So here I am, on the airport again. Here I am, at the belt. Here I am, picking up Rebecca again. Here I am, turn the page!

Its been almost 4 month since I saw here disappearing behind  customs in Honolulu. 

4 month being a SOLO sailor. 

4 month just me and ZERO

4 month and around 4.700 nm

I was quite concerned about being alone when I set sails and left Oahu. How will it be? How will I manage it? What will it do to me?  Will I like it? Will I hate it?

The first trip to Kauai went well. But didn’t answer any of my questions. Then the breathtaking sail along the Napali Coast. Noone there to share the experience with. Noone to hold and say isn’t that beautiful? But ZERO took a lot of my attention and I only recognized that lack of “sharing” later..
Hanalei Bay welcomed me with friendly people and the win of new friends. And old ones.. I wasn’t alone at all.. There were so many people around me sharing time and adventures with me I barely found  some time on my own.

The preparation for the leg to Alaska took time as well and before I realized it I was on my way! Sailing SOLO to Alaska, crossing the Pacific Ocean from South to north. Sailing from an tropical Island to the cold icy coast of the far north. 

3 days offshore and I had to deal with a major problem. My rudder broke. 300 nm north north west of Kauai, in 10.000+ft of water with no land closer than 2.000nm except Hawaii where I came from. Noone to discuss the problem or the solutions with. Do I need crew for a crossing like that? Another question. But this one would be answered soon. 

NO I DON’T!  

I sailed ZERO back to Honolulu,  hauled her out of the water and repaired the rudder, rebuild it. It was the hardest weekend I ever had. I slept 6 hours within 4 days, worked all around the clock just to make it in time for getting the ‘weekend special’ from the boatyard.I almost collapsed. Did I make it..?  NO. I failed by around 2 hrs and the business hours from the boatyard. If they would have worked longer than 3 pm by just 2 hrs I would have made it. Damn.

Back in the water I only had one goal. Get out of here. Get out on the ocean. Give it another try to sail to Alaska. I changed my intentional plan to land in Dutch Harbor to Kodiak. The time I lost rebuilding the rudder needed to be compensated.  Shorten the route. Let’s go.. Off I went..

16 days on the ocean, 16 days and only blue around me. Closest solid ground would be around 10.000ft below me,the bottom of the ocean, for a long time. 
Now it was time for some answers.. 

How will it be?  Great! I felt great out there. Enjoyed every minute of it.

How will I manage it? I just did what I had to do.  Doesn’t matter what. I hoisted, trimmed and shortened the sails, I navigated, I was on watch, I slept, I cooked, baked and made the dishes, I fished, I read and played guitar.. I lived!

There was nothing I couldn’t handle, nothing which let me think that leaving on an ocean passage alone was a mistake. Long story short.. I did manage it well!

What will it do to me? Still a good question. Don’t know. Gain confidence in my sailing skills? Strengthen my mind? Forming my caracter ? Maybe I’ll get some answers to this in a while.. Maybe Rebecca can judge it from the view of a before and after witness.

Will I like it? DEFINITELY YES! I love it. It was a great experience, a great adventure. The biggest adventure in my life so far. I wouldn’t change my decision if I would be time travelled back. I would miss a huge amount of emotions, experiences and memories I will never forget in my whole life, if I did.. When I’m an old Fort, sitting in my rocking chair barely able to walk, see and hear this will be the reason why I smile. One of it!

Will I hate it? Stupid question!

So what’s now. In around an hour my SOLO SAILING CARREER comes to an end. And I like that too. I’m glad to sail with Rebecca again. Having the experience of the last month hopefully makes me a better man, a better captain, a better partner. And sharing a nice moment with somebody you love is still the best you can do. It doubles your joy.

I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to convert to a SOLO sailor, part time, and can strongly recommend to give it a try. It mustn’t be an ocean crossing or so many miles and months I did, but maybe coastal cruising for a month just you and your boat.. Try it!
Now you will probably say.. Why am I cruising around the most important question like a pirate around Port Royal, getting near but never to close..? OK!

Will I do it again?

Don’t know. If the circumstances lead me to another SOLO trip, yes. But I’m not planning one or send my quartermaster home just because I wanna play ‘lonely sailor’ again.
There is one thing I really enjoyed, and that’s sharing my stories with you. Your comments, wishes, ideas and respect gave me a good feeling and touched my heart. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Aloha

The EX SOLO captain!