Zac's Blog

A Ship in the Night

2009-07-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Position: 07/10/09 0456Z 29 53.5N 118 35.1W

Photo of Guadelupe Island taken in 2001 from our family boat 'Amazing Grace;

Last night as I was sending off my blog my AIS alarm went off showing that I had a ship 30 miles off. It's track looked like it would pass a few miles off. I finished sending off my blog just as the 16 mile alarm went off. The track still showed that it would pass well clear so I set the alarm for 4 miles and went to get some sleep thinking that it would pass clear of Intrepid.

A few minutes later, the alarm went off again. The ship must have altered course after passing Guadalupe Island and now was headed directly at me. I hit tha data button on the AIS and saw that the ship's name was Maersk Kure and it was going 19 knots which is really fast for a container ship.

I hailed them a couple times on the VHF but got no answer so I tacked over. With the light wind, I was only making 3 knots. They didn't have their nav lights on - only two white lights at the bow and stearn. It was impossible to see their exact angle.

I tried to hail them a couple more times and then the San Diego Coast Guard heard me and they tried to hail the ship. Still no response. By now the ship was less than a mile away. I grabbed my flare gun out of the chart desk and watched the blip on the radar screen hit the half mile mark.

The Coast Guard was still hailing the ship but with no response. I told the Coast Guard that if they came within a 1/4 mile I would start shooting off flares and went back in the cockpit to stare at the lights trying to make out the silhouette of the ship.

The ship crossed the 1/4 mile mark I put a flare in the gun. Just then I saw the silhouette of the ship so I altered course a bit more and the ship passed less than 1/4 mile off. It is pretty crazy to have a ship with no one on lookout. It only took about 15 minutes for the ship to pass me after the 4 mile alarm.

To their credit the San Diego Coast Guard were totally organized and helpful. They had notified their cutter that was in the area what my position was and I am certain that had anything happened they would have been right on it.

After the ship, the wind stayed light all through the night and into the morning but now I've got a nice 13 knots that is predicted to stay steady so I am officially on the homeward tack!

Cheers,
Zac

Guadelupe Island - can you see Amazing Grace in the bottom left corner?

Zac's Arrival in Marina del Rey Postponed to Thursday July 16th

2009-07-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
After weighing all of the variables surrounding Zac's last miles home, we have decided to postpone his arrival in Marina del Rey until Thursday July 16th - same time and place. We waited as long as we could in making the determination in an effort to preserve the date but felt we could not wait any longer to make an official change. This will give him the flexibility to arrive when the winds blows him in and not to be stressed out with a schedule to meet.

He had an exciting night last night which he will blog about today. Other than that, he is well and excited and seems to be savoring his last days at sea.

Cheers,
The Sunderlands

So Close Yet So Far

2009-07-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

Position: 07/09/09 1810Z 29 02N 117 43.9W

Thank you Mouse for the very detailed description of tacking. I am currently on a starboard tack and headed north of Guadelupe Island. Some time tomorrow I will be making a tack towards California which will bring me back to the USA. It has been relatively calm out here with light winds and calm seas. I am making decent progress - beats bashing any day.

It is still freezing cold out here all the time and I am wearing all of my foul weather gear.

After going over David's forecast and evaluating the progress I make tonight, we will make a decision as to whether or not to postpone my official return to Thursday. Sorry for the drama.

I made it to People Magazine (online). They wrote a great article with some new photos from Jen.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20290119,00.html

Cheers,
Zac

Wind of Angels

2009-07-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Position: 07/08/09 0411Z 28 47.551N 116 57.352W

From Dad:
Only those of us who have ventured out on the west coast headed to ports south realize the complexity of heading back up the coast from Mexico.

Most will rely on their motor and slam into seas that barrel down the coast along with the prevailing current, making for a very arduous passage that we very accurately refer to as the Baja Bash. That is not to mention the bitter cold after about Cabo san Lucas that seems to eat its way right through any foul weather gear made.

Zac is currently sailing and making steady progress up the coast on an offshore tack. There is a possibility that his arrival will be delayed a day or even two if the conditions remain light.

Zac is in good spirits and so excited to be a little less than 300 miles from his home port after traveling over 27,000 nautical miles. The weather models that we use at home (Ugrib and Clearpoint) show little wind but Zac has had consistent enough wind to make good progress.

Our prayer warriors have been faithful and as they continue to pray others marvel at the answers that inevitably come. Just awesome! As Zac sails tonight with what would appear to be the wind of angels, I want to thank those who have faithfully prayed for Zac and his safety this past year.

Thanks also to those who are helping to plan for Zac's return to make it a momentous occasion for all to enjoy. Updates on any changes to be made will be given as soon as reasonably possible.
Cheers,
Laurence

The Offshore Tack

2009-07-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

With the light winds I have had lately, I am unable to make my small tacks near shore worth anything so I have set my course for a long offshore tack for now. Last night I made all of 30 miles which is painful considering how much more distance I will need to cover with this sailing strategy.
I may go as far offshore as Guadelupe Island or beyond before tacking on port tack towards San Diego or Long Beach. I had hoped with this strategy to get more sleep and rest but last night I passed near five ships which meant very little sleep.
I have been reading some interesting books and thinking a lot about what I will do next after, of course, seeing friends and family and doing all the usual things that I have missed.

Q & A:
@ Uncle Bob: Does your boat heel over? Absolutely yes! Unless there is no wind and I am not going anywhere but even then it rocks side to side in the swells. The only place a boat may not move much is in a slip or a quiet anchorage.

@Anon: Do your brothers or sisters sail? My sister Abby loves to sail. She is 15 and has wanted to sail around the world since she was about 12. She sails with my dad whenever she can. Since our family does not own a boat right now we don't do much sailing. Toby and Jessie are doing a sailing camp at the Westlake Yacht Club this summer. Ben has never been sailing ever!

@South Dakota Clan: If I had to pick a place to live where would it be? Again, Cape Town South Africa was a place that is very beautiful with amazingly friendly people and lots of sailing.
The scariest place I have been would have to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Lets just say armed guards patrolling the breakwater with AK 47s is an everyday way of life there.
Did I have to learn another language? I did take a few years of Spanish but didn't use it. I tried studying some French language tapes between Mauritius and Durban but didn't use that much either.

@Anon: Do I have any apprehensions about being home? It will be good to be home again and have the comforts of home but I wonder what I will do day after day in a normal life. I will be busy with my book and documentary and then planning my next adventure.

@Scott: Would ever like to meet Jessica Watson? For sure, if we are ever in the same town that would be great. She has a great campaign that reminds me a lot of my own. Smaller boat, grassroots support. I wish her all the best and a safe passage.

Dodging ships here so I've gotta go.

Cheers,

Zac

Inching My Way

2009-07-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

I left Turtle Bay and have been tacking my way slowly up the coast. The wind has lightened which is good and bad. It means that the seas are more calm but my speeds aren't as good either. I cannot believe how hard it has been to get up this coast. I cannot believe how cold I have been all the time. It has been cold and grey and so incredibly frustrating!

I know that I am getting closer but it seems an eternity away at times. Though the Baja coast is barren the seas are full of life with dolphins and sea birds around me a lot of the day. They somehow help me not to go crazy with frustration.

Pete Thomas' article in the LA Times today:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-zac-sunderland6-2009jul06,3,3765582.story

Be sure to check out the links to Al Seib's video and photos as well.

Zac's Return Info

2009-07-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

There have been a lot of questions regarding Zac's return lately. This post is meant to get everyone up to date. Zac is scheduled to return to Fisherman's Village, Marina del Rey on Tuesday July 14th at 10:00am.

Fisherman’s Village
13755 Fiji Way
Marina Del Rey
310-823-5411

There is ample parking around the Village which is one of the reasons why we chose to have him return there. Not only is there parking outside the Village but also across the street and down the street as well.

Brief Overview of Schedule:

10:00 Zac arrives

10:30 News Conference

11:15 Zac mingles and meets public

12:00 One on one media interviews with Zac

All media inquiries should go to teamzac@pinkstongroup.com

Turtle Bay

2009-07-04T21:07:00.001-07:00

Position: 07/04/09 0300Z 27 41.449N 114 52.904W

After my tacking marathon of the past few days I decided to turn into Turtle Bay and let some wind pass by and get a good night's sleep. I dodged my way through the rocks and sea weed around the entrance to the bay and dropped the anchor.

I caught a local panga into shore and got some groceries and fresh food. Weather permitting, I will head out at first light tomorrow. Today is the second 4th of July I have spent out of the US and being anchored alone in Mexico in no way compares to burning off my eyebrows with friends.

I am only 400 miles from Marina del Rey now. This is really beginning to feel like the last leg.

I'm going to grab some sleep now. I've been running on 4 scattered hours of sleep per night and bashing seas for the past week.

Cheers,
Zac

Pressing On

2009-07-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Position: 07/03/09 1633Z 26 16.151N 114 01.632W

The last couple of days have been pretty crazy around here. I have been battling a 2-3 knot current and a 25 knot wind from the NW. I have been tacking every few hours day and night trying to make headway which has been exhausting.

Yesterday morning my radar alarm went off and I saw a white boat heading towards me. I tried hailing them a few times but got no answer. As they got closer I saw it was a Coast Guard cutter so I waited as they approached and launched an inflatable. The side of the boat said US Coast Guard which was strange because I was only 20 miles off of the coast of Mexico.

I dropped the sails and 4 armed officers boarded the boat and did a customary search for anything illegal. They checked all of my safety gear. I didn't have a fog horn or a life ring but after explaining to them that if I fell in there would be no one left on the boat to throw the ring to me they decided not to write me up.

After checking my paperwork and passport they asked if parents knew I was sailing around the world alone and which was pretty funny. They were from Ventura but must not read the newspaper or they have been out of town for awhile. They got back in their boat and left me with a fix-it ticket to get a fog horn. Must be getting closer!

I pulled up the sails and was off again. The wind and current built in the afternoon and into the night. I ended up staying up all night tacking back and forth in 25 knots. As the sun rose the wind died and I tacked one last time and crashed for a couple of hours. The conditions have improved some now and I am able to make better head way. I am thinking of heading into Turtle Bay for a day or two depending on the weather.

Cheers,
Zac

ABC Nightly News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/

ABC World News Update

2009-07-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Zac's piece was bumped due to a breaking story. It will still be on Nightline at 11:35pm tonight and will likely be on the World new at 6:30pm Thursday or Friday. Sorry for the trouble!

A Cool Breeze

2009-07-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/30/09 1648Z 24 07.473N 111 57.316W
07/01/09 1535Z 25 07.012N 112 56.956W

Yesterday afternoon the wind shifted on the beam and gradually shifted to the north west on the nose from my waypoint. I tacked slowly through the night and have just tacked over to a starboard tack heading off shore. I've got to go over the weather forecast to see if I'm going to head far out to sea or continue short tacking up the coast.

Other than the wind change yesterday I felt something I haven't felt in a while - it is called cold! It is freezing out here! I've been wearing board shorts for the past 6 months so I had to dig through my clothes cabinet and find jeans and a jacket. I thought it was supposed to be summer?

Other than that I am 590 miles from Marina del Rey as the crow flies which is about half the distance between Puerta Vallarta and MDR. If I stay on this off shore tack, it will add a few hundred miles to my course though.

I have had time now to go through your questions and so here we go:

@Arctic Family 5: Does land smell after being out at sea? My normal answer is does water taste? But yeah, actually it does kind of smell like dirt or grass depending on where you are. How far off shore I begin to smell land depends on wind strength and direction.

@Phil: What were the best and worst times on the trip? Worst was when the fore stay broke in the Indian Ocean and the best is kind of hard to choose just one time. I had a great time in South Africa because I was able to stay for awhile, make some good friends and really experience what the place was like. The best part of solo sailing has been when everything is working well and the boat is doing what she is supposed to do. That freedom is one of the best parts of what I am doing.

@Bilgerat 101: What is my favorite piece of equipment on the boat? My radar/chart plotter is something that I use everyday all day. Followed very closely by my Monitor Windvane steering system.

@John Gezelius: What about college? I am working with my highschool counselor to make sure that I have my college prep classes under my belt so if that scholarship to Pepperdine comes through I am prepared! I am inclined to continue adventuring but would go to college if there was a degree that could benefit me in the direction my life is taking me.

@Rodney Birdett: Do you turn on your running lights at night? Always. They take very little power and there are more boats than you would think out there.

All for now...
Cheers,
Zac

ABC News has been working for awhile now on a piece about Zac that will air tonight on the ABC World News and Nightline News later in the evening:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=7977229&page=1

No News is Good News

2009-06-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/29/09 22 56.477N 110 41.402W

Still making good progress up the coast here with a gentle southerly wind behind me. I don't know how long this will last but I am making as much progress as I can before the north westerlies kick in and I have to start tacking again. We're weighing the options of heading offshore again or staying nearshore with it's diurnal sea breezes.

Have been studying the sea floor around here. It is really crazy with tons of groups of shallows which would make the seas really steep if the usual north westerlies were blowing.

There really is not much to write about now which is a good thing for me. It means everything is working and going well which is a welcome change!

Looks like on this present track that I will be back around July 14th. Details are still being worked out but it will for sure be in Marina del Rey! More news to come. Speaking of news....sign up for my Newsletter for the latest updates on the return and afterwards. There is a red link in the margin of the blog and web site.

Gotta get back to it.
Cheers,
Zac

A Change in the Weather + Work Photos

2009-06-28T16:57:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/28/09 22 18.749N 108 53.079W

So far I have been having an amazingly smooth crossing to Baja. There is a low pressure area south west of Baja that is disrupting the usual northwesterly flow and giving me a nice 10 knots out of the southwest. Right now I am passing the tip of Baja California, Cabo san Lucas, and by the morning I should be heading northward up the coast.

Other than the good wind, there have been a few fishing boats that I have passed within a mile or so but have not answered their VHF radios. There has been good visibility which makes it easy to dodge them easily.

Not much else going on out here. Last time I was crossing the Sea of Cortez about 7 years ago my dad turned off the engine for awhile to rest our ears and he and I jumped in the sea to swim with some dolphins that had been following us. It was like diving into the tank at Sea World.

Gotta go check my way points around this point. There are currents and sea mounts in the area. I have a few other memories of this area as well that are not so pleasant.

Cheers,
Zac

Bulk head before work was started. Not visable in the photo is the top portion that had collapsed and also the bottom portion that had become totally delaminated. The dark portion of the wood is the area of water damage. This damage could have been avoided if the stanchion above decks was placed either 6 inches forward or aft instead of right over the bulk head allowing water to come into the vessel when the bedding gave way.

This is the remnant of the old bulk head. The lower half, not usually visible without cutting access, had completely delaminated and I pulled it out by hand.

The new bulk head consisted of two 5/8 ABX pieces of plywood. Not the best in the world but all I could purchase. It was approximately 1/4 inch thicker than the old bulk head. They were laminated together with with epoxy and fastened together using the chain plate and s/s screws. Then it was tabbed into the hull with polyester resin and a combination of fiber glass material to give adequate strength.

A view from the head showing the chain plate and some of the tabbing. Please note that I told Zac we would only be dealing with structural defects and that no cosmetic work would be done until he returns to the US .

Thank you for your kind comments and emails. It makes doing this kind of thing all the more tolerable when one has their own cheer leading section!

Cheers,
Laurence

Damage Report from Laurence

2009-06-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/27/09 1551Z 21 34.554N 107 48.302W

To say that Zac saved the best for last with his latest stopover would be an understatement. Though I had a busy week planned here in California, all had to be put on hold while I flew out to take care of Zac's latest business. I was concerned that the latest situation would be catastrophic and that the repair would be lengthy. I was also concerned that the problem could have damaged the mast as the the chain plates that support the rigging on the port side of the vessel were attached to the damaged bulkhead.

Personal life was a bit hectic at the time. We had just moved back into the house after spending the past week and a half at a nearby hotel having been displaced by a water leak in the attic. My car had broken down and my dear step mother and niece had just arrived for a visit from the UK. It really made for quite a colorful time. We took the challenges in our stride with much prayer. However, I was not ready for the news of Intrepid's cracked bulkhead, as this also coincided with a rather nasty tropical depression that would later be upgraded to a Catagory One Hurricane. Both of these things had Zac heading for Paradise village for a safe harbor and repairs.

Laura, my step mother, who has always had a passion for boating, joined me as she would be back in the UK by the time Zac returned to the USA. I had tried to envisage how I would go about the repair rather hoping for a simple solution that wouldn't delay Zac any longer than necessary. Any way that I looked at it, I knew it would be complicated and demand a great deal of time and concentration. This was not going to be an easy task. On top of this, ABC news were going to be filming Zac and conducting interviews along with Pete and Al from the LA times, and of course our faithful Jen. If there was a time that I didn't need any media distractions, this would have been it. However, all were respectful of my space and what I needed to focus on and we all worked well together.

Zac arrived on a turbulent ocean with reefed sails. He navigated the small entrance to the harbor with his usual diligence. A wave picked Intrepid up like a toy as she surfed into the safety of Paradise Village with a rather proud father looking on.

Zac was tired and in need of some serious R & R. Our timing was perfect. We had just arrived from the airport, parked the car, walked out to the breakwater and there was Intrepid on the horizon. We spent the rest of that evening securing accommodations, evaluating the damage, figuring out where to get supplies to undertake the task at hand, and meeting the good folks of the Paradise Yacht Club who kindly treated us to a much appreciated meal.

The following day we launched into repairs. It didn't take long to realize that I would need to remove the complete bulkhead. I set about removing the headliner, cabinets, and cutting into interior molded glass. As soon as the marine stores were open, I left to pick up supplies. This is always a more colorful task than it might seem. It involved going to 4 different stores, having some very confusing conversations in my Spanglish and yes, I will confess, I was pulled over by the @#^&*(^%~ PV police department for some of my not so famous driving maneuvers. This all took 4 hours of valuable time.

Back at the marina, there was quite a hive of activity. With Hurricane Andre pending, extra lines were in order and preparations were made in anticipation of the storm's possible arrival that afternoon. I was in the thick of it with the rain above decks; white overalls on to minimize fiber glass exposure and intense heat. I was wet through with sweat the whole time whilst working on Intrepid which combined with fiberglass dust was not a good combination. The discomfort level was off the scale.

I worked through to about 11:00 pm and was back at it the following morning at 7:00 am. Tools I couldn't bring on the plane I borrowed from neighboring yachts. Zac had his list of work that he conducted and also handled his interviews with ABC and the LA Times with great patience and courtesy. Pete and Al, from the LA Times, have followed Zac since his departure last June and are both great folks. We enjoyed their company.

The hurricane was due to hit us around 11:00 pm on Tuesday. I was working late that night and was glad to learn that instead it skirted Carbo Corrientes, 20 miles away. It headed west out to sea then hit cool water and dissipated to a tropical storm. As work continued on Intrepid, I was growing more confident that we could get Zac back out on the ocean soon and minimize his delay. I made a template for the new bulkhead and after cutting and fitting the wood I fiberglassed it in with the help of Rick, who I knew from the US. His help was much appreciated. The repair was strong and I was relieved to have completed one of the more challenging tasks on Intrepid to date.

Mike from PV Sailing helped us with other tasks at hand which included a tear in the Genoa, the track pulling away from the mast, and tuning the rig. Zac undertook the oil change, replacing the water pump, and belts. Once the hurricane had headed west the weather was very nice though still hoooooot and huuuummmiiid. What an added bonus it was that we had been to this beautiful place in 2000 and remembered the dock master and his wife who were so helpful then. Mike from PV Sailing had also repaired our sail back in 2000. It was good to see some old friends.

The repairs were completed and the weather abated. The conditions were right for Zac to head out to sea. As he headed out of the marina, he was followed by us in the panga and the ABC crew in a rather spectacular tender from Gladiator, a 130 ft Bennetti. Sam, the engineer gave a healthy hoot from Gladiator's horn which was very appropriate.

Zac left Pardise Village and headed to La Cruz to pick up the genoa from Mike and have the rig tuned. We said our good byes. Mike gave Zac some of the latest weather info and then he was off. We stayed with Mike and his family a while and shared in some refreshing ales. Then we headed to Punta de Mita , a beautiful spot, where we had spent six weeks in 2000 waiting for a part for our yacht before heading further south. It was interesting to be back here after such a long time. We had a meal at one of the palapas that overlook the ocean. Laura, Jen, Pete, Al and I watched the tiny sail in the distance as Zac made his way out of the huge bay between the the Tres Mariettas and out into the Sea Of Cortez. The sun was setting and all looked well. We toasted to Zac as he continues his journey home
Cheers,
Laurence

Homeward Bound

2009-06-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/26/09 1800Z 21 03.350N 106 49.920W

There was no way I was going to be able to get anywhere with a broken bulkhead so I changed course for Banderas Bay which was about 115 miles east of my current position. One hundred fifteen miles with a broken bulkhead went pretty fast running down wind with about 25 knots behind me.

As I neared the bay visibility went down to about 2 miles and the wind filled as I reached the entrance to Paradise Village Marina. I was reefed pretty heavily. My engine was not running at the time and the sea was too crazy to raft up to the panga that was waiting to tow me in. I sailed through the breakwater and once inside the harbor I tied up to the panga and they towed me into a slip.

When I arrived my dad, Jen and my grandmother from England were there on the dock. My dad took a look at the bulkhead and made a plan for breaking it up the following day. Then we met up with Dick, the dock master, and I got cleared in. After a good night's sleep at the hotel we went to work. I replaced the raw water pump on the engine and did some laundry while my dad went to the marina store and got all of the supplies we needed to fix up the bulkhead.

Hurricane Andre moved up the coast and the day was squally and rainy with the spin off cells. Everyone in the marina was adding extra dock lines in case Andre made his way into the harbor. We added extra docking lines to prep Intrepid as well. The whole place was buzzing with speculation on what would happen. I didn't get much of a chance to see Paradise Village but what I did see I could easily remember from my days here as a kid. They still have the small zoo of rescue animals. The mother tiger that had the 4 cubs is gone and her cubs are grown. The monkey is gone. The marina is much the same but they have built a yacht club for the sailors.

Also, the ABC crew and Al and Pete from the LA Times showed up in the afternoon to get their stories. Dad worked late into the night and by about 10:00pm had decided to remove the whole bulkhead and replace it. The next day we spent the day being filmed doing the most obnoxious job of removing the bulkhead and troubleshooting the rig. It is a good thing those cameras don't have scent recording!

The next day was more cameras and Andre had tracked out to sea and dissipated. Dad finished glassing in the new bulkhead as I pulled off the sails and fixed the track on the mast with Mike from PV Sailing. He took the genny back to his sail loft to sew a patch and repair a split seam.

The next day I was ready to leave. There were lots of small jobs to finish up. A diver cleaned the bottom of the boat. The engine oil and belts needed to be changed. We cleaned up all of the fiberglass and work materials off of the boat and dock and I was off followed by the news crews. I sailed 7 miles to La Cruz and picked up my newly patched genny from Mike's sail loft. He tuned the rig and we took a look at some weather forecasts on his computer. I said my good byes to everyone and was off. It was an interesting position to be in as the last time I sailed between the Tres Marieta Islands and Punta de Mita on the northern tip of Banderas Bay I was 10 years old and my sole responsibility was setting and keeping an eye on the little storm sail on my parents' boat. Now, it was just me with Intrepid and the sea.

Last night I passed the prison islands called the Tres Marias and now I am tacking my way towards Baja. Intrepid feels strong and ready for the ride. I am so grateful to my dad who was an absolute hero on the stop.

Cheers,
Zac

Arrival Photos a la Jen

2009-06-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

More fabulous photos from Jen Edney!

Laurence with Intrepid making her way in

You don't see this every day!!!

A rather tired looking boy with a rather tired looking boat

A kiss from grandma out from the UK!

Check out Jen's web site for more great photos at www.jenedney.com
and her blog at http://jennedney.blogspot.com/

Busy day for the ground crew in PV today. Everybody busy running. Laurence has a handle on the repairs but it is a BIG job. Imagine grinding fiberglass in 90 degrees with 90% humidity. Not a pretty sight!

More soon....

In Paradise - Village

2009-06-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Good News!
Zac arrived safely in Nueva Vallarta this afternoon. He had secured the area around the cracked bulkhead well and with calmer winds and seas, he was actually able to have a decent night's sleep despite the shipping and concern over his rig.

As it turns out, Zac would probably have had to pull in to port anyway due to Tropical Storm Andres that has stubbornly persisted in traveling north up the coast. All being perfect, Zac hopes to catch the tail end of the system with it's favorable wind direction to push him north some before the customary northwesterlies fill in again.

Although Zac was more than a little disappointed at the setback, he was pretty happy when he learned that the only available slip was in Paradise Village Marina. We stayed there on our boat Amazing Grace years ago when we cruised the area as a family. Zac was about ten. We had just crossed the Sea of Cortez towards the coast of mainland Mexico. After a few days sweltering in the humidity and a Red Tide condition that left rotting, smelling fish all around the boat, we pulled into Paradise Village Marina and their 5 swimming pools, laundry mat, Internet cafe and grocery store. Paradise on earth it was! Laurence was doing some rigging and had the bosun's chair rigged to the mast to pull him up the mast. He was offering to pull the kids up but none of them got past the first spreaders out of fear of the height. Laurence, obviously looking for a laugh, offered me $100 to go to the top of the mast. I immediately thought of the local shopping and realized that there was nothing at all that I wanted to buy (this was before seeing the batik sarongs for sale). $200. "No". "I'll go Dad." said Zac. Hmmmmm... "OK"

Zac made it to the top of the mast and back down again with out a word. $200 in hand Zac, always the savvy consumer, approached a nearby cruising boat that was selling an electric scooter that could not fit aboard the boat. He purchased it and set about wowing all of the cruising kids for the next week. And you can be sure that Laurence never let him forget what you can do if you have the right attitude!

Sorry to go on and on. I really love that story. :) I'm going to get lots of emails now telling me how I need attention and that I need to get a life!

They don't know that I have the best life in the world.

I'm sure we will get the inside story from Zac as soon as we can find a reliable Internet or phone connection.

Cheers,
Marianne

Beating, Bashing & Breaking Bulkheads

2009-06-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/21/09 1450Z 19 13.304N 107 00.674W

This morning I tacked over to a port tack to make some northing after a dismal night bearing south no matter how hard I pushed northwards. The wind built during the day and by 10am I was slamming in to 25 knots and 8-10 foot sharp seas. This went on for awhile slamming along burying a gunwal with a reefed main and a triple reef in the genoa making about 4 knots into the current.

I was reading a book wedged in my bunk when I hit a huge wave and Intrepid launched out of the water. When we came down I heard a bang like a gun going off. Looking I saw that the deck was flexing about 3 inches up where the shrouds are attached to the deck at the chain plates. I went into the head and saw that the inch thick teak bulkhead that my portside chain plates are tapped into had cracked.

I quickly put away the genny to take the pressure off of the mast and braced it by running a spinnaker halyard and the topping lift down to the rail for support. With this damage the mast wouldn't be able to take the strain of beating in these conditions so I altered course more downwind and now I'm headed for Banderas Bay where I will repair the bulkhead and get back out to sea s soon as possible

I haven't slept much in the last couple days and I need to stay awake tonight to see how the mast is taking the strain. Hopefully, it will all go well.

Thanks for all of the questions you all sent. I'll have to answer them later.
Cheers,
Zac

Beating and Bashing

2009-06-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/20/09 at 1500Z 19 26.550N 105 44.759W

Heading out of Barra de Navidad, I had to dodge my way through some coastal shallows before hitting the open sea. The night was pretty stormy with the last bits of the low pressure system passing over. The wind was pretty confused with the southerly winds from the storm dying out and the normal north westerly filling back in.

By the morning I had the full force of the NWwinds on the nose to where I wanted to go so I have been sailing on a westerly tack with the wind 30 degrees off the starboard bow and slowly beating into 15-20 knots with sharp seas. Right now I've got 3 ships around me, one about 2 miles off that the AIS shows I am on a collision course with. I'll have to keep an eye on them for a while tonight.

Before I do, I wanted to answer a question about what the sky is like out at sea from Thor. Most of the time it is super clear and there are a lot of shooting stars but when there is heavy cloud cover like last night and tonight, it is pitch black. A full moon out at sea on a clear night is an amazing thing. I have not seen much in the way of trash in the oceans. The most trash I have seen was right off the coast of Los Angeles. I was on the lookout for the so called Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vortex of garbage the size of Texas, that was reported to be nearly on my course across the Pacific last year, but never saw anything.

This would be a good time for you to ask me more questions. I'll do my best to answer as many of them as I can. Keeps my mind busy with something interesting during the days.

Cheers,
Zac

Barra de Navidad

2009-06-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/19/09 9:00pm PDT 19 11.890N 104 56.715W

The last few days in Barra de Navidad have been a nice break from beating up the coast but was still really busy. Yesterday I cleaned up the boat, cleared in to the marina, and caught a panga into town in search of some fresh food and an Internet cafe. On the way to the first Internet cafe I came across a magazine shop and went in looking for a copy of ESPN Magazine as I haven't actually seen a copy yet. Unfortunately, I was only able to find the Spanish/Mexican version. Oh well, I'll have to wait to see it when I get back in a few weeks.

After milling through the mostly empty town, I went back to the mostly empty marina. It is pretty weird seeing a tourist town in the off season - something like a ghost town. And being there alone was...surreal.

I spent more time restowing things after bashing around at sea for days and finished up a few more jobs on the boat. Looking at the weather, I didn't expect to be able to pull out until tomorrow so I had planned to get a hair cut and get some laundry done. When I checked in this morning for a weather update I learned that the system that I had 'hidden' from was dissipating and some light southerlies were mine for the taking if I could check out quickly.

I went through the process of checking out of the marina and some provisioning for the next leg. I stumbled upon a street taco stand with the most incredible tacos. I completely gorged myself on the .50 wonders.

Jobs done, I fired up the engine to head out of the harbor only to hear the over heat alarm sounding after a few minutes. It turned out to be a faulty belt on the impeller. So 2 hours and a few bloody knuckles later I was ready to go again. I made my way to the fuel dock to top off my tanks. After a few hassles with the credit card company, who cannot seem to understand that I am traveling the world and stopping in different locations from time to time (even though we have been on the phone with them explaining this ad nauseum) I head out of the mangrove strewn mouth of the harbor and into the black squally night.

Speaking of black squalls, I see one bearing down on me now as well as a ship.

Gotta run!

Cheers,
Zac

Tropical Depression One E

2009-06-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Tropical Depression One-E predicted to make land fall in Matazlan. Thanks to David Morris for keeping Zac out of the eye of the storm!

More news later!

Finding a Hurricane Whole

2009-06-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

From Puerto de la Navidad Marina, Barra de Navidad, Mexico

Last night when I called in to get the latest weather report my mom told that the weather system that was 150 miles from me was likely to build into a tropical storm or hurricane and was predicted to track across my path. Most hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific veer WNW but this one was forecasted by three weather models to veer WNW and then NNE towards Cabo san Lucas or more likely Puerta Vallerta. If this came to pass, the system would pass right acriss my route.

There is another system forming down south in the area of the Gulf of Tehuantepec near Huatulco. This one is predicted to barrel up the coast as far as Manzanillo. So, with 2 possible hurricanes bearing down on me, I had to make a move to get out of their path. Since last night the system right behind me was predicted to hit land around Puerta Vallerta, my only option was to back track 120 miles to a port I had passed 100 miles out to seathe day before.

I set my course and began to make the trek back over my hard earned miles. The wind built through the night and by morning I had 30 knots with many big squalls - offshoots of the storm behind me.

About 30 miles out of Manzanillo I called my friend and avid sailor, Brett Thompson (also part of Praxis Universal). I knew he had done tons of sailing up and down this coast. He suggested the bay of Barra de Navidad about 18 miles north of Manzanillo. There were several reasons for this. First, Manzanillo is a busy industrial port. Second, he felt that Barra was a better hurricane whole. Lastly, it was about 5 miles closer so that I would reach the harbor while it was still daylight. It sounded like a good plan so I altered course slightly and slammed along the last 25 mile stretch - making 7 knots under double reefed main and reefed genoa.

As I neared the entrance I had about an hour of sunlight left yet the horizon was black with squalls. I sailed as fast as I could towards the entrance but about a mile off of the point I was slammed by a 40 knot squall. It swallowed up the land and I had zero visibility. The squall passed quickly and I got my visibility back. I made my way toward the little harbor entrance with 8' sharp swells on the beam, knocking Intrepid.

A second squall hit and again I lost sight of anything around me. Coming out of the squall I could see the buoy lights that marked the harbor entrance. I started up the engine and weaved my way thought the shallow entrance to the bay and pulled in to this amazing marina.

Now I've just got to chill here and wait for these storms to pass over.

I'm off to search for a shower and some good food.

Cheers,
Zac

Another Note from Praxis Universal

2009-06-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Zac Pac!

To clarify, we are looking for ORIGINAL music - which means it must be entirely your creation - like if you're a composer or are in a band. Or, if you know a band, say, and ask them if they'd like to participate, that would work as well. Working directly with "big" companies like major record labels is a huge headache - not only expensive, but they seem to work on Geological Time.

To all of the responses so far: You guys ROCK! Thanks, and keep them coming!

Mike
www.praxisuniversal.com

If you have any questions or submissions, email
zac@praxisuniversal.com

The Calm After the Storm

2009-06-14T22:45:00.001-07:00

Position: 06/15/09 at 1525Z 17 01.419N 103 37.779W

Still making slow steady progress up the Mexican coast with light winds forecasted for the next 24 hours. This morning I was woken up early by my radar alarm showing a squall 4 miles away. I haven't had a squall in a couple of days and I thought it would probably be low in intensity.

The squall swooped down on Intrepid fast and the wind went from 10 knots to 40 in a few minutes. I furled up the genoa and put two reefs in the main. The winds built into the mid and upper 40s so I put the main away and unfurled the storm jib, an extremely strong and small sail. Even with the small sail I was going 6 knots running downwind and still on course.

The patch of heavy squalls lasted a little over an hour before dropping down to the 25-30 knot range. I raised the main with 2 reefs in it and called home to make sure what I had gone through wasn't an offshoot of a tropical depression forming out there. My mom had received word from David Morris, the meteorologist who has been routing me and keeping an eye on my weather around the world. He said that there was a system building quickly and quite close to me and I would likely be hitting heavy wind, lightning and possibly even some water spouts.

Not being sure whether I had just been through this system David was talking about I kept my eyes on the horizon for quite a while looking for more black squall clouds or flashes of lightning. Thankfully, nothing else came.

The wind dropped back down to the 10 knot range and the sun broke through the black squall clouds. By midday you would never believe the weather of a couple of hours ago. The weather has been calm and clear ever since then. Just another day spent making progress towards California.

Peace,
Zac

A NOTE FROM PRAXIS UNIVERSAL:
Hi all, my name is Brett and I am one of the producers at Praxis Universal (www.praxisuniversal.com). We’re the guys putting together “Intrepid: The Zac Sunderland Story” DVD’s. As you can imagine, this is a gigantic project. Along with Zac’s many chores he has recorded hundreds of hours documenting his travels and travails. As film producers, this is like opening up a treasure trove, though a difficult and complex one (Zac, when you read this, set your time codes, buddy!). We sit in our studio searching through Zac’s life at sea. We have watched Zac go from this 16 year old kid who nervously set sail to do something no one else has done, and step by step we are watching him grow into the capable and confident person we admire. We are viewing Zac’s life and his life and death struggles unfold in front of our eyes, and let me tell you, there are life and death struggles. I hope that when you see this you’re going to really understand what an achievement this is. It’s almost impossible to describe Zac’s life this last year, but soon we will be able to share it with you.

As you all know Zacs saga is going to be told in 2 dvd- at this point. There is just so much wonderful story to tell that trying to encapsulate a year and trip around the world in one dvd would be impossible, frankly even getting it into 2 is difficult. Imagine the adventures Zac has had this last year; all the places he’s been, and the dangers he has faced, most of it documented. Unlike most projects of this nature our problem isn’t so much worrying if we have enough footage but more what parts do we leave out, and of course Zacs adventure hasn’t even ended yet.

As we enter the final stages of production, we would like to give the opportunity for any of you wishing to contribute original music for the DVD do so. This has been such a grassroots effort and we love to encourage that. We’ve set up a private email for this info at our website: zac@praxisuniversal.com.

Thanks for being here. We'll be checking in from time to time with updates on how things are going.

Cheers

Brett

365 Days!

2009-06-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

Position: 06/14/09 as of 1500Z 16 33.844N 101 39.224W

Today marks two milestones. First of all, I am half way up the coast from Panama to Marina del Rey and second it has been one year since I left Marina del Rey for Hawaii on June 14th, 2008. It has been a crazy year: I've crossed 3 oceans and 5 seas, crossed the equator twice, and covered over 23,000 nautical miles. I have stopped in some of the most remote places in the world making great friends and experienced the fury and beauty of the open sea. It has been a year of amazing adventure which I hope to continue for the rest of my life because I love to live life on the edge and to the max every day.

Thank you for all the emails and comments wishing me a happy anniversary. You guys are awesome! Other than my little recap of the past year, the wind has been out of the south though inconsistent. Today, the wind has shifted from 30 degrees off the bow to just off the stern. I have been able to make relatively good progress doing a lot of sail adjustments to make the most of the changing wind angles.

I just looked up at my radar screen that I have split between radar and the data page that shows boat speed and wind speed, depth and miles to the next way point. The depth gauge usually has a line after it when I'm offshore as the depth is in the 1000s of feet and is too deep to get a sounding. It read 80 feet. This can happen when the bow is out of the water like when slamming through a wave or heeled over far enough. But the depth continued to stay at 80 feet and then to 70 feet.

I double checked my electronic charts and they didn't show anything that would explain the reading. I dropped the sails and fired up the engine so the boat wouldn't be heeled over (not that it really was enough to effect the wind gauge. I motored around in a big circle but the depth stayed steady 60-70 feet. I didn't want to leave the cockpit so I called my friend Mike Crawford from Praxis Universal to see if there was anything on his chart. After giving him my position he checked Maxsea, a very detailed chart program, but there was nothing on his chart either. I am back on course now sailing along at about 4.5 knots with 78 feet on the depth gauge. Either this is an uncharted sea mount or there is something wrong with my depth gauge.

If there is one thing I have learned on this trip it is that the ocean is full of unexpected things.

I'll let you know how it pans out.

Cheers,

Zac