Pacific Solo - New Departure Date!
I have moved up the date of my departure onboard SV Wahine for my solo voyage across the North Pacific from Japan to Canada to late spring 2021!
Why?
Times and circumstances have changed. Given so many changing realities, I have decided to revise my schedule to cross the North Pacific.
It is now my intention to depart Tokyo Bay in the
late Spring of 2021. In doing so, I will catch the
Kuroshio current up the coast of Japan. Then, somewhere off
Miyage or
Ibaraki, I will turn away from land and sail between latitudes 35-40 to what I call "Nemo North", which lies at: 37° 58'45.13 "N / 148° 1'12.17 "W
This will allow me to catch as much of the prevailing winds as possible before turning north at around 149N, avoiding the Pacific High (the doldrums), and head to Vancouver. This route will take me through the two gyres that form the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which I want to witness first-hand, sharing what I find.
Pacific Solo is a voyage of discovery exploring the garbage patch and finding “Nemo North”. It is also a deeply personal quest that I am doing for my grandson and my mother.
Every epic journey needs a vision, an image that captivates and compels. One of those images for me in terms of Pacific Solo is of my mother greeting me when I arrive in English Bay, Vancouver. I want to, must do this while she still remembers my name.
So, what was my original plan?
On my sixty-fourth birthday in March of 2019, I made three announcements, the final one being that it was my intention to sail solo across the Pacific before turning seventy. That announcement was contingent on the following:
- That HOPE JP would find a successor by March 2020.
- That Navigate 22, an ethics consultancy, would launch in early 2020, becoming my primary income source.
- That I would build HOPE Asia (Singapore and HK) over the next five years.
- That I would purchase a boat in 2020 and begin my training.
So, what has happened?
Well, the world has changed for me just as it has for everyone else. Still, there has been progress.
- An excellent successor for HOPE JP, Jeffrey Behr, was found earlier than expected. He started work on Oct 1st, 2019.
- COVID-19 subverted the launch of Navigate 22. It turns out that it is tough to conduct seminars, consult and speak during a pandemic!
- COVID-19 dramatically affected HOPE Asia, and there is diminished activity rather than increased fundraising.
- I found THE BOAT (SV Wahine!) a year earlier than expected. This gave me a head-start in gaining much-needed experience.
Because of all these factors, Pacific Solo became something I have dedicated the bulk of my time to. Initially, I had planned for it to be a part-time activity lasting five years. But like everyone, we have all made significant changes in our lives. However, change is not always bad; at times, it brings out new ideas and unleashes positive energy. I have chosen to embrace change. This is a good thing. Dealing with unforeseen situations and the ability to change will be an essential part of my solo voyage. I might as well start now.
Because I will be leaving earlier, I have focused on growing the Pacific Solo YouTube Channel faster to create a sustainable income source sooner.
So, that is why.
However, on a deeply emotional level, my motivation has been enhanced by my desire to see my mom!
Her physical health is okay for a 92-year-old woman. Nevertheless, her mental acuity is diminishing.
My mission is intensified by the desire to arrive while she still recognizes me as her son.
So, what's my action plan?
Departure by June of 2021 will be contingent on the following:
1) The weather window
June is the recommended month to leave because of favorable prevailing winds. Departure anytime after that puts me into typhoon season. If I depart earlier, the winds are adverse.
With all of his in mind, here are some potential sailing plans:
- September: Izu Peninsula and Area One
- October or November: Tohoku
- February or March: Okinawa (eight-day solo non-stop voyage)
I plan to leave Yumenoshima Marina in Tokyo Bay and sail to Choshi in Ibaraki and complete my final preparations there, awaiting the right weather window to depart.
2) Upgrade of SV Wahine by January 2021
(This is a big list!) I need:
- Solar and lithium batteries
- New sails
- A new Furler
- Check and possibly replace all rigging and Lines
- A Drogue
- Add communications and navigation equipment including AIS, EPIRB, Radar, VHF Radio, Iridium GO, etc
- A life raft
- Resolve the registration of Wahine (Japan or Canada?)
I will also need to obtain a VHF Marine Radio License and increase my blue-water sailing experience.
3) Launch the "Great Pacific Learning Project"
...by establishing relationships with students and schools.
4) To raise the necessary funding
...by recruiting sponsors for Wahine's upgrades and other costs related to the voyage, I will need to do the following:
- Enlist the support of more Patrons (monthly supporters)
- Grow the YouTube Channel as the platform to share the story, educate and inspire, and produce passive income from Google Advertising.
- Build the Pacific Solo Store.
So that’s my update.
Thanks for your support, enthusiasm, and interest in my project. This may be a Solo voyage - but I intend to make it a journey for everyone involved!
Thanks!
Lowell
