After clearing out we checked the forecast and decided to make a break for it south. We might have a window to get to Jaluit or Ebon. We raised anchor and headed across the lagoon to exit out the South Pass without issue, in fact, we were able to transit out under sail. The problem was that during the lagoon crossing Tim started feeling sick, like really sick and had to lay down. We were reluctant to head out on an ocean passage with him out of commission, considering the weather forecast was suspect at best and there was nowhere on our path for a long way with any sort of medical facilities. It was better to stay near Ebeye and Kwajalein. So, we dropped anchor on the outside of the lagoon, north of The South Pass off the island of Ennylabegan.
It was precision anchoring at its best, even with Tim weak and nauseous. We dropped in about the only little sandy patch amongst densely scattered rock and coral. It was actually a beautiful spot, and Brenden was sent into the water to check the anchor but with his speargun in hand he forgot his primary mission and was off trying to spear something for dinner.
We spent one rolly, rolly, night out there. When anchoring in the lee of an island on the outside of an atoll, the usual problem is ground swell coming in from another direction than the wind. But that wasn’t the problem this time. This time the issue was that we were too close the large pass and we were getting serious wind chop from the pass bending around the island.
We ended up making an abrupt decision to leave the next afternoon. Tim was feeling better in the morning, but the morning forecast was still pretty bad. When we checked it in the afternoon, it wasn’t that much better. It still had an unfavorable wind angle, but at least the wind velocity was pretty light, so we went for it.
Gresham Family Exodus 