Crossing the Pacific Oceans

I write from the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 2000 miles from Mexico and about 1000 miles from the Marquesas. We’ve been underway for about 15 days now having left Banderas Bay on March 24. The passage has been excellent so far, with steady winds most of the way. We’ve been making between 110-130 nautical miles every day and have only had to motor about 24 hours.

A few days out, we caught a tuna and feasted. Dolphins have come to play in our bow wake more than once - always a joyful event. And our crossing of the equator on April 9 at sunrise was particularly special. We inducted Tim into the realm of the shellbacks with a ceremony that included champagne - offering Neptune his share - donning fake pirate tattoos, shaving our heads, and swimming in the deep blue pacific waters. Most special though was a visit from a huge manta ray. It appeared from the blue, just as we were getting out of the water, circled the boat once and then disappeared into the deep. It was a magical welcome to the southern hemisphere.

My crew consists of my brother Jon and my college buddy Tim. I couldn't ask for better crew. They have both been fantastic sailors, learning the ropes quickly. They've not been seasick and have jumped into the galley to cook up delicious meals or wash dishes after we eat. And they've stood watch without complaint.

Our watch schedule is three hour on and then six hours off. This is a nice rotation because it cycles and no one is stuck with the midnight to 3am watch every night. When we're on, we sit in the cockpit monitoring the boat, the electronic charts, the horizon, and the wind and weather. When we're off we have time to sleep, nap, read, cook, clean or do other chores on the boat. Often we will sit around the cockpit together, talking or listening to comedy or music.

Having Internet on the boat, thanks to Starlink, has really changed the feeling of crossing. We're still very far away, surrounded by a lot of water, but being able to instantaneously communicate with our loved ones is very reassuring. Phone calls home and shared texts are a nice way to pass the time.

Now, less than 1000 miles from shore, our thoughts turned to the Marquesas islands, where we’ll make landfall. We’re excited to explore and hike the verdant hills, eat fresh food and drink cold beer, and swim in crystal waters with tropical critters.

But we still have a ways to go, and there surely will be squalls and other challenges before we anchor securely in a safe harbor. So it’s back on watch for now…