Day 1

Our plan was to head for California.  If the weather was too rough this first day we were going to sail to Molakai (the next island over about 45 miles) anchor and stay there for the night.  We were all excited and ready to go.  Before pushing off for good we stopped by the fuel dock and topped off all our fuel including the 250 gallon diesel bladder inside the hot tub.  We were then good to go.

We got about 1 mile away from land going south and turned north east towards California.  The farther we got from the coast the bigger the waves grew.  I have had very little experience on sail boats.  I had no idea what to expect and was ready for anything.  As we sailed past Diamond Head the seas grew even larger.  Because we were still so close to the island there were waves coming from many different directions.  It was creating 15 ft chop.  The weather was easily 85 degrees but I had on my winter ski coat and long pants.  As the boat would smash into the waves water would fly up into the air and the 30 MPH wind would grab the water and whip it at us.  It was wild to say the least.

The boat's controls was telling us we were going anywhere from 2-6 MPH.  It was fluctuating greatly depending on where we would get hit from the waves.  At around 4:30 a huge coast guard cutter flew past us engines roaring.  It was an ominous sight.  We were heading out on a 2,200 mile journey and the last boat we were to see was a coast guard boat.  Not being sure if that was a good sign or bad I put it out of my mind.  

The waves were bouncing us around so much that my surf board, which was lashed to the bow (front) of the boat, was coming loose.  The skipper called for me to go and tighten the board.  I put on my safety harness and inched my way forward.  As I made my way up the boat a rouge 20 ft wave comes head on and the bow goes under the water.  Oh boy, I think, I'm glad I wasn't up there.  I continue on my way and secure the board.  

Shortly after I get back from the bow of the boat the captain yells "what the hell just happened."  Followed by him running below deck to the engine room.  The boat had lost all steering and we were a rag doll in the middle of the ocean.  As we are spinning around getting trounced by waves in all directions I think back to the coast guard ship and wonder if it is near by.  A big waves hits us broad side and the mast (all 92 ft of it) almost goes into the water (something that will happen a handful of times over the next week).   When this happens you literally grab on to whatever you can and wait for the boat to level back off.

The captain figures out what went wrong after about 5 minutes and everything is fixed.  It turns out is was something very easy to correct.  Better those things happen to us now while we are close to land than in a week when we are 1,000 miles out to sea.  

As 6:30 approached we realized we had only gone about 4 miles in the last 4 hours.  The weather was not getting any better but the sun was dropping down. We are passing port lock near china walls (still on island of Oahu) and we decide to go into the channel, anchor up, and stay the night.  We got in just before sunset, dropped the anchor and the skipper cooked us up a great meal as the sun was setting.  It was a gorgeous night.  Once inside the channel the water was smooth.  Looking out at the ocean it seemed strange how the ocean can change so much is so little a distance.  After this first day I was half expecting to have 18 more days of this in a row.  I truly did not know what to expect.  Only time would tell and tomorrow we were going to head to California at sunrise.

the blog begins

I've had quite a few adventures these last few weeks. Many people have asked me to tell the story of my sail boat voyage and mishaps. After telling the story a few times I thought it would be best if I let people read my journal from the 10 day adventure aboard the vessel Nomad. I am going to write it in story format using my journal and my memory as my guide and then continue the blog with my adventures in Thailand and whatever else may follow.

I moved to Hawaii a little over 2.5 years ago with my great friend Nick Nass. Falling to pressures of society I decided it was time to settle down and hold a "real" job. I rose fast in the industry I chose and was very successful. I was selling vacations to people encouraging them to follow their dreams. The whole time in the back of my head there was a voice telling me that I should list to my own advice and should be following my dreams, pursuing my passions. I ignored this voice for as long as I could and then in early February (just over a month ago) I could ignore that voice no longer. I resigned from my job (to the surprise of everyone) and decided to live my passion once again. To travel, learn different cultures, have new adventures, to live a life of freedom. Some people may think I was crazy for leaving my job however I think I would be crazy to have stayed. We only have one life to live, we only get one shot at this world. We need to do the tings our heart tells us to do, follow our passions, turn our dreams into reality. The big job, with the big salary, the big shed of toys is nice but it is no match for passions being fulfilled.

I was talking to a friend of mine, Ali, on the day I resigned and I told him that I was leaving. He asked what I was going to do. Not quite sure myself I said "I'm not sure man, I'm just going to put up my sails and see where the wind takes me." Two days later I was on the north shore at Banzai Pipeline watching a surf competition and I get a phone call from Ali.
"Zak I have an opportunity you might be interested in. I was telling my dad what you said about putting your sails up and letting the wind take you away. Zak, my dad is the wind."

Ali's dad Nash was leaving in 10 days to sail his 55 ft sailboat, the Nomad, halfway around the world to Greece. He needed one extra crew and was offering it to me. The next day we went sailing around Diamond Head and my mind was made up. I was all in. I have a rather large list of things I want to do before I die. Crossing an ocean in a boat has always been one of them. I had seen myself doing it in a large ship but hey, why not do it in a sail boat with 3 other people. Let the adventure begin.

The day before we were to take off we had the christening of the boat ceremony and bon voyage party (see pics). I had close to no experience on sail boats but I am a hard worker and fast learner so I was never worried. I really had no idea what to expect from the trip but I new it would be a trip of a lifetime. I like to do the things people write books about and I am sure people have written a few about traveling the world on a boat with the wind at your back and the wide open ocean in front of you.

I must side track here for a moment and talk a little about the boat and the crew. The skipper has owned many restaurants over the years. He is a chef who enjoys his luxuries. He built the nomad exactly how he wanted it. The stern of the boat has a 6 person hot tub. The skipper designed it so if the water was calm you could actually steer the boat while sitting in the Jacuzzi. Below deck there is a forward cabin and an aft cabin. There are around 16 speakers above deck and below. Three flat screen TVs, 3 heads, an air conditioner and heater. The boat is stylin’. As the skipper says, “just because you are living on a boat it does not mean you can’t be comfortable. Well, when we were in port we were very comfortable indeed.

Most people make this voyage in the summer time because the weather is much better, the seas much smoother, and the wind is at your back instead of in your face as it is in the winter. Because of the wind we needed our engine to make the crossing. We were going to keep the motors running with the sails up. We were going to motor to LA and if we got good wind we would sail. The boat was loaded with 700 gallons of diesel. The hot tub was emptied and filled with a bladder which held 250 gallons of diesel.

The skipper sold his last two restaurants in the past 2 years and decided it was time for him to follow his dreams. He has a very loose itinerary with one main goal: to live life by his rules, by his design. The skipper has 25,000 miles on the open ocean.

The first mate was Rocky. Rocky is a DJ hailing from the island of Oahu. Rocky is a great cook as well. Between the skipper, Rocky, and all the fish we were about to catch we were guaranteed to eat like kings. Rocky has never done a crossing but has a lot of sailing experience. Rocky does the announcing for the pro-bowl and many other large events.

Our Aussie crew member was Kevin. He started sailing a year ago. He wanted a new adventure in his life and chose sailing. He had been taking classes and decided to try an ocean crossing. He found the Nomad online, emailed Nash, and flew to Oahu to make the trip.

And then there is me. Being 26 I am half the age of everyone else on the boat. I never noticed any difference in age but I am sure they all saw me as the young buck on board (no negative connotation).

On February 22 at 2:30pm we set sail for LA. We were about to cross the most isolated ocean in the world; 2,200 miles of open ocean and no land until California. The trip was going to take anywhere from 14-21 days depending on the weather. At best we hoped to average 6 MPHs.