San Francisco beckons Report 18
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Report by: Capt. Johnathan Smith
Date: 29th July 2011
Pos: Lat – N38 43.1, Long – W124 39.3

Bula Viti kei Rotuma!

The Uto Ni Yalo has travelled over 11,000 nautical miles since we left Fiji in March and we are now approaching San Francisco. We have another 90 nautical miles to Point Reyes where we will anchor in Drakes Bay, change to the traditional rig (sails) and wait for the tides to change to an ingoing tide at around 1700 hrs, expected in the late afternoon of the 30th of July.

With the setting sun behind us the six Drua will make a grand entrance into San Francisco Bay to the lonely echoing drones of the davui , the hip swinging beat of the cook islands drums, the chants of the individual haka, ibole and siva tau as we sail together under the Golden Gate bridge to Treasure Island, our stay in San Francisco.

It’s foggy now as we feel our way towards Point Reyes. Visibility is less than 3 nautical miles in the fog. Tankers, bulk carriers and container ships which are like ants here are warned 15 nautical miles in advance of the fleet of vakas’ course, speed and destination. Right now Hine Moana is calling a tanker “Clipper Legend” who is bearing down on the fleet at a speed of 13 knots. We get very nervous when one of these big monstrosities comes too close to us.

Yesterday a container ship “Hanjin Lisbon” got curious when they heard we where traditional sailing canoes and came very close in the fog to take a look at us. They were up wind from us and even though a mile and half away, we could smell oil and diesel fumes from their exhaust that was very strong for us because we are so used to the fresh pure sea breeze.

Being a former officer on a foreign going container ship and bulk carriers myself I can imagine what the officer of the watch on these big ships must be thinking, ‘these guys must be crazy’. Well at least that’s what my mate Rodney May thought when he came onboard the Uto Ni Yalo. He couldn’t get over it and kept saying ‘you’re crazy’ over and over. I had to stop him and tell him “ok I get it.”

A disconcerting fact with today’s modern shipping fleets their release (pumping out) of oily bilges, sewage and rubbish into the high seas, even though they’re not supposed to. Oil record books and logs are carefully ‘doctored’ to within regulation limits. I can say this because I’ve seen it being done while on these ships - ‘been there done that’, as the saying goes. Yesterday we passed a long 6inch hose, all oily and plugged at both ends with rags. We were travelling too fast in howling winds and missed it before we could try picking it up.

As we approach San Francisco in this fog the crew are more happy and relieved that another long voyage is almost over and by the beginning of Sept we’ll be flying home from San Diego to have a rest. Most of the crew have been onboard from March and are looking forward to a nice rest back home in Fiji and to catch up with family. Some of the crew will stay back and work on the maintenance during the break in San Diego.

Until our next report, from the crew onboard the UNY moce Viti, Bula San Francisco, Sa vakarau tu na crew ni UNY. Ocei via bole?