New Boat 4 Sled

[BobJ]

I'll let the mole thing go. It gave me a different mental image, plus I'm still processing Pat's description of the Moore 24's cabin.

Regarding the WM plugs, I had one of those and it was indeed a piece of junk. Now I have a USB port, which charges all the iDevices and even my old flip phone (yes!) quite well. The problem was what to do with the big hole in the bulkhead from the cigarette lighter thing (above) - Rule 4 is a big deal on my boat. I cast about for various solutions short of a proper boatyard-type fix with filler and gelcoat. The outcome was a shiny new, dark blue refuse disposal sticker that neatly covered the hole, as well as a bunch of old screw holes from past wiring relocations. It looks good and I'm legal-er than I was before.

I HATE brussel sprouts. They're worse than as-per-grass. Nasty stuff.

 

[sleddog]

Some years ago, 15 to be exact, I was in Annapolis visiting the famed Boat Show. I took the day off and went to Washington D.C. to visit the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I couldn't believe my eyes. Yes, it was wonderful looking close up at the wing warping of Wright Bros. plane, Lindbergh's THE SPIRIT of ST.LOUIS, and the Lunar Rover, which was really nothing more than lawn chairs on a battery operated Go-Kart, painted brown. http://www.californiaindianeducation.org/science_lab/incredible/Apollo15_Lunar_Rover.jpg

The museum was packed. But over in a far corner, behind the Amelia Earhardt section, was something most wonderful. Nobody was looking at this model of LE MINERVE, a large hot air balloon sailing ship, designed in 1803 by Belgian Etienne Gaspar Robertson. I had it to myself.

Robertson, a physicist, was also into phantasmagoria, weather research,and hot air balloons. He introduced the first psychedelic light shows to France, and appeared to bring people back from the dead.

In 1796, three years after the declaration of war between France and Great Britain, Robertson met with the French government and proposed burning the invading ships of the British Royal Navy by focusing enormous mirrors to direct intense amounts of sunlight onto the approaching Brits.

That afternoon at the Air and Space Museum I spent an hour sketching Robertson's LE MINERVE into my Log. What's it rate? Your guess is as good as mine. This would be the perfect Race Committee platform and fleet guest quarters for the Singlehanded Transpac, anchored and floating just above Tree Time.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/le-minerve-science-source.html

 

[sleddog]

South Shore Lake Tahoe Windjammers Yacht is the host of the annual Fannette Island Race, held the last Sunday in Sept.. I've been crewing this fun event for over 15 years.

Driving to Tahoe up Highway 88 from Stockton is pretty, especially past Silver Lake, over Carson Pass, and down through Hope Valley, where the aspens are changing to yellow and gold. I forgot this weekend is also "Street Vibrations" in Reno, where 40,000 motorcycle riders gather, in search of hog heaven.

We were ready to go on V & D's Moore 24 AIRBORNE. But the RC wisely postponed the Fannette Island Race one week. It was already blowing 20 at 9 a.m. and the forecast was for SW winds increasing to 20-30, with gusts to 45.

To clear the spider webs, we went sailing anyway, with a #5 jib and reefed main. The water was smooth up under the west Tahoe shoreline. Lenticular clouds were evident in the north, east, and southern quadrants. A couple of 35 knot puffs off the slopes of Mt. Tallac sent us skittering. But nothing not manageable.

After an hour of fun, we attempted to sail back into the Tahoe Keys Channel. 25 knots of wind was blowing directly out of the channel, which is 100 yards long and two lengths wide.

No joy. We didn't want to short tack every 5 seconds, and end up aground outside some homeowner's front window. We bailed on the idea and sailed back out onto the Lake.

Denis went below on AIRBORNE, grabbed the 27 pound, 2 hp Honda outboard, and had it on the stern mount and started in less than two minutes. We dropped sails, and motored merrily up the channel and into our slip.

A pleasant time had by all.

 

[sleddog]

Good friend and shipmate Chuck Hawley is retiring after 30 years with West Marine. Many of you know Chuck as West Marine's Product Advisor, Safety Specialist, and master of ceremonies at countless Safety At Sea seminars. Chuck is well known for having his audience in stitches with his concise, witty, and honest reports.

You may not have known that Chuck is past Commodore of SSS, and two time SHTP vet on a Moore 24. In 1983, on a delivery back from Transpac, Chuck motor-sailed the 68' ULDB sled CHARLEY safely back to port after the keel fell off 400 miles north of Hono. I always liked Chuck's "what's wrong with this picture?" description of how, with CHARLEY's 80 foot mast flat in the water, he looked over the side and could only see keel bolts where the keel should have been.

I'm sure many of us have Chuck Hawley stories. One of my favorites is a mid-'90's Fourth of July at Santa Cruz. Fireworks at the beach were still legal then, and Chuck used that evening to product test his collection of many and varied flares.

We had taken WILDFLOWER out Santa Cruz Harbor to enjoy the fireworks and were drifting about a 100 yards off the beach. All of a sudden, a parachute flare goes by horizontally, at eye level, not a boat length away. "What the Hell?" I thought, "What crazy is doing this stupid thing?" We got the heck out of there.

Not knowing Chuck was involved, I mentioned this madness at his next Safety at Sea Seminar. Chuck's face turned ashen, then bright red. For the first time, he was nearly at a loss for words.

Chuck recalled to the audience what happened that 4th of July evening. While standing on the Twin Lakes Beach, Chuck had given a practice SOLAS parachute flare to his non-sailing brother-in-law to fire in a comparison test. Chuck had given clear instructions how to fire the flare. But had forgotten to mention the flare needed to be aimed vertically.

While Chuck fired his flare vertically, at the same time, his novice brother-in-law closed his eyes, held tight, and aimed horizontally, just missing WILDFLOWER drifting in the dark. Holy Shit, Sherlock. To this day, Chuck apologizes for what nearly happened that evening.

 

[BobJ]

When we were in Santa Cruz recently, I was able to get a close look at Chuck's Alerion Express 38 yawl, SURPRISE. Only eight were built before the lovely Carl Schumacher design was radically changed into a high-end daysailer and in my opinion, ruined.

It's an interesting boat that's on my list of boats I'd be willing to own someday. Then there's the fact that Chuck's boat is Flag Blue.

It had a fair bit of growth on its hull but I suspect Chuck will soon have time to keep that from happening...

 

[sleddog]

In the North Pacific there's some spectacular finishes to ocean races. The wind blows, the scenery is gorgeous, expectations high. And there is the plain fact that these finishes are often extraordinarily challenging, with last minute jibes, reefs, and gusty squalls to be navigated.

Race Rocks near the finish of the Swiftsure Race in the Straits of Juan de Fuca is one such place. It can blow 40 there in the afternoon. Navigating through the Rocks under spinnaker is not for the faint of heart.

The South Tower of the Golden Gate is another spectacular finish. Jibing a spinnaker there is seldom less than thrilling. I've recounted the story of the 73 foot BLACKFIN dismasting right under the GG Bridge while practicing for the Big Boat Series.

Hanalei Bay at the end of Singlehanded Transpac, and Kaneohe Bay at the end of the Pacific Cup share equally exciting finishes. Just ahead is a spectacularly beautiful bay, guarded by coral reefs with a backdrop of impossibly beautiful mountains. And you better be ready to put the brakes on.

Most have heard of the Molokai Channel, properly named the Kaiwi Channel. The Molokai Channel must be crossed to get to the finish of the Transpac, the Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu.

Since 1906 this finish has been the granddaddy of them all. Memorable. Often with the hairs on the back of your neck at full extension, whether through wind, or fear. Or both.

Molokai Channel extends about 30 miles from Ilio Pt., Molokai's NW tip, to Diamond Head, Oahu, the Transpac finish. Wind and seas are compressed, often adding 10 knots to the windspeed, and 10 feet to the wave height.

There have been some spectacular finishes over the years. Who can forget the photos of the big ketch MIR being dismasted just short of the finish, and sailing stern first across the finish line. Or MEDICINE MAN missing her jibe, and going up on the Diamond Head Reef, just short of the finish, a total loss.

This 1969 photo, below, shows the moment MIR's mainmast begins to break, 1/4 mile from the Transpac's Diamond Head finish line.
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/in...ttach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=150170

In 1995, Hal Ward's turbo sled CHEVAL was leading the fleet as she entered the Molokai Channel. On CHEVAL's last jibe, off Ilio Pt., the backstay let go and her mast went overboard. The crew, stunned by the turn of events, rallied, cut the mast away, and rigged a jury rig using the spinnaker poles. CHEVAL, under reduced sail, averaged 9 knots for the last 30 miles to win the Barn Door Trophy over Larry Ellison's maxi SAYONARA.

In 1965 we came down the Molokai Channel in the 72' ketch TICONDEROGA. It was blowing the usual 30-35 knots, squally, and we were surfing our 100,000 lb. woodie at speeds over 20 knots.

"Big TI," designed as a family cruising boat by L Francis Herreshoff, was never meant for this. But who cares? We were coming down the Molokai Channel.

What was hair raising was we had to dip pole jibe the spinnaker with a 34 foot, jury rigged, spinnaker pole. Pitch dark. The running lights of STORMVOGEL, surfing 1/4 mile astern, searing into the backs of our heads.

Whoever pulled off their jibe, TI or STORMVOGEL, would be First-To-Finish, win the Barn Door trophy, and most importantly, set a new Transpac elapsed time record.

Our spinny pole, on a reel halyard winch, dropped into the water and smashed back into the weather shrouds. Somehow, it didn't break, and the boys got it out. Our main came across with a thunder clap. The pole was connected. The spinny never collapsed. TI surfed into history.

Photos of Molokai Channel rarely do it justice. I did find something that gives a taste. These guys are taking off at 15-20 knots in the Molokai Channel, and not even sailing.
Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-IkkiLMkIU
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IqrcTiOQXk

 

[Mermaid Kay]

What incredible videos...makes me "flustrated" that I was born too soon to do this incredible adventure... Go Wahines....An ex-southern belle from Richmond Virginia never realized what was out there until she moved to the coast (Chesapeake Bay and Outer Banks etc, and discovered SAILBOATS....and the men that sailed them....Women back then were always first mates, but that has changed, magnificently so. Thanks, Captain Skip for taking us on your adventures this summer and sharing your knowledge, vision, and wisdom.

 

[sleddog]

The humpback whales which have graced the waters of Monterey Bay for two months have mostly moved on. I still see a couple on my morning walks. But nothing like the geyser field of a few weeks ago. http://baynature.org/2013/10/04/anchovies-spark-humpback-feeding-frenzy-monterey-bay/

22 miles away, on the other side of Monterey Bay, whales continue to be observed, including a lone orca. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monterey-Bay-Whale-Watch/170012223096521

Sleddog Sis has reported the sighting of the first humpback returning to Maui waters. Beginning in November, Hawaiian waters become a favorite winter destination of North Pacific humpbacks. It's fun to think maybe some of our local humpback visitors are doing Transpacs to Hawaii.

Although humpbacks, birds, and sea lions have certainly reduced the explosion of anchovies in Monterey Bay, another cause is likely killing anchovies. This is an algae bloom of microscopic phytoplankton known colloquially as the "Red Tide." The brownish red water discoloration is plainly visible from Capitola Wharf, beach, and cliffs.

Yesterday, hundreds of women were competing in the Mermaid Triathlon, starting and finishing off Capitola Main Beach. A universal comment from emerging swimmers was how yucky it was having to swim through masses of dead fish, most likely anchovies.

Red Tide blooms can be toxic to animals and birds. In addition, they locally deplete oxygen in the water, necessary for fish survival. Almost all Red Tides occur near shore. Many have been chemically linked to fertilizer runoff from inland streams and rivers.

A sailing friend, also a pilot, flies locally over Monterey Bay. He's observed that the Red Tide now occurring seems to begin from the old Cement Ship at Sea Cliff Beach. Are iron particles from disintegrating cement initiating our local Red Tide? Possibly.

Lenny H., aboard his Wilderness 33 SCARLETT BEGONIAS, took this dramatic photo of a humpback lunge feeding just off the Santa Cruz Harbor entrance. If you look closely, you can see anchovies dripping from its baleens.

 

[sleddog]

What went before WILDFLOWER, the cat: MOKUAKALANA, "MOKU" for short, is Howard Spruit's cool cruising cat built singlehandedly in Cambria over a three year period.

A memorable ride aboard MOKU in 2010 sold me on the idea of small cruising cats as a viable means to get back afloat.

MOKU is a couple of feet shorter than WILDFLOWER, and purpose built for day sailing.

Howard and Yvonne sail MOKU most Sundays from Santa Cruz to Capitola. Note the electric outboard, jib boom, aft position of the main mast, centerline rudder, and other cool stuff.

 

[sleddog]

The first woman to singlehand to Hawaii was Peggy Slater, in 1968, aboard her Kettenberg-43 VALENTINE. Whether she completed the passage is open for discussion.

To all who knew her, Peggy was larger than life. Standing six feet, with flaming red hair, Peggy came from a sailing family. She always had a red poinsettia tucked behind one ear, wore an Aloha shirt, and sailed with her Golden Retriever.

To the press, Peggy was known as the “Amelia Earhardt of Sailing.” In Hollywood's heyday, she was also boat broker to the movie stars. In one year, she taught Humphey Bogart to sail, then sold him the schooner SANTANA, owned by Dick Powell.

Peggy owned a succession of three Kettenberg sloops, red hulled, named VALENTINE. They sported a large red heart on their spinnakers. Peggy's boats were always launched at mid-night on Valentines Day and had a chromed cherub for a stem head.

Peggy Slater was much sought after for her sailing skills, and natural leadership abilities. She figured prominently in two overboard incidents, both which had uncertain endings for many hours.

In the 1951 Transpac, the Los Angeles to Honolulu Race, the 73 foot cutter L'APACHE was running hard, 880 miles NE of Honolulu when crew member Ted Sierks went forward to reeve a new preventer on the mainboom. While leaning outboard, the lifeline broke, and Sierks went overboard.

Peggy Slater, sailing master onboard L'APACHE, took charge. They got the spinnaker down, the boat turned around, and back to Sierks' estimated position in 26 minutes. But he was not sighted, likely because a line had fouled L'APACHE's prop and they undershot the return distance.

A search was initiated not only by the racing fleet, but by aircraft and naval vessels. L'APACHE searched for 28 hours before running out of fuel.

No one knew, but Sierks was very much alive, and holding onto a lifering. That night he saw flares dropped by an Army B-17, which buoyed his hopes.

The next day, after 29 hours in the water, Sierks was miraculously sighted by two crew aboard the Destroyer Escort MUNROE, which was making its last sweep before giving up the search.

This was not to be Peggy Slater's only crew overboard drama. The next was her own.

 

[Critter]

I'm on tenterhooks! Skip, how long are you going to keep us hanging?

Bob, my favorite vegetable is asparagus, and I'm very fond of Brussel sprouts too.

 

[sleddog]

Peggy Slater loved all things Polynesian. In 1963 she built her beautiful home at Wainiha, just north of Hanalei. Until her death in 1990, being a singlehander herself, Peggy welcomed SSS Singlehanded Transpackers. More than a few SHTP skippers stayed at her lovely bungalow. Which, incidentally, can still be rented. http://www.wainihabeachhouse.com/

In 1978, after the finish of the first SHTP, Peggy told me this story while relaxing in her garden.

Peggy had always wanted to sail solo to Hawaii, and anchor at Hanalei. In 1964 she sold her Kettenberg-38 VALENTINE, and in 1965 took delivery of a new, bright red, VALENTINE, Kettenberg 43 #9. The intention was to sail VALENTINE solo to Hawaii, something she was very capable of doing at age 47.

Peggy departed San Pedro for Honolulu June 30, 1968. She had an uneventful passage until entering the Molokai Channel 17 days later. There, in a squall, she went forward to douse her genoa and was pitched overboard, along with the sail. Fortunately Peggy was secured by a harness and tether. Unfortunately, she was dragged alongside, smothered in the sail, for approximately 11 hours.

Half drowned, somehow Peggy rallied and was able to climb back aboard VALENTINE. With a broken wrist, and badly bruised, she made her way below and called the Coast Guard.

The CG responded. But suffering from her ordeal, Peggy could not tell them her position. In those days there was no Sat Nav, LORAN, or GPS. Strictly celestial and Dead Reckoning.

Honolulu Coast Guard was able to get an approximate RDF (radio) bearing on VALENTINE. 190 degrees. In those days, for liability reasons, the CG could only give out their bearing to your ship, not the reciprocal course you might assume to sail to safety.

Peggy did not know this. In her weakened state, she set her windvane to steer south, away from Honolulu and safety. And went below to rest.

After two days, friends become concerned for Peggy. She had disappeared. A private plane went in search. It's pilot, and great credit to him, had listened to a recording of the CG transmission, and figured out Peggy's possible confusion. He flew down a 190 bearing from Hono.

Amazingly, 400 miles south of Hono, the pilot sighted VALENTINE. A Japanese freighter was diverted, and Peggy was taken aboard. She was then transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter MELLON, who went in search of VALENTINE. Again, amazingly, VALENTINE was located and towed by the Mellon 400 miles north to Honolulu.

In our conversation, I could tell Peggy, a proud and experienced sailor, was sensitive about this rescue. But she smiled, and said, that she was "likely the only one to ever finish a Single Handed Transpac underwater."

Peggy continued to live aboard VALENTINE, sharing her time between San Pedro and Kauai. She was active in supporting women's sailing, when it was still in its infancy. In 1990, while arriving for a speaking engagement at the Women's Sailing Assn of Marina del Rey, Peggy Slater died, age 72, of a massive stroke.

 

[Philpott]

Very nice story, Skip. Thank you.

 

[sleddog]

With the boat in the driveway, I got WILDFLOWER's stern pulpits reattached today. Howard strengthened incipient cracks at their bases with new welds. Always a challenge to hold the screwdriver above decks while tightening with the wrench below. Good thing to be ambidextrous with one's toes. Or have multiple vise grips.

For good measure I re-stepped the mast. That clears the deck and cockpit. To step the mast I use leverage gained from a "gin pole." It goes up quite easily with the trailer winch as a downhaul.

WILDFLOWER was donated an older Nissan 3.5 hp, 2 cycle outboard as a backup. It only weighs 28 pounds. I changed the lower unit oil, and fitted a new spark plug. Filled the little internal tank with 50:1 gas/oil mixture. Then set the motor in a trash can 1/4 filled with water to test.

Never got it started, because right off there was a fuel leak. I opened up the little beast and discovered the polyethelyne fuel tank had a lengthy crack at a seam weld. Apparently this can happen either through age, heat, or cold.

Ordered a new tank, less screw cap, for a mere $50. Smiled, and recalled what Water Rat said to Mole:

"Is it so nice as all that?" asked the mole, shyly...
"Nice? It's the only thing," said the Water Rat Solemnly, as he leaned forward for his stroke. "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
"Simply messing...about in boats -- or with boats... In or out of 'em it doesn't matter. Nothing seems to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."
"Look here! If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, supposing we drop down the river together and have a long day of it.?"

 

[H Spruit]

Here is to boat messing, I concur with Water Rat, and
I would prefer to be "MESSING" with my "MOKU"
but it seems that my house is falling through
So it will need everything I can do!

 

[skatzman]

I have a collection of Nissan 3.5 outboards. I use one as my saltwater outboard and the rest are avaliable to anyone as needed for parts. I had the same crack in fuel tank. Replaced it and motor soldiers on. Anyone wanting parts or to donate a 3.5 contact me. SDK

 

[sleddog]

With warm temps and an inversion layer over Monterey Bay, there have been "Fata Morgana" mirages looking east from Capitola/Santa Cruz towards Moss Landing/Monterey.

The coastal beaches in the distance rise up, becoming ramparts, castles, and spires in the sky. Moss Landing Power Plant smoke stacks become an apparition, sometimes hovering upside down.

Morgana was a sorceress of the King Arthur legends, and would lure sailors ashore by her mirages, often found in the Straits of Messina, between Sicily and Italy, and near Mt. Etna.

Fata Morgana mirages are thought to be the source of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship legend, as well as UFO sightings.

Fata Morganas caused much confusion in early Arctic and North West Passage exploration, creating mountain ranges and islands where there were none.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata_Morgana_(mirage)

The temperature inversion that causes Fata Morgana can also cause a radio wave phenomena called "tropospheric ducting" or "tropo." This ducting propagation sometimes allows VHF, line of sight, radio to be heard hundreds, if not thousands of miles, even from California to Hawaii. Ham radio geeks, utilizing tropo, compete to see who can transmit on their handheld 2 meter radios from CA to Hawaii on the least amount of power. So far the record is less than a watt.

 

[sleddog]

Just when I thought the humpback whales had moved on, I counted seven, including mother and kid, this morning off the Capitola cliffs.

Reminded me of a story Bruce and Gregg Hedrick told me. (Bruce is managing editor of NW Yachting, Gregg was the boat captain on Disney's PYEWACKETs). In December, 1979, they were delivering a Valiant 40 from Newport Beach, through the Canal, to St. Thomas.

Somewhere just north of the Mexican/Guatemala border, a 40' male humpback whale decided the Valiant 40 was his love interest. For more than 18 hours he would lie alongside, his claspers in amorous embrace.

It was a disturbing situation. Several times the boat was spun completely around. The smelly whale exhaust mist was coming down the hatches, open in the tropical heat. They tried everything to get rid of the whale. They motored ahead at full speed; they sat and drifted; they flew the spinnaker. They played ZZ Top at full volume.

The Hedrick brothers are never ones to take something lying down. Gregg figured out that with the Valiant's teak rubstrake, he could stand on the rubstrake, and when the whale was surfaced, step off and have a walk on the whale. Pretty soon the whole crew was whale walking.

The crew also swam under the boat to take pictures, making sure to stay out of harm's way. They did notice the humpback's advances were damaging the rudder. Bruce, a ham radio operator, patched into Scripps Institute and Sea World in an attempt to find a solution to getting rid of the whale. "Go into shallow water," seemed to be the only viable suggestion.

Bruce radioed their parents in Portland. Mom's response was "you tell Gregg to stay off the back of that whale!"

Finally at "2:00 in the afternoon the whale decided he was out on the race course and decided to luff us up. We were flying the spinnaker and main and he spun us completely around in a circle. He just took us and rounded us down, and then up into the wind, and then back down. We continued the rest of the way around, unwrapped the spinnaker, and that was the last we saw of him..."

Never underestimate a lovelorn whale. And if you are going to become the sex slave to a humpback, be thankful if you are aboard a Valiant. Tough boats, those.

 

[sleddog]

Santa Cruz Harbor is continually faced with challenges. Some is budgetary. Much is because of ill design and bad choice of location. (you know about winter storm shoaling of the entrance, and the destruction caused by the tsunami.)

And you can't discount Mother Nature playing pranks. As happened this weekend. Shoals of anchovies were herded to near shore by birds, whales, porpoise, and sea lions. The anchovies had no where to go. But into Santa Cruz Harbor. Where they die because of lack of oxygen in the water.

The dead anchovies float for a short while, then sink to the bottom for a few days. Then they resurface in rotted condition, causing a god-awful stench and chemical reaction that peels paint off boats.

The Harbor was ready, with giant electric egg beaters that oxygenate the Harbor Waters attached to end ties. Unfortunately, somebody neglected to turn them on Friday night. By Saturday morning, dead anchovies were everywhere. Birds were having a hey day. The Harbor was filling with sea lions. I half expected a whale or two to come steaming in the breakwaters. It has happened before.

Harbor staff were running around at dawn with dozens of five gallon buckets and nets. Patrol boats with flashing blue strobe lights surveyed the scene and directed scooping operations. Seagulls were squawking and fighting over left overs.

Even the NY Times is on the case: http://www.nytimes.com/video/dining...ml?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131023How

Never a dull moment at Santa Cruz Harbor.
http://photos.santacruzsentinel.com...s-clear-thousands-of-dead-fish-from-harbor/#2

 

[sleddog]

In August, 2011, I was emotionally, physically and financially spent. My new little cat, as yet unnamed, was half built.

Unbeknownst to me, thousands of miles to the southwest, from seven Pacific Island nations, native crews and supporters had built seven voyaging canoes. They called their boats "Vaka Moana." "Vaka" meaning double hulled sailing canoe. "Moana" meaning ocean.

Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Hawaii, Cook Islands, Samoa, and French Polynesia.

The ambitious plan was for these crews to join together as a fleet, and sail through the Pacific, raising awareness as to the fragility of the ocean, and the interconnectedness of Earth's people.

I couldn't believe they would sail these open canoes, steered with giant oars, into cold higher latitudes. But they did, women and men, few with ocean crossing experience. Each canoe had a crew of about 20.

The fleet sailed into San Francisco Bay, anchoring in Clipper Cove, in July of 2011. Their arrival and welcome brought tears to my eyes. If these crews could build their Vakas and sail them to California, I could most certainly finish my little Vaka.

Two weeks later, I met the Vaka Moana crews again, at Monterey. Their energy, compassion, dancing, and commitment was inspirational and infectious.

WILDFLOWER carries their spirit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKbIeBfF4eo