June 11, 2007. Aboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans. We're finally in the Hawaiian Islands. We passed Lanai and Maui, and had a super sail, tacking back and forth with almost full sails up, through the Pailoli channel between Maui and Molokai.
The islands look so high compared to the atolls of the Line Islands -- sharp cliffs, huge mountains hidden by clouds. Late yesterday, we had a spectacular downwind sail by the verdant cliffs of Molokai, where we could almost smell but not hear, the waterfalls that flow over the cliffs rising more than 2,000 feet from the sea.
We saw coves with the occasional person fishing the deep blue waters. With strong trade winds blowing at 25 to 30 knots, we came to a perfect place to drop anchor -- a protected coastline along a cliff with a volcanic rock and an emerald blue sea at sunset.
It is hard to believe that we've finished the journey. We've traveled more than 3,100 nautical miles, and now only a seven-hour sail separates us from Oahu, customs and our final dock.
As a community, we've been reflective of what we've gained, what we've accomplished and how our trip has affected all of us. Tomorrow, summer begins, and we will continue our journey as a Stanford community of seafaring friends. -- Barb Block, chief scientist
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment