We're here!

 Captains log: Volcanos

Date: July 25, 2022

Time: around 4AM

Position: Kaneohe bay Oahu Hawaii

For those who have loved ones on the boat, you may not be reading this as you've already heard the great news that we landed safely. I'll simply write this last post to sum up what many have already imagined or gathered. 

I'll speak for myself but I think it is mostly representative of how all the crew feel. This trip was monumental, transitional, gave clarity to important things in life, tried us, tested us and taught us. What this was for each of us remains inside each of us to learn and grow from. It's my hope that when crossroads are presented that a choice is made and a path is followed. Too many times in my life has a new path been revealed of which I clearly feel in my bones is my road. I've at times not taken this path or started down that path, to then revert, then again find that path years later. 

Although this journey was expected to give us endless harrowing tales of rogue waves, hurricane winds and wild adventure, life, the gods, spirits or just plain chance said, "hey guys, this is going to be a different kind of adventure". I certainly don't want to play down the sailing, the winds, waves or danger factors. But what I really mean is this trip gave us all the opportunity to just think a lot more about things, more than we probably expected would be the case. 

Rather than being distracted with endless salty lips, torn hands, wet cloths and just plain holding on for dear life, we had the opportunity to look at a sunset and be blown away. Look at the stars and confuse the milky way for clouds. See meteors streaming to earth and then be forced to sit there and think for hours about those little rocks. Where did they come from? How long have they been flying? What if one hit the ocean? Little things like this will make a person think about the strangest things. So this trip was an adventure of the physical, but also of the mental and spiritual. 22 days at sea confined to a small boat. 

Although we had no access to the blog or to the comments our friends and loved ones shared, somehow through the power of thought, intention or intuition, we could feel the love the care and concern from all of you. I know for myself personally I missed my children and wife immensely. A beautiful lesson in clarity. 

If you're still reading, I do have some legitimate excitement to share with you about this mornings arrival. Before that, it's necessary for me to backtrack a little. As I think I mentioned, we missed the deadline for finishing the race on time so we made a decision to go to Honolulu directly. We had our sites set for our updated destination, when yesterday morning I received an email from one of the race officials. He stated his concern that we did not check in. I told him of our alternate plans, but he informed me that they were actually waiting for us even though we were 3 days late! He said they would greet us, supply mai ties, decorate the boat and give us a plaque. I've been to both Honolulu and Kaneohe and quite frankly, Kaneohe is a gorgeous bay to take a sailboat with beautiful water and amazing views. I was all-in when I heard I got a plaque! Just something special about officially having the Pacific cup race under our belt. So yesterday, we adjusted sails and set course back onto Kaneohe bay. 

The approach was a little tricky. The bay, although spectacular and beautiful, is a mine-field of coral reefs, obstacles, rocks and dangerous waves. Because of this, KYC (Kaneohe Yacht Club) sends an escort boat all the way out to the ocean to meet sailboats coming in from the race, to tip-toe across this mine field. Our arrival was at 04:01. We were just flabbergasted that a small powerboat will 4 people came out to meet us at 4AM. We really felt special. In the pitch dark and rolling seas, we linked up with the boat and started to follow them in. 

My boat has 3 independent fuel tanks and in anticipation of the long motoring into the harbor, I wanted to make absolute sure that the engine worked tip-top. So I switched the fuel supply to a tank I had not used the entire trip. So just as we started into one of the most dangerous areas, the engine died. The boat was bucking in the waves, our sails were down, we could not see anything and we knew there were shallow coral reefs on both sides. This could spell catastrophic consequences for the boat and our trip. When the engine died all our jaws dropped and adrenaline spiked! In an instant I knew something was wrong with the fuel supply and I had to switch tanks. 

"Solis to KYC! Solis to KYC!" Nick immediately barked into the hand-held VHF radio. "We've lost power! We have lost our engine!". "This is KYC. Get a bow line tied on immediately and we'll attempt to tow you". The small powerboat did a u-turn and screamed towards us rapidly. They were pounding up and down on the waves then came up along side us. "There's no time. There's a reef next to you, deploy your sail and try to sail down the channel" he screamed. 

"Joe, Nick, lets deploy the jib" I yelled. The three of us quickly coordinated a well practiced pattern of wrapping and pulling various lines to deploy the sail. We got the boat sailing, but I knew this was a VERY VERY short solution. There was no way we could zig-zag through a coral laced channel with a sail in the dark. "Nick, take the helm". I had no time to think, plan or calculate. This was one of those one-bullet solutions. I needed an engine and that was it. Without any additional instruction, I had total faith in Nick that he could do whatever was necessary to keep the boat on course in the dark, at least up until it was time to zig-zag, then I knew we would be status: momentary disaster. I went downstairs and tore out my tool box from the closet like an olympic power lifter clings and flings his weights from the ground. I knew exactly that I needed, a 12mm box wrench. I frantically grabbed wrenches and tried to read the writing with my headlamp in the dark. I threw them all over the boat floor as the boat continued to sway from side to side. I angirly but cooly realized I was dealing with a ticking time-bomb and had no time to search for the 12mm friend. I yelled to Joe, "find a 12mm wrench!!!!" while I simultaneously grabbed a crescent wrench (adjustable wrench that might work, but might not fit in the spot I needed). As I attempted with the crescent, Joe quickly said "here it is" and handed me the tool as if I was a doctor about to use a defibrillator to try and jump this engine back to life. I removed the bolt, started the pump, bled all the air, replaced the bolt, killed the pump, then yelled "Nick, try and start the engine!". And like a good doctor, the engine lunged back to life with one hit. I ran back up to the cockpit and order for the re-reefing of the sail. Nick got back on the radio and cooly, as if this frantic, chaotic, half-paniced flurry of excitement had never happened and said "KYC, Solis here, power has been restored". And like that, we were back on our way. The timing was incredible. Just after that we were required to zig left then right. I received incredible kudos from the crew. I had not even realized it but they said they could not even imagine someone could possibly diagnose, then execute an engine bleed in such record time. They all joked and said I was an F1 tire-changer at pit stop given the speed at which I performed this normally more time consuming task. Impending disaster is the mother of speedy execution! 

Rolling into KYC was something almost un-earthly. There was a Tiki bar that was rolled out, JUST FOR US! There were about 8 people standing there clapping and greeting us. They gave us the plaque, decorated the bow of the boat with flowers, gave us Mai Ties, sliced pineapple and lathered us in praise and congratulations. In my mind, what in the hell where all of these people doing at just at 4AM that they could greet us like that. We felt like royalty. Someone there said to me "this is KYC, this is how we roll". I mean wow oh wow. This made landing in Kaneohe completely worth it. 

The long awaited moment for me is when my family arrived. My wife and two children went to Vietnam 2 months ago, so my 10 month old had her 1st birthday without me and my 3yr old continued to grow like a weed over my 60 day absence. My mother and sister also came to Hawaii to greet me as well as Genes wife. I've not cried that much in I don't know how many years. Tears of joy. So much so that I apparently quickly scared my 3yr old son who could not figure out what in the hell was going on! haha Many hugs and loving words were shared. We all headed down to the boat and took loads of photos. A gorges rainbow settled in behind us to put a bow on our incredible voyage. 

As is with these kinds of things, there are stories I forgot, things I probably mis-represented, remembered differently from my crew, even flat out exaggerated just to make this damn blog more interesting and fun! Even now I'm recalling stories I want to tell, but I must bring this to an end. 

I could not have asked for a better crew and blend of amazing people to share this journey with. My heart is filled with gratitude, joy and love for this little 22 day window of my life by which I've become so enhanced. 

Best wishes to all and to all a good night.