Singlehanded Sailing to the Pacific Northwest

[nrdmao]

Hi All,

I raced in the SSS to gain experience for my own singlehanded adventures aboard my boat "void star." Here is a blog I've been working on and I though folks might be interested to read of my experiences.

http://www.information-seeky.com/sailing-northwest/


While in Brookings, OR I met Gary who has sailed his Westsail 32 in the Singlehanded Transpac. I was wearing one of my SSS T-shirts at the time. SSS membership turned out to have been very beneficial as Gary was a big help as I had a rudder disaster of my own.

All along the way I felt like I was an ambassador of sorts for the SSS and most people thought I was nuts to be sailing a race boat into the wind up the coast. I would usually reply that there was a whole society of nuts that do this stuff all the time down in San Francisco Bay.

Thanks to SSS for giving me a venue to put me into situations where I might not otherwise put myself and therefore to develop the skills and confidence to take on adventures such as this.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[WBChristie]

Jim, great to meet you and best wishes for the rest of your trip. Sorry Neah bay was such a disappointment, I have only anchored there and that was back when just being on a boat was a thrill!
Gary

 

[nrdmao]

Hi Gary,

I think it was more my mental state at that time regarding seagull guano. I am sure you remember the condition of the docks where I was in Brookings. Westport was even worse as the hatchery was dumping a bunch of dead fish into the harbor.

Thanks again for all the help in Brookings.

Jim

 

[brett]

Wow, awesome write-ups Jim! Hopefully there are more chapters coming!

Super relevant because I set off from Alameda on June 5th, single handed bound to Glacier Bay too. In my case I had conceded to the idea of motoring north well before the trip and carried much more fuel. I made Cape Flattery on my 8th day, only having sailed a hundred or so miles north of the Columbia River.

Blanco proved to be every bit the PITA it was for you. I planned to round at night but after pushing into 25kts for the better part of a day I took reprieve in Port Orford (not that I could relax with it blowing 30kts overnight). Rounded the next morning (this would of been June 9th) and made it into Newport in the afternoon of the 10th. Didn't get much time to dry out as I headed back out the next morning trying to get out in front of the weather that was what you eventually would run into it. Arrived next in Neah Bay on the 13ths, refueled and enjoyed the very settled anchorage behind the breakwall.

I then proceeded to Port Angeles before turning north and spending nights at Massacre Bay, Codfish Bay, Pendrell Cove, and Forward Harbor.

I made it to Glacier Bay by the last week of July and saw the calving glaciers (anchored at the head of Tarr Inlet, the furthest north I went) but missed out on the Orcas! I was looking too. I also couldn't resist and ate the hell out of those oysters, but didn't have your luck fishing.

I posted some pictures and answered some questions on Reddit if your interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/sailing/comments/3infoa/favorite_photos_from_my_solo_voyage_to_alaska/

Already have my sights on Hawaii next summer and thinking about doing it in the Transpac. Sounds like I would fit right in with you loons!

 

[nrdmao]

Hi Brett,

Great trip and pictures. I am glad someone made it! It is also nice to know that my plans for Glacier Bay were reasonable. Seeing that you made it makes me want to give it another shot, but trips to Hawaii or other tropical places sound pretty good too. I am sure you would fit right in with the Singlehanded Transpac.