Ruby Slippers

Home!  Well, 3 of us are home - we girls flew out of Vanuatu on the same day that two able-bodied crew members flew in.  Now, Jim, Rick and Dave are pitting themselves against the elements en route to Hawaii, then home to Seattle.  Evidently, the winds are a little more out of the south, blowing about 20, and they are making 7-8 knots.  That sounds pretty good.  Jim said it has been a bit bumpy - they are getting a lot of water over the deck, but the inside is dry.  It has been hot and muggy as they get closer to the equator.  They are hoping to stop at Palmyra Atoll, but if the winds turn more east, they will miss it.  I think they are all pretty goal-oriented to get Ruby Slippers safely home.

Molly, Jessie and I are comfortably anchored in my sister’s house in Enumclaw.  I have 4 sisters and a mom here, so it has been all family, all the time.  We miss the boat and Jim, but have been busy getting used to solid land.  I love going to the grocery store and just staring at the produce section.  It is such a beautiful sight! 

I will keep you posted on Jim’s progress as he moves toward Hawaii.  There’s no place like home!  ~  Jeanna

He and his crew of two left Vanuatu right after we girls boarded the plane.  It was another rough trip to weather with 25-30 knots of wind.  The crew was green, literally.  The charts showed a little atoll called Funafuti, in the Tuvalu Island group, about 500 miles north of Fiji, so they headed there for a breather.  One can only pound to weather for so long before one needs a break.    Funafuti has a small airstrip, a fuel dock, and a beautiful bay.  There were not very many people, and not a lot of fresh food, but it was a nice and necessary rest stop.  It’s good that they were able to get fuel, because there might be a lot of motoring involved on the way to Hawaii.

One crew member, who felt like he was running out of time, got off and flew to Fiji, then back home.  Jim and Dave are bravely forging ahead, determined to see the trip through to Hawaii.  Last I heard, they had about 15 days to go, the winds were about 12 knots out of the east, and they were trying to catch some fish.  They are hoping for some south wind, but if they don’t get it, they will be able to motor the last 600 miles or so to Hawaii.  We think Jim has crew lined up for the last leg of the trip.

Molly, Jessie and I are guiltily having fun with family. Summer has finally come to the northwest.  The sky is a Delphinium blue, and Mt. Rainier is snow-white and sits up proud and noble, as if it knows that it is the most beautiful sight in the northwest.  Molly and Jessie have been spending time with their best friends.  It’s been hard for me to be away from them; we have been joined at the hip for a long time now. I’m told I better get used to it, and quick!

Jim misses his girls a lot, and his e-mails are full of emotion.  He’s a better man than I am, that’s for sure.  I admire the way he wants to see this through to the end.  I’ll keep you posted as I hear from him.  ~  Jeanna

sounds like such a short way to go!  Jim and Dave have been motoring the last 24 hours - no wind at all.  Jim said they only had 350 miles worth of fuel left, so they are fervently hoping for wind. 

They have had wind from every direction, and every strength.  A few nights ago, in 30 knots of wind, the halyard on the staysail broke.  They both managed to get up to the front of the boat, pull the sail down and stuff it into the sail locker.  Then they unfurled the big jib and reefed it down to a manageable size.  I guess the wind went from nothing to 30 in a matter of seconds.  The next morning, Jim had to go up the mast and install a new halyard, with the boat pitching and rocking.  This was Dave’s first time at winching someone up the mast - I’m sure he was more nervous than Jim.  There’s something about being solely responsible for someone else’s life that gets the ol’ heart beating pretty fast. 

Dave is the only crew member on board.  He has never been offshore, although he has owned a small sailboat.  It’s been fun to read his e-mails.  He has been having a great time, has not been sick, and is getting into the swing of things.  He is learning to cook, and has been amazed at the sunsets and the stars.  He and Jim are a little bored with the daily routine, but are getting along famously.

As soon as Jim gets to Hawaii, he will stock the boat, do a few repairs, pick up more crew and head home to Anacortes.  He’s very anxious to get home, and we are anxious for him to be here.  Now I know what my family went through when we were in the ocean, and they were constantly checking their e-mails and this website for word of our safety.

It is taking me and the girls a little while to get acclimated to the busy world.  There is so much noise here!  Cell phones are ringing, people are taking, the TV is blaring, and there seem to be a lot of clicks and buzzes and beeps happening all the time.  Out in the ocean, I remember hearing the waves slapping against the hull, the wind blowing against the sails, and the birds talking to each other.  Soon all the noise will seem normal for me, but I hope I can hang on to the precious quiet that I got to enjoy for a time.

I’ll let you know when Jim hits land!  ~  Jeanna