Change of plans, change of direction!

May 14, 2015, S 17d 32' 26" W 149d 31' 11",  Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia

Happy Birthday Anna May!!!

Last week, Jerry and I spent several hours with Jimmy Cornell, talking about the direction of the Blue Planet Odyssey.  Jimmy is the organizer of the rally and has written the most definitive book on sailing routes of the world.  Initially, the Odyssey participants planned to go through the Red Sea, into the Mediterranean, then on to the Caribbean, Panama and home.  However, with the current multiple crises in the Middle East, the group has decided to go south of Africa instead of the Red Sea, a route known for its length and difficulty.  Jerry and I have decided we will not take that route, which leaves us with three alternatives. One, continue west as far as we'd like through the Phillipines, and Indonesia, then return back, against the winds, an incredibly difficult slog home.  Two, continue west as far as we'd like and then sell Heron Reach. Three, as Jimmy suggested, go north from here, and return home via Hawaii, Alaska and Vancouver.

This was a VERY difficult decision, but there are at least a dozen reasons we are choosing to return home now. We are missing the first years of our new granddaughter, Vivienne, who wasn't even thought of when we first committed to this trip. We don't enjoy the really long passages, which the trip around Africa would be some 14,000 miles in one year.  To our surprise, we find we both miss working! Tropical beaches are beautiful, and many are endangered by climate change, but neither of us is the sit around the beach type. It feels a little like playing the violin while Rome burns, or in this case, working on our tans while the world fries.  Part of the reason we joined the Odyssey was to bring awareness to the dangers of climate change, and we wonder if we can't be just as effective at home. 

So. . . We leave Tahiti in the morning for Hawaii, a trip of about three weeks and 2,200 miles.

To our surprise, Hawaii is west of Tahiti! Prevailing trade winds mean we will first travel northeast until we get to the equator.  That will give us the luxury of heading northwest with the prevailing winds north of the equator. We will try to send a post en route. To do so, we send a radio based email to our friend Alicia, who then will post it on the web.  It cannot take any pictures or attachments and is MUCH slower than the slowest dial up. When any pictures are included, it means we found Wifi on one of the islands.

Meanwhile, I am inspired by the students in our daughter's classes in the Highline School district who brainstormed a list of changes they could make in their lives to limit their carbon footprint. I know we are all culpable for the state of the Earth. I am going to try to commit to as many as possible. How many can you commit to?

Drive less, ride your bike

Hang your clothes up to dry outside

Turn the heat down in the winter

Don't take plane trips

Play outside instead of electronic games

Don't practice "retail therapy", buy less

Eat locally

Eat seasonally (no tomatoes in winter!)

Eat organically, for your own health, and your grocery dollar won't contribute to poisoning Mother Earth

Buy locally, your dollar stays in your community instead of going to large corporations for CEO salaries

Don't buy plastic, especially single use plastic, get a water bottle and refill it

Decide what you want to eat BEFORE you open the fridge

Start or join a Transition group to build a supportive community (see www.TransitionWhatcom for an example)

Don't limit yourself, come up with more ways to live lightly on the planet.

May 19, 2015, S 15d 48' 09", W 149d 31' 11", Toau, an atoll in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia

We arrived just before dark last night in the small bay at Toau.  

This atoll has only one extended family of ten people and they have put a few mooring buoys in the bay to help prevent damage by anchors to the coral beds.  They charge 500 Francs for the night, or a little over $5  U.S.  They prefer to trade if they can as it is so very difficult to go to an actual store of any kind.  The last time we were here, we traded a pair of sunglasses my eye doctor had given me and a half bottle of ibuprofen for our stay. They have a series of fish traps that make it easier for them to provide for the family. Fish, chicken, and coconuts provide the mainstay for their diet.  Other than coconuts and breadfruit, they have no fruit or vegetables. With rising seas, this island paradise is in peril.  We went ashore for dinner with folks from two other boats.  They bar-b-qued all you can eat lobster and parrot fish fillets for 17 people, along with a raw tuna served in coconut milk.  You may notice the phone booth in the left side of the picture.  The French government put it here several years ago, but not all of the parts arrived, so it doesn't work.  Instead, they borrow the electricity that the phones solar panel makes for a little light at night.

The woman, Valentina, told us about one night several years ago when all the hermit crabs climbed up the big tree in their yard, something they never do. She and her family took refuge in their boat and went out to sea for the night.  The tsunami from the earthquake in Chili hit at four the next morning!

The next day we went ashore and did some more serious trading, this time for the local black pearls. Valentina and Gaston showed us a vast collection of pearls they had harvested.

We brought 10 lbs. of flour, 2 lbs. of sugar, yeast, two bars of soap, 25 meters of new rope, coloring pens and book for the two children (thank you Alicia!), new reading glasses, some fresh fruit, and four small Twix bars.

We are coming home with a handful of black pearls which our knome, Lief was admiring.

Later, Gaston took his skiff out of the lagoon for a short, 45 minute fishing trip, and returned with three small tuna, which he shared with us! Yumm!

Tomorrow we leave for the Marquesas, 543 NM away.