Crew Wanted: San Diego to Alaska to Japan

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by SHAGGY49

My other route option was San Diego to Peru to Galapagos, Easter Island, and on out to the South Pacific, and then up through the Caroline Islands, and on up around Mindanao into the Visayas.....

Now you're talking. You can work with or against mother nature. May as well work with her.

If you haven't yet, you should pick up a copy of Cornell's World Cruising Routes to understand prevailing winds and currents as well as hurricane seasons and other important considerations.

Sounds like an ambitious but fun trip.

[savoir]

Start from Japan or, to put it differently, go the other way.

That would mean crossing the Pacific via Hawaii and Guam.

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by Olde Chief

I no expert on that run, though I know that it will be long, cold route with a lot of bad weather. You will be fighting the prevailing wind, weather, and the Japanese current the whole way...

Is there a way around the current?

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by captmikem

I have made that trip.
Stopped at San Diego, SFO, Portland Or, Seattle, up the inside passage, Glacier Bay across to Kodiak , out to Dutch Harbor, then followed the Aleutians all the way out to Attu, (nice folks at the Coast Guard station there), Petropavlovsk, then down to the sea of Okhotsk.

It is not a bad trip, the gulf of Alaska can be nice or nasty. I used to tow across it for Crowley, and it can be the worst weather you can imagine. Lows just suck right up into it and churn. Going across the Aleutians is most fog and misty rain, but beautiful and amazing islands to visit. (like Hawaii without the hoards, and of course a bit cooler). You can stop in Adak and get a few provision and fuel, but they do not want you there. Once you leave Attu it is either fog or sun, I experienced no bad wx from there west, and the trip south from there is pretty easy.
Current is against you, and most of the time the wind is as well (like crossing the north Atlantic east to west on top). But if you have lots of time to pick your wx there are plenty of harbors and anchorages. (And take advantage of the calms to motor west).
Just plan at least twice as long as you figure, and having a source of Grib files is invaluable. (And have a good set of wet weather gear and seaboots).

Take time and enjoy the islands as they are full of history and beautiful, and other than the occasional fish boat, you are totally alone. It is a great sail.

Just my humble opinion,

Michael

THANK YOU, MICHAEL!!!!!!!!!

I sensed that one calmer been there and done that head would pop out of the fray! I have all the time in my world to wait for GOOD weather! I want to stop at those islands, heading down to Hokkaido, that Russia controls, but which are steeped in Japanese history! when I was 5 years old we took a cruise from Tokyo to Khabarovsk in Russia and passed by those islands. I remember seeing some of those small temples out in the waters outside some of those islands, as well as bridges that were clearly Japanese, so I want to stop on as many of those as I can!

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by foojin

I defer to captmikem.

But I have sailed from Osaka to Victoria, and have several friends who sailed from Japan via Alaska. It would be a hell of a slog the other way. The current would kill you.

A couple I know were two days out of Japan in their catamaran. Their gas stove and autopilot died. They decided it would be easier to carry on then sail back against wind and current.

I have one of those new fangled ceramic heaters, so should be ok.

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by daniel even zur

Hi.
*If you go for the second option, I'm interested. I am a Skipper, I had a boat Dufour 46
My experience is mainly in the Mediterranean, and once crossing the Atlantic from Panama to the Azores.
I am an Israeli guy, my English is okay but not great. I would be delighted if you add a scheduled date information, you can contact me by e-mail evenzur.daniel@gmail.com

or mobile phone 972 522 321 997

CaptMikeM gave me wind in me sails, so I am most definitely taking the northern route!

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Just noticed your other post:

I have made that trip a few times, (to Oz, not north to Japan), and it is a much easier ride, had a spinnaker reach down to Easter a few days out of the Galapagos, great sail, and if the wx is good you can stop at Pitcairn. It is a much easier, and more leisurely sail than the northern route. Given the option I personally would take the southern route, but, I am happy that I did the northern route because I saw and experienced many things I would not have otherwise.

I do not know if this helps you or not, one way is a lot of hard cold work, but beautiful, the other is leisurely and beautiful. I have no experience from the Caroline islands north, but the trip across the South Pacific is just a nice sail.

Good luck,
Michael

Thank You... The northern route is less hot in the summer months...... How cold is th as t northern route in July and August?

[cwyckham]

Check out this very cool view of the currents as of today.

There's huge current from Japan towards Hawaii, but the current along the Aleutians is actually going the right way. The more important issue is prevailing winds. That's going to be a very difficult and very long beat.

How experienced are you as a sailor? I'm not sure this is a good first Ocean crossing. What boat do you plan to use? You will want a very seaworthy boat that's good at going to weather. The North Pacific upwind is no joke.

[SHAGGY49]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

You'll get a much friendlier reception in Adak than in the past, the Navy has pulled in their horns there. I would suggest that your route as planned would be causing you to buck the currents/winds the whole way and that sailing from San Diego to the south pacific back north through Japan/Alaska makes more sense. Have run the HI to AK in the spring a couple of times and weather was unfriendly most of the way. I have also made the Seattle / Prince William Sound run in June and had it be flat calm and sunny the whole way. As a general strategy I would look to crossing to the south and then making your way north on the other side of the pond. Hit me up when you get to Homer, if I am still there, I'll give you the grand tour. I am hoping to head south before the end of August.

I will definitely be there before you leave! As I am a 100% Disabled Veteran, I have the Dept of Defense's Benefits and ID Card that gives me full access to any US Military Base or Installation, including their tie ups and/or Marina..... Are there any BXs/PXs or Commissaries on any of the installations along the way up there?

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by SHAGGY49

CaptMikeM gave me wind in me sails, so I am most definitely taking the northern route!

Shaggy you will not be disappointed, there is so much history and beauty to see on these islands, and so very few get to see it. Many of the islands had fierce battles, and much of the remnants are still there. Shipwrecks in a few harbors, lots of old weaponry, armor and ammo scattered about. Lot of folks died on these islands attacking or defending them. And no one there now. Only drawback is the amount of fishing floats washed up on the beaches. Hundreds of them.
While you are out that way, it is worth a stop at Bering island. It is beautiful as well. I stopped there and went up and sat on the side of a hill where he is buried and thought of what happened there. The irony of it was that I was sitting in high grass, which if he had of eaten, he would not have perished (he died of scurvy). The people take a bit to get to know, but are good people.

Also, the Kuril islands, just amazing to see.

It is cool, not cold, but you get used to it. I do not recall having to worry much about the cold. But it is chilly with the fog. And you want to get south before the gales start working their way across. Just remember, it is hard work at times, if it were easy it would be like Tahiti.

PM me and I will send you some photos of the Aleutians and Bearing if you would like.

Easter and Pitcairn are pretty great places to see as well. And Very friendly folks.

Michael

[captain58sailin]

There is Elmendorf/Fort Richardson in Anchorage. I am not sure what is available in Kodiak. No facilities in Homer. All the best, on your run.

[Cheechako]

I think most would choose to go to Japan by not going North.

[Olde Chief]

As you say you are a DAV, and as such have medical benefits, but I only of two that that are readily available, Elmandorf/Anchorage and CG Base Kodiak. None have Marinas. There are quite a few village where you might get Groceries and Fuel. The City of Kodiak does have a Good Marina and Boatyard and Dutch Harbor is also very good. After those two you will not find much of anything. Last I heard Adak had pretty much closed down. As for Attu you will have to go to the native village as the CG has nothing to offer you. In fact once you leave Dutch Harbor there is nothing until you reach Japanese Waters. Also, I think once you leave Dutch Harbor, and need serious medical care you will need to be Med Evaced to Kodiak or Anchorage. I NO Nothing about the Russian Facilities or how they might deal with you. Sorry there is something more for you to think about. Have a good trip....

[TacomaSailor]

Shaggy,

Have you studied the N Pacific pilot charts / wind roses?

For example July Kodiak to 170E 1,600 NM wind is F3 - F4 forward of 50 degrees apparent 70% of the time and average air temp is 52 degrees

July - San Diego to Kodiak is 2,100 NM wind is F4 - F5 forward of 50 degrees apparent 85% of the time and average air temp is 60 degrees south of the CA/OR border and below 55 degrees north of their

It is hard to imagine beating for over 3,700 NM in air temps below 60 degrees.

I've sailed in those conditions for over 30-years and never really enjoyed it - even in my well equipped cruiser with forced air heat and electric warming blankets in the dodger protected cockpit.

We recently had a 100% DAV on our San Diego dock with similar plans. He purchased a nice 36-foot sailboat. Several other local veterans, with a lot of sailing experience, spend many hundreds of hours helping him outfit the boat and teaching him to sail.

Then the experienced sailing vets took the novice sailor on a half dozen three to eight day sailing trips NW from San Diego into the prevailing wind and swells. They also sailed to Mexico and back a couple times.

After five-months of gaining experience the DAV decided beating to windward for weeks at a time was not what he expected or wanted.

You don't tell us you experience so I might be way off base here, but, I hope you have some experience with N Pacific windward sailing before you make an irrevocable commitment.

[cwyckham]

We still don't know anything about your boat or your experience. You seem to be thanking anybody who agrees with the northern route and ignoring the rest of us.

I think the northern route advocates are assuming a certain level of experience and a very seaworthy boat (as well as a very gung ho attitude).

If you have immense experience, then I think that you can do this trip in an average boat as you'll be able to maximize your comfort and ensure that you hit your season and weather windows correctly.

If you have average experience, you might be able to compensate with an extraordinary boat that can really take a thrashing and is pretty comfortable beating to windward for months in cold conditions (good performance, good size, excellent rigging and sails, pilothouse, forced air heat, etc.)

My concern is that you had to ask the question at all. If you had average or greater experience, you likely would have already known the answer.

If you are fairly new to sailing, have never done a bluewater passage of more than a couple days and have a small, average boat or no boat but a budget of less than about $100k for the boat... I think that it is dangerous to advocate this trip.

If you look more like the above, then you'd be better off taking the southern route. By the time you get to Japan, you'll be a very experienced sailor and you can return by the northern route safely (and with the prevailing winds instead of against them).