Out of interest, I have tallied the miles we sailed on Ladybug and Ladybug II.
In our first boat, the Cal 29, Ladybug, we sailed approximately 7600 nautical miles from Canada, down the US coast, in Mexico, and back to Canada via Hawaii over a period of a year. We spent about 60 nights at sea on her, mostly on the return trip.
On Ladybug II, our Coast 34
We owned her for approximately 6 years
During which we sailed a total of about 19,200 nautical miles
We spent about 100 nights at sea
Our average speed was between 4 and 4.5 knots
We motored for a total of about 600 hours or 100 hours per year
Motoring accounted for about 13 percent of our voyaging hours (in other words, we sailed 87 percent of the time)
Total distance covered was approx. 26,800 nautical miles, which is more than the distance around the world along the equator and about 5000 miles more than the minimum allowable distance for a sailing circumnavigation of the globe.
Following on from the Day 5 post. we continued to sail under 3 reefed main until lunch time when I struck the main as the wind built to 25 knots and swung a little behind the beam. The seas built rapidly and Ladybug was being laid over by the odd big one with her rail in the water. We furled up the jib until only about 1/8 of it was out and were still making 6 knots on average.
Sleep was impossible but by tucking several pillows around the settee berth with the lee cloth we were able to take turns resting. This continued, with the wind building to around 30 knots with gusts slightly more until around 6 pm, when it became obvious we would have to alter course to run more downwind. The wind vane was unable to keep us on course when a big sea would lay us over twisting us beam on to the wind. The boat in this attitude was closer to the wind and would try to round up, tearing along with her rail half submerged. We made the decision to run more downwind towards Queen Charlotte Sound.
As we cleared the Stephens Island we were able to sneak into its lee and steer for the east side of D'Urville Island, but we paid the price for being this close to the island in the form of impressive point effect gusts (due to compression of the high winds around the edges of the island). At one point we were doing 8 knots through the water with 1/4 of a jib filled by 40 knots of wind - very exciting.
It was now dark and we were both extremely fatigued having had little sleep in the last 36 hours, so we decided to seek a sheltered bay on the east side of the island. We navigated with extra caution as the moon had not yet risen, using radar, chart plotter, and a sharp bow lookout. After 3 failed attempts to find suitable harbours (all too steep to close to the shore) we bore off and finally dropped the anchor in Harris Bay adjacent to Pelorus Sound qt 00:50. God it felt good to stop!
We will do some cruising in this area before my final destination of Waikawa. Posn at anchor 40 55 S 174 01 E.
We had a placid day yesterday, with a mix of motoring with no wind and close reaching in light airs. A line of rain squalls gave us a scare in the afternoon but turned out to have little wind and barely enough rain in them to wash off the salt on the decks. Around 1 am this morning I noticed an ominous sharp chop rolling in from the SW and sure enough at 3 am we were down to 3 reefs in the main and a partially furled jib. The winds were not strong - only 20 knots or so, but the seas were so rough that we had to slow down to protect the boat and crew from damage.
The wind is now down and we are being tossed around on short sharp swells. No sleep is possible so we are just dozing and as we are passing through an area of natural gas rigs off New Plymouth we need to stay alert! We should be into Port Hardy tomorrow morning with luck.
Our position at 0645 is 39 21 S 173 26 E and we are making about 4.5 knots in confused short 1+ meter seas.
Yesterday we sailed for much of the morning and afternoon but the wind disappeared around mid afternoon and only made a brief and tenuous reappearance after supper. For the rest of the time we motored into an increasingly peaceful ocean, the earlier cross swells gradually smoothing out.
Brian cooked up a gourmet supper of chicken legs, chilled beets, rice, and pan fried cabbage and just at sunset a pod of dolphins leaping clear of the water appeared in the west, apparently chasing a large school of fish.
Around 3:30 this morning the wind filled back in and we are now close reaching at 5+ knots into a gentle SW swell. The moon is out, lighting up the clouds and a few stars are still visible. We are about 190 miles out from D'Urville Island and with brisk WSW winds forecast for tomorrow we may reach port by nightfall. The alternative would be to stop at the commercial harbour of New Plymouth on the north island to wait out these stronger winds and continue after a day or two.
Position at 0530 on Saturday is 37 39 S 171 50 E wind SW 6 knots.
Brian asked me to mention some of our nature sightings so far.
On the way up from Opua we found ourselves in a current with hundreds of blood red jelly fish - maybe 20 cms in diameter - on which small birds were feeding. We also frightened a sunfish who had to flip to the side to avoid us as we had no time to adjust course. These strange looking rounded fish float in the currents feeding on jelly fish.
Apart from the usual petrels and shearwaters we have seen dozens of baby blue penguins and yesterday Brian spotted a shark, which like the sunfish was surprised by Ladybug's sudden arrival in its little piece of ocean. Yesterday we also saw our first albatross gliding in graceful turns behind the boat. What a huge bird - and so graceful!
Rani wrote this morning to say that she was sleeping only 3 hours at a time. I told her that Brian and I could handle the watch schedule out here and to try to get some unbroken sleep.
Yesterday was a pretty rough beat for much of the day but by supper time the wind had died out and we turned on the engine and motored through the night until about 1 am when I deemed we had enough wind to sail. For two hours while Brian tried to sleep I chased a very light and fitful easterly, finally giving up around 3 am when we put the engine back into service. Surprisingly, given the turbulent seas, no one has been sick. Brian skipped breakfast yesterday but was able to scarf down 4 sausages for lunch.
My present when I woke for my watch around 6 am today was a fair easterly wind and we soon had the sails pulling us along at 5 knots. Then a few minutes later the wind rose suddenly from 6 to 20 knots. Not a squall but just the edge of a new wind. I had to wake poor Brian who had just drifted off and we tucked two reefs in the main. We are now bowling along with a 15 knot beam wind doing between 6 and 7 knots.
Position at 07:00 NZ time is 36 07 S 172 04 E. We are about 290 miles out from Port Hardy D'Urville Island and should be there Monday morning or even sometime on Sunday if the winds hold.
It is dawn on day 2 and we are are beating into a very short period swell, dropping into the shallow sharp wave troughs every few seconds. Not conducive to a relaxed breakfast! The weather forecast model predicted SE winds in our face at this time and the model was right. We are under 2 reefed main and partial jib sailing SSE on the west coast of the North Island. Cape Maria Van Diemen lies in sight behind us about 17 mils away. This may be the last land we will see for a few days.
Our position at 0630 NZ time is 34 36 S 172 23 E. Wind is about 12 knots SE and we are bouncing along at around 4.5 knots.
Captain Kurt Lorenz and Jamie Orr on the approaches to San Francisco
I am just back from a delivery run from Victoria, BC to San Francisco. The trip was a repeat of the first long passage that Rani and I made on Ladybug in 2008, only this time we took the near shore route and did not stop until we reached Drake's Bay just north of San Francisco. It was a good trip both weather-wise and in terms of crew, but it felt sad to be closing a chapter in our cruising lives, since this will be the last long trip for a while.
Trawler passing astern
Here is a brief synopsis of the voyage, the purpose of which was to deliver Raven, a West Sail 39 owned by friends of ours (Kurt and Nancy) to San Francisco. We met Raven and her owners in Mexico a few years ago and cruised with them on board Ladybug in the Sea of Cortez and on Raven in the Gulf Islands. Nancy did not fancy the trip south, so Kurt asked me and our mutual friend Jamie Orr, to join him for the delivery.
We left Sidney around 10 am on Sunday, motoring south between James and Sidney islands, past the Darcy Islands, and through Baines Channel, past Oak Bay and Trial Island. Crossing the strait to Port Angeles, we cleared customs and bought fresh provisions at a nearby organic market. We departed Port Angeles at dusk and motored to Neah Bay, which we entered around 4 am and tied to the fuel dock.
Jamie piping us into Drakes' Bay
Monday morning we refueled, topping up 6 jerry jugs, which we lashed to shrouds. A fishermen at the fuel dock on a small wood double-ender said we were lucky with the return of summer weather pattern after weeks of lows. He told us that it was usually not a good idea to leave after Sept 15 on this passage.
We motored out of Neah Bay, but soon had the sails set and were beating into a south wind. The wind then died and swung into the NW and we reefed and proceeded south under about half sail. Crew were sea sick and not much cooking was possible. Much fishing traffic that night. Humpbacks and later, gray whales were sighted.
Tuesday
Wind continued N (NW to NE) as we rolled down the coast. We ran off to the south under main and jib, tacking downwind and sailing between 20 and 60 miles out from the coast. As the wind rose to 20+ from the NNE we struck the jib and ran down under prevented 2 reefed main. The 2nd reef line had come undone inside the mast so we tied the clew in with a spare mainsail tie. The below deck autopilot handled the small main well despite following breaking waves.
Morning coffee
Wed-Thurs
The wind rose to 28-32 knots sustained so we turned north into the wind under motor and struck the main. We rolled out about 70 sq feet of jib and ran off under this. Some rolling in seas to 3 meters but much better on the helm and less danger from an accidental jibe. The boat was quite dry with only a few breakers slopping into the cockpit. Took some spray through the open main hatch once. Boards were left in after that. Crew recovered from sea sickness and able to eat hot food and enjoy life again.
Approaching the Golden Gate
Motoring under the Golden Gate Bridge - Video by Kurt Lorenz
Fri-Sat
Wind died to 10 knots and less, directly aft, so after an initial attempt to sail, tacking downwind, we turned on the diesel and motored for 36 hours, hoisting sail near Bodega Bay. We sailed the last few hours into Drakes' Bay, which we reached on Saturday evening, anchoring in heavy fog in company of several boats. We made much use of AIS and radar on our approach.
San Francisco Bay!
Sun
Up at 4 am to motor in fog through salmon fishing boats and under the Golden Gate Bridge its fog shrouded piers just visible. We turned across the shipping lanes and ran to the Presidio area to avoid oncoming commercial traffic. Much use of radar and AIS. Fog thinned and we put out the jib alone to sail dead downwind past Fisherman's wharf, Alacatraz, and Angel island. We passed Treasure Island and ran down to the Berkeley Marine where we tied up in the early afternoon. Commercial shipping was light but there were plenty of yachts to avoid.
Raven safe and sound in Berkeley Marina
Summary
About 800 Nautical miles - Est 64+ hours (approx 3 days) of motoring, 15 hours at 2 docks and anchor, and about 90 hours (3.5+ days) of sailing. The passage from Neah to Drakes took from Monday at about 8 am until Saturday at 6 pm or 5.5 days. We were lucky with having good following winds and clear weather for much of the passage. The GRIB (weather forecast) files we downloaded on passage showed that a low offshore interacting with one below us was causing the stronger winds we experienced, but these disappeared when the Great Basin high returned. So we were able to sail behind the low and use the nice North winds at its top left edge for a few good days.
Food eaten - homemade granola, bread and cheese, pasta and beef/sausage, chili, roast potatoes and omelette, tortilla eggs, potato cheese hash, salads, porridge, chicken coconut curry, many energy bars and 4 large chocolate bars. One bottle of wine and a few tots of whiskey during the last 2 days.
We sailed on a broad reach for the last couple of days of our passage, arriving off the Bay of Islands early on Saturday morning. In the pitch black we motored up the channel to opua, following the excellent New Zealand charts on our computer with me on the bow as a lookout with a bright headlamp. Despite a slight current against us, we had no problem maintaining 3-4 knots of boat speed.
We arrived around 4 am and had a little difficulty coming alongside with a strong current setting Ladybug away from the dock such that I required Rani's help to get her lines on the dock cleats. We had no problems with our kava bowls and baskets and gave up only a few veggies and 1 apple.
We are now anchored up in Russell visiting our friends Holger and Roz who moor their boat here and work as painters in this lovely community. The back bay away from the ferry wharf is a lovely anchorage and very secure. We plan to go down back to Opua on Monday to meet up with our friend on 'Slip Away' and 'Gato Go' who are just coming in from their passage and to visit other cruising friends who now live and work in the area.
We spent yesterday under full canvas, broad reaching in a big rolling swell with a pleasant but light westerly wind. Row upon row of low cumulus clouds drifted past us - the type of clouds that look like people and monsters and geological features. At one point a huge middle finger appeared to be directed at us, but this fortunately morphed into a rooster.
The wind continued through the night, but lighter, and we saw the North Cape of New Zealand at dawn this morning.
Our position at 0700 NZ time, 1800 GMT was 34 14 S and 173 16 E with a total 121 NM run in 24 hours, 109 NM made good.
Shortly after the morning radio net, we decided that the only way to go to NZ with a light following breeze would be to hoist the spinnaker. We always do this with some trepidation, which has only been increased by our recent forestay breakage. Still, the alternative would be more motoring.
The swells were large and confused - a big 2.5 to 3 meter swell from the gale force winds to the NE of us and additional north and northwest lumps mixed in. This combined with winds of from 2 to 4 knots made setting and flying the spinnaker tricky. When Ladybug was thrown on her side by the swell on her beam, the wind created by this motion would either cancel or accelerate the real wind, causing the sail to collapse or snap open with a bang. This put huge loads on the mast head, furler foil base (where the spinnaker tack is lead through a plastic glove that fits over the furled jib), and the spinnaker sheet. As the wind filled in, this jerky violent motion relaxed and we were able to make about 17 miles over a few hours sailing almost as fast as the wind. The loads we put on our rig during this time give me more confidence that we did a good job with our repairs and that the upper mast section is strong!
As the wind increased, we decided to drop the chute and continue under full main and jib, which we were able to do until 9:30 pm when the wind was so light that we were unable to keep the sailed filled. The big swells were still with us and in order to save damage to the sails and running rigging, we downed sail and motored through the night. Just before sunrise the wind filled in again, this time from the west. We hoisted the main and jib and are running downwind on starboard tack for a change. This was not a forecasted wind direction and perhaps it tells us that we are now sitting above the low trough that we know is currently giving northern New Zealand a pasting.
Our position at 0700 NZ time, 1800 GMT was 32 22 S and 172 40 E with a total 107 NM run in 24 hours, 96 NM made good.
The wind continued to lessen through the morning still out of the northwest. Around 3pm the wind dropped below that critical threshold where it was enough to prevent us thrashing the sails in the large cross swell rolling in from the nearby low. We turned on the engine and have been motoring ever since, with a short break around supper time for the evening radio net. The forecast shows very little wind between here and New Zealand today, but hopefully something will come up tonight or tomorrow morning.
Our position at 0700 NZ time, 1800 GMT was 31 04 S and 171 33 E with a total 98 NM run in 24 hours, 87 NM made good.
We were in the vicinity of two low pressure systems for 36 hours, finally coming out of them early this morning. Three reefs in the main and little to no jib for all this time with short lumpy seas making it difficult to move about below without two good hand holds at a time. We heaved to for 6 hours to let the low move further south of us hoping to avoid the higher winds forecast for just below us.
Early this morning the AIS alarm went off, reporting us on a collision course with the bulk carrier "San Francisco" en route from NZ to New Caledonia. I hailed her on VHF and asked her to watch out for us, giving our position, course, and speed. The officer on watch said he would, but the ship continued on her same course and speed and we were required to take evasive action, pulling in the jib and rolling off dead downwind. Even so, we passed well under a mile apart and could have collided had we not altered our course and speed. A half hour later a sister ship was also detected by the AIS on a parallel course to the other carrier. Again we would collide or come extremely close without action, so without bothering to call I turned Ladybug off dead downwind again and we passed about 1/2 a mile apart.
The wind has clocked into the west now and we jibed around 4 am and are running on starboard tack for the first time in 3 days. The seas are still rough amid drizzle and heavy cloud. It is noticeably colder and we are wearing fleeces for the first time. We have both not had much sleep for two days, but hopefully the wind and seas will steady today and we will have a pleasant couple of days as we approach the North Cape of New Zealand.
Our position at 0700 NZ time, 1800 GMT was 29 42 S and 170 55 E with a total 114 NM sailed over 24 hours, 103 NM made good.
Sunday began with a lovely sunrise, blue skies and beautiful beam reaching with 8-10 Knots from the northeast. We even managed to sit in the cockpit for a bucket bath! But, it was not to last. Puffy white clouds dotting the blue sky disappeared and were replaced by a sullen grey cloak and drizzle misted the decks. We watched an old Al Pacino and Robert de Niro movie, "Heat", while the computer could still balance on the dining table and then cooked a large pot of vegetarian chilli.
By mid-afternoon the winds were up to 20 Knots and we had a second reef in the main. The sea had become rougher and Ladybug was bouncing along merrily at 6.5-7 Knots. At 6pm we were in the middle of squally winds gusting over 30 Knots, so we put in the 3rd reef, and furled in most of the jib. The windvane was having issues with the short sharp high swells, so an hour later, we furled in the jib altogether and hoisted the staysail. Chris went out in his undies, a rain jacket and harness as the conditions were very rough with green water washing over the bow constantly.
At night we downloaded another GRIB weather forecast and looked at various scenarios to avoid being stuck in the low. Should we heave-to by pointing NW or East, slow down or run with it? In the end, we decided to run with it as we were going in the right direction. We beared off by a few degrees to avoid being tossed around so much.
At 10 pm, the alarm on the AIS went off. A motor vessel was approaching on a reciprocal course and would pass within 5 miles of us. It was 8 miles away and we could not see it visually. We watched its progress on the small VHF radio screen and were happy to see its lights as it passed us at 5 miles.
At 0320 we heard the staysail flapping. The steering line had broken on the windvane, due to chafing, and the boat had turned into the wind. Using the autopilot temporarily, Chris used the swim ladder hoist line to repair the break and soon had the windvane back in action. Back to the warmth of the cabin!
Our position at 0700 NZ time, 1800 GMT was 27 36 S and 169 35 E with a total 151 NM sailed over 24 hours, 148 NM made good.
We ran downwind much of yesterday on a rhumb line to Opua in less than 10 knot NNE winds. The seas gradually quieted and we had a very pleasant sail under blue skies with occasional puffy cumulus clouds. In the early hours of this morning, the wind freshened and gradually swung into the northeast and we are ploughing along, reefed down on a beam reach at 6 knots.
Our position at 1800 GMT (0500 New Caledonia time) on Sunday Dec 1 was 26 00 S 168 42 E. In 24 hours, we ran 138 miles and made good 124 miles toward our destination of Opua.
We eased into this 850 mile passage with a relaxed late morning departure from the Isle of Pines. A few hours earlier, three other boats had departed, bound also for New Zealand, but with a possible stop at Norfolk Island en route. We hummed and hawed, weighing the pros and cons of leaving or of staying until Sunday when fair winds were more likely and we should have less chance of running into the two lows that were forecast in the area a few days out. Rani baked a carrot cake and I snorkeled to clean the bottom. We pulled the life raft out of storage and began to make up our ditch bag (which we keep handy in case we need to abandon ship).
By 9 am the breeze was picking up (although this later proved to be only a sea breeze induced by the warming land), so we decided to make a start. We left at 10:20 under sail and once clear of the bay, found a large but well spaced southerly swell setting in and between 3 and 5 knots of wind from the SE. We set up the full main and jib on a close haul and sailed along at a very pleasant 3-4 knots until mid afternoon. Around 3pm the wind began to increase and swing into th east and we threw a reef in the main and switched to the wind vane steering. We were soon bowling along reaching more than 7 knots at times as the wind increased and moved into the northeast. This wind, caused by a high moving away to the southeast of us continued all night at 10 to 15 knots. We have been broad reaching, steering a bit south of a direct line to Opua to position us for when the lows arrive in a couple of days.
Our position at 1800 GMT (0500 New Caledonia time) was 24 10 S 167 36 E. In a little under 19 hours, we ran 97 miles and made good 93 miles toward our destination of Opua.
We are at rest tonight on a mooring at the river mouth in Savusavu, Fiji. Position: 16 46.47 S 179 19.90 E. The anchorage is charming - a few small stores along a quiet road, Fijians walking in small groups, and 30 or 40 yachts from all over the world. Mangroves line the shore and the sun has just set behind the distant volcanic peaks of Vanua Levu. And it is calm - the first peaceful day we have had since we left New Zealand. So nice to be able to write this note without having to brace my body against the pitching and rolling!
We arrived at Noon, sailing all the way to the river mouth in a southeast breeze. Our friends Bob and Ann from Charisma helped us find a mooring and Bob came over in his dinghy to take our lines and secure Ladybug. Charisma had an even rougher trip than we did and are in the middle of engine repairs (due to sea water-contaminated fuel). We will compare notes after we have checked in and can leave the boat, tomorrow. We plan to spend about a week here, exploring, cleaning up the boat, and doing a few projects that we did not complete in New Zealand.
Stats from the trip: Total nautical miles: 1300 with 1192 in the 'right' direction. Time: 11 days, less 3 hours. Average speed 5 knots. Engine hours: 22 @ < 1500 rpm (about 36 liters of diesel consumed). We motored at 3-4 knots during the calms to keep from rolling too much as well as when we left the marina in NZ and on arrival at Savusavu. We sailed with un-reefed main and jib for a few days, but most of the trip was under 2 or 3-reefed main and partially furled jib. The last few days were under furled jib only in 15-30 knot following winds.
This illness seems to be most prevalent in middle aged males, but it can strike anyone of any age. Often diagnosed as a form of escapism, symptoms include endless surfing of boat for sale ads on the web, subscriptions to cruising mags, obsessive following of cruising blogs, and an unhealthy interest in all things nautical. I propose two approaches to dealing with this disease - one preventative and one curative.
First the prevention: I call this the 'Cruising Simulator'. It is a room 10 by 20 feet containing a mock-up of a cruising sailboat interior, In fact, my first model of this will use a hull from one of the many cruising boats abandoned by terrified and inexperienced crews during their first storm at sea.
The cruising simulator will use a combination of NASA and fun-fair ride technology to simulate the motion of a boat at sea in a wide variety of sea conditions and wind directions. The device will be capable of rolling, pitching, and yawing through 50 degrees every few seconds. The climate of the simulated cabin will be controlled to provide realistic temperature/humidity combinations from Arctic to equatorial. A variety of simulated smells will also be available including 'diesel in the bilge', and 'hot sick'. Finally, digitally sampled sounds of wind and wave in addition to the thumps, squeals, and groans of a boat at sea will furnish a suitable audio background.
Individuals and couples suspected of developing the cruising bug will be locked in the simulator for 3 hour sessions and given a variety of tasks to carry out under typical open ocean conditions. Tasks will include cooking a warm meal from scratch, bleeding a diesel fuel line, drinking from a full cup of hot liquid, plotting a position on a chart, reading a book, using the heads, etc. There will, of course, be an enormous cost for each session in order to provide a completely realistic simulation of the cruising life.
Should the preventative 'medicine' fail to have the desired effect or be refused by the patient, I propose a straightforward cure that will also save on search and rescue costs. I call this the 'Get me the %#^$ out of here' box. Resembling an ordinary EPIRB locator beacon, the 'Get me the %#^$ out of here' box can be used when the patient(s) reaches a point where he/she/they realize that the dream does not match the reality and they just want to get the heck of the boat. Activating the beacon will summon a rescue helicopter to retrieve the patients and place a professional delivery crew on board. The crew will return the vessel to the patient's port of choice where it will be cleaned up and listed for sale with a yacht brokerage. Further curative options include assistance in buying a home to replace the one just sold to finance the cruise and psychological counselling.
The consistent SE trade wind of 18-20 Knots blew all night and Ladybug swept along at 5.5K to 6.0K with a partial jib. We sighted land, the mountain slopes of Kadavu Island, shortly after sunrise and celebrated with a glass of cold fruit juice. The sky was finally clearing and rays of sunshine warmed us through the portlights. At 0800 hours we reached our initial GPS waypoint and debated whether to check into Levuka, the old Fijian capital, or Savusavu where most of our friends are at this time. Plus, we would not have to heave to at night if we carried on the extra 60nm to Savusavu.
The conditions are still very uncomfortable and we sometimes wonder why we are doing this. I was reading Robert Service's poems from the Yukon Gold Rush days and found a verse which goes like this:
" There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest.
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest."
Our position at 3pm today was 18 22S 178 57E and we achieved a total of 136nm.
