July 31, 2008 Day 20

 

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m. position
Lat/Long: 22.44 N 158.13 W
Distance to Finish: 76 miles 12 hour mileage: 57 miles
Course: 250 true
Speed: 5.6 knots
This MAY be my last communiqué to you until AFTER Robert arrives...I'll try to send you something tomorrow, but won't promise. BUT he is 76 miles out and it appears he will be in Hanalei in the wee hours of the morning. Carroll E finished today an hour earlier than anticipated. It appears Robert may finish an hour later than anticipated last night. I believe with his handicap that still secures second place in his division. Fingers are crossed. NO one in the entire fleet beat the first place holder in his division. Wild Flower is going to take first overall corrected! Hooray for Skip.
The albatross is still onboard with Robert. The bird hasn't eaten anything in the 21 hours it's been in residence, but it seems quite content...it's snoozing and preening. He flew to it's perch at the bow of the boat apparently in a healthy manner and is just enjoying the ride to Hanalei. What a kick!
I'm on my way to Tree. Winston and Sarah will arrive soon and all's well with the Black Feathers bunch.
Hugs and more hugs to you all. It's been a great ride and you have kept me focused on things other than my special man being out in the middle of the ocean. Thank you.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 23:04 N 157.15 W 12 hour mileage: 65
Distance to finish: 133 miles
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.2 knots
7/31/08
This time tomorrow morning, instead of writing to you, I should be standing in the dark (it's 4:30 a.m. here) near the Hanalei pier watching for Robert to be brought in on the Zodiac from his boat.
He is most excited to be so close.
He has an onboard passenger, not the disqualifying type, but an albatross (large bird). These birds nest in the yards of Princeville in December and it is a great honor to have one select your residence as theirs. Signs are put up to alert folks so they don't disturb them. When we were here last December, we counted 12 of them within 6 blocks of us. When Robert and his sister, Kay, lived in Kauai in 1995, they had the honor of having one in their yard. They lay their eggs, then after a time the parents leave and the young bird flies off the cliff and out to sea for I believe it's a couple of years (Kay, can you correct me here). So this one must have seen a good resting opportunity and took it. It has been on the bow of Black Feathers facing into the wind for over 9 hours. The bird and Robert observed a ship together just before the equipment alerted Robert of the ship's presence. Even the piercing alarm of the CARD didn't scare the albatross
away. It's still there preening and taking in the view. Robert said at one point his hand was within a foot of the bird...doesn't seem to mind the presence of a humanoid.
Last night at TREE, I heard someone say "Crawford". When I turned around I saw two new faces, Deb and Greg DuBree, who are friends of our friend, Pam, from Mi Wuk. Pam had given me and them each other's information and I was planning on calling them last night, but they decided to come down to the Tree festivities. They stayed for a couple of hours and had a grand time meeting all the skippers and they plan to come back to meet Robert on Friday...that's TOMORROW!!! Deb and Greg moved to Kauai 10 days ago from Turlock, CA.
Robert was disappointed he was only going to get to attend one TREE, but it turns out a number of the skippers and their families will be here through the 9th AND I was informed...there will be a TREE every night at 5:00 until everyone leaves.
Sparky is now due in Monday a.m. so he will get to have TREE time also...plus his girlfriend is flying in his brother and his parents as a surprise...and we are working up something to celebrate his achievement since he won't be here in time for the Awards Banquet on Saturday.
At this point, it appears Robert is going to take second in his division on corrected time. First to finish in his division is Wildflower who is going to be, as Robert predicted, First Overall. Robert is elated.
Thank you all for your support, love and attention.
I will send out the evening report and then sometime tomorrow I will let you know he has come in, but not at the regular time of course.

July 30, 2008 Day 19

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 23.24 N 156.07 W 12 hour distance: 64 miles
Distance to Finish: 198 mi
Course (true): 250 degrees
Speed: 5.8 knots

Robert is closing the distance! Less than 200 miles to go. He is aiming for 6:00 a.m. Hawaiian time (9:00 a.m. PDT) to arrive in Kauai. Synthia, the Race Committee Chair, has him arriving at 3:00 a.m. Kauai time. Either way works just fine!
He was elated to learn Sparky is making good progress with his new and improved makeshift mast.
Today I had lunch with the lady I've been working with at the Princeville Resort. She presented me with a lovely Christina lei AND she gave me a burgundy cigar lei to present to Robert when he arrives.
The "official" TransPac lei (lei is plural as well as singular I learned) are from a Hula School here in Kauai. We purchased them in support of their fund raising project.
Robert is READY to come ashore. Everything is laid out ready for the Race Committee and the Zodiac escort boat. He's NOT anxious ....MUCH!!! Can't wait to see him.
There will be two more "normal" position reports, and in the second one I will tell you when he is expected. The final position report letting you know he's here MAY be a bit late in coming. Bear with me...we will fill in the blanks.

 

 

Let's try this again. The DSL in this apartment isn't quite as reliable as some...perhaps it's on vacation and relaxing in Kauai!!!!
Black Feathers
0700
Lat/Long: 23.51 N 1255.04 W
Distance to Finish: 262 12 hour mileage: 63 miles
Course (true): 250 degrees
Speed: 5.0
Date 7/30/08
Steady as she goes. Robert is making good progress. He says he thinks he will arrive at noon on Friday. The race committee says 3:00 a.m. Not sure if he is thinking Hawaii time or PDT. Guess I'd better ask him. Either way we are prepared to see his smiling face.
Good news: Ruben Gabrial on Sparky has improved his makeshift (jury) mast and he is now making 80 knots per day. At that rate, the race committee says he could arrive Monday before they depart for home. He's a happy camper.
I get Robert's 0700 reports about 3:45 a.m. in Hawaii, and I'm not very much awake at that time, so please expect your reports to come in later in the morning. I did attempt to send it to you a couple of hours ago, but the DSL was being lazy

July 29, 2008 Day 18

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 24.10 N 153.58 W
Distance to Finish: 325 miles 12 hour mileage: 66 mi
Course: 25 true
Speed: 5.5 knots
Date: 7/29/08

Sorry I have had a busy couple of days, but we are pretty much settled in so I have lots to tell you.
Most all of the larger boats have finished. Wenlemir and skipper are back home in San Francisco, safe and sound. Barbara Euser/Islander has not been heard from in about a week, BUT there isn't as much concern as one would think BECAUSE she did this four years ago...no communication, she just kept until she finished. She did report into a ship the last time the Race Committee heard from her stating she was fine, no communication and her lat/long indicated she was sitting far north of the other in a high...which nmeans no wind. WE hope to see her this coming week. She ahs not set off her EPIRB to notify the Coast Guard so it is assumed all is well.
Our friend, Ruben/Sparky was dismasted on the 27th. He had twin jibs up and decided to put up a reefed main to get more speed. A gust of wind caught him and that was all it took to break his mast. He spent several hours getting his rigging, etc. fished out of the sea. He has a makeshift mast up now but is not making good time. He hopes to finish by August 12th. Robert and I will be here to greet him and celebrate his finish. The Race Committee departs on August 3.
Tonight was the first "tree" I was able to attend. All the "in" skippers were there with their families and friends. Lots of good munchies and great conversation. Everyone is "watching" Robert and Black Feathers.
Tom Kirschbaum's wife (boat: Feral) came up to me at the TREE and said she was really enjoying following Robert on the "dedicated" website. I couldn't figure out how she found the website...McKelvey's Travels. She said she went online and entered "Black Feathers" and somehow she got connected. My goodness, little Ms. Black Feathers is becoming quite the celebrity.
After Tree, Sylvia (Race Committee/Finish Line) asked me to come keep her company on the bluff while NaNa came in. It was really exciting. The skipper, Dwight Odom, called in and said he was 45 minutes out. It was dark, but in about 30 minutes, I saw his lights as he headed into the bay. We watched him, Sylvia took night photos and monitored his finish and then the escort boat went out and Synthia boarded with his wife and he got his lei and beverage of choice and then they let him turn on his engine and come in the rest of the way. You may recall NaNa is the boat that restarted the race due to battery issues. He restarted twice! Third times a charm.
Ankle Biter should be coming in tonight...and then we'll see our small fellas start making their appearances. Six of them are in a cluster...with Sparky unfortunately quite a ways out by himself. Several boats are in touch with him, but he has to conserve his power so "limited" is best for now.
One last bit of news. Robert has decided is NOT going to sail Black Feathers home. Once he arrives we will decide what our options are to get her home.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 24.37 N 152.52 W
Distance to Finish: 391 miles
Course: 250 true
Speed: 5.2 knows
Date 7/29/08
Robert is fine, just eager to arrive in Kauai.
Thanks Sarah for taking the position report last night.
I'll write more...have to go stock the condo with food.

July 28, 2008 Day 17

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 24.37 N 152.52 W
Distance to Finish: 391 miles
Course: 250 true
Speed: 5.2 knows
Date 7/29/08

Robert is fine, just eager to arrive in Kauai.
Thanks Sarah for taking the position report last night.
I'll write more...have to go stock the condo with food.

July 27, 2008 Day 16

Robert's son, Winston, is creating a TransPac commemorative book for Robert.
If you go to Winston's site, you can sign the guest book and Winston will incorporate all the comments he receives into the book.
Here is the direct link.
http://www.crawfordkin.com/CrawfordKin/TransPac/Entries/2008/7/27_Sign_The_Guest_Book.html

 

 

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 25.47 N 149.34 W
Distance to Finish: 583 miles 12 hour mileage: 64
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.4 knots
Date: 7/27/08

Robert had a great day. He took down his main sail and put up twin jibs and poles. Boat is moving along very smoothly and he's had to make no adjustments. He's hoping he can sail this format all the way to Kauai.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 26.09 N 148.27 W
Distance to finish: 647 miles 12 hour mileage: 69 miles
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.6 knots
Date: 7/27/08

Robert has a bit more wind/speed than he'd like. It appears he will have 20 mph, instead of his preferred 15 mph for the next couple of days at least. He's fine, it just keeps him on his toes a bit more. Solar panel and new "old" rudder are doing fine.

July 26, 2008 Day 15

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 26.34 N 147.16 W
Distance to Finish: 716 miles 12 hour mileage: 64 miles
Course (true): 250 degrees
Speed: 5.5 knots
Date: 7/26/08
A photo of Robert and Black Feathers appears today in the Electronic Latitude 38...check it out at:
http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2008-07-25&dayid=145
He had a good day today...weather was nice, partially sunny. His solar panel is shattered, but still charging. Should it get wet, it may cease to work, but it appears he has plenty of stored power to handle lights, communications, etc. He's in good shape.
Wen Lin of Wenlemir is expected home tomorrow. He is tired but safe.Sorry...last night's 7:00 p.m. Distance to Finish: 846 miles...12 hour mileage: 62 miles

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 27.2 N 146.12 W
Distance to Finish: 780 12 hour mileage: 66
Course: 255 degrees true
Speed: 5.5 knots
Date: 7/26/08
Robert is doing great. This trip he has had little sun...only partially sunny days. He's hoping for sunny days closer to Kauai. In June when he did the LongPac (qualifier for this race...200 miles out to sea from San Francisco and back...5 days) he and all the skippers reported some of the most beautiful blue waters and sailing they had ever seen, and lots of sea critters...not so this trip.
A little on the arrival tradition. As you know all the boat engines are sealed when they leave San Francisco. Hanalei Bay does not have docking accommodations so as the skippers approach the bay, no matter what time day or night, they radio in to the Race Committee what time they expect to cross the finish line. An escort boat, with a Race Committee member (and perhaps a family member) onboard, will go out to meet the incoming boat. The RC member presents the incoming skipper with a lei and his/her beverage of choice. The engine seal is confirmed to still be intact, and the escort boat brings them all ashore. The escort boat is a rubber boat so it can come up on the beach.
Saturday, August 2...is the awards ceremony and banquet at the Princeville Resort (the finish line)...so everyone is hoping to be finished by that time.

July 25, 2008 Day 14

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 27.21 N 145.02 W
Course (true): 245 degrees
Speed: 5.6 knots
Date: 7/25/08
Robert had a good day. The rudder and cracked solar panel are both performing well. I ordered a new rudder today for delivery to Kauai...will take about 2 hours to install.
by the way...Robert was hanging out over the back of the boat yesterday to remove the old rudder and install the new one. Those of you who have seen Black Feathers know there is little room to maneuver back there due to the Monitor, etc. I thought you would like to know, Robert wears a tether at all times during the TransPac. Gives him a better chance of getting back onboard should he fall overboard. He does not swim while out at sea as some of the sailors do. He does his best to stay ON the boat!
Yesterday I sent a Letter to the Editor of the Union Democrat...they did the July 14th article on Robert. Today I received a call from Lenore Rutherford who wrote the article saying she was pushing the letter up in the queue because it is timely...and she wants to call Kauai and interview Robert when he arrives. If you live in the Sonora area and see the Letter to the Editor and/or the article, and you aren't going to keep it, would you send it to me please: Jeanne Crawford, P.O. Box 675, Mi Wuk Village, CA 95346. Thank you.
Our friend, Wayne Cruther, returned from Kauai today and he had some information that should prove helpful to Robert if he enters Hanalei Bay at night. There are naval ships in the area that do not use AIS (devices that would alert other vessels to their presence)...they are in stealth mode...so Robert has been warned to keep an eagle eye if he comes in at night. BUT his prediction is for noon on the 31st!!! We'll see how close he is...At this point, I'm thinking he may come in on the 30th. Wishful thinking.
Wenlemir...a 47 foot entrant in this year's TransPac disappeared...last heard from Sunday night. Yesterday his wife received a call from the Coast Guard. They had located Wen and his boat 188 miles off the coast of San Francisco. He had no electrical...no communication, and his main sail is tattered. He doesn't want to abandon his vessel, so Peter Hogg and the Coast Guard are trying to figure out a way to get him home. Wen is in good shape, just tired. The indications have been "gale force" winds off the coast of San Francisco the past few days. Sad end to his race. He was doing the race as a tribute to his parents who died this past year. Wen is in his early 70's.
Each sailor has a story...and all of them have put lots of time, money and heart into their adventure. It appears the majority of them will reach the finish line in good stead. As most of you know, one lady didn't even reach the start line...lost her boat to a reef in Mexico. But she is in Kauai, waiting to sail back Islander.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 27.47 N 143.56W
Distance to Finish: 908 12 hour mileage: 61 miles
Course (true): 250 degrees
Speed: 5.0 knots
Date: 7/25/08

All is well onboard Black Feathers this morning. The "new" OLD mahogany rudder is happy to be gracing the bow of a boat rather than the corner of the living room. Yes, unless something else substantial breaks, Robert is still planning to sail back home alone after the TransPac. I will be ordering a replacement rudder today...and we will order the new solar panel. The good news is, neither of these repairs/replacements, once in Kauai, will take more than 2 hours to perform.
He is in good spirits and did 61 miles in the past 12 hours. If the charts are correct, he is heading into 20 mph winds. If such is the case, he will reef the sail (lower it a bit to accept less wind) so as not to move too fast for the the boat.

July 24, 2008 Day 13

Black Feathers
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 28.02 N 142.52 W
Distance to finish: 969 12 hour mileage: 70
Course (true): 260 degrees
Speed: 5 knots
Date: 7/24/08

Well, we spoke too soon. Robert was about 1/2 an hour late calling this evening because he broke his fiberglass rudder. He and Black Feathers are fine and now doing 5 knots. He had spent 2 hours removing the broken rudder and installing the refinished original 1961 mahogany rudder that usually graces a corner of our living room. The Monitor (steering mechanism) is now attached to the "new" rudder and all is well, except he is tired and has some housekeeping to do before it gets dark.

AND he also now has a crack in his solar panel, but like him, it's still going strong. with all this, he still managed to get 60 miles closer to Kauai today. What a guy! HOWEVER, he will probably sail a bit cautiously the next couple of days. Should this rudder fail, the Monitor would be able to serve as a back-up.

The first to finish was Dogbark, a 60' monohull, at 6:04 a.m. this morning and Hecla (which is presumed to be the VERY fastest boat) a 54' trimaran is slated to finish this evening. The Dogbark skipper was the first to finish and the first to receive his lei and drink of choice in his SSS mug...he is a happy camper...oops...sailor!

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 28.21 N 141.44 W 12 hour mileage: 63
Distance to Finish: 1029 miles
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.3 knots
Date: 7/24/08

He's past the halfway mark! He is enjoying perfect wind and mileage and if conditions hold up, he should be in Kauai by the 31st of JULY! Black Feathers is performing as well as Now or Never, his Ericson 32 he sailed in the 1994 TransPac.

July 23, 2008 Day 12

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 28.45N 140.38W
Distance to Finish: 1092 12 hour mileage: 64
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.8 knots
Date: 7/23/08
He had a quite a day. This afternoon a squall appeared and in the mist he noticed a spinnaker. It turned out it belonged to one of the crewed Pacific Cup boats. The skipper called Robert and told him there is a fleet of 47 Cal 20's in Portland that are watching his progress closely and rooting him on. He gave Robert his phone number and when Robert gets to Kauai they plan to get together.

I spoke with Brad of Business First in Twain Harte. He and his wife, Lin, did an awesome job with all our TransPac clothing items. Today, Brad was in his front yard and across the street he overheard two of his neighbors talking about "that dude that is out there in the middle of the Pacific in a 20 foot boat."

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 29.21 N 139.37 W
Distance to Finish: 1156 miles 12 hour mileage: 64
Course: 250 degrees true
Speed: 5.6 knots
Date: 7/23/08
Robert was a bit tired this morning because he had a bit more wind than usual, but he was happy because of the miles he made. He believes he will be at the half way point about 10:00 p.m. PDT this evening. Tradition is that the skipper receives a gift to open halfway. I gave him one and he gave me one. So this evening we will both have a gift from each other.

At this point, Robert has 7 other boats within 50 miles of him, some just ahead of him, some behind him. Talk about the Little Engine that Could! He's doing fine.

Onboard he has a gimbled one-burner stove which the Race Committee required, HOWEVER, they can't make him use it. He doesn't use the stove at home, he certainly isn't about to dig out the stove in those tight quarters! So Pam, thank you VERY much for the chocolate covered coffee beans. He is enjoying those and the coffee candy I gave him. BUT he is really looking forward to a cup of coffee and a BEER! Usually he takes some rum or some other adult beverage onboard with him and has a shot each night as his treat, but this time he opted to forgo the weight. So he has a stove, coffee pot and coffee pods that he's not using. Guess what will get shipped home to make room for the rum on his return trip!! What is a sailor without his rum.

July 22, 2008 Day 11

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m. position
Lat/Long: 29.47 N 138.28 W
Distance to Finish: 1220 miles 12 hour total: 50 miles
Course: (true): 258 degrees
Speed: 5 knots
Date: 7/22/08

Robert had a sunny day...the boat is drying out. He said he's happy to report nothing has broken on the boat to date. He sounds very energized.

Robert is surrounded by 6 other boats...all within 50 miles of him...and he's ahead of some of them. Our neighbor, another sailor and one who is quite familiar with the various types of boats says Robert is doing quite well given his size and handicap, and should do even better as he heads into the tradewinds. Stay tuned.

Half way should come either late tomorrow night or the next day. Half way is 1060 distance to finish.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 30.13N 137.38 W
Distance to Finish: 1270 last 12 hours made 50 miles
Course (true): 245 degrees
Speed: 5 knots
Date: 7/22/08

Spinnaker was up 23.5 hours until 3:00 a.m. He will put it up again as soon as it gets light. When he called it was still dark where he was.
I asked about sea life and the phosphorus light the skippers usually see at night from the fish just under the water...he, as well as the other skippers, are not seeing much wildlife and other than the first few nights are not seeing the phosphorus light...which is most unusual. Perhaps as they get closer to Kauai.

He sounds good, not as tired as he sounded when he was on the LongPac qualifier in June. He's having a good time and making good miles. And he has a renewed pudding stash!!! The LongPac is a solo race, if you are using it to qualify for the TransPac, that is 200 miles out to sea and back, and USUALLY is the roughest portion of this trip. Although as you know this time that portion was becalmed. Kendra, Robert's daughter, and her Dad did the longPac together some years back. I believe she was 16. One adventuresome girl!!! That was on the 32 foot Ericson. Black Feathers is not suited for a long voyage with more than one person...some say not even that because you cannot stand up in the cabin, but...Robert is doing it!

For those of you who are wondering, yes, when I am in Kauai, I will have this laptop with me, AND DSL (in the condo...not available where we live in the mountains), and will continue to fill you in on Robert's progress. Come July 31st or so when he comes ashore, you probably won't need telecommunications, you'll hear me clear from Kauai!!!!! Who says I'm quiet!

July 21, 2008 Day 10

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 30.26N 136.41 W
Distance to Finish: 1320 miles
Course: 255 degrees
Speed: 4.8 knots 12 hours: 52 miles closer to Kauai
Date: 7/21/08

Some great news today. The winds were light, but Robert kept his spinnaker up for 12 hours. He said he has never flown a spinnaker for 12 hours before. He will leave it up until dark. He FINALLY got a beautiful sunny day. The water is royal blue.

He is gaining on Carroll E and Sparky...they had about a 70 mile lead yesterday, that was reduced 40 and 20 miles respectively this morning. He's hoping to reduce it more so they can have a real competition for the three of them. Sparky has the highest handicap in the race, so Robert has to give him I believe 9 hours.
Robert displaces more water than either Sparky or Carroll E so the conditions between where he is now and Kauai...Black Feathers should said better...from San Francisco to this point, they were on a "reach" which benefited the other two boats.
The other factor is Robert went further south than the other two boats, and last night he had wind and they didn't. He did 4.0 knots and they did 2.0 and 2.5 respectively.

A fun tidbit: My friend, Jeanne Hannon, and her husband are on vacation in Paris, but yesterday they were in Brussels where they observed a man crossing the street wearing a TRANSPAC T shirt! What a kick.

 

Black Feathers
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 30.51 N 135.48 W
Distance to Finish: 1372 miles 12 hours mileage: 58
Course: 255 degrees
Speed: 4.0 knots
Date: 7/21/08

Robert was a few minutes late calling this morning, he overslept! That's good news that he is getting sleep. He says he now can sleep for about an hour at a time.

Winds are light, about 10 knots, but expected to pick up and be about 20 mph by tomorrow.  He saw the moon and stars for the first time last night, although when he called this morning it was overcast.

July 20, 2008, Day 9

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 31.08 N 134.41 W
Distance to finish: 1430 miles
Course: 255 degrees
Speed: 5.4 knots
Date: 7/20/08
Robert did 59 miles in the last 12 hours, 113 in the past 24. He's right on target.

He put his spinnaker up for 3 hours today, first time. He is spending a good deal of time outside in his Crazy Creek chair. He said when he did the 94 TransPac, he spent most of his time inside...this time is more enjoyable.

I was asked if he had seen any flying fish...none so far.
The sun is trying to break through. He says the skies ahead look like Hawaii skies...the layered clouds.

He is right on schedule with his food also. He has four weeks/four canvas tote bags of food, one for each week. He said the only thing he ran out of was pudding...(he would run out of pudding no matter how much he had onboard), but he didn't make a run on this week's pudding until today. Bet he runs out this week too.

He should be at the half-way mark in about 3 days. Half way he gets a present, it's tradition, that I gave him prior to his leaving. AND he left a half-way present for me also. Half way is 1060 miles Distance to Finish.
He is in great spirits and having fun!

PICTURE OF THE "COCKPIT", YES, SMALL!!

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 31 32 N 133 36 W
DTF: 1489 miles
Couse: 215 degrees
Speed: 4.8 knots
Date: 7/20/08
7 p.m. to 7 a.m. mileage: 54 miles

The wind had died a bit when I spoke with him at 6:45 a.m. but it should pick back up if the charts are correct. It's still overcast but that should change today also.
As you know the entered boats all have some type of handicap. Hecla, the trimarand has a -handicap and was/is expected to arrive in Hanalei WAY first, however, at this point Dogbark is in the lead and could arrive first unless Hecla steps on the gas. Robert could arrive 9 days AFTER Hecla and beat him on corrected time.

Our friend, Ruben Gabriel, in Sparky (22 feet) has the highest handicap. I believe Robert would have to beat him by 9 hours to correct out ahead of him. So as you can see Sparky is doing very well. It would be a kick if Ruben/Sparky won the race because he was a late entrant and really wasn't sure he was ready. He has very little technical "stuff" onboard.

All along Robert has said the boat to watch, and the boat he figured would win the 2008 TransPac is Wildflower. Wildflower has a good handicap and is skippered by Skip Allan, a professional and very proficient skipper. Skip is doing VERY WELL. At 7:00 p.m. last night he had 1268 miles distance to finish posted.

Another small boat that is giving Sparky a run for her money is Carroll E. It is a treat to see Carroll E doing well because in 2006 TransPac (TransPac runs every 2 years), Carroll E dropped out 300 miles from Kauai to come to the aid of a disabled skipper who had last his rudder and then his emergency rudder and was using a pail to steer...don't ask me how!

Have a grand day. I'm adding about 2 people a day to our email list. Thank you, thank you for your interest.

July 19, 2008 Day 8

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 31.57 N 132.41 W
Distance to Finish: 1543 mi (total trip approximately 2120 mi)
Course: 250 degrees
Speed: 5.6 knots
Date: 7/19/08

Robert saw a touch of blue overhead today. Hoping tomorrow he will see more. His solar panel is doing fine even without visible rays.

From 7:00 p.m. last night until 7:00 p.m. tonight, he did 125 miles. He is quite happy about his progress. In 1994 when he did his first TransPac in an Ericson 32 he averaged 120-130 per day when the winds were good, so little Ms. Black Feathers is doing herself proud.

Still projecting noon on the 31st as his arrival date/time in Kauai.

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 32 29 N 131 30 W
Distance to Finish: 1610 miles
Course: 245 degrees
Speed: 6.2 knots
Date: 7/19/08

For those of you who were concerned about Hurricane Elida, I checked with Wayne, Robert's long-time friend and sailing buddy, who just happens to be in Kauai right now. He said my calculations are correct. Elida is expected to visit Kauai Tuesday at about 30 mph...It is BELOW Robert and should not effect him at all.

Robert said he got a good night's sleep. He's out far enough now he won't see many ships, or even very many boats, if any. His CARD (radar system) and his AIS (actually identifies the ships so he can call them and make sure they see him) are working great. The CARD is an alarm system, actually it's an obnoxious alarm system so one CANNOT sleep through it. The CARD goes off and alerts him and then in just a minute or so, usually after he has already seen the ship, the AIS tells him who it is...by that time he knows he can avert, there is no danger, or it's time to call. He has not had to call to this point and probably won't at this distance from shore.
He is gaining on Sparky and Carroll E...the other small boats in the fleet (Sparky is 22 feet, but has a higher handicap and Carroll E is a 24 foot boat..both have been performing very well). Two reports back Sparky was 150 miles closer to Kauai than Robert, but Robert has narrowed the distance down to 70 miles today. Both skippers are our good friends, so we are happy for them, but he is still enjoying some friendly competition. Sparky's skipper, Ruben Gabriel, is actually doing the race "inspired" by Robert. We are all looking forward to a great reunion and lots of adventure tales in Kauai. Robert is elated there is a small boat "fleet" this year.

Robert told me both Sparky and Carroll E sail better in the conditions they have had...Black Feathers should sail best in the conditions they are about to encounter. Robert predicts he will arrive in Kauai about noon on July 31...if conditions continue as anticipated. Fifteen mile an hour winds are perfect for Black Feathers. He did 58 miles in the last 12 hour period...his goal is 110 - 120 per day.

July 18, 2008 Day 7

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 33.14 N 130.34 W
DTF: 1668
Course: 255
Speed: 6 knots
Date 7/18/08

Robert was hoping to make 100 miles today and be right where he hoped to be on 7/16...well he did more than 100 miles but unfortunately because the winds were squirrely he didn't make those miles in a straight line so he only got 60 miles closer to Hawaii. He says this is what sometimes happens in the portion of the ocean.

Robert is really in the mood for sunshine and a little less wind. He and Black Feathers do fine when they have 15 mph winds which is what he should have tonight, but by Sunday, it's looking more like 25 mph. Ask for wind and you get wind...guess we forgot to ask for the correct amount.

So I'm going to ask for "pleasant, sunny weather." How's that?
Take care. Have a grand evening.

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m.
Lat/Long: 33 27 N 129 19 W
DTF: 1728
Course: 270 degrees
Speed: 5.3
Date: 7/18/08

He has wind, NOW he's looking for sun! He finished reading a book I gave him, now he's going to work on Homer. Not my idea of kick-back reading, but whatever floats his boat...as long as it floats toward Kauai!

He's hoping to make it to the position he had hoped to be at on 7/16 by this evening. Fingers are crossed. He sounds good, although he would like to get rid of the grey skies.
He was given a tiny onboard camera just before he left...he said it's working fine, but the sunshine will make for better photos. Mostly he spends his spare time reading because right now it's too wet to risk his concertina.

July 17, 2008 Day 6

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long: 33 29 No 128 04 W
Distance to Finish" 1793
Course: 255
Speed: 5.6 knots average
7/17/08

From 7:00 a.m this morning until 7:00 p.m. this evening, Robert did 140 miles...he's making up for lost time.
Yes, he knows about Hurricane Elida...and from what we are hearing, it is coming off the tip of Baja, will have winds of up to 100 miles per hour as it heads toward Hawaii (much further south than Robert is presently) and he's heading west! It is slated to hit Hawaii on Saturday and be down to 39 mph by then. WHEW!!! BUT we will keep an eye on it.

Have a great evening. Robert is doing well...he sounds rested and his comfortable...staying warm and dry...spends most of his time inside and let's the Monitor do the work. He's seeing lots of sealife at this point and the glowing colors in the sea at night...it's been overcast at times, but he hasn't had the rain the others have encountered. He's eating "good" which means he's not eating as good as he would be if I were there to nag him.

 

Black Feathers
7:00 a.m. position
Lat/Long: 34 07 N 126 55 W
Distance to Finish: 1918 miles
Course: 232
Speed: 5.6
7/17/08

Robert had a blustery night, BUT in the RIGHT DIRECTION! He's in good spirits and making good progress. He did 60 miles in 12 hours.

I told him I was going for my walk this morning while it's cool. He said he wanted to go with me. We will walk in KAUAI!!!!

July 16, 2008 Day 5

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long 35 03 N 125 58 W
Distance to Finish: 1918
Course: 220 degrees
Speed: 5.5 knots
Date 7/16/08
We have wind!

Robert is really underway now...his race has truly begun. From noon yesterday to noon today, he did 100 miles. From 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. today, he did 120 miles...a far cry from the 5 miles he did in 12 hours day before yesterday. He is in good spirits and his energy level is high.

NaNa, who dropped out because of battery issues, started the race again, and dropped out again, and plans to restart tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. Third time is a charm...and with all the wind issues up to this point, he could still win, or at least do quite well.

Robert is on his projected course at this point and we have decided to just "head for Kauai" unless I see something really drastic in the computer-generated grids that I can relay to him to change his mind. His goal is to do 125 miles per day.

 

Drs. Crawford, McKelvey and Russell before the race

July 15, 2008 Day 4

Black Feathers
7:00 p.m.
Lat/Long 36.28 N 124 18 W
Distance to Finish: 2018 miles
Course: 245
Speed: 4.5 knots
Date 7/15/08

Robert is in good spirits...the winds have picked up a bit and hopefully will pick up more. At 4:00 p.m. I checked the skippers' log and found some interesting comments. Most felt the wind would pick up more today than it did and were saying sailing north to get to Kauai was a bit more than exasperating. They hope to get wind and sail southwest tomorrow...it's looking promising... THEN we can give you a race instead of a parking lot!
If you haven't already done so, you might want to check out the photo album on Winston's website. Go to www.crawfordkin.com Instead of checking on TransPac, check on the photo album. Then you will see "TransPac." He has posted a number of photos taken at the Corinthian Yacht Club at the start of the race. He also has the other TransPac boats, so you can see just how much smaller Robert's boat is than most of the others.

There is one "imposter"...but a great one to have in the array. There is an "orange" hulled boat with a number 11 on the side. This boat is not in the TransPac fleet, but...this boat was built in 1918 and was purchased in 1939 by it's current owner, Lauren. Lauren sails his boat every day. He makes his home in Alameda, but has kept his boat at the Corinthian since 1941. Lauren is 95 years of age!
Take care. Talk to you in the a.m.

Jeanne

July 14, 2008 Day 3

Black Feathers
Time: 700
Lat/Long: 37 05 N 123 42 W
Distance to finish: 2055
Course: 195
Speed: 2.0
Date: 6.14/08

It's slow going out there.

 
He was passing in between two ships when he called. They were about 3 miles away on each side of him. He saw what he thinks was a white whale yesterday, about 18' long.

Happy Day to all of you.

Jeanne

 

Black Feathers
1900
Lat/Long: 37 00 N 123 42 W
Distance to finish: 2055 miles
Course: 220
Speed: 1.5
Date: 7/14/08

Robert's in good spirits. He's rested, eating well, practicing his music, reading and trying to keep the boat tidy. It helps that he knows all the other skippers are in the "same boat"...yes, a definite pun intended.

He is now heading west as that is where the winds are predicted to pick up tomorrow (10 mph) and hopefully then he will head directly for Kauai and pick up 15 mph winds on Thursday.
The good thing is he hasn't experienced the severe cold and high winds, but he is definitely ready for some action out there.

For those of you who live in the Sonora/Twain Harte/Mi Wuk area, there is an article in today's Union Democrat on page A3 on none other than our adventuring Robert Crawford. Kendra and Winston, I will do my best to track down extra newspapers so you can have an original. If I can't, I'll make you copies of the article.
Thanks again for all your love and support.

Jeanne

July 13, 2008 Day 2 part B

Black Feathers
1900
Lat/Long 37 24N 123 37 W
Distance to Finish 2065 miles
Course 225 degrees True
speed 1.5 knots
date 7/13/08

As you can see, not much wind out there. The good news is NOBODY is finding wind so Robert is holding his own. This morning the fastest boats were only approximately 40-45 miles closer to Kauai than he was. His counterparts (Sparky, Carroll E and Feral) were all within 1 to 11 miles of him. And two of the larger boats were 2100 and 2102 miles from Kauai. One of the boats, Na Na, had to turn back due to battery issues, but hopefully will be starting again if he hasn't already done so. I'll keep you posted. Na Na's skipper, Dwight Odom, had to turn back last year, so we are really hoping this year is a "finish" for him.
Last night was calm, but the skippers did get the treat of seeing lots of great sea life near the Farllone Islands...jelly fish the size and color of basketballs. One skipper has a seal come half way up on his deck but he was able to persuade the visitor to return to his natural habitat.

If you want to see the positions of all the skippers, be sure to go to Boat Position Tracker where everyone is.

Take care. Have a great evening.

Jeanne

July 13, 2008 Day 2

 

Last minute preparation before sail yesterday

 

(Robert wrote up the following the evening of July 11th and asked me to forward it to you. It's a bit "past history" at this point, but if you can use any of it, go for it. Sorry no email until last night.)

...Slightly more than 12 hours to go! We have had our last inspections, our boat props have been sealed, and our final skippers meeting completed. So now we wait through the final hours...Everyone is a bit anxious, but excited to go. Those last minute problems have either been addressed and corrected, or the skipper has opted to go the "denial" route.
The race begins with the first of three starts at 12:05 p.m. tomorrow. My start is the second at 12:15 p.m. It looks like conditions will be good for a clean start, although there is much speculation about what we will find once out beyond the Farallone Islands.

There is much work necessary to put on a race like this. These volunteers, like Jeanne, that have been involved with many of the responsibilities are starting to relax a bit as their event or project is completed (Note from Jeanne: We won't tell him how much more there is to do to administer the race, greet the racers appropriately and pull off the awards banquet in Hanalei. By the way, this race is run entirely by volunteers, an unusual feat for a race of this magnitude.) Last night was the send-off Aloha Dinner which celebrated the 30th anniversary of this race. It was a fun and memorable event, one that each racer will carry with him in his/her memory bank.

So nothing else is needed. Tomorrow morning Jeanne and I will be joined by a wonderful hard-core group of family and friends, many from the Twain Harte area. We will look at all the boats, take a few pictures and then it will be time for Black Feathers to be towed out (actually Robert decided to sail out...he and Harrier were the only ones who did so) of the harbor to prepare for the start.

Jeanne and I wish to thank everyone who has showed and interest in our adventure. We appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

Robert

July 12, 2008

ROBERT IS UNDERWAY!!!!

 

 

This is the official call-in format:

Black Feathers 1900 position
37 36 N 122 41 W
Distance to Finish: 2111 miles
course (true) 195
speed in knots: 1.2
date of position: July 12

Robert is just south of the Farallon Islands...the wind has died down to 1.2 knots but he sounds great. He is ALREADY practicing his concertina ...and he is not experiencing any sea sickness. He will pass the island this evening and then head down the coast until he decides its time to head "straight" for Hawaii. All is well. His only concern was me, but I'm in good stead...home safe and sound with the car unloaded, all tucked in with my friend, Margie, on her way up to visit.

Thank you all for your love and support.  Almost everyone Robert ever worked with at Dr. McKelvey's office were there to see him off and offer me love and support.  And we have received a plethora of emails and phone calls with lots of good wishes. We are both most grateful and overwhelmed.

The plan is for Robert to call each morning and evening at 6:45 ish. If you don't hear from me, it's because I haven't yet heard from him and I'm holding the line open for his call. To avoid penalties, he is required to call in once every 24 hours period. So if he calls in in the a.m., he doesn't have to call in until the next evening, but he will do his best to call twice a day. There may be times when that is not possible even with modern technology out there. So please bear with me. BUT if you wish to call or email, please do at any time.

Take care. He's having a grand time.
Jeanne

Robert preparing to change into his "Foulies"

July 3, 2008

 

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH!!

(Note from Jeanne)

If you are planning to come to see Robert off and wish to speak to him prior to his departure, you will want to arrive by 9:00 a.m. He will be in the dock area with "Black Feathers" prior to being towed and after he has been towed, the best vantage point is from the Yacht Club balcony. Everyone is welcome.

Once the race starts, we can usually see the entrants for an hour or two while they head for the Golden Gate. Viewing from the Golden Gate Headlands provides an interesting perspective also.
His hope is to reach Hanalei Bay on July 30th. The deadline for finishing is August 2, 2008 unless extended due to lack of wind. Please let there be good wind.

If you would like to follow along with the race in general, please go to 2008 TransPac and you will find  updates posted on a daily basis.

July 1, 2008

 

 

Is It Time to Go Yet?

July has finally arrived, but it is only the 1^st. Will this race never get here?!

There are 22 boats scheduled to cross the starting line just after noon on Saturday, July 12, 2008. A 23^rd boat, having just completed a circumnavigation of the world, was to join us, but on her way up to San Francisco from Mexico, she had a mechanical failure of her automatic steering. As the skipper, a TransPac veteran, caught some much need sleep, the boat quietly steered herself onto a reef and became grounded. The waves then went to work pounding her apart. This heartbreaking event has reinforced to all the skippers that sleep, although much needed, may be our worst enemy.

Next week the 22 boats will be arriving from wildly varying areas. About half the fleet calls the San Francisco Bay Area their homeport, but the others are from North Carolina, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, South Carolina, Virginia and British Columbia. The lost boat was from the United Kingdom.

The range of boat sizes and types vary widely also. The race allows for boats from 20’ to 60’ and our fleet covers this range completely:

• 7 boats are less than 30’
• 9 boats are between 30 and 39’
• 4 are from 40-49
• 2 are over 50’

All are monohulls except one, which is the 54’ multihull.

For such diverse boats to compete against each other in a race, their times will be subject to a handicap to allow for a fair comparison. These handicaps range from “-60” to “+286” seconds per mile of race. What this means is that in the most extreme case, the fastest boat must complete the race almost 9 days prior to the slowest boat in order for it to beat it.

This handicapping can add an interesting dimension to the race because any boat, if sailed to the boat’s full potential has the ability to win, and you will not know the outcome until nearly all boats have arrived in Hanalei. Also the race can be interesting because of the large number of small boats entered this year. So even if the smaller boats don’t do well against the faster boats, they should have some spirited competition amongst themselves.

At the present time “Black Feathers” sits in her berth in San Francisco, fully loaded and read to join the other boats next week at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon. Until then, I simply need to memorize my diagrams of the boat in order to remember where I put everything!