my grandpa used to use on the hogs. There were babies and adults; it seemed to be a huge family just playing in the waves around the boat. Our family hung out on the foredeck and just watched them play. Amazingly, it is seven hours since we first spotted them and they are still swimming along with us!
The girls have been waking up an hour or so after sunrise and starting their watch. This is my cue to pull out some eggs from the aft cabin and climb into Adelaide’s bunk, just below Isa for a couple hours of rest. Adelaide will make some eggs, they will both do their school work and pop their heads up now and again to watch for traffic or squalls. They are clipped in with life jackets when on deck, but spend most of their time below. Annie and I both awake sometime before lunch. Annie is now in the cockpit reading the play Romeo and Juliet to the girls as I do a little navigation and write this post.
That’s enough for today. I really need to install that Nav. Station fan! It’s only going to get hotter when we are at anchor.
Until tomorrow, when the GPS will occasionally show less than a day as we surf down waves……

12 comments

  1. Barbara Vawter says:

    Wow, you two are so interesting & share your adventures very well. Cameron, thanks for sharing your dreams, I’m so very thankful these are coming true for you and your precious family. Keep dreaming, life is good! Anne & you are amazing writers, you paint great pictures in your blogs! God Be with you & May the winds always at your back! ❤️ Mom

  2. Sharon Suhr says:

    It is so special for us to read your posts and share in your adventure. Those dolphins definitely sounds like a good omen! How fun. I have a mental picture of your days/nights at sea, and can’t wait to see some real pictures! You are all greatly loved and missed. We pray for you each night.

  3. Don Lindsay says:

    Congratulations Cameron and family!
    Don and Sally Lindsay, I just went out the gate last week! Just to Monterrey after almost 3 years on the Bay in Brickyard Cove with Sahali.
    Sally will join me in a few weeks to move Sahali to LA for my next power line job.
    A few more years till we join the ha ha and Mexico! Been reading your blog for years, great writing.
    Hope to see you out there again sometime!
    Take Care

  4. Cathie says:

    Sounds amazing – I just love reading both your posts – thank you for sharing your adventures. Can’t wait to hear about your land aho moment xx

  5. Debi says:

    We love reading both of your posts, as I read I can actually invision what your writing about… I could even see those white spots and tags on those dolphins! Love you all…

  6. Mary Maher says:

    What a beautiful post. Life is about the little goals and the simplest moments that touch us all. So close! Love hearing about the day to day boat life and your pod of escorts. Thanks.

  7. Ruth Esther Vawter says:

    You are both excellent story tellers. I shared your excitement today to be close to your next goal. Yes, I agree, I hope the girls are first to see land. The dolphins swimming beside you was like angelic protection along your journey. Continue to be blessed.

  8. Joanie Schumann says:

    May 2,2018
    So wonderful to see your amazing
    dreams realized Most of us don’t
    have the guts to do what you are
    doing. It is so cool. Be safe and so close
    Joanie Schumann

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