Thanksgiving on the Boat!!

Friday Oct 10, the family loaded up and headed for Elliotte Bay. It was the EB work party on Saturday and potluck thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. The work party turn out was one of the largest I have attended to date with 14 boats and willing crews. Many many tasks were completed. Sunday morning I was hoping to dive Alexandra island. While preparing my gear, I noticed what appeared to be Rumrunner tied at Alexandra. I headed over in the dinghy to confirm and found Gord getting ready to dive. We made arrangements to buddy dive in 15 minutes. I hurried back, three the gear into the dinghy and donned my dry suit. Within 20 minutes we were submerging below the surface going "to look for Wolf Eels". During the decent, I found a large octo den and attempted to get some video of the octo with my gopro camera, but quickly found that my light had flooded. Gord snapped some pictures with his DSLR camera and we were off swimming to where the wolf eels were reported to be. Within 5 minutes, Gord was pointing out a lone male under a large rock.  I spent a few minutes observing this make and then swam on to the next rock were Gord was taking pictures of another male eel. This male was partnered with a female who was around the other side of the rock. We spent a few minutes watching the two of them and then decided to swim on. Being the first cold water dive in years for me, I was going through air much quicker than I had planned.  I called a turn around to Gord and waived bye.  I surfaced most of the way back to the boat. A GREAT DIVE. I dove two more dives over the rest of the weekend, finding many octo and going back to visit the eels on one of the dives to find them out swimming around.  

The boat was performing well for our family base and everyone had a great weekend. 

From the home front - Part 3 (Catharine)

Day ?

784 Nautical Miles to Maui...

They are moving along...getting closer and closer every day.  My parents, Travis' parents, Sylvia and Callum and I arrived in Maui a few days ago, and others will be arriving soon.  When the wind picked up this afternoon I couldn't help but think this wind is getting the guys closer and closer every minute.  The weather here is gorgeous...huge swell, blue windy skies, rainbows...I can only imagine what it's like out there on Turnagain right now...

From the sounds of the blog, they are still getting along (mostly), and using their big boy voices! Of course what they blog about and what everyone is ACTUALLY feeling on board could be two different things completely, but it certainly does seem like the time of their lives, and completely worth it.  For Travis it's been a year and a half of preparations...making sure they had a strong team, countless hours of preparation, boat work, practices etc.  And for every hour they've spent preparing, it's been an hour of supporting family (wives, girlfriends, grandmas and grandpas and nanas and papas and aunties and uncles and friends) picking up the slack.  It takes a village to get a Vic-Maui team off the docks!

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Just after the guys left the dock, my mom looked at the picture of the guys in their spiffy blue Helly Hansen Jackets and said 'I know that twinkle in his eyes.  It's exactly the same twinkle Sylvia had after her ballet performance'.

I'm going to call it the McGregor sparkle from now on.




Since arriving in Maui, the race has seemed much more real to Sylvia and Callum, but they haven't really had much clue about what's going on.  Maybe they are too young. No concept of time...no concept of distance. They think going to the basement is far away, never mind crossing an ocean!






The most in depth conversation we had about the whole situation went something like this:

Sylvia: "How's daddy going to get back from Maui"
Me: "He's sailing with the return crew.  Remember Carmanah's dad Dave-O?  He's on the return crew" (Carmanah is Sylvia's friend from the cabin).
Sylvia: "Oh yeah, Carmanah from Cotoria".  (Cotoria is what she calls Victoria) "Carmanah is allergic to eggs.  So if you are going to eat chips you have to check the ingredients for eggs.  And if the title of the bag says 'Egg Chips' then she probably shouldn't eat them".....and so the conversation digressed.

Anyway, I'm feeling really proud of the guys, and Travis.  It's no small feat to actually set sail and do this thing :)

And they're OFF! by Catharine (Part 1)

For a while I've been telling myself it's not that big a deal that these guys are sailing across an ocean, starting today.  I've now come to the conclusion it IS a big deal.

There was a frenzy of last-minute stuff to do first thing this morning.  The bimini had to be disassembled, the filters on the water maker changed, weather routing planned, new sails hoisted, final stowing of gear, water tanks filled, all before 0830.  Check!

Here are the guys in their snazzy Helly Hansen Crew Midlayer jackets.  From left to right: 

Adam, Steve C, Steve T, Jason, Travis, Darin, and Ty

And just to switch up the order, here's Ty, Steve T, Steve C, Travis, Adam, Jason, and Darin

We were really lucky to have Edward and Jane host us on Halcyon as Turnagain's official spectator boat.  Here's Ed and Jane wishing the guys well :)

Some emotional goodbyes...

At 0900 they left the dock, and said their final goodbyes to all of us left behind.  This was an emotional time, and it's all finally starting to sink in.

Vic-Maui 2014, by Catharine

As per his post, Travis left the dock this morning for Victoria, to do final prep on the boat.  We picked up vintage Hawaiian shirts from a store on Main St for the guys on arrival in Maui :)

The kids said goodbye, and won't be seeing Dad until he arrives in Lahaina.  I'm not sure they really get it... They've spent a lot of time on boats in their short lives, but have no concept of time or distance, or how far Travis, Darin, Ty, Adam, Steve and Steve, and Jason will be sailing before we see them again.
Even I have trouble imagining how far it is!

I know some of us are heading to Victoria to see them off.  After so much anticipation, I know I'm looking forward to getting this show on the road :)

I'll be posting to this blog anytime I hear news of how they are doing, and I'm sure we'll all be following them closely on the tracker.  There will be a certain amount of email traffic coming out through Turnagain's SSB mail, or via Sat phone if needed.  If there's anything important to communicate with friends and family, I'll be sending out emails or calling people directly.  

For those of us heading to Maui to welcome them, we'll be in touch!

Catharine

It Starts

I have just left the dock in Coal Harbour to begin the delivery to Victoria.  The last week has been even busier than the previous months of prep. Moving food onto the boat. Final equipment setup and stowage of all the spares etc.

The boat is about as ready as it will get (once we pack the fresh foods in Victoria) and has lowered down closer and closer to the waterline with every trip down to the boat.

The whole trip is really starting to hit home. It is way different talking about sailing to Maui for two years than actually untying and leaving.     There have been many people that have helped get Turnagain ready for this trip including (but not limited to) Catharine – my VERY supportive wife, the team at First Yachts (Brad and Adam mostly, but the rest of the team supporting them), the Turnagain team with a TON of hours from Darin, and the crew at Xprt who have taken a lot of work off of my plate to allow me to focus on this prep, and a lot of support from David and Gaylean Sutcliffe with the VicMaui committee.

We will be in Victoria early Monday am and I hope to have at least once daily updates to this blog from now until Maui and then again on the return.

Travis

Vic-Maui 2014 is coming full steam right at us

Vic-Maui 2014 is coming full steam right at us.  

Steve C and I have recently finished our Marine First Aid and boat documentation is coming together with many items getting checked off the to-do list.  The return crew is looking like it has rounded out to four currently with a possible 5^th coming, which has been a HUGE relief to finalize.  Jason and I have been working with Expedition on the PC and gathering weather data in efforts to have the process down to easy methods once we move offshore.  Darin and Steve C have been working through the meal planner and are getting a great document together that should prove helpful in future events and passages. 

Systems on the boat are continuously being tested and improved and final alternate systems are being installed. The Sat phone has just been installed, and alternate steering (drogue and bridal system) has been rigged and tested with a possibility of an upgrade to a vane system as well.

On the sailing front, the family went away for Family Day weekend to Elliott Bay. The weather was perfect, -5 to +10 ish and clear for the majority of the weekend.  It's a different experience to be there in the winter, with few boats around.  We were joined by Scott and Talia, but that's it.  The waterfall and meadow creek were both frozen so the kids took full advantage of slip-and-sliding down the ice.  We had a great time finding our own paths through the forest, collecting icicles, and roasting marshmallows in the cottage.  The boat was flawless in its functioning and it was great to have the time with the family.

This is February?

Turnagain...lone boat at the dock

Lower winter sun through the forest

Princess Sylvia of the forest

Icy slip-and-slide!

Tag you're it!

Roasting marshmallows

Breaking up the ice with broomsticks

Frozen Elliott Bay

Racing on Contagious has been good with mixed results, but a TON of fun.  There is some new video to edit (take out all the embarrassing mistakes made by the bow guy – ME!!) and I am starting to put together a complete series compilation for the video. 

Racing....not sure who to give this photo credit to!

Long Overdue Update

After sailing in the Swiftsure 2013 Light Ship Classic race from May 24-27 weekend, it was time to setup the boat for summer family cruising. The Swiftsure was a very light wind race, with much of the fleet not finishing the race.  After a trying trip out to the mark, the wind did pickup for the next 4-6 hours and allowed us to make it down towards Race Rocks before turning off again.  The crew stuck it out until there was absolutely no way for us to finish the race in the allotted time.  We called in and retired from the race about 4 miles west of Race Rocks.  Returning to Victoria, we cleaned up, dropped off crew  then Declan, Steve C and I started out for Vancouver. The wind came up to about 18kts from the south east and gave us great sailing almost out to Active Pass. After this the wind dropped and we motored the rest of the way.

Turnagain in Prideaux Haven

The summer consisted of many great days on the boat with the family. We got a couple of weeks in the early summer heat of July and made our way up to Desolation Sound. 

Anchored in Pendrell Sound

There were days in Pendrell Sound, Squirrel Cove, and Prideaux Haven with swimming, crabbing and exploring around. 

Sunset in Buccaneer Bay

Our next extended trip on the boat was mostly spent on the Sunshine Coast and Hornby Island.  There was the weekend in Secret Cove with the Sacre’s and Marchand’s, then three or four days in Buccaneer Bay with all of our GREAT friends there.  

Goofing around with SUPs

Morning Cocktails with friends

Travis and Steve

Then off to Hornby for 3 or 4 days with a surprise visit from Grandma and Grandpa in the Chris Craft. 

Sylvia catching jellies

Catharine up the mast

After Hornby, a quick night or two in Pender Harbour before heading back down to Secret Cove for another night.  We then wrapped up the holiday anchored in Buccaneer Bay.

Sylvia and Keelan at the Rendezvous

There were many weekend trips before, in between and after these extended trips which included the Beneteau Rendevouz at Thetis, Buccaneer Bay Sports day, Elliott Bay among others.

Callum at the Rendezvous, Thetis

Elliott Bay

Once the summer was wrapped up, it was time to start removing “family” gear and making the very long final push to VicMaui 2014.  We have stripped the bottom paint and repainted with VC Offshore, made changes to the SSB system, worked on routing software, made arrangements for “racing” cushions and had a few chances to have most of the crew out on the boat for some practicing.  The crew has not been finalized, but everyone is keen and eager to participate in the event.  Crew selection for the return trip looks to be more of a challenge, with currently only having one additional crew member having signed on. I hope to have 4-5 total for the return.

I hope to make more posts through the winter leading up to the VM and the prep races. As always, please check out our YouTube channel (turnagain50) for some videos of the boat and some of the family.  More will be posted as I edit and get them ready.

Travis