January 21 – February 24, 2016
After a three-day upwind bash in the NE trades, we made it to Majuro. Unlike the other islands we’ve recently visited which have more of Commonwealth influence, Majuro is thoroughly Americanized. Their currency is the US dollar, they drive on the right side of the road, and most importantly they use letter (8.5×11) size paper. They even write their dates month/day/year. Crazy! If you don’t know about the extensive nuclear testing that the U.S. did here (Bikini atoll) then look it up. We caused a lot of pain here and most of us know very little about it. I imagine at this point there’s a very complex love/hate relationship but in daily interaction with the people here I haven’t felt particularly loved or hated for being American. Majuro is the “big city”, and we’ve been able to get many things we haven’t seen for years, like Sierra Nevada beer.
Logbook – January 22, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Taxi to customs/immigration
- Walk to K&K grocery store – tons of American products
- Burgers at Tide Table restaurant
- Taxi back to NTA for internet.
- Dinner w/ EOS II on Exodus – spicy Mahi Mahi rolls
Logbook – January 23, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Drop off laundry
- Hours at the Tide Table getting internet
- D/T – drinks on Free Spirit
- A/B – Dinner & movie on Sea Rover (kid boat!)
Logbook – January 24, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Internet afternoon at Tide Table, stayed for dinner
Logbook – January 25, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – MIF, Visitors center, NTA, K&K
- T – more internet @ Tide Table
- Pizza dinner at EOS II w/ Ariel IV
Logbook – January 26, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- B – sick
- T/A – cruisers pizza dinner
- D – seminar on outer islands
Email to Family and Friends Dated January 26, 2016
Subject: Exodus – Majuro
Majuro, Marshall Islands has been good to us so far. We’ve enjoyed fresh food, restaurants, supermarkets, laundromats, internet, good beer, and catching up with friends. We will be here for another week or two while we wait for our permits to visit outer islands and also while we get organized to get Exodus on the market. That’s right, pretty soon there will be a pretty cool catamaran for sale, if you know any buyers! We are willing to deliver it anywhere in the south pacific.
Hope all is well with everyone!
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – January 27, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – island permits, K&K, laundry
- Internet/dinner at Tide Table
Logbook – January 28, 2016 (Majuro to Enigtu)
Passage Highlights
- 1134 Engines on
- 1150 SB engine off + genoa
- 1245 SB engine on
- 1300 Engines off – mooring
Daily Notes
- Enigtu to make water
- Drinks on TBV
- T/B spearfish at marker. Nada
Logbook – January 29, 2016 (Enigtu)
Daily Notes
- T – swim to shore – explore other side of island
- D – paddle to floating wrech
- B – swim & explore the island
- Skua arrives
Email to Family and Friends Dated January 29, 2016
Subject: Exodus – A little more about Majuro
We have escaped the hustle and bustle of downtown Majuro and we are now at one of the other small islets in the greater Majuro atoll. Mostly, we came out here to make water. It is much drier here than it was in Tuvalu and Kiribati, in fact it hasn’t rained since we got here. So, no more filling the water tank with each down pour like we had gotten used to. It’s also cooler here, which is a bit of a relief. But on the other hand, the water is cooler too, down to about 82-83 deg, brrrr.
Majuro itself is very American, in fact it reminds me a lot of Mexico. The funny thing is that when we were in Mexico it all seemed so foreign since we were so fresh and home was still in the forefront of our memories. Now after being so many different places, arriving here in Majuro seems so familiar, so much like home. But in reality, it’s just the same as Mexico, it’s just that my perspective has changed. It’s the details that make it feel American… 110V electrical power, 8×10 paper (not that crazy A4 size), driving on the right side, all the American products in the supermarkets, the fact that there are supermarkets. We haven’t gotten to know any of the Marshallese people yet, but there is a small community of expat cruisers who live here now, either temporarily or permanently. It’s weird to have people you can just go ask about things rather than figuring it all out on your own. Although, figuring it out on your own can be fun too.
Tim and Brenden went spearfishing for the first time in quite a while, but sadly, no dogtooth here. They will probably try again today.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – January 30, 2016 (Enigtu)
Daily Notes
- T/Craig – spearfish – bonita
- A/B – paddle to downwind island
- Happy hour on Exodus – TBV, Skua, Navire
Logbook – January 31, 2016 (Eneko*)
*It looks like on the map there are two motus right next to each other called Enigu and Eneko. Our location was actually off of Eneko, so I presume that’s why I switched the name in the logbook.
Daily Notes
- T spearfish with locals – HUGE dogtooth tuna
Notice where the kill hole is… Tim told us he “totally stoned it.” Brenden explained to me that this means when you get a shot that renders the fish immediately motionless (like a stone statue, get it?) You can stone a fish with a perfect head or spine shot. Apparently this one was a spine shot.
Logbook – February 1, 2016 (Eneko)
Daily Notes
- Birthday picnic @ Eneko for Lahnee
Logbook – February 2, 2016 (Eneko to Majuro)
Passage Highlights
- 1110 Engines on
- 1124 Engines off, main (1 reef) + genoa
- 1201 P engine on
- 1208 SB engine on
- 1228 Engines off
Daily Notes
- Back to Majuro
- Afternoon internet @ TideTable
- Yachtie dinner at Tide Table
Logbook – February 3, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D/Boys – museum, shopping
- T – internet all day
Logbook – February 4, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – laundry, internet
- T/Boys – internet after school
Logbook – February 5, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Nothing to report
Logbook – February 6, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Nothing to report
Logbook – February 7, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – suds explosion at the laundromat
- T – afternoon spearfishing with Sea Rover
Email to Family and Friends Dated February 7, 2016
Subject: Exodus – Fun and Chores in Majuro
We are still plugging away at getting a bunch of chores done in Majuro. However, we’ve managed to fit in a little fun too, including a birthday party on the beach for one of our friends, a couple of “cruiser dinners,” a happy hour on Exodus, and of course spearfishing. Tim went out last weekend with some locals and came back with a monster dogtooth tuna that filled our freezer and fed the anchorage.
Majuro has the best internet since Fiji, but the downside is that it’s only wifi, no 3G. So, when we are in range of a wifi hotspot we have really good high speed internet, but so far we haven’t been able to get it from the boat (only fleetingly yesterday), so we tend to spend our afternoons in a bar/restaurant getting our daily internet fix. At least it’s air conditioned!
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – February 8, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
Logbook – February 9, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – Rongelap town hall, phone call with the Mayor
- T – consult with Peter on Sea Rover re: counter
- Pizza night on EOS II w/ Ariel IV
Logbook – February 10, 2016 (Majuro to Anemomet)
Passage Highlights
- 1044 Engines on
- 1053 SB off, P + genoa
- 1133 SB on
- 1140 Engines off Anemomet
Daily Notes
- Blueberry pancakes, Phase 10, family jump off the bow, steaks and mashed pots
- Apple crumble and drinks with Free Spirit
Logbook – February 11, 2016 (Anemomet)
Daily Notes
- Nothing to report
Logbook – February 12, 2016 (Anemomet)
Daily Notes
- Engine hours calculation
- Port – 1673.5 hr
- SB – 1700.6 hr
Logbook – February 13, 2016 (Anemomet)
Daily Notes
- Exodus internet cafe & nursery
- T/A shore to play volleyball
Logbook – February 14, 2016 (Anemomet)
Daily Notes
- Gray & rainy day – no internet
- T/Slade – spearfishing – dogtooth
Logbook – February 15, 2016 (Anemomet to Majuro)
Passage Highlights
- 1027 Engines on
- 1041 Engines off
- 1116 Engines on
- 1132 Engines off Majuro
Daily Notes
- D/Boys – HUGE grocery trip, required 2 taxis to get back
- Dinner at Tide Table, no internet
Logbook – February 16, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – running!
- D – MIA, women’s group, K&K
- T – work on sink
- Pub quiz at MIR
Logbook – February 17, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- D – laundry, propane (w/ Leann)
- T – more work on sink
- D/Boys – MIR for pizza & internet (internet not workin)
Logbook – February 18, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Drinks & dinner w/ TBV @ Tide Table
- Ailuk – contact acting mayor Red Alfred, MI Alfred
Logbook – February 19, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Lots of errands – Do It Best, K&K, MIA, Ace
- Food delivery for Ailuk
- Finally got Kwajalein permit
Email to Family and Friends Dated February 19, 2016
Subject: Exodus – Still in Majuro
Yes, we are still in Majuro. We never thought we’d be here a month, but that’s what we’re pushing right about now. The good news is that we’ve filled up on pizza, burgers, and good American beer, and we are in the homestretch and should be ready to blow this joint soon. Oh yeah, in addition to the pizza, etc., we’ve finished a few projects and we’re putting the finishing touches on the “Exodus for sale” website as we speak. I haven’t really been crazy about Majuro, but I suppose there are worse places to be stuck for a month (like Tarawa!) The first island we are going to is called Ailuk and at the request of the Mayor we are taking a bunch of rice, flour, and motor oil with us, because apparently they are out and the government ship isn’t expected for a couple weeks still. We didn’t have to pay for it, the Mayor had it all delivered to the dock for us, we are just the delivery ship. I have no idea where we will store it all, and I’m a little concerned about bugs, but we are happy to help since we can. I am really looking forward to Ailuk because it is the island where they still make traditional Marshallese sailing outriggers and apparently they also have some of the finest handicrafts. At the museum here we learned that traditional Marshallese navigation included watching wave patterns to be able to recognize nearby land masses. Fascinating. I guess that’s a skill that has not been handed down to the youth of Kiribati!
Our internet account runs out in 3 days, and we are going to try to get out of here without renewing, so after that it will be back to SSB only.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – February 20, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
Logbook – February 21, 2016 (Majuro)
Daily Notes
- Boat listed!
- Dinner at Tide Table
Logbook – February 22, 2016 (Majuro to Anemomet)
Passage Highlights
- 1320 Engines on – no speedo
- 1332 SB engine off, genoa
- 1400 SB on
- 1408 Engines off
- 1549 Engines on
- 1555 Engines off
Daily Notes
- Escape from Majuro!
- Finally finished Phase 10 game
Logbook – February 23, 2016 (Anemomet)
Daily Notes
- Boys – start hull cleaning
- D – clean bathroom, passage meals
- T – repair genoa
- Happy hour on Exodus w/ TBV
Email to Family and Friends Dated February 24, 2016
Subject: Exodus – departing Majuro this evening
We’ve finally checked all essential things off the to-do list and we’ll be heading out of Majuro just before sunset today. Our first planned destination is the island of Ailuk to the north. We’ve spent the past two nights out at the islet of Anemomet in the very familiar position of being on a mooring next to True Blue V. We will say good-bye to them yet again, but we’ve said good-bye so many times by now and we always seem to end up back together. Our “northbound” fleet of boats, the group we traveled with from Tuvalu to Marshalls has already started to break up with one boat heading to Micronesia and others at various outer islands here. It’s another end of an era for us, and we’re and, as usual, we’re looking forward to what the next one brings.
On another note, Alex is getting really good at the guitar. He plays every spare minute he can, when he’s not sleeping or doing school. It’s fun to see him so interested in something.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Gresham Family Exodus 