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.
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