The Voyage of Red Dress

Pamela's note

2009-06-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

From the Foothills

I flew from Hilo via Honolulu and into Oakland Airport Friday, May 29th. My state of mind at the time was blissful after having an excursion of a lifetime, 14 days, 23hours aboard Red Dress, and then spending four days in paradise with my comrades doing what I love, working hard together.

My reentry was greeted lovingly at the airport where Nomi, Yael, Adam, and baby Oren showered me with balloons, banners, warm wishes, a basket of fruit, and tea and a delicious tart. The transition became possible and painless.

I set out for home in the foothills of Calaveras County, a way different experience than riding the high seas. I returned to my job at Calaveras Lumber Company, and joined my colleagues in the garden center to get back to work. They, Kris, Kandy, Sharon, and Lindsey, had sent me off on my trip without hesitation. I am so fortunate! Many thanks to the garden crew and to Mike, Eileen, and Pat for their excitement and support. Thanks to Chris in the office who collected all the communications from Nomi, good and bad, to relay downstairs.

Most importantly, I wish to thank Nomi and Bill for choosing me to crew on Red Dress. I had vicariously enjoyed Bill's previous voyage to Hawaii aboard 19' Chubby, a voyage that I now marvel at in disbelief. Bill's accomplishment of that voyage made me feel confident that I was in good hands, no, the best hands. I am fortunate beyond all measure to have been guided all these years by Bill's patient instructions and willingness to have me aboard. Bill is the perfect teacher and the best kind of sailor. The magic of Bill's helmsmanship is his intuition about all of it, the winds, the currents, the tides, and the boat. With extreme care, he oversees everything without fuss, with complete control and reason.

So the voyage is over, but the journey is never ending. Over the last few days since the docking of Red Dress, I have realized that I enjoyed the adventure not simply for myself.

I really wanted to share with anyone who was interested and excited. And you all were that for me. You were there with us. You made the voyage whole and complete. Many thanks, and may your winds always be pleasant.

Love to all, Pam

Tom's Photo Album

2009-06-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

Parted spinnaker halyard.

Ferrying to Red Dress from the sea wall at Radio Bay.

Bill's up the mast, replacing the spinnaker halyard while Tom's below getting a hernia cranking him up with the winch.

Autopilot bracket pieces ready for epoxy, cut out according to the sketch on the napkin drawn up that morning during breakfast at Ken's House of Pancakes.

How exactly does this thing work?

Veteran cruising neighbors at Radio Bay. Craig in the trimaran has been cruising the world's oceans for last 30 years. The family next to him, mom, dad and their two teenage daughters were just completing their 2-1/2 year circumnavigation including passage through the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden and the treacherous Straits of Magellan.

Celebrating arrival at latitude 38 North and the final turn for home.

We're here to help...toss us a line.

Bill steering across the Potato Patch Shoal, 24' deep and six miles outside the Golden Gate.

Home at last.

Many thanks

2009-06-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

The voyage of Red Dress was blessed with two great crewmembers and an incredibly devoted shore support team. Firstly, the boat crew: outbound Pamela Johnson and inbound Tom Johnson were no relation to one another other than they formed the Yin and Yang of the great mandala of the East Pacific Gyre drawn across the trackless ocean by winds and currents.

I knew Pamela was a tough gal from sixteen years of kayaking and sailing with her around the rough waters of San Francisco Bay and up and down the coast. She seemed to always remain cheerful and enthusiastic, even after a day of beating into 25 knots and being drenched with frigid spray every few seconds. But most importantly, she had the proverbial cast iron stomach, a rare tolerance for seasickness that allowed her to remain fully functional during the first three days of the trip which are usually the roughest and which did not disappoint on this trip either.

What I did not know is just how tough she really is. That discovery came during the three days after I found myself holding her limp, bloodied unconscious head in my lap. It’s hard to imagine the terror of coming-to and not knowing where you are, why you are on a small boat 1100 miles from land and how you got there. Yet during that 45 minutes or so of abject confusion and serious pain, Pamela never panicked or cried out or lost her calmness and strength. During the following 24 hours as the Coast Guard doctor tried to convince us that evacuation and immediate medical attention was essential, Pamela showed no inclination to abandon the voyage. Finally, after CG Search and Rescue determined that they had no appropriate means of evacuation available and that we were on our own, Pamela was clearly relieved that she would be able to complete voyage. After three days she was up and about, her usual cheerful self, reefing, trimming, cooking, and writing in her journal (which I have not yet seen). When we finally tied up in Radio Bay, Hilo, I had to remind Pam that we were obligated to make a visit to the hospital to get a complete evaluation. “Oh yeah, that,” she replied, barely recalling that the whole drama had actually transpired. She had moved on…1150 nautical miles to be exact.

Yin and Yang overlapped in Hilo Harbor for five days of feverish preparation for the return journey. Pam, the seasoned veteran, the graduate cum laude of the School of Hard Knocks, sporting the two-inch-long diploma engraved on her forehead, chatted with Tom, the somewhat nervous rookie, giving him sage and valuable advice as he was getting ready to step up to the plate and take his swings. The three of us repaired, fabricated, installed, rewired, replaced, restocked, repacked and cleaned aboard Red Dress in the stifling, breathless heat of Radio Bay from early morning to late evening each day, drenched in sweat but having a good ol’ time. Sadly at the end of the week Pam had to depart for Reality Land, leaving Tom to take over crew duties.

And take over he did. Never hesitating to leap out of a sound sleep in the middle of the night to confront the flying spray and wildly heaving wet decks in pitch darkness, he was always quick to take in reef or furl the jib when the wind decided to pipe up. During quieter times Tom provided a wealth of conversational material ranging from turgid theological topics, for which he was eminently prepared, to detailed discussions of how to ease into and power out of Turn 6 at the Infineon Raceway on his Yamaha FZ400, turning 14,000 rpm, elbows and knees scraping the asphalt as per his years of motorcycle racing. And aside from his sailing skills, which were well developed, Tom’s most important contribution was his unfailing cheerfulness of mood which proved essential in counterbalancing my wild mood swings. Turns out my mood was directly wired to the anemometer according to the following windspeed scale: 16 kts and above: ebullient; 10-16 kts: content; 6-10 kts: subdued; below 6 kts: severe clinical depression. Considering the numerous days of little or no wind we suffered on the return leg, Tom had his hands full keeping me from going over the edge. He was a damn good cook, too, rivaling Pamela and her shepherd’s pie in some instances.

And then there was the devoted shore crew, Nomi and Adam, who spent countless hours in translating the sailing gibberish of gybes and sheets, halyards and clews, isobars and boom vangs into actual intelligible English in order to provide the daily ration of feed for the media beast. Quite frankly, the voyage would have never happened without Nomi’s enthusiastic encouragement and complete support. Which came at a price, though. She managed to extract from me a promise that I would not even contemplate any further ocean voyages for the next seven years (at which time she hopes I will be too old and decrepit to try).

And a profound thanks to Rod Johnstone, the “J” in J-35 who sometime back in the mid 1970’s put his pencil to paper, without the aid of computers design software and simulators, but with some fortunate combination genius, intuition, experience and luck, and sketched out a most sweet sailing hull that was later to become three hundred J-35 production boats, one of which was Red Dress. One that can make a hundred miles a day on wind you can’t even feel, sail 180 miles a day in the Trades without ever touching a sheet or adjusting the tiller and yet will sail dead down in 30 kts of wind with a big following sea with only two fingers and feather light touch on the tiller. Every mile of the 4400 we sailed had Rod’s genius stamped on it.

Lastly, thanks to all the concerned readers for their best wishes and prayers, keeping the faith and providing much needed encouragement during the difficult days.

Love to all,

Bill

A Day to Remember

2009-06-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

Statistics are not reality. Statistics show (graph at the left) that June is the second windiest month of the year just offshore from the Golden Gate. Reality appeared to us at dawn of our last day as if the sea had been transformed into a great dish of mercury, shimmering in profound stillness to the horizon. The only motion of the air was Brownian.

We had emptied our last jug of diesel into the tank the previous morning but despite reducing the engine rpm's to 1800 in an effort to squeeze out a few more miles, the calculus was grim: we probably did not have enough fuel to make it to Emeryville. Now that we were close enough to the coast to receive the marine weather reports, we listened intently for any possibility of the return to statistical heaven accompanied by 15 to 25 knot winds. None was forthcoming. The air had gone dead along the entire coast from Crescent City to Halfmoon Bay, 80,000 square miles of glassy calm. But as we morosely reviewed our dwindling options, a jarringly exuberant band of dolphins came bounding up to join Red Dress , rightly guessing that we were sorely in need of some comic relief and a good cheering up. The welcoming committee got on our bow, leading us on as if to say "Don't despair, follow us...and, oh yes, call the 800-number on your Vessel Assist card in your wallet (stupid)." So I did. Turns out Vessel Assist can deliver fuel as far as 50 miles offshore. So I cashed in 7 years of annual dues and gave Laura, the dispatcher, our course and position. "They'll be underway in 45 minutes," she assured. By 3 pm Craig came bounding out the mist at the helm of a 24' rigid inflatable, a big toothless grin on his face. Clearly, blasting across a boundless millpond with all three hundred of his twin Honda ponies screaming near the redline was just what he needed to make his Sunday afternoon. We were overjoyed to provide the jovial skipper with this unique opportunity. A few moments after emptying the 10 gallons of diesel into our tank and doing the paperwork, Craig's boat was but a tiny white spot on the horizon, bracketed by the very tops of the Golden Gate towers, just starting to poke above it. With our hydrocarbon account fully funded, we felt flush enough to unleash the full fury of our twenty-nine ponies, though to say that they were screaming would be a gross exaggeration.
As the sun got lower in the west and the Gate approached, a rich orange glow bathed the tumbling wooded slopes and raw cliffs of the Marin Headlands as they plunge into the depths without pretense of beach or coastal plain. Tom was clearly pleased to find us at sunset at the Point Bonita light and the final approach to San Francisco Bay (and doubly so, knowing that fifteen days of listening to my incessant sanctimonious pontificating about the right and wrong way to tie a bowline was mercifully coming to an end). As darkness fell inside the Gate, the City put on its finest jewels as if to welcome us. But the real welcome only started when Red Dress glided into her slip at 9:45 pm. She was stormed by a dozen or so rowdy revelers who would have shamed the Somalis with the rapidity of their seizure. Before I could cleat a dock line I found myself in the embarrassingly tight embrace of a comely woman who insisted on showering me with kisses. I protested not and even returned the favor as best my pathological shyness would allow. I was later flattered to find out that this woman was none other than the world famous nautical blogger, Naomi Teplow. The only flaw in this joyous scene was when little Oren, seeing his grandpa with a grizzled beard, burst into tears. But he was quickly calmed after returning to his mother's arms at which point the whole mob scrambled below into the cabin where a party ensued. Soon the tall tales, exaggerations and a scattering of outright lies about the voyage were flowing as freely as the champagne and Bristol Cream Sherry. Which just goes to show you that a day that dawns as a sailor's nightmare can be transformed by a cast of joyful characters, both toothed and toothless, by breathtaking scenery, and by late-night revelry into a day to remember.

Arrived Safely -- Last Day Update to be written by sailors soon!

2009-06-15T18:48:00.001-07:00

Dear, loyal Red Dress Supporters,

They arrived in the Emeryville harbor safely and very happily at 9:45 pm last night, and were received with flowers, balloons, a sign, a chocolate cake, champagne, orange juice, and much joy and love by family and a few friends. We all sat inside the cabin and celebrated till almost midnight. It was wonderful, and since you couldn't be there, we will at least send some photos soon. Also, Bill and Tom will eventually send their own stories about the last day, which, surprisingly, turned out to be very special.

Thank you all so much for all your support and interest.

More soon,

Nomi and Bill

Last Day???? -- Buoyed Spirits All Around!

2009-06-14T12:33:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, June 14, 2009, at 11 am, Red Dress was 62 miles away from her barn, sitting in a perfectly calm water, with the Point Reyes coast looming in the distance, and the weather report coming from the local buoys telling of no wind whatsoever along the entire Californina coast...

So what are you all buoyed up about, you ask?

Well, at 37 degrees 56 minutes North, and 123 degrees 37 minutes West, our eager sailors were waiting for the "Triple A of Boats" (as I call it, never remembering the real name of this boat insurance company) to rendezvous with them and bring them fuel, so they can motor as fast as they can all the way HOME.

Thank God for modern technology and monthly insurance payments!!!

If all goes well we'll greet them tonight at 10 pm at the Emeryville dock.

I'll probably write once more to tell you how it all went, and Adam will hopefully enclose some photos of the valiant voyagers before they become all clean and civilized again!

By the way, they didn't catch any fish yesterday... The weather is overcast and cool, and last night there was a lot of phosphorescence in the water, which confirms the rumors of whales in the area, probably coming to graze on all this phosphorescent plankton. Our guys are aware of that kind of traffic.

Full gas tank and fast motoring!

Nomi

Day 15 -- Bummed -- No Wind AT ALL !!!

2009-06-13T18:11:00.001-07:00

The gods are not angry, they are just absent. Who's in charge of the winds around here? Aeolus? Boreas? Zephyr? Where are you guys?!!! Well, I guess I better not complain, lest they start something bigger than our guys can handle. At the moment though, these homesick guys are motoring very, very slowly, in order to conserve fuel, and trying to make use of any miserly whiff of wind that comes along, but mostly there's none...

So, at 3:30 today, Saturday, June 13 (a-ha!!!) they were at 38 degrees and 2 minutes North, and 125 degrees and 26 minutes West.

They've gone 115 miles in the last 24 hours, by far their worst day. Going now straight towards the Gate at 4 miles per hour, they have 149 miles to go, you make the math...

I tried to cheer them up by telling them I've just finished baking Bill's favorite chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, which we'll all eat at the dock when they arrive, along with fresh squeezed orange juice (Bill's request) and/or hot chocolate and/or champagne. But this might be late Sunday night, so the tropical theme balloons, the fruit basket, and the hand painted sign might not be seen but only "felt with the heart" to quote Helen Keller.

Oh well, in the meantime they're trying to fish, but so far nothing.

I'll keep you posted.

Take care,

Nomi

Day 14 -- Not so good, light wind

2009-06-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 12th, at 3:35 they were at 38 degrees 6 minutes North, and 127 degrees 52 minutes West.

At first, they were not in a very good mood, because the spinnaker halyard broke again last night, at 9 pm, the same thing that broke on the way to Hawaii, and there was no wind, so they couldn't use neither the spinnaker nor the other sails, and had to motor all night and most of today. They made 132.9 miles in 24 hours, the second worst day so far. 1973.6 miles in total so far.

BUT, looking at the bright side, the line of the spinnaker fell into the water and got wrapped around the wind vane paddle, and they were able to unwrap it without jumping in the water!
And they had the most fabulous dinner last night: angel hair pasta with salmon and marinara sauce with avocado. "Fresh salmon right out of the can", Bill said, and added that it was so good that Tom had to put it down in his journal as one of the top ten new foods he's discovered on the voyage. Some of the other new things were "Shepherd's Pie", i.e. mashed potatoes with chili on top and sauteed vegetables, and ovaltine.

By the end of the call the state of both wind and spirit, the "matzav ruach" of both sailors, was much better. The wind was blowing 8-9 knots, and they were sailing the main and the jib, hoping it won't get any worse.

(I think they had hoped to arrive earlier even than Sunday, now it doesn't look like they would...)

Tom said they were sailing as fast as they could.

That's all for today.

Have a good weekend!

Nomi

Day 13 -- Elegant Sailing

2009-06-11T16:27:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, June 11, at 3:30, they were at 38 degrees 3 minutes North, and 130 degrees 41 minutes West, making the most of a south-westerly, 8-11 knot wind, by using the spinnaker.

Last night, as result of the predicted low pressure system, they lost the wind completely and had to motor all night, taking 4 hour shifts, watching for the coastal ships that might start appearing soon.

But this morning, the wind came back somewhat, and with the spinnaker, they have been sailing 6.5 knots since 8:30 AM.

They've gone 1841 miles so far, and have 399 miles to go.

The weather is pleasant, and although it's been raining lightly off and on all day, they're having a great time gliding along effortlessly with the huge spinnaker. A real elegant sailing, Bill said, especially compared to last night.

Tom Johnson's toe is better, but I can't resist sharing what Tom Birtley wrote Bill and me in that regard, it's just too much fun for just us to enjoy:

"...you're back home in a few days and, excepting the helicopter incident, poor Nomi has had to serve up stone soup for all the voyeurs like myself. Actually, she has done a great job and left plenty of room for reading between the lines. For example, it was evident to me that Tom Johnson stubbed his toe during the N. Korean missile attack."

All other readings between the lines are very welcome!!! We have only 3 days to spice up this soup a little, folks!

(For a minute there, I was tempted to write as subject "Day 4 before last" but feared this might anger the gods, and decided to leave the ending open... Bill said they're doing everything they can to get to the point where they have enough fuel to get home by Sunday whether they have wind or not.)

"Full sails and fair weather", guys!

Nomi

Day 12 -- Sailing Straight Towards Point Reyes

2009-06-10T16:10:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, June 10 (exactly a month since Red Dress left Emeryville) at 3:30 PM, they were at 38 degrees 4 minutes North, and 133 degrees and 26 minutes West.

The wind has been light, at one point they had to motor for an hour, but then they put up the spinnaker and that's how they're sailing now, 6 to 6.5 knots, in an 8 knots wind. They have now 529 miles to Emeryville and expect to arrive Sunday, about mid morning.

The sea is flat and the weather is pleasant, clouds interchanging with weak sunlight. Tom's toe is better.

Rick the Weatherguy expects they'll run into light, variable wind at some point, but once they make their turn towards the Bay they'll have good wind from the north all the way home. And they have enough fuel to motor for 300 miles, so they seem to be sure they'll make it back by Sunday.

A ship passed very close this morning.

They saw one albatross, and much less trash in the water.

That's all, 4 more days!

Take care,

Nomi

Day 10 and 11 combined -- All's Well, Lots of Wind!

2009-06-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,

(Welcome back from the bicycle marathon, Martha, Bravo and many congratulations! )

The short version:

Today, Tuesday, June 9th, at 3:30 they were at 37 degrees 50 minutes North, and 136 degrees 37 minutes West.

The phone reception was very bad, but the Matzav Ruach, or "state of the spirit/wind", was very good, because they've had a 14-18 knot wind all night and all day. They are now at the latitude of San Francisco, more or less, and are sailing north till they reach the latitude of Point Reyes, then they'll go straight east until 10 miles from shore, at which point they'll make their last turn right and sail down to the SF Bay. That's a rough stretch, but those two (and Pam too, I think) have sailed it many times, so they're not concerned, and I guess I shouldn't be either.

Tom stubbed his toe somewhere on the deck. It's swollen, and turned black and blue and might be broken (he's using his shoe as a splint, and is not in terrible pain, he said. I hope it get better soon!)

They've gone already 1557 miles and have 680 left.

And if you're not tired yet, let me go back to yesterday (I was busy with work and couldn't write), and tell you briefly that they had a good, steady wind all day yesterday too, about 9-12 knots, the boat going at 7-7.5 knots. The sea was smooth and flat, a nice change from the miserable day before (my thanks to all the sailors who explained to me about sailing with a close reaching wind.)

Yesterday they were just north of the Santa Cruz latitude (Hi Jillian, Tom's daughter!), which means they entered the grey part of the voyage back. The sky was overcast all the time, the sea was grey, and they had to wear sweaters during the day for the first time. But "spirits were up on the Red Dress expedition", Captain Bill reported. They were reading again some of the notes Yael had collected for them before the trip, and yesterday they discussed some thought provoking questions written in one of those notes, including the question what were the principles and events that shaped their lives. It was fun.

Tom told me there was a family of Albatrosses, two adults and a young one, which flew around the boat. Then, one of them flew down and started gliding on the water, flapping its wings and paddling with its feet. Tom also saw quite a lot of pieces of plastic floating in the water (I think it was Dan who asked about pollution?) All kinds of bits and pieces of fishing nets, buoys, yellow sheets of plastic, and other stuff. Bill explained that they were close to that famous "island of garbage the size of Texas," [a.k.a. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Eastern Garbage Patch or the Pacific Trash Vortex] which floats in the center of the East Pacific High.

Can anyone tell me: is this natural to see so few living creatures in the ocean, or is there some sinister Global Warming "thing" going on? Please disabuse me of my paranoia if that is natural and how it's always been in the middle of the ocean.

That's all folks, they're getting really close!

Nomi

Day 10 -- Colder, Greyer, but good wind and in good spirits

2009-06-08T16:16:00.001-07:00

On Monday, June 8th, at 3:30 they were at 37 degrees 4 minutes North and 139 degrees 50 minutes West.

More details tomorrow.

Nomi

Day 9 -- Motoring but Hopeful

2009-06-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, June 7th, at 7:30 pm (I was in a fair in San Francisco selling my pictures and missed our regular 3:30 calling time), they were motoring at 36 degrees 24 minutes North and 142 degrees 12 minutes West.

All night they had a 20-25 knot wind right on the nose, if I understood correctly. Please, you sailors in our midst, correct my terminology if I speak nonsense, but Bill was very tired from a night with very little sleep, and he couldn't explain much. What I understood is that the wind swung around to Northerly and then north-easterly, which means it was blowing from exactly the direction they were going to, I think he called it "close-reaching" wind, and they were trying to sail as close to the wind as they could (45 degrees, I think), which meant a lot of sail adjustments and it was also very wet. I assume there's a lot of waves breaking at them in such a situation. But I think he also said it rained, not sure.

(I think I heard Tom saying that Bill came down to the cabin yesterday saying he'd engaged in exercise of futility by cursing the wind.)

Anyway, this morning the wind suddenly died completely, so they started motoring and now they're in good spirits, despite the lack of sleep and wind, because they have plenty of fuel and they have only 960 miles to go!They're going to call Rick tonight and get a course from him that will hopefully give them some wind. Bill said he thinks they might make it home by Sunday.

(Do you all get the feeling that these tough guys are missing their Ithaca big time?..)

Have a good week, everybody, pray for wind!!!!

Martha, how was your marathon, please tell us!

Nomi

Pam's photos from the Hawaii-bound trip

2009-06-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

Captain Bill plotting the course.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Approaching the gate, Hawaii bound.

"I'll take two stuffed-crust spinach and sun-dried tomato..." (More likely giving the daily report to Nomi.)

Docked in Radio Bay, Hilo, Hawaii.

Day 8 -- Starting to Smell the Barn

2009-06-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 6th, at 3:30 pm, the homesick sailors were starting, as Tom said, to smell the barn! They were at 35 degrees 7 minutes North and 145 degrees 10 minutes West, about half way home.

[The progress on the map looks very dramatic now, take a look, and thanks so much to Adam again!]

With 1122 miles to go, they are going fast now, with the main and jib, which they changed to this morning. They're having a lot of wind of about 17 knots, while the boat is sailing at about 7.5 knots.

This morning was grey and wet, they got rained on, but now it's bright and sunny again.

They called Rick the Weatherguy, and he said to keep on the same course, north easterly, till they reach latitude 38, which is the latitude of the lighthouse in Point Reyes, and then go south towards San Francisco.

Take care,

Nomi

Day 7 -- Five Star Vacation!

2009-06-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 5th, at 3:30 pm our vacationers were at 33 degrees 46 minutes North and 147 degrees 32 minutes West.

They've had very light wind in the last 24 hours, but they managed to sail 157 miles, and are expecting to cross the halfway line tomorrow.

They motored for 20 hours (the motor is very efficient, they used only 10 gallons of gas for 130 miles), and then started sailing the asymmetrical spinnaker, which works in perfect combination with the auto pilot, keeping a very accurate course, Bill said.

He said it's been a very eerie experience. The sea is flat, you don't feel any wind, you don't even feel you're moving, and yet the boat is rolling along. The wind has been about 5-7 knots, and the boat is sailing at 5.5 knots. This is the first time they've sailed with the spinnaker since they fixed it in Hilo, and Tom loves it. It only needs very little wind for the boat to glide along.

It was Tom who said this was a 5 star vacation. They read, they eat, they take naps, and today they're taking baths. But at night it's starting to get a little cold and wet. But that means they're getting closer to home...

They saw one albatross today, and a ship yesterday.

At night the moon is very bright and beautiful now, it's almost full by now.

They think there's a 30% chance they'll make it home in two weeks rather than the 3 they were talking about earlier. May that come true!!! (mariners seem to be very wary of optimism...)

Have a great weekend!

Nomi

Fwd: Day 6 -- All's Well

2009-06-04T16:35:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody, please read Rick's remark below, sorry for the confusion, it's mine, not Bill's, that's for sure. Thanks, Rick!

Nomi

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rick Shema (WXGY) <rick@weatherguy.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Subject: RE: Day 6 -- All's Well
To: Naomi Teplow <nomiteplow@gmail.com>

Hi Naomi:

Thank you for your continued notes.

Bill may have meant to say re-routed more towards the north-easterly direction instead of north westerly.

Just a minor point.

Aloha, Rick

Weatherguy.com

970 N Kalaheo Ave., Suite C-104

Kailua, HI 96734

Toll Free: 1-866-882-WXGY (9949)

Mobile: 1-808-291-WXGY

Fax: 1-808-443-0889

email: rick@weatherguy.com

Day 6 -- All's Well

2009-06-04T16:19:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

On Thursday, June 4th, at 3:30 pm they were at 32 degrees 15 minutes North and 149 degrees 51 minutes West.

They had good wind all night till 5 AM, then the wind died down, so they motored till 7:45 AM, maintaining an average of 7.5 knots.

They've sailed 807 miles in 5 complete days so far, 36% of the trip.

Rick the Weatherguy rerouted them so they should go north-[easterly] rather than northerly, which means they will hit the East Pacific High, an area of high pressure and no wind. But having enough fuel, they are going to "punch through the calm spot" by motoring, and that way shortening the way.

The mysterious helicopter never came back, but on the other hand, 3 small dolphins came by and followed along the boat for a while.

Still eating lots of papayas, and are in good spirits ("As long as we have 6 knots, we're in good spirits.")

Bill was listening today to a podcast about the Punic Wars that Tom had brought and he mentioned something about frost bites and seeing the Alps in the distance... He said things were getting so desperate that he might have to start reading Jane Eyre (the book I gave him, one of my favorite books of all time).

Other than that, all's well. Hope the same with you.

Nomi

p.s. Tom sends regard to everybody.

Voyage Back Day 5 -- Mysterious Helicopter

2009-06-03T19:58:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

On Wednesday, June 3rd, at 3:30 they were at 30 degree 2 minutes North and 151 degrees 17 minutes West. They were very happy to have crossed the 30th parallel, which, they said, was the border between Mexico and the US, so they feel they're getting closer home, and have done it fast. They sailed 165 miles today, 650 miles in 4 days, which is more than 1/4 of the way.

The weather was still warm and lovely, though it was cooling off. The wind was blowing steadily 12 to 15 knots during the day, up to 20 knots during the night. The boat was sailing 7 to 7.5 knots on average, with almost no need for sail adjustments. So they're just relaxing, having a real nice vacation.

But something interesting, even weird, did happen yesterday: at about 7:45 pm, a military helicopter appeared and circled twice above them, then went away. They called on the short wave radio, which usually elicits response, but this helicopter did not respond at all.

Later, at 10 pm the helicopter appeared again and circled above them again, and then, Tom, who was on watch, saw what looked like a meteorite, or a rocket, falling about 20 miles away and ending in a fire ball that fell in the water. Again they called the helicopter with no response.

What would you think this was?

Asked if he wanted to add anything, Tom said only that he was having a great time. Bill added, "Yes, this was a great day: we fought off the North Koreans single-handedly and then crossed the 30th parallel".

They had some phone problems, and explained that if I can't reach them tomorrow it's only technical problems, and that Rick the Weatherguy will be able to tell me by the wind situation how far they've gone each day.

Let's hope the phone works alright tomorrow, so we don't have North Korean nightmares...

Take care,

Nomi

Voyage Back Day 4 -- All's Well

2009-06-02T16:52:00.001-07:00

[Adam has been very busy, but he hopes to update the map tonight]

Hi Everyone,

Tuesday, June 2nd, at 3:30 they were at 27 degrees 24 minutes North, and 152 degrees 18 minutes West.

They've sailed 482 miles in 3 days, about 162 miles a day. The wind was good, not too crazy, and steady, at night and most of the day 15 to 18 knots, in the afternoon 10 to 14 knots.

The weather is very pleasant, warm and sunny (actually, inside the cabin it gets very hot and they're using their two solar powered fans to keep from sweating too much, so they don't run through their water supply), but they're getting ready for colder weather as they go farther north.

The night watches were very pleasant, not too warm, not too cold, with a spectacular moon.

They are pushing papayas on the menu today, Bill said, since the 21 papayas they bought on a special in Hilo are getting ripe quickly.

They saw some flying fish which flew 50 yards at a shot, they said.

Tom said they have enough food for 50 years, and Bill added that they were contemplating going up to Alaska instead of coming home...

Yesterday they were very busy with chores, today they're relaxing, reading motorcycle and sailing magazines.

That's all for today,

Take care,

Nomi

Voyage Back Day 3

2009-06-01T19:38:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

[To see some photos from the first leg of the voyage, go to Tuesday, May 26th on the blog. There will be some more photos from Pam soon.]

Today, June 1st, at 4:30 pm they were at 24 degrees 45 minutes North, and 153 degrees 16 minutes West.

The wind was light, 6 to 8 knots, and they were sailing at 5.5 knots and were very busy trying to find the best sail combination to catch as much of the wind as possible. When we spoke, they were sailing with the main and the asymmetrical spinnaker. The new autopilot was working perfectly, doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing: steering the boat when the wind is too light for the wind vane to steer.

The day was warm and bright, spectacularly beautiful, Bill said.

But they were both tired and were planning on taking some naps.

Last night at 2 am a ship passed far in the horizon.

They were happy to report no drama, and I was happy to receive no drama.

Take care,

Nomi

Voyage Back Day 2

2009-05-31T21:06:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

They made 151 miles in 24 hours today, and were mighty pleased with that (even though when asked how he felt so far, Tom said, "like riding in that stage coach but with the horses on LSD or something... a very athletic ride".)

Sunday May 31st, at 3:30 pm, they were at 22 degrees 11 minutes North and 154 degrees 19 minutes West.

As you'll see on the map, they are indeed going north much more than east so far. Tom said they were following the Milky Way last night, pointing to the North Star. It was a beautiful night and a real adventure, he said. None of them was seasick.

The wind was blowing steady 15 to 22 Knots, and they were busy [reefing] and [unreefing] the sails (main and jib). At night they were doing 4 hour watches. The moon was half full and is getting brighter and brighter. The phosphorescence in the water appears only when the moon sets.

Today was sunny and beautiful. No ships, no living creatures except a few birds.

They had the traditional cream of wheat with plumped raisins and brown sugar for breakfast, and some Indian spicy dish with rice for last night's dinner.

Lucas, they don't know what Huka Pele is, do you want to explain it to all of us? And no, they did not go to any luau, because they were so busy preparing the boat for the voyage, and haven't heard of any. Sorry...

That's all folks,

Take care,

Nomi

Red Dress' Voyage Back Home

2009-05-30T22:00:00.001-07:00

Aloha, Red Dress Followers,

Leaving Hilo today, May 30th, at 1 pm (I think it was Hawaii time, 4 pm PST, but I'm not sure, I'll clarify tomorrow ) calling on his cell phone a few times, just a few miles off shore up to 20 miles off, Bill reported that the boat was sailing beautifully, the wind was blowing 4 to 6 knots, and the weather was bright and pleasant, a welcome change after 5 very hot and muggy days in Hilo.

Tom, who arrived Monday, brought with him a new, very good autopilot, a self-steering device which connects to the wind vane and makes navigation even easier. They worked on the boat all week, fixing, installing, climbing masts, shopping for food, water, and about 50 gallons of diesel, and preparing for an even longer, and harder voyage. The expected time is 3 weeks. So far, everything is working perfectly. They were sailing with the main and the jib and making a very good progress towards north.

Pam arrived safely in Oakland Airport last night and was greeted with a little tea and cake party right there, at the airport. She looks GREAT! You'll see a few photos from the voyage on the blog soon.

And while Bill and Tom are on their sea voyage, our friend Martha, the sailor who wrote the notes about some of her sea experiences, is starting tomorrow her bicycle AIDS marathon from San Francisco to LA (that's why she couldn't join them on this leg of the voyage.) Good luck, Martha!!!!

Aloha,

Nomi

Photos from the Hawaii-bound leg of the voyage

2009-05-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

Bill and Pam victorious at Radio Bay, Hilo.

"Jesus Sunset."

Pam, somewhere in the middle of the North Pacific.

Two albatrosses investigate Red Dress.

Captain Bill.

CAT Scan Clear!

2009-05-26T18:04:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm sure you'll be relieved and happy to know that Pam saw a doctor today and had a CAT Scan done and everything looks great!

Take care,

Nomi

ARRIVED!!!!!!

2009-05-25T10:34:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

This morning, May 25, at 8:55 Bill called me, for just a second, because he had to take care of some urgent motor technical problem, to tell me they arrived last night, at 4:20 am PST (which is, I think, 2:20 am in Hawaii.)

I'll give you more details when he calls again.

Until then I would like to tell you about a question that Lucas Bentley, age 6 1/2, asked me the other day to present to Uncle Bill next time I called him. The question was: if you put all the amoebas in the world in a row, next to each other, will you be able to see them?

Uncle Bill, who is the Science Authority in our "Tribe", when I presented him with the question yesterday, answered unequivocally, "Yes!", and I passed it on to Lucas.

But today, after Bill's call, and after heaving a big sigh of relief, I suddenly thought of all those tiny little invisible "amoebas" of all our collective thoughts and prayers and wishes, which accompanied these two brave sailors for two weeks and a day. If you put them all together in a row, will you be able to see them?..

I think so. Even though I am a scientifically-minded, sworn atheist (against my best intentions) myself, there is something here that teases my mystical bone and says, YES! and wants to thank you, all of you, who sent those thoughts and prayers and wishes to them. And wants to ask you, after a break of 4 days, to continue sending these to Tom and Bill on their way back, which is going to be longer and harder.

Till next Saturday, then, my thanks to all of you, and a big ALOHA, they made it!

Nomi

LAND HO! -- They made it!

2009-05-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Nomi just called to tell Yael and me that Red Dress arrived, safe and sound, at Radio Bay, Hilo, Hawaii and 4:20 a.m. PST. You can now exhale.

More from Nomi shortly...

Day 15

2009-05-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Thanks again for all the wonderful responses! I warmly recommend you go to the blog and see the dramatic map, and listen to the Taimane songs which Adam put in there. Red Dress is SO CLOSE now, that they'll probably be there tomorrow morning rather than evening.

Sunday, May 24th, at 3:30 they were at 20 degrees 45 minutes North and 153 degrees 54 minutes West. 77.5 miles from Hilo.

They had plenty of wind all day, sailing at 7 - 7.5 knots.

The weather is hot, humid, with heavy overcast and rain!

They came within Hilo's radio reception, and the first thing that they heard was Renee Flemming singing an aria from the opera Louise on NPR. It was magnificent, says Bill.

(I'm trying to copy it for you here -- first time I'm doing such a thing on the Internet by myself. I hope it works): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d_8ovQHbF4

They took a bath today, with sea water, Joy detergent, and some fresh water at the end. They're ready to arrive in civilization!

They'll have to be very alert tonight since there will be a lot of traffic, with fishing boats, barges, and cruising ships.

They are still coughing, I could hear that, and asked about it, and Bill said that bronchitis they got on the first day stayed with them the whole voyage. It's good they have some time to rest in Hilo.

I will probably write once more before taking a break until Tom Johnson and Bill start their way back Saturday.

It's been wonderful to be part of this community of supportive, loving people who seem to have found inspiration rather than insanity in Bill's and Pam's brave, awesome adventure. You guys have helped me a lot during these two weeks, and I think Pam and Bill will be very happy to read all your notes.

Thanks so much to all of you!

Nomi

And at (almost) closing, with Pam feeling so much better, and about to have 4 days of rest in Hilo before flying back to California, I'd like to enclose a story that our friend Avi sent me (at my request) of his own accidental jibe (the same thing that happened to Pam). Again, I think it adds a certain perspective. Thanks so much, Avi and Martha, for your sea stories. And best wishes to Pam for a quick recovery from all those bruises...

* * *

It must have been more than six years ago when Heidi (my wife) and I took a 4-day refresher class in sailing. I chose to take this class with Olympic Circle Sailing Club - OCSC - a respectable school here in the Berkeley Marina. I chose this school for the small student-to-instructor ratio (3 to 1) and their hands-on approach. Most of the time was spent in the boat on the bay.

It was Sunday afternoon, around 5pm, our last day, as we were sailing back to the marina. Summer bay winds 15 to 20 knots. We were sailing in a J24 (baby sister of Red Dress -- J35), the instructor in the back with a student next to him, on the tiller. My memory goes blank from that point.

My next memory is being under water -- blue and quiet -- everything moving very slowly, realizing that I will need to breathe fairly soon. I couldn't figure which side is up and which is down and which way I'm moving. As this is happening I realize that my arms and legs don't want to cooperate. I tried moving my limbs but nothing moved. There wasn't a sense of panic, more a sort of wonder what's next.

Next thing I floated to the surface (another reason for a life vest) took a big breath in and felt my legs move a little. The boat was turning around coming back towards me. It took Heidi and the instructor a couple of strong efforts to hurl me in, since I could not help them, my arms were limp.

According to Heidi, the boom came all of a sudden from one side and almost, may be a little, scraped her. I jumped to check if she was OK when our friend (the boom) came flying back and this time made full contact throwing me to the water.

My diagnosis was a severe concussion and whip lash – my arms movement came back within a few hours. My fingers were more stubborn, if I remember correctly it took a couple of months for everything to get back to normal.

So here we were - with a trained instructor and the boom jibed twice out of supervised control.

Accidents happen and I still love sailing.

Taimane

2009-05-24T07:27:00.001-07:00

Hi -- it's Adam. A couple days ago Nomi mentioned that they were enjoying the music of Taimane, a ukelele player from Hawaii. I didn't have a chance to put a link to her music that day, but after going back and listening to her again and imagining our sailors being moved by this incredible beauty in the middle of the ocean on the way to Hawaii, after all the challenges they've been through, I wanted to make sure people had a chance to hear. So you can hear her here. And here.

Day 14

2009-05-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

On Saturday, May 23, at 3:30 pm they were at 21 degrees 42 minutes North and 151 degrees 20 minutes West, with 241 miles to Hilo left.

The trade winds were blowing 20 to 22 knots all night and all morning and they made 96 miles in 12 hours, going an average of 8 knots the whole time.

They said that with a lot of satisfaction, but admitted that it was also EXHAUSTING... Just to keep yourself INSIDE the boat, without falling or bumping into things in such a violent motion, when the boat is constantly heeling (leaning over) and bouncing from wave to wave, is very hard and exhausting.

For their own amusement, they looked for metaphorical analogies to describe the situation, and here is what they came up with:

It's like riding in a stage coach across the prairie in the darkest of nights, without a driver...

Or like living in a tumble drier...

Or like riding in an RV attached to a mechanical bull...

And in addition, they cannot let off their guard now and just go to sleep any time they're tired, because last night, when Bill was on watch, a big ship passed by, going east. It was quite eerie, he said, after ten days of not seeing any vessel whatsoever, to suddenly have a big ship pass by about five miles away ( Max and Lucas, and Shira's kids in Israel, don't worry! the ship was full of lights, and Red Dress has lights too, so they would not run into each other, even though the nights are very dark now, without the moon.)

But Red Dress, going very fast, is taking good care of itself, sailing right on course, with the wind vane pointing straight to Hilo. They expect to arrive there by Monday, even if the winds become lighter as they come closer, because they have enough fuel to motor for 100 miles. They've already talked to the harbor master at Radio Bay (that's where Bill arrived with Chubby, in 2002), and found out there's plenty of space for them to anchor. Tom Johnson is arriving in Hilo on Monday too, and after a little rest, they'll start preparing for the voyage back, cleaning and refilling the boat with food, water and fuel.

Pam is taking a plane back to California on Friday, but Bill and Tom are leaving on Saturday, since no sailor in his right mind leaves a harbor on a Friday, it's a universally-accepted superstition which no one violates.

I asked Pam whether she was happy or sad about getting close to the end of the adventure, and she said she was both... It was very arduous but also wonderful.

They saw a very strange bird today. It looked like a tern, but had a long, white, thin tail, longer than its body, which seemed like a piece of yarn trailing behind it. A very elegant bird, which followed them for a while, and seemed to be checking them out with much curiosity.

They spent some time entertaining themselves with the questions they got from us for times of boredom (some of which were taken from David Grossman's new novel): What are some early events that changed your life (learning to ride a bike; going to the Sierras for the first time; going to summer camp away from home for the first time, etc..); what do you miss from your early life; what do you regret in your life; what will you do first thing when you get home, etc..

Finally, I asked if Pam wanted to add something and she said, "I can't understand how he did this in Chubby! She's so small, like a leaf on the waves...and for such a long time" (it took him 24 days in Chubby). Bill laughed and said he too can't understand how he did it in such a small boat as Chubby.

If anyone wants to ask them any questions, I'm sure they'll be happy to answer. You have two more days for this leg of the voyage!

Aloha,

Nomi

Day 13 -- Just Another Perfect Day in Paradise

2009-05-22T17:32:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Friday, May 22, 3:30 pm -- 23 degrees 16 minutes North, 148 degrees 35 minutes West,

420 miles to Hilo.

Bill reports they've had fantastic Trade winds steadily from midnight to midnight, and sailed 178 miles in 24 hours, average of 7.4 knots (I hope I got it right).

But actually, "steadily" may not be the right word... Bill claims the wind has a sense of humor. It rose to 26 knots this morning, so they decided to drop the main, but just as they finished doing that, the wind dropped to 11 knots and they had to raise it up again (in case anyone is worried they're bored).

Well, they used the calm period to cook breakfast, cream of wheat with plumped raisins and brown sugar, and later the wind came back again.

The days are hot and sunny now, with the typical Trade Wind puffy white clouds above and a deep, deep blue sea below.

The nights, Pam says, are beautiful and full of stars, and there's so much phosphorescence in the water as the boat whooshes by, especially in the foam of the bow wave, right besides you when you sit watch, that it looks like you have stars overhead and stars in the water.

Yesterday, for dinner, they had risotto with stir-fry vegetables and chicken. Tonight they're going to have spaghetti with marinara sauce.

They've been using the Lansenoh cream that Yael gave them (nursing mothers know what that is used for...) for keeping their hands soft against the constant assault of the salty water. It works great! Works also to prevent some aluminum screws from getting rusty, Aba (Bill) said.

Yael, today they read the long green letter and it was amazingly beautiful, a very powerful letter, which they both enjoyed tremendously. "A treasure", Pam said.

Also, the very beautiful Sailor's Poem, which they think is from Fabio, but are not sure, at any rate they thank whoever sent it very much.

Aloha everyone, have a great weekend!

Nomi

p.s. For those still recovering from the accident days, I'm enclosing below two short excerpts from Martha's letters sent immediately after the accident and a day later. I think they are pertinent and fun and somehow put things in a certain perspective. (Martha considered joining the voyage back from Hawaii with Bill and Tom Johnson, but finally had to decline because she is participating in the AIDS bicycle marathon from SF to LA at the end of this month.)

***

May 18. ... I know news like this must make you feel very anxious, but I want you to know that from my brief experience sailing to Mexico, stuff like this actually happens a lot, and sailors take it somewhat in stride. Prepare like hell, and then accept what comes using your good preparations is the approach, but accidents are expected.. True sailors are pretty tough, that's why they do stuff like this in the first place. Can't tell you how many crazy stories I've heard about sailing accidents etc. They even had a contest in Mexico when we arrived for "best boat bruise" - was a cracked rib the year I went.

May 19, 2009

Yaya!!!! I was just thinking last night, as I was writing you about how tough sailors are, about a 'distress' call we heard on the CG hailing frequency when I was on the Haha. These people were looking for some extra stuff to plug up a hole - there's this plastic stuff you can apply underwater to the boat and it dries and becomes like fiberglass or wood or whatever, so you can keep sailing. They had a hole, they were taking water, and their pump had broken, and they were bailing water by hand. It was the middle of the night. They were about 11 miles north of (behind) us.

So we offered to turn around and go back. We didn't have the stuff but we had a pump, and we had room in case they needed to abandon ship. They were like, "No, we're fine, just need some of that stuff to plug the hole, we'll get it from someone else. We can bail until then."

that's when I knew - sailors are some f-ing tough, courageous, and crazy, people. :)
so glad Pam is feeling better!

Day 12

2009-05-22T00:54:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Thursday, May 21, 3:20: 24 degrees 48 minutes North and 146 degree West. 587 miles to Hilo, hoping to be there Monday or Tuesday.

It's 12:20 AM, actually tomorrow, so I'll be brief ( I went to the graduation ceremony of Fabio, Adam's brother-in-law from Brazil, who was the chosen the outstanding student of his MPA class at San Jose State. A very moving ceremony and speech)

Today was a great, a PERFECT day for the Red Dress crew. They finally got what they had dreamt of: a perfect Trade wind day, with the sun shining, and the solar panels recharging all the empty electrical devices after many days of overcast weather. The sky was blue with white clouds, the sea was blue with white caps, the usual albatrosses kept them entertained, they even saw two flying fish! But the main thing is that Red Dress was roaring along, making 7.5 knots all last night and all day today. This day made up for all the trials and tribulations of the last few days, Bill said, and Pam concurred. She was feeling much better, everything was healing nicely, the neck, the gash, everything.

Bill said it was a genuine spectacular sailing day, and they earned it!

They listened to the ukulele virtuoso Hawaiian girl Taimane on the iPhone speaker and it was a very emotional experience, a joyful music from their destination place after all they've gone through... A big Thank You to Adam again for the iPhone speaker!

They were busy cleaning the boat after the neglect of the hard days, but were sailing fast, putting the pedal to the metal, Bill said and making good, steady progress.

They had very little fresh food left, which they were going to use tonight in a stir fry dinner.

That's all folks,

Aloha,

Nomi

Day 11 -- A Boring Report, Thank Goodness!

2009-05-20T18:08:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Wednesday, May 20th, at 3:30 pm they were at 26 degrees and 6 minutes North, and 143 degrees and 22 minutes West. 760 miles to Hilo.

The wind has been good yesterday and today, but variable, changing from 8 to 20 knots, and from East-Northeast to Easterly, so Bill has been very busy, constantly adjusting the sails and the wind vane (did I get that right? Please correct me if not), and hand-steering at times. They're making good progress now, going with the main and the jib. They expect the wind to be lighter later today and tomorrow, but the angle of the wind is easier for sailing in light air now, he said.

The phone reception being very good, I read some of your notes to Pam off my computer screen, and she was extremely pleased and delighted, they really cheered her up. I told her I'll make a booklet of all of the notes so they can read them all when they're back on land. She talked with her daughters yesterday and that was great!

She's still a bit stiff, though less so than before, especially the neck. It's becoming more apparent now what hurts what doesn't. She has a gash in her forehead, which is gradually healing, but might leave a scar. She's still taking Tylenol, and has been sleeping a lot, but yesterday, she said, all of a sudden she felt a lot better. She said that Bill is not letting her do any work, but he told me that this morning she made breakfast for everybody. -- Everybody?! -- Yeah, he laughed, for the whole crew!

He thinks by tomorrow Pam will be fully functional, and they'll be back on track cruising and having fun sailing, as opposed to a rescue operation... Tonight they're planning on making mashed potatoes and chili, and the last of the fresh vegetables. The ice box is finally starting to get warm, the cottage cheese went bad and they'll have to start throwing out some things. But they still have lots of apples and lemons (from our tree), which they love putting in their drinking water.

I hope all of you are doing well, dear community of the valiant Red Dress!

I find myself praying most of the time when I'm not doing other things, like working or writing, and that is quite strange for a sworn-atheist Kibbutznick like me... But it helps, it really does, somehow, and I guess it's more realistic than that blithering optimistic, confident mood I was in before the accident.

The 2002 Chubby voyage had spoiled me, I think, and now I feel like a kind of innocence was shattered... Red Dress is so much bigger than Chubby, so much harder to rein, it seems to me... But when I expressed this sentiment to Bill today, he said, on the contrary, Red Dress is very controllable and is taking very good care of them. She is very roomy and voluminous, and there's a lot of privacy in the front part, where the toilet is. The whole boat is very comfortable, and you never bump into each other.

He said the lee clothes (which are these white canvas sheets, which I saw him sewing at the kitchen table with our miserable sewing machine that only he knows how to use, connected to wooden poles and hanging from the ceiling to the beds, preventing you from falling when you're asleep and the boat is rocking and swaying) have been working very well, especially when Pam was injured and was sleeping a lot. Cooking too is very comfortable, in short, it's a great boat.

I still think of Red Dress as of a kicking wild mare, and she frightens me.

So praying is good. Writing too. Now you know why I'm writing so much...

Aloha all,

Nomi

Day 10

2009-05-19T19:32:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

At 3:30 today, the reception was frustrating and awful, but I did manage to hear Bill saying with much joy and relief that Pam was doing much better, and that they were now 890 miles from Hilo.

At 5:30 I tried again and the reception was perfect, so here are the rest of the news:

May 19, 5:30 pm PST -- 27 degrees 24 minutes N and 141 degrees 18 minutes West.

At the moment they were sailing fast at 6-7 knots on full main, "on a deep broad reach", Bill said, and no jib. They were going straight to Hilo, the Big Island, about a day and a half closer, where they'll check Pam into the hospital and have a full MRI and all the rest of the tests needed.

But the weather guy informed them that they might run into a calm area in a few days, so take a deep breath everybody... Bill was talking of 8 days... but then the Trade winds will come back. Bill was thinking he might be able to motor part of the way during the calm area. Let me reassure you they have plenty of water and plenty of food.

Pam is in full rest now, but she can move around to take care of herself. The swell in her head is not so bad, and she is in a good mood and eating as usual. Both of them are in good spirits, and were very happy and appreciative to hear of all the outpour of love and support from all of you.

The Coast Guard are in constant communication with them.

May we have only boring emails from now on!!!

Aloha,

Nomi

THANK YOU!!!

2009-05-19T10:18:00.001-07:00

Just have to thank all of you again for your unbelievable outpour of support and love, I can't tell you how much it means to me and warms my anxious heart, and I promise to pass as much of it as I can to them when I talk to them later this afternoon. Such a community of loving people you are! thank you all so very much!!!! Main thing, she's doing much better, and Bill, as many of you pointed out, keeps his calm and strong attitude through it all, and will probably bring her safely to Hilo (with one l :) very soon. Details later.

Love and thanks,

Nomi

Pam Much Improved!!!

2009-05-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We've had a very bad phone connection, calling back and forth many times with no success, but finally this morning, just now, at about 9 am PST, Bill called loud and clear and in a very upbeat tone, saying Pam is feeling much better, her spirits is up, her appetite is back, she had breakfast, and they are going to Hilo. The Coast Guard is not able to divert any ship to them, so they're sailing to Hilo. The wind is about 6.5 knots, and they're making progress.

I'll talk to them again at 3:30 and tell you more details.

Thanks so much for all the support and good wishes, which I passed on to them.

More later,

Nomi

Update

2009-05-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your support and love, I told Bill about all the notes that came and it meant a lot to him and he'll tell Pam too. She is able to move about now, feeling a little better, and waiting to see how she'll feel tomorrow. The Coast Guard is looking for a ship to divert towards them.

They'll call in 4 hours, so Bill is going to get some sleep now.

I'll write again tomorrow, or later tonight.

Nomi

Update

2009-05-18T21:49:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Pam is doing better. She took some Tylenol for the pain in her shoulder, as suggested by the Coast Guard doctor, and she is resting and is in good spirits now. She's in full consciousness.

Bill is in touch with the Coast Guard, and they're working on a possible evacuation after all. He is going to change his course to Hilo, in the Big Island, which will shorten the trip by a day and a half.

At the moment he is sailing gently, with only the jib, to allow Pam to feel comfortable.

I'll keep you posted.

Nomi

Day 9

2009-05-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I passed your warm wishes, prayers, white light, hugs, alohas, support and love to the two brave sailors, and they were very happy to receive it because they really did need it all today...

Monday, May 18, at 5:30 pm they were at 27 degree 21 minutes N and 139 degree 4 minutes West. It seems like a big progress, doesn't it? but it wasn't a good day for them at all, and I'm still a bit down after our talk.

The phone connection was not very good, I had to call 3 times, and it wasn't easy to hear what they were saying. But I did get that last night, they were moving very fast, the wind was at 22 to 25 knots, so they had to drop the main completely and use only the jib, but at midnight, suddenly the boat spun around 360 degrees, which was quite disorienting for a moment. "A midnight Fire Drill", Bill said.

Then, this morning, the wind dropped to 5 to 6 knots and stayed like that all day, so they put up the spinnaker. But at about 8 am, the spinnaker halyard (rope) broke! ("It was just too old," Bill explained) and the spinnaker fell slowly down to the water, ("like a parachute, it was beautiful!" Pam said.) So they rescued it from the water and worked hard to dry it and put it back into its sheath. They will not be able to fix it until they reach the harbor, because they would have to climb to the mast top to do that, and that can't be done when the boat moves so much. So they had to put up the main and the jib again, and Bill got into a black funk. But then Pam cooked some rice with chopped tomatoes and diced sauteed ham, and that lifted their spirits again.

But they were both still coughing that deep, annoying cough, especially Pam, who had some allergies or sinus infection and didn't feel well last night. Today she's in better spirits.

They're going south again till tomorrow at noon, trying to catch more wind, and then they'll turn toward Kauai.

They did cross the half-way line today and threw a party, eating chocolate.

They haven't seen ANY ship nor any living things except two more albatrosses.

************************************************************************************

7:45 pm PST

Dear Friends,

Bill just called and said there was an accident. Pam got hit by the boom and fell forward, hitting her head and shoulder, apparently against the winch. She lost her consciousness for a few seconds then came to, but lost her short term memory. The shoulder might be broken, but Bill doesn't think so. He called the Coast Guard and they're going to evacuate her. I'm not sure about anything else. I'll keep you posted.

7:58 pm

Bill called again and said Pam's memory is back, she remembers where she is now, and is feeling better. The Coast Guard said there is no way to evacuate her from where they are, so Bill is sailing to the nearest harbor, in Hilo, probably. Pam was lying down in the cabin, resting, talking normally, and Bill was taking care of her shoulder in consultation with the Coast Guard Doctor. (Bill took a first aid course, so he should know what to do.)

I called Gretchen, Pam's daughter, who will call the other family and friends. Pam said to tell you she is OK.

I'm so sorry to tell you such news. I'll keep you posted all night.

Praying very intensely for Pam's health and Bill's calmness and caution, so he can bring them both safely to Hawaii very soon, Nomi

Red Dress video -- at last

2009-05-18T00:57:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

Here is a video that Joe, Bill's brother, took on the dawn of Red Dress's departure. It's a little over 8 minutes long. See if you might enjoy the atmosphere of that morning. Thank you Joe!

Aloha,

Nomi

Day 8

2009-05-17T22:11:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Today we talked later than usual because I went to the Oakland Museum (Squeak Carnwath -- amazing!), and we talked for a very short time because I had to start babysitting Ori, our 5- month-old grandson (so Yael and Adam could go to a theater play in San Francisco. Which might cause Adam to be a little late showing the progress on the map, be patient, Max and Lucas!) Now Ori is mercifully asleep, so I'll try to quickly tell you the news.

Today, Sunday, May 17, at 5:30 pm they were at 27 degrees 41 minutes North and 136 degrees 55 minutes West. They covered 143 NM.

Last night they had a 12 to 20 knot wind all night. It was dark, a bit frightening, and felt a bit out of control with the big Genoa jib, which does not allow for any modifications. To change the sail would be a big operation, so they had to wait for daylight. Bill reassured me that they were not seasick, nor too uncomfortable, but it was dramatic. And still, the boat roared forward, right on course, with the wind vane steering steadily, no problem!

He sounded amazed at how DRY and clean the boat stayed so far. No leakage at all, no water anywhere inside the boat.

So this morning, between 8 to 10 am, when the wind went down from 15 knots to 10 for a little while, they quickly made a rehearsal on what lines would have to be pulled, and then they worked together very intensely and did it! It went very well, and now they have the main and the regular jib up, which are both flexible and can be riffed and otherwise modified according to the wind. My feeling is that Pam deserves here a specially big Hurray! It sounds to me like a very serious feat!

The day was overcast all day, grey, with very little sun. But yesterday they had a beautiful pink sunset with the light beams breaking through the clouds like a fan, which Pam calls a "Jesus Sunset".

And there were two little albatrosses following them for about an hour, one dark-grey and the other white-grey, which Bill thought was a young one, because at some point he flew down and started swimming in the water, and the other one was circling around him, as if to protect and reassure him. I asked why they were following them, were they looking for food? but Bill said no, they were just curious. "The life of the albatross is very lonely and forlorn", he said. I guess that's why they always get in trouble with all kinds of Ancient Mariners and Baudelaires...

Anyway, what seemed to have really cheered them up during the last 24 hours of overcast weather was the food, which they seemed very proud to tell about:

For dinner last night, they had a spinach, mango and avocado salad, with vinaigrette dressing made from scratch by Pam, and hot (canned) chilly with diced bell pepper.

This morning they had hot cream of wheat with plumped currants and diced mango.

Wouldn't you like to be in such a cruise ship?..

And the temperature is very pleasant, low 70s during the day and low 60s during the night. Like Oded wrote, there are lots and lots of people who'd be very jealous with them for that kind of weather...

That's all for today, folks, now let's go and see if Ori is still snoring his sweet little snores....

Thanks again to all of you who wrote me all those warm little notes of encouragement. It's always so nice to get them, and I make sure to pass on their main spirit to Bill and Pam, who really appreciate your loyal following support.

A good week to all of you,

Nomi

Voyage Offerings from Friends and Family #1

2009-05-17T10:23:00.001-07:00

Today, until I speak with them (a bit later than usual), here are a couple of the things people sent to our sailors, before, and during the voyage. Everyone is welcome to send any inspirational thing they might have. I'm sure they'll love to read it when they arrive at an Internet cafe in Kauai, or safely home...

***

From Oded:

I don't know if this is encouraging when you are in the middle of the ocean, but I would think so: "People at world latitude of 60 degrees and up spend most of their year dreaming of the heat and the sun you are experiencing now"

***

From Pepper (Kate)

SEA FEVERbyJohn Masefield
I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
All I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trip's over.

Day 7

2009-05-16T20:06:00.001-07:00

Seventh Day.

This is the day that God rested on, after all that hard work of creating the sun, the moon, the earth, the sea, the creatures great and small, etc., but there were no creatures what-so-ever, nor much rest for our brave sailors today. They finally got some wind, as they had wished for, 8 to 9 knots, and the boat was sailing beautifully and steadily on course at 6 knots. They were estimating that at this point they're scheduled to arrive in Kauai in 16 days (from departure), but they're hoping to catch up and reduce it to 15 days.

So on Saturday, May 17th, at 3:40 pm PST, they were at 28 degrees 22 minutes North and 134 degrees 9 minutes West. 1420 NM to go, having gone 800 NM.

This is a great chance to thank Adam SO MUCH for not only showing the progress on the blog, but also linking all these nautical terms to Wikipedia, for our good friends Max and Lucas (who were born August 5, 2002, when Bill, sailing little Chubby, was about half way to Hawaii; we always know how long ago it was by the age of the twins...) and anyone else who, like me, struggles with these terms.

And now that the vital statistics were given, allow me to deviate a minute and tell you of the word for "mood" in Hebrew, because it translates to "state of the wind/spirit". "Matzav Ruach", "state of the wind" (or spirit, same word in Hebrew), indeed describes the mood of our brave sailors exactly, because the ups and downs of their mood are directly related to the "state of the wind". (Yes, folks, since we're in the Sabbath mood, that double meaning of the word Ruach is what made the translators of the Bible write "and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters" in Genesis 1, while every Israeli child is convinced it was just a great big WIND that was hovering on the face of the waters...)

Etymology and Bible aside, they had grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast. Quite heavy for starting the day, said Pam, but it allowed them to have only crackers with peanut butter for lunch (She also pointed out that Bill, who made those aforementioned sandwiches, still calls them "Gorilla cheese sandwiches", a fact which Noa and Yael surely remember very well... and he made them with 7-grain-whole-wheat bread and Swiss cheese, in the same method and in the same pan where the biscuit was made yesterday, and, Pam said, they were very good.)

And in case anyone is worried about too much carbs and fat, they have been eating also a lot of tomatoes, carrots, celery, and red pepper. And also taking some supplement vitamin C, in an attempt to get over the cough which still bothers them.

Other than that, they are feeling very good. The weather is pleasant, not to hot, and the sea completely empty today, but beautiful. Pam said the sun is coming out now -- it was a bit overcast before -- and the sea is of a very rich blue, a kind of purply blue.

Last night when she sat for her night shift, at 2 in the morning, it was a very solitary feeling, like being completely alone in the world. But she saw lots of [phosphorescence] in the sea, which looked like fireflies in the water, especially in the wake of the boat and where the waves were breaking, and it was very beautiful, like magic. (This [phosphorescence] is caused by plankton, tiny little organisms that whales like to eat.) When the clouds would break she could see the moon, half full and very bright, and many, many stars. It was really amazing. She likes how the boat rocks like a cradle, or like a big fish, moving from side to side. It's very comforting and pleasant, especially when you go to sleep.

The wind vane is doing great steering for them, so they don't need to steer, they can just sit and look around that no ships are coming at them.

Bill, who sat watch until 2 am, said also that the moon was spectacular and turned the whole ocean to silver, from the horizon all the way to the boat.

He said they opened many of the notes that Yael had collected for them, and it was very inspiring and uplifting. Thank you, Yael! Thank you all who wrote! They read the notes from Eddie, Joe, and Oded (very funny note, Oded!), and two from Yael, with lyrics from Southern Cross and the Be Good Tanyas, which they liked a lot! [editor's note: if any of you guys are willing to share your notes on the blog, that will be greatly appreciated. Give me permission and Yael will send them to the blog, or you can put them as comments yourselves.]

Pam said they were also reading aloud to each other excerpts from the books they brought along. So far from Tuesdays with Morey, and from Hafiz, two of Pam's favorite and most inspiring books.

Tonight they expect to make their turn right towards Kauai. They hope to get the Trade Winds, and with them warmer water with more living things. Bill said he expects some flying fish to fly into the boat, like they did with Chubby in 2002, and that they'll try to catch them and fry them for dinner.

Tom Johnson, could you please explain to us (on the blog, preferably) about the electric auto pilot Bill asked you to bring with you for the way back, and also a little about the solar panels and what devices on the boat they provide electricity for? Thanks! We didn't have time to discuss all this on the phone.

I think that was all for today.

Those who wrote me yesterday, thank you so much for your warm and supportive notes, it was really nice and heart-warming!

Aloha,

Nomi

Day 6

2009-05-15T17:12:00.001-07:00

Sixth day, a great disappointment regarding the wind. Last night, for a while they had some more wind, they took down the spinnaker and put up the jib, and then the wind went right back to the 4 knots it's been for the last 3 days. None of the weather forecasts ever mentioned less than 10 knots. They feel they're behind, and are disappointed.

To make this more palpable: they saw two albatrosses flapping their wings! Usually albatrosses glide with the wind, but there was so little wind that they had to flap their wings...

However, now, about an hour before we talked, which is always at 3:30 pm, the wind got to about 6-7 knots. They put up the Genoa jib, which is bigger than the main, and they are moving faster now, and hoping it'll only get better and better as they come closer to the trade winds.

Right now they're at 29 degrees 47 minutes North, and 132 degrees 17 minutes West, 700 NM from the harbor, with 1531 NM more to go. Yes, Max and Lucas, your Dad was right, they're indeed about a third way there.

In addition to the albatrosses, they saw today a school of pilot whales about 300 feet away, just playing around. These whales are black, about 20 feet long, with a big round head and a short, round dorsal fin.

The weather today has been overcast and grey, but pleasant, they don't need to wear any warm clothes.

Yesterday at about 5 pm they saw a Matson ship called Lihue (which is the name of the town where they're heading to, in the island of Kauai.) Talking with the watch guy on the ship to get a weather report, it turned out he has a similar boat to J35 in Long Beach. Then, today, they saw a tanker go by. Two ships in two days -- a real traffic jam, Bill says, a bumper to bumper...

Pam told me she tried to cook pancakes for breakfast this morning, but it came out as biscuit, because they forgot the syrup. So they used butter and raisins and brown sugar and she cooked it in a 6" diameter pan for a long time, turning it over and over again, and it came out good. She had it with tea, Bill with Ovaltine. They're trying to eat a lot of vegetables, so they don't spoil before the ice is all melted.

Bill was in shock today, when he put on some sun screen cream, and, looking at the mirror, he thought he had some of the cream left on his beard, then he realized his beard was ALL WHITE! With that, and his suspenders, he said, he is now an official, certified Grandpa (Noaleh, don't run away crying like you did when you were 7 years old and he came home from Nevada with a month-old red beard...)

That's all folks. If you find any mistakes, inconsistencies, or ignorant definitions, please forgive me. I take quick notes when we talk, and my nautical knowledge is so very limited that I probably miss some things.

Aloha,

Nomi

Day 5

2009-05-14T19:11:00.001-07:00

Day Five, all is well, calm and sunny. A welcome time for repairs (some broken blocks) and cooking (tabbouleh with canned chicken, sauteed zucchini in butter and olive oil). Not much wind, 3 to 4 knots continuously, but they did manage to get to 31 degrees 4 minutes North and 130 degrees 58 minutes West. Rick the Weatherguy thinks tonight by midnight they'll start getting some more serious wind. They're getting close to catching the Trade Winds, which also means they have to be more alert for ships, taking 4 hour shifts of sleeping/watching during the night.

So Red Dress sails along happily, with nothing to distract her all day but one solitary airliner going north, and some Shakira music coming out of the ipod loudspeaker that Adam bought Bill for the voyage. They listened also to Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Lucinda Williams, and the Paccabel Canon... luckily, there aren't even any fish around, let alone birds, to gasp at such a mish-mosh of music, and I'm sure Red Dress loves it!

So far they've gone 592 NM, if I got it right.

More tomorrow.

Nomi

Day 4

2009-05-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Bill called twice today, just because he could, I guess, now that he'd changed the faulty battery in the satellite phone, and the reception outside the cabin being very good. We talked for quite a while, and what a delightful change from his last voyage, in 2002, when all I got for 24 days was two short fax messages from him some passing tankers were kind enough to send.

So today, Wednesday, 5-13-09, at 3:08 pm they were at 32 degrees 10 minutes North and 129 degrees 2 minutes West. The wind was at 4.5 knots, and so was the boat. They were using the asymmetrical spinnaker and trying to go as further south as they could to catch more wind.

Both of them were feeling very well. It was sunny, warm, cloudless, and the sea was effervescent blue, with a five foot swell. Not a single boat or ship to be seen as far as the eye could see. But they did see a flock of dolphins about a mile away, and two albatrosses. Nothing else. They expect to have a beautiful night with lots of stars tonight, since the clouds all cleared. They have been busy cleaning and drying the boat, and now everything is much better.

I asked what Pam wanted to relay to her list, and she said that she was herself again, and wished you were here.

Now to your questions:

Tom Johnson, the Cape Horn wind vane is working fantastic! I'll try to find Yves' and Eric's email address and send this news to them tonight.

To Joe: they were very pleased with their speed up to this morning... But they're dealing with it by going south, hoping for more wind there.

To Yael: they've been too busy, tired and sick to read the notes in the first three days, but now they've started reading them. The first one happened to have Ori's picture, very cute! They're going to catch up now and read one or more a day from now on.

To Cree, please tell Howard that the solar panels are working fantastic! They have all the electricity they need.

That's all I remember. If I've forgotten some one's question, please forgive me and ask again.

All the best to all of you,

Nomi

Day 3

2009-05-12T17:08:00.003-07:00

Hi Red Dress Faithful Followers,

Today, May 12th, at 3:30 pm, they called from 33 degrees 48 minutes North and 127 degrees 37 minutes West. The satellite phone finally worked when they called here. I hope tomorrow I'll be able to call them as well, and then maybe I can ask more questions. Send any questions you might have, I'll try to pass them on.

So today the sea was flat, the sun was out and it was bright and beautiful. They saw albatross and porpoises, they ate well, and got enough sleep (it starts to sound like a vacation cruise, doesn't it... except that they both have now the same low-energy cold that Adam and Ori had a few days ago.)

Bill worked for four hours on sewing the jib, which had a tear ( I asked if Pam wanted to say anything to the "List", and she said only that Bill was "a good seamstress", which we at the Teplow family have known well, since it happened more than once that Bill stayed up till 2 in the morning to sew Yael's costume for a next-day theater performance...) They were using the main sail but now the jib is back up.

Sea sickness is history.

Thanks for all the support,

Nomi

Day 2

2009-05-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Your enthusiastic, supportive responses were all very heart-warming to me. Thank you! I told Bill about them and I think it warmed his and Pam's hearts very much too, and well they needed it after the rough night they had last night. But today, May 11, at 3:15 pm, at 35 degrees 44 minutes North and 125 degrees 41 minutes West, they were feeling much better, both of them. They were getting over their sea sickness and had even eaten (chicken salad, believe it or not! Bill had put 6 of those big rectangular plastic water bottles in our freezer a week or so before the departure, and after having experimented with one of them previously, he found out they should keep their perishable foods cold for at least a week in the Red Dress built-in icebox.)

They had passed the rough zone and were expecting things to be much calmer and more pleasant from now on. Let's all pray, though, that things won't get TOO calm... They need wind! So far, if I got it right, they had gone 60 miles [editor's note: a reliable source, Tom Johnson who will be joining Bill on the return voyage, sent this: "I calculated last night that they made around 75NM by 5:15p.m., and by today's reading they went 134 NM in the day since then totaling 209 NM so far."], and were on course, and sailing beautifully.

The satellite phone was not working well, very disappointing, so we talked for only a very short time, but I got the main message: they're both feeling much better today.

Adam made us a blog, with the map showing their progress. Take a look tomorrow, after he puts in the new coordinates, at http://reddressvoyage.blogspot.com/ (thanks so much, Adam!)

That's all folks, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again for your wonderful support, sorry I can't answer each one of you individually, but this is the wedding hot season and I'm very busy sending Ketubot all over America (curious? www.ketubotbynaomi.com )

Take care,

Nomi

Day 1

2009-05-10T21:32:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I talked with Bill today at 5:15 pm when they were at 37 degrees, 8 minutes North and 123 degrees, 32 minutes West. The sea was very rough, as Rick the Weatherguy had predicted, and both Bill and Pam were seasick, but in good spirits. The boat was doing great, sailing in 30 knots of wind, and Bill said he was hoping to get out of the rough zone within 24 hours. The wind vane was steering very well. I think they were too seasick to think of dinner...

Early this morning, when it was still dark, Bill's brother Joe, having come from Modesto, Yael, Adam, baby grandson Ori and I helped them to bring the last few things into the boat, which looked to me very well organized and home-like (Pam had worked on that late into the evening yesterday), and at 5:45 am, according to schedule, with a bright moon in the west, pale-pink dawn in the east, cell phone photo shoots and warm hugs all around, Bill turned to Pam and asked, "Wanna sail to Hawaii?", and she answered "OK". They pulled the last line into the boat, waved good bye and slowly motored out of the harbor.

A very moving moment. May they have full sails and fair weather all the way to Hawaii.

I'll keep you posted.

Questions and remarks are very welcome. I'll pass it on.

Nomi