After 11 days of nonstop sailing, we are half way between San Diego and our destination of Hiva Oa. We are still sailing in high winds with only storm sails, but today is different! Our issue of the day came about as we were eating breakfast of chorizo-egg quesadilla. We were wedged in belowdecks with … Continue reading Halfway to Polynesia
One week at sea
We have been at sea for 7 full days. We are 800 NM from San Diego, but if you straighten out our crooked path, it seems like we have traveled twice that much. We have been blessed with plenty of wind. We have been fully reefed since we left San Diego, and we have adjusted … Continue reading One week at sea
A wild start!
After years of laying groundwork, months of planning, and 6 solid weeks of focused effort, we left San Diego Bay at 1:00 Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18. We plotted a course for Hiva Oa, one of the larger islands in the Marquesas group of French Polynesia. This gives a rhumb line (sailor-speak for the straight line … Continue reading A wild start!
Saying our goodbyes
Well, .... We planned to depart for Polynesia February first, but here we are coming on Valentine's Day and we're still in San Diego. We are waiting for a part for the watermaker. In the meantime, we are finishing the other jobs fell behind. We're in good spirits, and the weather favors a later departure … Continue reading Saying our goodbyes
Repairs and refitting
Jim, Max and Tony are taking 2 weeks for boat maintenance and installation of new hardware. This is a big and expensive undertaking because many things on the boat are big, specialized, and must be extra-durable. Some of the major jobs are: Clean, sand and paint the bottom with toxic paint that annoys barnacles that … Continue reading Repairs and refitting
Posting by email
Check it out. I can post blogs by email. This entry was created and uploaded by writing an email and sending it to the SailAkela site. I will need to do this while we’re off the grid because the satellite connection has limited bandwidth. I can easily send text and I can choose a few … Continue reading Posting by email
Picture archive is up!
Check out the picture archive (the "Archives" tab on the main menu) where digital pictures are posted and archived. This collection of pictures was taken over the years with family and friends aboard Akela. As we collect more pictures, I'll continue to dump them here. The choice and timing of the pictures posted here may seem … Continue reading Picture archive is up!
The Ultimate Frisbee
Check out the new ultimate frisbees. Soon to be a collector's item. We have the crazy idea that we'll deliver ultimate frisbees to kids in the Pacific Isles. We'll have fun trying anyway.
New Awnings!
Check out the new awnings! Nana Johnson flew to Tucson to make these out of 40 yards of WeatherMax80 fabric using Jack's industrial sewing machine. These will provide both shade and rain protection. Pretty nice!
The Story of Akela
This blog tells the story of life aboard the sailboat Akela with my family and friends, exploring the world and discovering ourselves along the way. Most of the entries were made during our 2018-2020 Pacific Adventure. Use the tab at the top "Pacific Adventure" to follow the story. -- Jim Burge … Continue reading The Story of Akela
Sail Akela 