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Norma Jackson's Art Website   ...
Sue and John
  News 
Outrageously delayed update! - 24-Aug-2008
Hello, dear cyber-sailors. I just realized how long it is since we posted an update; my legitimate excuse is that finalizing and publishing my book, “Waiting for the Moon” has been all-consuming. I’ll attach a copy of the cover so those of you who haven’t already been press-ganged into buying a copy can take a look and e.mail your order(s). Our first two hundred copies have nearly gone … and we’re getting ready to print our revised second edition! The bargain price for this armchair adventure is $17.50 (plus postage which runs around $2.50). And here’s our location update for any of you who want to come visit (remember, we love to take our cyber-sailors out sailing). Tamarack has a permanent berth in Ladysmith marina (about equal distance between Duncan and Nanaimo) and when we’re not out sailing, we too have a permanent berth in Crofton, south of Ladysmith. Our e.mail remains the same *blairtamarack@hotmail.com* so please keep in touch. We’re hoping to provide a link to another exciting adventure – that of the Jennings; Bobbie, John, Alex and Harry on “Island Time” their 42 ft. Catalina. She is currently in the American Virgin Islands awaiting the Jennings (who are winding things up in Calgary) to sail her to exotic and exciting places over the next few years. They have such a fabulous adventure to look forward to! Wishing you all Fair Winds and Kindly Seas - Sue  
October 1, 2007  - 29-Oct-2007
After the social whirlwind of September – catching up with so many of our friends, Tamarack is settled in at the marina in Chemainus (about half an hour south of Nanaimo) for the winter. The location is sheltered and fabulous. We would love to have any of our cyber-sailors come by for a visit if you’re on the Island (if the weather’s right we can head out for a sail). Just leave us a note on the ‘contact us’ section of the website and we’ll e-mail you our phone number and details. My main project for this winter is to finish the book about our offshore adventure, hopefully for publishing by the new year. So, in the meantime here's the conclusion to our summer fiasco (and check the photo section for new pics) ....   read more...
Canada North 2007 May to June Update - 29-Jul-2007
Major update! There's so much to tell about their journey of late that Sue just sent me a document 8 pages long to tell the story.

Why didn't they make it to Alaska?

Did their engine overheating problem get fixed?

All these questions (and more) are answered in Sue's latest update... that you'll download as a .pdf document by clicking this link:   read more...
The Best Laid Plans - 5-Jul-2007
June 27, 2007 Quadra Island, Drew Harbour
Position: 50.05.636N 125.11.327W

Greetings Cybersailors. We're working on Plan B! A stormy wet June along with numerous other circumstances, including some engine problems have conspired against us, and Alaska is no longer a viable destination this summer.

We've had a great time on and around Quadra, enjoying the good company and amazing hospitality of our Quadra friends Greg and Marianne at Nole Creek Sawmills.

Barb and Tony on Kinderdijk arrived a couple of days ago. and Tony, as always has been of tremendous help with our engine challenges. They are leaving Quadra today and we will follow a similar route tomorrow.

We all want to get a bit further north before the holiday crowds arrive this week-end. Thus we are en-route from Quadra Island in Desolation Sound up through the Octopus Islands, and into the Broughtons. While we might get as far north as Port Hardy, our present ambitions and realities may well see us happily cruising between the Broughtons and Desolation Sound for the summer.

While we're mildly disappointed about not making Alaska this summer, it's truly difficult to get too upset about our present circumstances (not sure we'd get too much sympathy anyway!)

Still working on the detailed log updates (wait until you hear about the 14 eagles and the jellyfish wars) we wanted to get some photos off to you all since it might be a few weeks before we can access the internet again. Wishing you all fair winds and kindly seas. Sue & John  
Heading North to Alaska - 28-May-2007
Greetings from Tamarack! Well we're loaded up (the shelves are empty in Safeway), final safety and engine checks are underway and Miss Tamarack is once again chomping at th bit. We plan on weighing anchor from Maple Bay on Tuesday (tomorrow) and making our way North, stopping to visit friends en-route. The camera is ready so we hope to have some fabulous photos to share with you along the way. We hope the sailing stories will be pretty boring ... but who knows? Adventures have a tendency to unfold all on their own! Speaking of adventures: Sue has completed the first draft of her book detailing our adventures from our first major offshore adventure. It's what our cybersailers were reading from day one ... plus lots more. Hope to be ready to publish in the fall ... but will keep you posted as things progress. Wishing you all a wonderful summer. Love from Sue & John. Tamarack standing by on 16!  
Check out our link to Norma Jackson's art website - 9-Feb-2007
We have had hundreds of compliments and enquiries about our "Divine Protection" canvas/screen depicting Tamarack sailing out of harbour under the protection of the Monarch Butterfly. That screen was a gift from our good friend Norma Jackson, a brilliant westcoast artist. We've just posted a link to Norma's new website. Check it out. This gal is one of the most supremely talented and under-celebrated artists we've come across. Here's a hot investment tip: buy Norma's art!  
Update - Mexico Log - 4-Feb-2007
Dear Cyber Sailors. Humble apologies for procrastinating on this update. No excuses - bad Sue, bad Sue! The continuation and grand finale of our Mexican adventure starts October 9th and ends on November 9th. Oh, and please check out our updated crew list in the "About Us" tab (sorry to be so long Bon & Leigh)   read more...
Made it to La Paz - 29-Oct-2006
Just like the proverbial bad penny, we keep showing up! We arrived in La Paz one week ago, after a 13 day passage that was variously relaxing, spirited, and downright scary. When we eventually get around to the details for the ships log, you will hear of dances with freighters, cruise ships and commercial fishing boats. About gorgeous downwind sailing in light air and seas; a potential pirate encounter; wild winds that sent spray over the bow and into the cockpit; getting knocked down and then breaking a shroud (one of those handy little things that hold the mast up) off Cabo Falso. And throughout this lively adventure we always managed to stay one or two days ahead of the regularly developing Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Until we reached La Paz, and safely tied up in the marina just in time to strip Tamarack buck naked in preparation for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Paul! We had a rigger come to examine the damage but he said that John had done a great job of jury rigging (no pun intended) and that we'd be better to wait until we get home to get it fixed properly. So this week, we've been working like crazy to put everything back together again, catch up on our sleep and plan for loading 'Her Ladyship' on to the Dockwise freighter around the 8th or 9th of November. (We're all ready to come home for a while!) Mind you, we are quite smitten with La Paz and the stunning islands and anchorages around the Sea of Cortez - so we're going to take this next week off and go exploring (have to motor rather than sail since we don't want to put any stress on the rigging). Promise to update the log in the next few weeks. Love to everyone at home (wherever that may be). John & Sue  
Jumping off Tomorrow.  - 10-Oct-2006
We had planned to jump off from Ensenada this morning, having completed all our official paperwork on yesterday morning - and having assured ourselves that we had a good weather window. By late afternoon another peek at the weatherfax showed two tropical depressions (prelude to a cyclone) southwest of Baja. The first, 'Norman' is supposed to fizzle out long before Baja, but his sidekick 'Olivia' is headed more this way - with predictions of a possible (though unlikely)landfall about six hundred miles south - on our course. So discretion being the better part of valour, we decided to wait for another day and just watch Olivia (whom we're pretty sure will fizzle out because the water is cooling around this area). So, all being well head out tomorrow at 0800 hrs and make the three day run down to our first stopping/resting point (Bahia des Tortugos). Just posted some new photos under "Mexico/Ensenada". Will do detailed web update in the next couple of weeks. Adios for now. Sue & John  
Wasting away in Margaritaville! - 22-Sep-2006
Hello everyone. We're here in Ensenada - back on our beloved Tamarack. Please check the ships log section for an update on our Baja Blues! (Scroll down to Sept 5 entry to start the update).   read more...
Quick Update - July 30th 2006 - 30-Jul-2006
We've just posted some additional photos (See Carpe Diem's Fiji Snaps) in the photo gallery. These are by no means the only photo contributions from C.D. - we exchanged photos regularly during our buddy boating adventures in Fiji (many of our best photos came from Mark's camera). It just happens that these were additional ones that Mark shared with us before we left New Zealand. In response to our previous update "Good Grief, looks like we're off again!" we received a note from our niece Marion, who commented, "Thank goodness, I'm feeling a little cabin feverish, and can't wait to cyber sail again. To feel the ocean winds in my hair, and bounce along with the swells....." Don't worry Marion, we'll give you lots of notice so you can apply your sunscreen, mix up a batch or Margaritas ready for September's run from Ensenada to La Paz!  
Good Grief, looks like we’re off again!!! - 29-Jun-2006
At the end of the last log I glibly stated, “It ain’t over yet!” No kidding … just got a “surprise” e.mail from Dockwise who are (were) shipping Tamarack from Auckland to Nanaimo, via Ensenada. The carrier from Auckland is going to be delayed and we’re going to miss the connection from Ensenada to Nanaimo. If I recall, the last time I said “We’ll take a log-writing break for a while since not much is happening” I pulled the Great Human Fender stunt in Hawaii. (Perhaps I should just keep my big mouth shut!) But our friend Mark (Carpe Diem) always says that the difference between an adventure and an ordeal is your attitude. So you might want to shuffle on back to the ship’s log to learn about our latest “Adventure!”   read more...
Log of Tamarack’s final leg into Auckland (Nov. 4 - 24) - 29-Jun-2006
Have finally got that that last leg onto the web (apologies for the delay, we’ve been crazily trying to catch up with family & friends back in Canada). See the latest log entries for November ….. P.S. If you're trying to track us down (and we still get a thrill hearing from all of our cyber-sailors) you can leave a message in the "contact us" box or directly at blairtamarack@pocketmail.com but please rememeber text only and absolutely no "junk mail/funnies" or attachments. Look forward to hearing from you   read more...
Whew! Major Update! - 26-Mar-2006
I've just posted the following updates to the Ship's Log:
- End of September
- October
- Beginning of November
Follow the passages of Tamarack II:   read more...
September 20th Added - 16-Jan-2006
The Journal for Sept 20th has been added to the Ship's Log Journal.   read more...
Sailmail email end is near... - 11-Jan-2006
After the middle of February, the sailmail email address will no longer be active. The Contact Us page is the best place to use to contact Sue and John because it will always be forwarded to an active email account.   read more...
Happy New Year from New Zealand - 2-Jan-2006
We’ve had an awesome Christmas and New Year’s with family and friends here in friendly N.Z. Nearly every Kiwi we had conversation with in December; whether in the boat yard, stores or on the street, wanted to ensure that we weren’t on our own for Christmas and generously invited us to join them for the Holidays! We love this friendly, beautiful country and had originally hoped to stay here for 18 months or so. Unfortunately their immigration policy is very tight and the maximum period of time we could get on a visa would be 9 months (that would involve medicals, x-rays and tons of red tape) and then we would have to leave for at least 9 months before returning. The problem is that 9 months from our arrival date would put us in the middle of cyclone season – not a good time to be setting sail. We would also likely have to import the boat – which means paying GST on her value.

This realization for us begged the question. Now what and where? We have considered sailing home from here in May but that would mean a good year and half of beating or ‘uphill’ sailing. Hard on the boat, and hard on the crew (we tried that when we attempted to sail hard on the wind to French Polynesia!) To sail with the wind, the logical thing would be to keep westing – which means we’d be “going around” (circumnavigating) and we’ve both concluded that isn’t what we want to do.

So we’ve decided that our next sailing season will be 2007 back home in the Pacific Northwest (somewhere between Alaska and Washington) which will allow us to spend some much needed time with friends and family. And maybe after that, we’ll head down to Mexico – since we missed that the first time around. And who knows, we could end up cruising back to the South Pacific – we certainly love the countries we visited and the incredible people we met.

(continued...)  
Happy New Year from New Zealand - 2-Jan-2006
(continued from above)

Accordingly, Miss Tamarack will be shipped home on a freighter that is especially designed to transport yachts (you sail them on and sail them off!) Here’s the plan. We will both be home at the end of April (we’re flying home via Sidney so we can at least see some of Australia). John will have to fly back to Auckland in July to load Tamarack on the freighter. Then he’ll return via Mexico where there is a two week stopover between her being offloaded from the Auckland freighter, and re-loaded onto the Vancouver bound one. She will arrive in Vancouver sometime in September.

So stay tuned, the adventure is far from over! We hope that many of our cyber sailors will join us for a day or two (or more) in Canadian waters. In the meantime, Sue’s trying to get caught up on the log entries from Fiji – and then on to New Zealand, and we’ll keep you posted on our travels and cruising around New Zealand.

Wishing you all fair winds in 2006!

Sue & John  
New Zealand Photos Added - 22-Dec-2005
About a dozen photos of the arrival in New Zealand have been added to the Photos section, under the appropriately named folder, "New Zealand"   read more...
Updated Ship's Log - 22-Dec-2005
The ship's log was updated today with log entries from August 26th to Sept 16th.   read more...
Greetings from Auckland - 20-Nov-2005
We arrived in Opua, Bay of Islands about a two weeks ago. Sue was sick for the first week (Fiji tummy bug) so we didn't get to see much in our first NZ stop. Once she was able to travel, we made our way down the coast to Auckland, arriving this past Friday. Bonnie and Leigh are getting ready to start the next stage of their South Pacific travels and have a travel van lined up for the end of this week. They then take off for a 7 week tour of NZ, followed by a similar stint in Australia. No doubt they'll be very happy to be land-based again (no more lurching boat!) We are getting ready to have the boat hauled to get some maintenance and repairs done and then hope to take some time to explore New Zealand by land - as well as sea. Fiji photos we mailed by post to Dean didn't make it so we'll send them by e.mail in the next day or so. Who knows, we may get a day or so of rain so I can bury myself in the cabin and get the log caught up! Our love to everyone at home. Look forward to hearing from you all (e.mail access here is a dream!) Sue & John  
Land Ho! - 4-Nov-2005
Friday Morning, November 4th Yesterday at dusk we spotted the northern tip of New Zealand. Had a very lively ride last night; rough seas and high winds made freighter dodging especially challenging! This morning we are well inside the sheltered waters past Kira Kira Point. Seas and winds are gentle. Blue sunny skies embrace us as we wind our way toward Opua Harbour, where we will receive customs clearance shortly after lunch today. The mood on board is relaxed and celebratory. We have decided that we're having dinner (and a beer)at the pub tonight! The next couple of days will be fairly hectic, getting oriented to our environment and setting the boat back in proper living order. Will make phone calls home (and to our N.Z. family)in the next day or so as we can get phone cards (looking forward to being somewhere where they have a proper phone system). Many thanks to you all for your e.mails. We look forward to returning e.mails without sliding off the computer seat! Love to everyone. Sue & John & Bon & Leigh  
2-1/2 days (250 n.m.) away  - 31-Oct-2005
Hi Everyone. We are about 2-1/2 days (250 n.m.) away from N.Z. We've been having a lively but good run. Other than a few major downpours and a couple of squalls, the weather is cooperating for the most part. Today we are under blue skies in warm sunshine although we can feel the air cooling as we leave the tropics behind. Had to dig out our warm duvets and cool weather gear a couple of days ago - quite a shock to the system. We had our halfway dinner last evening (day late to take advantage of calmer seas) the steak was barbequed to perfection and a glass of wine was a great treat! We all send our love to family and friends - will update you when we make landfall. Sue & John & Bon & Leigh  
Saturday, October 29th.  - 29-Oct-2005
Position 24.2.71S & 175.02.76E Hi Everyone. We are into our fourth day of our passage from Fiji to Opua in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The first two days were pretty rough with big seas, big winds and big seasickness! We are now in great sailing weather, everyone is over their queasiness and having a great time. Weather forecast is favourable for the balance of our run and if we can maintain our current speed, we could be in NZ on November 3rd. Just finished a big pancake breakfast. Bonnie's doing dishes, John's on watch, Leigh's in his bunk reading and yours truly is balanced precariously in front of the computer, one leg jammed at right angles against the bulkhead so I don't slide off the seat (we're on a starboard tack). So all being well, we'll celebrate our halfway mark tomorrow evening with the traditional steak dinner. Much love to everyone at home - will send another update in a few days. Sue & John, & Bonnie & Leigh p.s. We just heard from Sailmail that there were problems with one of their servers in Florida (building was taken out by the Hurricane) and they advised that some messages may have been lost but they don't know which ones. So that's our good excuse for this month (you can use it too. "We did write, but you must not have got the message etc....")  
We're leaving Musket Cove tomorrow morning... - 24-Oct-2005
G'Day dear family. Just a quick note to let you know that we just received the weather bulletin for the voyage to N.Z. it says that there is an ideal situation for the next two weeks and that yachts planning the voyage should Go Now! So it's all systems go. We're leaving Musket Cove tomorrow morning, heading over to Lautoka to check out with customs and do last minute provisioning, then we'll be underway on the morning of the 26th. We'll call our Canadian family when we get to Opua and look forward to seeing our N.Z. family in the not too distant future! Our love to you all. Sue & John p.s. assuming the e.mail propagation is good, we'll send regular updates to the web as we progress.  
October 20th, Musket Cove, Fiji - 20-Oct-2005
Hello everyone. Just to let you know that Bonnie & Leigh arrived safely after a long but uneventful flight from Seattle, with a brief stopover in Australia. We are back on a mooring buoy at Musket Cove, enjoying a week or two of R&R at this fabulous resort. The cruisers barbeque in the evenings is abuzz with talk of weather systems; with everyone watching the systems moving up from western Australia - since those are the ones that will affect our run from here to New Zealand. Some boats have left already (just a tad early for our liking ... increased chance of rough weather off New Zealand) but a lot of the seasoned cruisers are still here, waiting for a window closer to the end of the month. So in the meantime, we're just hanging out in the sunshine in this gorgeous setting, gradually preparing ourselves and the boat for the run to N.Z. Apologies for my tardiness in updating the cruising log - will make every effort to update you on our incredible journey around Vanua Levu, in the coming week. However, my fist priority is to compile a c.d. of photos of our trip and get them mailed off to Dean in the next couple of days. Love and greetings to everyone back home.
- Sue, John, Leigh & Bonnie  
Ship's Log Updated - 20-Oct-2005
Just posted: some of the ship's log from July 25 to Aug 24. You'll have to use the Log Calendar to get back to July to start reading from where the last post was.   read more...
Fiji Thoughts - 20-Sep-2005
Just added are Sue's Journal entries for July 20-25th. Very interesting stories about Fiji!   read more...
Musket Cove, Malolo LaiLai Island, Fiji - 3-Aug-2005
We are in Musket Cove, Malolo LaiLai Island, Fiji. Check out their website - you'll be green with envy! We've indulged in a berth at the marina for a couple of weeks(water and electricity, can you believe.) Plus they have hot showers - first since Hawaii. There'll be no talking to us with all this hoi-paloi! We'll meet you in the outdoor bar surrounded by barbeques at the end of the dock. We'll bring the steaks for the barbie and salad - you can buy the wine or beer. If you can't make it we'll start without you. Bobbie, John, Alex and Harry just left after a fabulous four day visit. We gave them a c.d. with photos of Tonga and Fiji - along with our web update for the same. They'll get it to Dean once they're back in Alberta around August 8th. Bula from us to all of you!  
We are in the Koro Sea - 18-Jul-2005
Hi there. We are in the Koro Sea,56 miles out from Savu Savu, Fiji. We don't want to arrive at night so have slowed the old girl down for a planned early morning arrival. It's Sunday tomorrow so we'll have to stay on board under quarantine until Monday morning when we can get clearance. The four day sail has been absolutely glorious though the winds were so light at times we had to motor-sail (it was important to transit the Lakemba Passage in mostly daylight hours ... lots of atolls and coral reefs). Update with photos to follow. Sue

p.s. radio propagation really bad, can't get out so had to wait until internet cafe to send this. We are now in Fiji in SavuSavu. This place is breathtakingly beautiful and we're enchanted. Just here for a few days then we make our way around the N.E. coast of Viti Levu (South Island) and round to Lautoka/Nadi to meet the Jennings. That trip will take 4-5 days but it's all day-hops. No more overnighters for a few months - Whoopee!  
Ready to Jump Off for Fiji - 12-Jul-2005
We're ready to jump off for Fiji today/tomorrow. We love Tonga and might think of coming back another time. Lots of the cruisers here come every year from N.Z. We are presently...   read more...
Large Ship's Log Update - 8-Jul-2005
Sue has sent a large update cover the period from June 19 - June 30.   read more...
Quick Administrative Note - 30-Jun-2005
The videos have been taken down for a while due to disk space requirements. If anyone wants to see them, please contact the Webmaster  
Just a quick note to say... - 27-Jun-2005
...that we arrived in the Kingdom of Tonga (Neiafu) at the crack of dawn this morning (actually just before the crack of dawn so had to stand off for an hour or so before heading in). Had a lively but uneventful three day sail from Samoa, so we're tired and need to catch up on our sleep over the week-end. It should be Thursday for us but because Tonga is on the other side of the international date-line we lost a day. Our position is 18.39.30S & 173.59.13W. Will send an update next week. Love to everyone back home. Sue & John  
Apia, Samoa, June 11, 2005 - 14-Jun-2005
We're still here (and becoming increasingly more comfortable and relaxed). Any thoughts of leaving have once again been deterred by weather conditions (not that we mind being 'stuck' here)...   read more...
New Photos - 7-Jun-2005
Browse through the 25+ new photos from the South Pacific   read more...
Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire - 7-Jun-2005
Going ashore is not particularly pleasant. We always have to carry a stick to fend off the wild dogs that have become aggressive and territorial, the dinghy dock is falling apart and unsafe, and the streets and ditches are full of garbage. The South Pacific Convergence Zone (a southern manifestation similar to the ITCZ) has settled in over the Samoas and this “check-mate” weather situation could remain for several or many more weeks. We’re feeling trapped.   read more...
Paradise Lost and Paradise Found - 30-May-2005
We finally managed to get out of American Samoa. It truly is the most disgusting and dirty armpit of the South Pacific. But we must find one good thing about every place...   read more...
About Us... - 20-May-2005
We've updated the site to include an About Us page, so that our names might have faces.   read more...
Fish Boat Fiasco - 20-May-2005
Despite our earlier plans/hopes that we'd be out of here tomorrow or Thursday, the weather is not cooperating.   read more...
Complete Log: From Hilo To American Samoa - 20-May-2005
The complete log of Tamarack II's journey from Hilo to American Samoa has just been posted. It's in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, so that most people should be able to read it. Enjoy - It's quite a read!   read more...
Photos of Trip to American Samoa - 20-May-2005
Neil has sent in 34 great pictures of the journey to American Samoa, and they've just been uploaded to the website...   read more...
The Arrival in American Samoa - The Full Story - 19-May-2005
The great thing about having low expectations is that it's easy to be pleasantly surprised. (In truth, we have searched all our sailing and traveling books to find one positive comment about American Samoa, without success. The consistent message is "Don't go there unless you have to await parts or re- provision, then get the heck out as soon as possible and head over to Western Samoa".) Well, we have to go there...   read more...
Arrived yesterday - 7-May-2005
Arrived yesterday. Took all day to get entry paperwork done. Yesterday's events are a story unto themselves (hilariously entertaining). Notwithstanding our bleak expectations of American Samoa we are generally delighted with our location. Moved off the customs "dock" (?) this morning and are now at anchor. Going out to dinner tonight with Dave, the yachtie who first welcomed and befriended us. We hear from another boater that sailmail works well here (transmits via Australia) so if that's true, we'll begin sending our log updates in the next few days. We are all happy and healthy - and trust our cyber sailors are too. Speaking of which, our friend Joe Estes in Hilo asked us to post his e.mail address on our site and stressed that if any of our followers are visiting the big island of Hawaii, he would welcome them as friends and provide information, connections, and do his "tour guide" stuff (he just loves helping and meeting people). We send our warmest wishes to you all - whoever, and wherever you are! The Tamarack Crew.  
Nearing Port in American Samoa - 5-May-2005
Hello to everyone from the Tamarack Crew. We are less than a hundred miles from Pago, Pago, American Samoa and expect to arrive in the harbour tomorrow early afternoon.   read more...
Thanks to Everyone For Their Notes - 29-Apr-2005
Thanks to everyone for their notes, we love having them. However, we're very sorry but because transmitting takes a lot more power than receiving (go figure) we are unable to respond to everyone individually. We've had a few slow days but the forecast shows the wind should pick up tomorrow. Anticipating reaching American Samoa in the next eight to ten days.  
Crossed The Equator - 26-Apr-2005
Crossed the equator an hour ago. We've gone from tadpoles to shellbacks! Broke out the beer and had a celebratory lunch! We toasted absent friends and family, so feel free to raise a glass to our progress whenever you feel the need! Weather and seas continue to be glorious. 1031 miles to Samoa! Our radio propagation has been good and we've been able to connect pretty well every evening, so we're happy to be able to open the communication box on the web. Look forward to hearing from our cyber crew! Best wishes to you all; The Tamarack Crew.  
Greetings from the Wrong Way Gang - 25-Apr-2005
Position as of Friday noon: 4.13N 157.58W. Our course is 205 degrees. Our efforts to gain 400 miles of easting from Hilo to get on course for the Society Islands were thwarted by 30 knot trade winds (on the nose) and large breaking seas. After four days of getting beaten up and making little progress, we unanimously agreed to turn and head south west (with the wind and waves). We are about 4-5 days away from crossing the equator. We are technically in the Inter Tropical Convergence zone ("the Doldrums") but still have beautiful 10 knot winds and gentle, kindly seas (lots of squalls at night). Our next stop will be Pago Pago in American Samoa, then off to explore Western Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. We're all doing well and send our love to everyone back home. Will send detailed updates and photos in the next few weeks.  
Tuesday 19th Position 9.13N 154.59W - 20-Apr-2005
Weather challlenges won't permit passage to Tahiti. New destination American Samoa. 17-25 days. Radio propagation lousy so you might not hear from us til we arrive. Will update SAP. Sue.  
Ready to jump off - 13-Apr-2005
Hi everyone. Neil arrived yesterday evening. Tamarack is provisioned (if we don't see land for another two years we won't run out of food!) Dinner with Joe tonight to say goodbye (he was the first person to welcome us to Hawaii), some last minue chores tomorrow morning, then we'll up anchor around noon. First stop will be 2200 miles South of here, somewhere in French Polynesia (either the Tuomotus or the Society Islands). Will try to send brief updates as we travel. Let the games begin!  
Web logs updated with notes from February - 13-Apr-2005
The web logs have just been updated with notes from February. To view them, click the read more link and then make sure you click on the month of February on the right hand side of the Crusing Hawaii page   read more...
Re: Gaps in the log/blog (or whatever our updates are called) - 13-Apr-2005
Re: Gaps in the log/blog (or whatever our updates are called). Going back over our notes on the computer, we realize that there are some significant omissions (we think from about October 31 to December 2nd). There is much to tell (lots about all the fabulous and fascinating people we’ve met). Then tragedy of learning that “Wanderin’ Star” belonging to our dear friend Joe Estes from Hilo had been sunk during a storm in Reid’s Bay The great Halloween flood and floating islands of garbage. American Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and after, being welcomed into the homes and traditions of some of the most gracious people you could ever meet. – and much more. However, the Great Human Fender episode of Dec 2nd has slowed down my journaling such that we’ve only been barely able to keep up with current happenings. So perhaps sometime during that long, uneventful trip down into the South Pacific, I’ll try to fill in the blanks.  
Our crew of cyber sailors is expanding - 13-Apr-2005
Our crew of cyber sailors is expanding. We’re tickled pink that through word of mouth (or perhaps notes on bathroom walls) a number of connections have been made and several sailing related groups have asked if they can add a link to our site. Of course everyone is welcome and we’re always happy to share our experiences and ideas or answer questions as best we can. So for the benefit of those outside our initial circle of family and friends, we’ll now start work on a brief introduction as to who we are and how we got here. (Will try to get to that in the next couple of weeks) If any of our readers happen to be in the same region as us at any time, you will always be welcome on board for a cup of tea, dinner and a glass of wine or a good stiff drink . . . depending on weather conditions! (We measure wind strength on the Martini scale rather than Beaufort!) And while everyone is welcome into our cyber family... We need to stress that this is a very “down-home” site designed to keep our friends and family updated as to our sailing adventures (or lack thereof); updates are sporadic; often irreverent and experiences may be wildly exaggerated in the event that the main writer (Sue) is bored.  
Brief Update - 14-Mar-2005
Using sailmail (sporadic & super slow, radio transmission) to send this message from the boat. Rough seas and high surf making it tough to get ashore to access internet (still at anchor at Maui). As soon as we get a weather break (hopefully next week) we're going to make a run for the Big Island and gradually make our way back to Hilo by month end. Should be back in proper e.mail (website/Pocketmail) communications mode within the next week or two so messages in the meantime will be sporadic. So apologies to anyone who has written and not heard back from us.  
Double Headline "Nasty 'orrible beastly channel not so bad. And, Vera gets a transplant. - 31-Jan-2005
After dinner last evening, we sadly bid farewell to Donna and Earl, the final in a series of goodbyes over the past week or so. At 6:00 a.m we untie from our good neighbours   read more...
Tamarack Videos Now Online - 28-Jan-2005
We've just posted the videos of the journey over to Hawaii. You'll find them under the photos link or   read more...
Pelvic Ponderings - 20-Dec-2004
Hi Guys. Good News Update. Three days ago I was hoisted on board by four strong helpers and a winch. Today I got off the boat with John's help, made it up the ramp and some stairs on my crutches, then back on board (after stopping for a well earned cold beer!) Life's good and getting better all the time! I submit the following at the risk of repeating old news ...   read more...
"Splash" Blair Making a Marvellous Recovery - 10-Dec-2004
Hello Everyone. Wow! I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of good wishes and support. Hope to get back to each of you individually, but my stamina right now is somewhat limited. I was discharged from Queen's Trauma Centre on Dec 8th (6 days after my failed human cannonball stunt). What an incredible facility and first class, caring staff.   read more...
Sue's Accident - 8-Dec-2004
Sue has had an unfortunate accident. Before I describe it, you should know that she is doing well and is expected to be fully recovered in 5 weeks. Approximately a week ago another vessel was docking and required assistance. She caught the line, and was bending down to tie it to the dock when a gust of wind knocked her off her balance. She fell into the water and she was caught between the dock and the boat. She was rescued from the water and taken to the Hololulu hospital where they diagnosed her with a broken pelvis. When I spoke to her 3 or 4 days afterwards she was in good spirits and was relieved as it could have been much worse. I will post any further updates I receive here.  
Cruising Hawaii Update - 1-Nov-2004
Updates have arrived for the last half of October detailing Sue and John's many adventures in Hawaii   read more...
We are now in Honolulu on Oahu - 25-Oct-2004
We are now in Honolulu on Oahu after completing the wildest crossing we've experienced so far (ever)! We were fine and as usual Tamarack performed magnificently, even in the 20-25 foot breaking waves.   read more...
Cruising Hawaii - 18-Oct-2004
I've started a new Journal section called "Cruising Hawaii" which contains the most recent emails Sue has sent. There are several days worth of stories about their move from Hilo to Maui.   read more...
Just Heard from Sue - 15-Oct-2004
I've just heard from Sue via email. They have made their way over to Maui now and are scouting out anchorages on that island. Apparently their SailMail account (which they can use from the boat) is not reliable in the islands. Instead, they are using their PocketMail which is an email device that they can use with any pay phone they find. Additionally Sue has figured out how to connect it to their computer so typing emails into the pocketmail machine is much less tedious. She will be sending an update on their adventures in Hawaii soon.  
Complete Log from Victoria to Hilo - 15-Oct-2004
The complete log of the journey from Victoria to Hilo is now available in Word document format. To download it, visit the Ship's Log page, or use the following "read more" link to view immediately.   read more...
New Photos - 7-Oct-2004
Sue emailed a series of photos from their trip to Hawaii. They give you a bit of a glimpse into what it was like. Enjoy! (be sure to try the Slideshow view)   read more...
Planning to Leave Hilo - 7-Oct-2004
We're back in preparation mode as we plan to leave our oh-so-comfortable haven here in Hilo. The past month has been a great experience as harbour based cruisers. It seems that the locals really appreciate that you have gone to considerable effort to visit their shores.   read more...
Tamarack II Breaks 50! - 27-Sep-2004
We now have more than 50 people registered with the Tamarack II website to receive email updates!  
AWOL Update - 18-Sep-2004
Hi guys. We're unable to send e.mail via sailmail. The propagation is lousy. We got Dean's update saying we were AWOL...   read more...
The August 17th Adventure - 7-Sep-2004
Sue sent 2 more log entries on the August 17th adventure. When you click on the read more link, you will need to scroll down until you find Aug 17, part 1 of 3.   read more...
Land Ho! We Can See Hawaii  - 6-Sep-2004
Just to advise that it is now 5.40 p.m. Hawaiian standard time and we can see land.   read more...
We're on the move again! - 2-Sep-2004
We're on the move again! The wind came back! This is our 22nd day at sea; we have come 2,557 miles and are 400 miles from Hilo. It is 12 days since we have sighted another vessel. We have dodged 2 hurricaines and two tropical storms and now the weather forecast shows very light winds but good weather for the rest of our journey. We are officially in the tropics and we hope to make landfall in Hilo on or around Sept 7th. Aloha! Sue, John & Neil  
Barely Crawling Along  - 1-Sep-2004
We are barely crawling along the route to Hilo (we sit for hours every day just bobbing on a glass lake). We had originally hoped to be there by Sept 4th but   read more...
Slowboat to Hilo - 31-Aug-2004
Here we are on a slowboat to Hilo, in the centre of the great Pacific Parking Lot.   read more...
750 miles from Hilo - 29-Aug-2004
Newsflash: 750 miles from Hilo and becalmed (again!) Here we sit in the middle of the great Pacific parking lot, waiting and praying for wind.   read more...
Out of the woods so to speak - 24-Aug-2004
Thank God, we're out of the woods so to speak. There are a few other things developing in the Pacific Basin but we got in touch with a chap in Hawaii who does professional weather routing for boaters.   read more...
Urgent, Urgent broadcast from Tamarack II - 24-Aug-2004
Our Position is N28.55.88 W 133.41.37 Course, compass is 240 Weatherfax says Hurricane Frank at N21 W116 Winds 35-105 km   read more...
Communications up and running - 24-Aug-2004
Newsflash: Communications are up and running again but can't send long messages since we have to conserve battery power. We are now in warmer weather (35 degrees) so hope solar panels will be able to do a better job at keeping batteries charged.   read more...
Lost Communications - 23-Aug-2004
Unfortunately I have just learned that there is a communications issue on the sailboat and they are unable to send regular emails to us. They said that everything is fine on board, but they just can't give us regular updates. They were 200 miles west of San Francisco and just south at the time. As soon as I find anything more out I will let you know here.  
Ship's Log Added to Website - 16-Aug-2004
The ship's log has just been added to the website. Likely this will take over from the Journal as the daily or semi-daily updates. I (Dean) have just received these messages from Sue and have added them all in today. I'll fix the dates as soon as I can, but they are all in under August 16 for now.   read more...
Jumping Off From Neah Bay Thursday Morning - 12-Aug-2004
Arrived at Neah Bay this afternoon and have been studying the weather charts. We have a favourable weather window to get out tomorrow.   read more...
We're On Our Way! - 9-Aug-2004
Left Maple Bay today (Monday Aug 8) at 0600 and have had fabulous motor sail across the Straits of Juan de Fuca and are now well within U.S. waters.   read more...
Emotional Countdown! - 27-Jul-2004
Boat preparations are one thing. People preparations are quite another. It's been somewhat of an emotional roller coaster for the past few months.   read more...
6 Week Countdown! - 14-Jul-2004
Firstly a thank you to our patient followers. We've been slow to supply Dean with updates for the web. That's partly due to the pace of work and preparation as well as the fact that most of it is too boring to write or read (cont.)   read more...
New Photos Added - 14-Jul-2004
There are 2 new photo galleries for you to view. There should be videos coming up shortly as well - keep checking back!   read more...
Goodbye to Maple Bay & Hello to Canoe Cove - 3-Apr-2004
Saying goodbye to our beloved Barnacle and our home at Maple Bay was tough emotionally. We also wondered if it would be problematic logistically since we loaded so much stuff on poor Tamarack it was a miracle she still floated. But she made it down to her new berth in Canoe Cove despite being a bit "heavy on the bow" as John describes her. So there is still much re-arranging to do to ensure that her performance is not too compromised by weight. The goal for the coming months is to sail her as much as possible so we can become familiar with the new rigging configurations and every electronic device known to man which she now boasts! Five months to departure day and it's beginning to dawn on us that we're really going to do it! Stay tuned.  
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