Monday, April 27, 2015

The "Take Away"



"On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day." - Rumi



Captains Blog 4/26/2015
Life at sea, day 17, somewhere near 0828S 13146W.

Today is a lot like yesterday was. Also, a lot like the day before that, and before that…  Sea Angel is performing so independently and beautifully I made a joke a couple days ago; we could have just pointed her in the right direction, hopped on a flight to Hiva Oa, got a hotel room for 3 weeks, and then gone out in a launch to intercept her when she arrived. She doesn't need sailors aboard.  We have proven that the name "milk run" across the ocean is appropriate. Nobody has gotten hurt (recently) and we are all still speaking to each other, so I can categorize the voyage so far an awesome success!  The fish out here have been successful too. They manage to identify our lures as tricks (or if it is a not so bright fish, it tastes it, realizes there is a sharp pointy thing that hurts, and then spits it out). They might be smarter than I think. They may too enjoy watching Weston's hyper-speed rod snatching, reel-cranking reaction, along with the loss's appropriate punctuation.  We all read a lot.  Teri Jo sleeps a lot.  Weston eats a lot.  Rick laughs a lot.  I just make dots with circles around them on the chart.

We all knew the great distance this leg of the voyage would be.  We knew about how long it would take.  We expected the weather we have sailed through, and we had a good idea as to what the days would be like.  We knew with the cooks aboard we would eat well, but it wasn't until we were out here did we really understand how the isolation, the alone-ness would make us feel, and what would rise up out of that quiet alone-ness.

We talked about the "take away" of this long transit yesterday, and all of us, being of faith, agreed that we are closer to God out here.   There is room for Him in our heads and our hearts because the clutter, the random business of life in society is markedly absent.  I know the magic number for being alone with God in the bible is 40 days, but three weeks seems to work pretty good too.  I personally have learned the great value of prayerful listening.  I can speak up a storm real fast when I prayerfully talk, but to listen it takes time, and I frequently didn't make enough room for it in my normal life. In my listening I had a vision of a passageway inside my heart that lead to everyone who is, and has been, but I couldn't see all the way to the end.  I think maybe there was eternity, with no end.   Maybe I have been at sea too long, but the message I'm finding is a connection of love within the heart that has us all intertwined, that leads and connects us to He who is Love.  I also reflected at great length on a sermon Pastor Mike did at Port City Church several years ago.  At least I think I remembered it.  I will have to look it up in the archives when I get back to the internet.  The gist of it was, make a list of all that is of ultimate importance to you in your life.   Then ask yourself, do you trust God enough to hand each and every one of them over to Him.   It was in my prayerful listening that God reminded me of that sermon.  Hmmm.  I have turned my entire life over to Him, but there is a love that I want desperately, it seems like there is a mountain in the way, and I want to climb over it.   I gave it to God.  If it is to be, He will provide it and it will be by His will, not mine.  I don't know if I am in shape to climb a mountain now anyhow.

That's it I guess.  There is nothing really to write about.  Or was there?

Sorry we have no way to post pictures or videos out here at sea, but when we make landfall within a few days we will undoubtedly seek internet to get some posted.   Thanks for following along with us!

-DL



Sea Angel is sailing for a cause.

Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several ways to get involved and are so grateful for your support.

Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's website for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward.

Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. You can learn more here, and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Alone,Together, and Between Worlds

Captains Blog- 4/19/2015

Today, Sunday, we will be reaching the 1/2 way point on the longest single leg of the voyage, from the Galapagos to the Marquesas.  It is time for reflection, and asking ourselves where the heck are we!  


Here is a picture of where we have found ourselves.... The Galapagos are 1,500 miles behind, the Marquesas are 1,500 miles ahead, Due East, directly off our stern, where the sun rises each morning is Peru, 2,000 miles back.  Hawaii is 2,900 miles to the NW.  Los Angeles is 2,100 miles almost due north. Directly to our south, albeit beyond my charts limits is Antarctica. 


Between Worlds: Halfway between the Galapagos and the Marquesas


So why have we found ourselves here? Beginning with, and reaching far beyond the Marquesas, stretching westward across 4,200 miles of the Pacific Ocean, are the thousands of islands of the Southern Pacific.  That is our final destination.  That is where Sea Mercy is operating to bring health care to the remote islands.  That is where we are heading.

Every day at 1800 Universal time, the time we left the Galapagos, I put a little x on the chart, circle the center, draw a line from yesterdays x, and add up the miles.  We all guess at the days miles, and then share the joy of the feeling of putting the ocean miles behind us.  We have done that for 10 days now.  Our daily average is around 155 a day, the lowest around 120, and the highest to date 180.  All are very good and we are pleased at the voyage so far.  About this time, from past experience, and confirmed by current feelings, I start to crave a big juicy medium cooked, cheddar Cheeseburger with bacon, jalapenos, a dash of Tabasco, lettuce and tomato, washed down with a large ice cold beer.

It is interesting to watch the social environment develop over the days at sea.  We enjoy the companionship, sharing tasks, odd projects,  and rotations at the helm.  But we all seem to enjoy finding time alone with ourselves, perhaps a book, in prayer, with guitar, or just looking out at the sea.  Fortunately, the boat, being a catamaran, it has four corners.  We all seem to find that spot to fully gain the total solitude in the place we are at.

We are blessed, safe, well, grateful, and doing fine.  We are happy.  


-DL



Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. 

Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several ways to get involved and are so grateful for your support. 

Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's website for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. 


Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. You can learn more here, and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Finding the Trade Winds..

Captains Blog- 4/14/2015


Rick & Terri Rogge join Captain David Lawn and First Mate
Weston Williams for the next leg of the journey to the Marquesas


Sea Angel and her crew are doing well.  We departed Santa Cruz in the Galapagos on Thursday the 9th of April.  Aboard are Weston Williams, Rick and Terri Rogge, and myself.  We are eating well, fishing all day long, and just tuning the boat to sail as quickly as we know how.  We all have finally settled into the routine.

It is very interesting indeed, and I have found myself during the process of navigating, learning first hand a little bit how our beautiful earth functions.  The Galapagos is just slightly below the equator in the southern hemisphere.  It resides in or very close to the doldrums, a band of the lower earth's atmosphere that rises with the equatorial heat, but has little movement across the surface of the planet which isn't particularly good for sailing.  About 300 miles south (and north) of the equator the Coriolis effect starts the wind moving, in a westerly direction.  That is the area we sailors seek to find, the trade winds, the path west often called the "coconut milk run" taking us to the far reaches of the west Pacific.  So in leaving the Galapagos we started moving quickly toward the South West trying to get down to that band called the trade winds.  We have arrived there after 5 days and are now turning westward more directly toward the Marquesas.  Currently we have traveled about 680 miles from the Galapagos and have about 2,280 miles to go to the Marquesas.  It is pretty awesome indeed.  We basically remain on the same course day after day now, only adjusting the sails or course based on local weather patterns.  Last night we reefed the main as the wind was consistently over 20 knots and the seas were a bit rough.  Today with the wind easing some we set the spinnaker and are flying along at 8+ (and up to 11+ occasionally).  We traveled 172 miles in the last 24 hours which is pretty darned good.

The day to day routine is broken by a variety of highlights, some not so fun, but those are the ones we remember.  On Saturday the sea water wash-down hose came loose just behind the wall panel in my stateroom.  Within seconds I had the pump shut off but by then sea water was dripping rapidly into my bunk and bedding.  That afternoon was spent hosing down the mattress with fresh water, washing the bedclothes, and starting the two day drying process.  It is all back in order and good as new.  In repairing the sea water valve I was operating a power drill on the outside of the stern and Rick was holding the fitting on the inside.  An agonizing yelp and funny dance maneuver was my clue that I had drilled a whole in his thumb.  Two days later it is healing nicely.  We caught a very small Yellow fin tuna on Sunday.  Rick demonstrated his fishing acumen by putting a teaser bait on the hand line and setting it off the stern.  That evening when I brought it in it was tangled and twisted up worse than Janis Joplin's hair after a hard party night.  We decided a swivel in the line would help next time.   

On a more emotionally draining note, a multi-day radio communication began regarding a boat, "Nirvana Now", that was having multiple difficulties aboard.  She was ahead of us on the same crossing, about in the middle, perhaps 2,400 miles from any sponsored rescue help.  I was involved in a radio relay for her early on, but on the second day she called out a "Mayday" and the government began coordinating the rescue.  Several vessels on the radio net which we attend daily were within 48 hours of her and altered course to assist.  A vessel by the name of "Continuum" arrived first and picked up the two persons on board who are now safe, but sadly, Nirvana Now was abandoned and scuttled (sunk).  I can only imagine how frightening and emotionally taxing this was for the crew, and they were, and are still in my prayers.

Between the learning, the highlights, the camaraderie among the boats crossing, there is the alone time; time to just stare out into the ocean, watch the stars, feel the seas, enjoy the birds and the flying fish, and just soak up the expanse of this big ball we call Earth…

DL


Weston - Hanging with an old tortoise in the Galapagos 


Captain Dave- Exploring the Galapagos


Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. 

Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several ways to get involved and are so grateful for your support. 

Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's website for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward. 


Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. You can learn more here, and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. 

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Southern Hemisphere and Galapagos Arrival

Captain's Blog 4/1/2015

First Sight of Galapagos after Seven Days at Sea 
We arrived in the Galapagos on Sunday March 29th, 2015.  We crossed the equator the evening before. We were just short of seven full days at sea. The winds were very light most of the trip but for the first four days we flew the spinnaker. The last three days, the wind started veering around, first to the beam then from over the bow. We reached as long as we could then motored the final couple hundred miles in. That kind of weather is not uncommon as this part of the ocean is justifiably referred to as the doldrums. 

Sea Lions Greeted the Boat in Galapagos!
Arriving at the Galapagos was pretty spectacular. We were greeted by a school of perhaps 100 sea lions crossing our path. 

Then sea turtles swimming by, a skate or two, and these crazy little birds that walk on the water. We have yet to be inspected and get our clearance from immigration, so once we get our feet on the ground we will add more photos and stories of the islands. In the meantime, we've included a few photos and a video below!

Birds That Walk On Water
Personally I enjoyed the time at sea. Everything slowed down.  There was no particular urgency, and little projects were fit it to help fill the days. It was a wonderful opportunity to be introspective and let the soul’s energy fill the void left by the absence of normal day-to-day activity.  

Rick Rogge and Terry Jo will be arriving on the 3rd, and we will discuss departure timing for the Marquesas. We will have to psych ourselves up a bit for that leg as it will be about 3,200 miles, perhaps 3+ weeks at sea.

-DL


Las Perles Beach

A little drag in the water, refreshing! 

Another Fun-Loving Sea Lion

Offshore Safety Gear

First Mate Overboard!

Cap't Dave at the Navigation Table

Putting Up A Fresh American Flag 

An Incredible Galapagos Sunset

Galapagos Sunset

Spectacular Ocean and Sky

Second Best Use for a Spinnaker

Spinnaker Up! Watch the Video!

Celebrating our Equator Crossing! Weston & Cap't Dave

Sea Angel is sailing for a cause. 

* As previously reported, Sea Mercy is now working to raise funds to assist with the sheer devastation from Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. You can learn more here, and please consider a donation or even a medical rotation if you're able. The people of Vanuatu can use help and prayers at this time. *

Sea Mercy is a benevolent program developed for disaster and critical care needs for remote islanders. Sea Mercy is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity with a simple vision and mission to "stand in the gap" with a service delivery vessel, trained health care volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" health care infrastructure, when critical health care need opportunities are present, or when disasters occur. We welcome you to consider donating on our behalf to Sea Mercy - they have several ways to get involved and are so grateful for your support. 

Sea Mercy's Corporate "We Care" Program is designed to help organizations attract and engage clients, vendors, and employees in the spirit of social responsibility and provide a wonderfully enriching partnership. There are several ways to participate with "We Care". Visit Sea Mercy's website for additional information. If you know of an organization or would like to involve yours, please share this information forward.