May 8-14, 2015
Logbook – May 8, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 1139 Engines on
- 1150 Depart
- 1309 SB engine off. Main + genoa + Port engine
- Fish on! 25 lb yellowtail
- 1600 P engine off
- 1800 SB engine on + Main
- 1945 B watch
- 2139 B watch over
Email to Family and Friends May 8, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 1
We had a smooth departure process, and after we had loaded up our duty free alcohol delivery and did final stowing, we pushed away from the dock in Opua around noon. We stayed just one night at the dock, because that way we could get our duty free diesel the day prior to leaving and didn’t have to worry about it on departure day. Overall, it hasn’t been a bad start. The sea state is bigger than the corresponding wind due to the low that just blew by, so we are rolling around a bit. But when I was laying in bed earlier I noticed that at no time was I catching air, so in that case this doesn’t even come close to some of our worst seas. Even though the winds are pretty light, we are still reefed, because we have quite a bit of squall activity around us.
Just as we were leaving the Bay of Islands, Tim put the fishing poles in the water, and not two minutes later we had FISH ON! It was about a 25 lb yellowtail, and it put up a good fight, but it’s now filleted and resting in the fridge for our sashimi day tomorrow. Our freezer is full of beef and lamb, so we will need to eat the fish quickly.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 9, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0155 Squall – 28 kts
- 0410 P engine on to raise main
- 0436 Engines off. Main (1 reef) + genoa (1 reef)
- 0449 Second reef in genoa due to squall
- 0530 Unreefed genoa
- 0800 Isabella net (net control)
- 0810 VHF call to Caminante
- 0815 VHF call from Waratah Lass (boat off of our port stern)
- 0830 Main (1 reef) + genoa
- 1200 Main (1 reef) + genniker
- 1730 Engines on to shake out the reef & jibe
- 1745 Engines off. Main + genniker
- 1900 Generator on
- 2000 B on watch
- 2200 B off watch
Email to Family and Friends May 9, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 2
The sailing has been great yesterday and all night. 12-15 kts of wind on the aft quarter, and since the seas have calmed down quite a bit it’s become almost comfortable. The wind is supposed to die today and then be nonexistent tonight, so we are enjoying the sail while it lasts. The air and water temperatures are going up ever so slightly, and we have heard from boats ahead of us of nice warm water in Minerva, so we are getting excited. Leaving New Zealand would have been a much more sad affair for me had it not been for how cold it was getting. The boys are doing their night watches so I don’t have to get up for a watch until 3-4 am, and it’s great. I think today I’ll be fully in the swing of things and may even think about cooking some of that fish in the fridge for dinner. Typically, on passage I precook several meals and put them in the freezer so I don’t have to cook the first few days out. Last night we had pasta bake. Fish will be good tonight…
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 10, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0130 A off watch
- 0308 D on watch. Main + genniker
- 0800 Isabella Net. NC = me
- 0815 VHF call to Chiquita (Vessel on AIS < 1 mile away. Dean + 2 crew on board)
- 0820 VHF call to Caminante
- 0825 VHF call from Waratah Lass
- 1425 Main + genniker
- 1330 Generator on. 1520 off
- 1600 VHF call to Waratah Lass
- 1804 Main + genniker
- 2000 B start watch
- 2200 B off watch
- 0000 A off watch
Email to Family and Friends May 10, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 3
After a lovely 2 days of sailing we are now motor sailing again. Overall, it’s not too bad though, the seas had gotten a bit lively again yesterday afternoon, and now it’s pretty flat. The big news for me this morning is that I didn’t need a comforter to sleep last night.
I think I may have found Tim a new spear fishing buddy over the VHF radio yesterday. I guess that’s like the cruiser spear fishing version of internet dating. I think he’s still mourning Jack’s departure (s/v Iguana), and I’m thinking, you know, he just needs to get back out there. Anyway, this is just a boat in the vicinity that I’ve been talking to, and hopefully we’ll meet at Minerva.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 11, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0331 Main + port engine
- 0345 Chartplotter reboot
- 0457 Caminante on AIS (18.2 nmi, brg 233 deg T)
- 0658 Realigned compass +15 deg
- 0720 Gulf Harbor Radio
- 0750 Port engine off
- 0756 Main + genoa
- 0800 Isabela Net (NC = Field Trip)
- 1152 Fish on! Dorado (Alex & B bring it in. No help from sleepy dad)
- 1400 VHF call to Caminante
- 1413 VHF call from Waratah Lass
- 1458 SB engine on. Furled genoa
- 1832 Genniker + port engine
- 2000 B watch start
Daily Notes
- Tim starts filming “Happy Video”
- Pass the fish to Caminante
Email to Family and Friends May 11, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 4 – Pass the Fish
Today’s excitement was a 4.6 ft Dorado (Mahi Mahi) that the boys landed while Tim was asleep. Brenden was the only one up when I saw the fish being dragged behind us on the handline. I told Brenden, he harnessed up and clipped on, and then started the business of pulling it in. As it got close and we saw how big it was, we realized we couldn’t handle it just the two of us, so I woke Alex. And let me be clear… I was the weak link in that operation, not Brenden. Well, Alex and Brenden managed to get it on board, but not after I annoyed the hell out of Alex asking if I should wake Dad. He was struggling to lift the fish up after he got it on the stringer. But I think my suggestion of waking Dad opened his reserve fuel tank, because his next heave up was successful. Brenden cleaned the whole thing, and we enjoyed BBQ Dorado with Creole seasoning. Just like old times.
But that’s not the best part. Our friends on Caminante were only about 5 miles away when Tim told them we had fish and if they catch us they can have some. Just before sunset they arrive only a couple hundred meters away, and it was quite a sight, because Caminante is a huge (60+) metal sailboat and they had 3 sails still up, needless to say the photo op was priceless. Tim was able to pass them the fish by tieing a line to a float and trailing the float behind us. Then Caminante picked up the float with the boat hook, and with the bag of fish secured to the other end of the line, Tim tossed that in the water. It was so much fun to be that close out here in the middle of the Pacific!
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 12, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0357 SB engine, no sails
- 0700 Rag of Air Net
- 0715 Gulf Harbor Radio – checked in
- 0800 Isabella Net (NC = Judy, checked in)
- 1010 SB engine off, P engine on
- 1208 Genniker + P engine
- Watermaker 3 hrs (stopped after 1.5 hrs due to leak, port bilge started running)
- 1327 SB engine on to raise main
- 1336 Both engines off. Main + genniker
- 1826 Main + genniker
Email to Family and Friends May 12, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 5
Today the temperature reached 80 deg F (~27 deg C, I think) and I sat at the helm in my underwear. That is all for today.
-D.
Logbook – May 13, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0327 Main + genoa
- 1200 Main + genniker
- 1635 P engine on
Daily Notes
- Engine stats as of 13 May (Wed) 0430 – Port only – 13:58, SB only – 30:18, Both – 1:58
Email to Family and Friends May 13, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva Day 6
After sailing for a day and a half on mostly a nice beam reach, we just turned an engine on. The wind is dying and shifting behind us, so we decided to motorsail. We’d really like to make it to South Minerva tomorrow by about 3 pm to have light to navigate the reef, and we have 122 miles to go at 5pm local time. We are just about to cross back over the dateline again, but unfortunately that doesn’t help. Last time we only went to North Minerva, so we’d really like to maximize time to go to both south and north minerva before the weather tells us it’s time to leave. We should be converging with at least 2 other buddy boats tomorrow, maybe more, so it should be a lot of fun again. This is a pretty special place.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 14, 2015 (New Zealand to South Minerva Reef)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0337 P engine + genoa. Crossed the date line
- 0705 Gulf Harbor, listen only
- 0800 Isabella Net
- VHF call to Chiquita, NR
- VHF call to Field Trip
- 0846 SB engine on to raise main
- 0858 P engine off. Main + genoa
- VHF calls to Chiquita and Waratah Lass, NR
- 0913 VHF call from Lumbaz
- 1225 Main + genoa + SB engine
- 1227 Watermaker 2 hrs
- 1340 P engine on, sails dropped
- 1458 Engines off South Minerva
Daily Notes
- Pass waypoints – out 23 56.121 179 08.159, inner 23 56.255 179 07.571
- Bombie – 23 56.378 179 07.571 = Vessel wypt w/ bombie on port side
- Day 7 stats – Hrs underway 2:33, miles = 827-814 = 12
- Engine hrs since 13 May 0430: Port only – 16:11, SB only – 4:42, Both – 1:30
- T/B – spearfishing right away. Alex manned the dinghy. Trevally got away from B
- D – drinks with Sarah & Jenny on Exodus
Email to Family and Friends May 14, 2015
Subject: Exodus – NZ to Minerva The End
Departure from Opua, New Zealand: 8 May 11:50
Arrival at South Minerva Reef: 14 May 15:58
Days at sea: 6 days 4 hours
Max wind: Mid to high 20s briefly during a squall our first night out. Other than that, max wind ~18 kts. Wind mostly in the 8-12 kt range.
Engine hour summary: 2.9 days with only one engine (motor sailing or motoring with no wind), 3.5 hours with both engines (departing, arriving, and main sail changes.)
It was a good passage, and I’m breathing quite a sigh of relief that we made to NZ and back without getting hammered. Once again we picked a good weather window, even if it meant doing more motoring than we normally would do.
We arrived with great sunlight to enter the pass and navigate across the atoll. It’s very rolly for an anchorage, but more than tolerable given we’ve been at sea for 6 days. Tim and the boys are already in the water hunting, and I’m waiting for friends from two other boats (Field Trip and Lumbaz) to come over for safe arrival drinks. We arrived ahead just a bit ahead of them, but they left a day later than us, both being bigger and sleeker catamarans than Exodus.
Cheers!
-D.
Gresham Family Exodus 