A plan is a plan until you've got another plan.
We've finally narrowed in on our overall plan and timeline. It will surely continue to ebb & flow, but it's a plan until we come up with a better plan! We've been in Friday Harbor since the end of October, working remotely, saving money and readying the various nooks and crannies of the boat, our heads and our hearts. After much deliberation and consultation of many a boat friends, websites and seafaring oracles, here's what we are thinking:
May - July 2017 : Further explore Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands & the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, namely Princess Louisa Inlet and some sections of the south western portion of Vancouver Island that Jon either really enjoyed or missed during his circumnavigation of Vancouver Island last summer.
FYI - The above image is in no way an accurate chart for sail ... just a general idea of the first place we'll head in May!
July / August 2017 : Head to Neah Bay, and await our weather window to sail from Washington to San Francisco, California. This journey is an estimated 10 days to 2 weeks (can be there in a week with favorable winds, or take up to a month if the weather doesn't cooperate.) We are seeking another buddy boat & 1 crew member to join. Would love to find another boat with kids!
September 2017 : Leave San Fran for a short layover in San Diego to procure the necessary cruising permits/travel documents required to enter and exit Mexico. Arrive in Mexico and work our way to the Sea of Cortez. Spend the winter in Mexico and work our way further south. Work a little. Play a lot. Paint. Prep the boat, our heads and pucker our butts for the big puddle jump across the Pacific!
February 2018 : Cross the Pacific ocean, making landfall in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. Three plus solid weeks at sea!
March - May 2018 : Spend our 3 month cruising Visa island hopping in French Polynesia. Possibly explore westward islands from French Polynesia, time permitting.
June / July 2018 : Head back to North America via Hawaii, another 3 to 4 tough windward weeks at sea. Sail to Alaska utilizing the north pacific current.
Summer 2018 : Harbor hop south through Alaska, Haida Gwaii and the Inside Passage.
Late Summer / Early Fall 2018 : Return home to Seattle! Elise needs to return to work at Rainier Valley Food Bank by November 2018.
Piece of Cake right?! No. This is a fairly aggressive plan, considering the time at sea and amount of ground to cover in a year and a half. Our former dock mates from Shilshole Marina in Seattle gave a good run down of relative sea time from Mexico onward:
20 to 30 days Mexico to Marquesas
05 to 06 days Marquesas to Tuamotu's
02 to 03 days Tuamotu's to Tahiti
15 to 21 days French Polynesia to Hawaii
21 to 28 days Hawaii to Neah Bay
But plans do change, just as the one before it did, when we were aiming to leave for Mexico in the Spring (generally not recommended, though doable!) While crossing the pacific is our big dream, we shall see how the main sail sets and our dispositions fare, and change course accordingly.
We'd like to give special thanks to a few folks and resources that have helped us make sense of this whole thing ...
Phil, well-sailed sailor and blogger, board member & volunteer at Elise's work, Rainier Valley Food Bank, general awesome and inspiring human being. Phil & Elise had many conversations and emails running through possible float plans and leave of absence scenarios. Thanks for your mentorship in sailing, work, and general life - trying to figure out what it all means!
Paul & Suzette from S/V Altair, Seattle - Former dock mates from Shilshole, they emailed back and forth with us quite bit to vet our plans. Thank you!
Books:
- As for many cruisers, Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes has been a bible
- Ocean Passages of the World, by"The Hydrographer of the Navy"
- Pacific Crossing Guide by the RCC Pilotage Foundation
Websites:
- For general route, ports of entry and cruising guide, noonsite.com and it's Pacific Crossing Guide is a big help.
- Pacific Puddle Jump convoy site & links
- The Navy's weather site to look at the loop of surface winds and wave heights - This NOAA site for weather fax broadcast schedules and radio fax image downloads
- National Weather Service Ocean Prediction Center to monitor weather systems over the entire globe
These are but a few resources in a vast sea of Pacific Passage knowledge.