May 22-23
Hi All,
Yes……we have FETCHED KUSHIRO HOKKAIDO JAPAN….whoa….we had to pinch ourselves a little to let it sink in….this little trawler that can!!!!! Another huge milestone on our way to Sitka Alaska!!!
Leg 3 of MMMAC is completed….Mystic Moon Malaysia to Alaska Cruise…..say MAC…..still no one has come up with a better name…..Okinawa to Kushiro…..1643nm in 67 days!!!
We had very nice trawler like conditions for the 206nm overnight run from Hakodate…..27 hrs, SOG=7.6kts…..we started with winds 15-20G25kts but all behind and seas 2-4′ all behind, but some motion….but by Monday evening it had calmed to winds<12kts and seas 1-3′ and a very comfortable ride!!!
Stats:
Total travel from Kota Kinabalu Malaysia: 3381nm, 128 days
Leg 3, Okinawa to Kushiro Japan: 1643nm
Pos: 42 58.887N 144 23.015E
Northing: We started at 6N and now at 43N, 37* north or 2220nm; maybe another 24* north to go, 1488nm
Weather: Yep…it is a bit brisk….both wearing fleece now; water temp is 43*F (6C), air temp 45-55*F; Kabola diesel heater on all the time now!!!
As per the norm, we were met on the dock by Coast Guard…..still not all the lines on and engine still running….but, we are learning, we just asked them politely to wait until we had the boat secured. We were also met by a local gentlemen, Mt Seki-san, a good friend of Mizunosan in Hakodate, and he helped us for the next few hours get through Coast Guard, Customs and Immigration…..wow, still a lot of forms!!!
And, Spruce was about an hour behind us….let the good times roll!!!
Boat Stuff:
Hmmmm…..not a good last few days…..the ESI pump (fuel polisher) has failed, the Cummins dual Racor filter gauge has stopped working and we have confirmed the Balmar 614 Regulator has a program glitch that we can not fix….a bit frustrating on this one….brand new last Oct and only 310 hours….way too new for failure. Fortunately we have spares for all 3 items so looks like John-Boy gets to spend a day in the ER effecting repairs…..cold yoga now….joy!!!!
The Plan: Mark arrives Friday, May 25 and we will leave for Petropavlovsk Russia as soon as we have a good 5+ day weather window. We might have one as early as Saturday but weather changes so fast here we won’t make the decision until the night before or even an hour before we go!!!
Hope all is well!!
John
Mystic Moon
Kushiro Japan
Leaving Hakodate….we found the platform they built in front of Mystic…they are repairing the seawall!!
Leaving Hakodate
Rough seas at the beginning but behind us!!
Still in the Tsugaru Strait with lots of shipping activity!!
Sea lion….ah, to be back with our old mates!!
Trawler weather baby!!!
Usually tankers give you 0.5-1.0 nm clearance but this guy came up our stern 300 yards away….arghhhhh!!!!
Kushiro….somewhat industrial looking!!
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