Casting Off !!

[Kelkara]

Tomorrow morning, with the flood tide, I cast off for my first proper cruise ... I'm going north, and don't plan to be back until the snow starts falling again.

I'd like to once again extend my thanks to everyone here who, either directly or indirectly, helped me prepare myself and my boat for this ... maybe by the time I get back I'll have something to contribute to this forum myself.

Enough sitting around at a dock ... if anything's going to happen it'll happen out there.

thanks all, and hope to see some of you out there .

[blackswan]

Tis one of the greatest feelings..
Preparation of boat & crew ,planning & fit out done.
Cast off season ahead, extended cruise & all the possibility of discovery, risk, challenge, adventure.
All rolled up into a ball of feelings that makes your heart race and the soul sing.. Awesome.
Enjoy

[Cherod]

Enjoy the big day

[redhead]

Wonderful, just wonderful!

[Kelkara]

Made it across the Strait of Georgia ... I'm on my way [emoji2] .

[blackswan]

Good work..
Where are you going north or south..?
Although I'm from oz my first cruising experience was along Vancouver Island on an awesome month long cruise so enjoy it. Beautiful part of the world

[Flyingriki]

Are you heading out Johnstone to the ocean?
Looks exciting! Have a lot of fun!

[Kelkara]

Arrived in Desolation Sound. Malaspina Strait Was a wild ride ... I had no idea my little boat could sail at 8kts, helped along by following seas!

It turns out my autopilot that I usually call "Willhelm" would be better named "Wonthelm" on a bouncy broad reach.

[IdoraKeeper]

Hoho.? probably better for the boat than having electrons
Yanking on things.. You go dude �� am 12 months behind you. ��

[blackswan]

Willhelm to Wonthelm

[Kelkara]

And I'm back ... it's been a successful cruise:

116 days away
81 days underway
74 days underway single-handed
73 nights at anchor
2675 nautical miles
708 hours underway
161 hours under sail
3.8 knots average speed
514 litres of diesel burned (a lot of wind-free days)
0.93 lt/hr fuel consumption
1 major boat malfunction (starter motor failure)
2 weeks repairing boat in exotic location
1 minor boat malfunction (autopilot motor)
2 overnight passages
4 days with fog (very glad I bought the radar)
4 days with sun (I jest, but not by much)
3 power boats cut their wake when passing me
1 beer thrown at me from a passing boat (cheers!)
more whales/bears/glaciers/icebergs/totem poles etc than I can possibly remember
1 fantastic summer adventure

[sailorboy1]

congrats!

[Jim Cate]

Well done, mate! trouble is, after such a cruise, going back to the "real world" is a shattering experience... at least it was for me after our first year out. Hope that you can adjust... at least until you escape again.

Good writeup, too, and nice pix.

Jim

[Cherod]

Excellent

[brownoarsman]

Looks like fun! Thanks for sharing your photos!