John, Aaron, and I moved the boat to the other side today.  Small craft advisories in effect but, unfortunately, we are on a schedule and while it would have been nice to wait for better weather that could be several days.  The trades started really blowing yesterday afternoon and got stronger over night.  By the time we left the dock at 0715 this morning it was already blowing in the low 20’s and built from there.  We saw 25-35 most of the day with seas 15-20’.  Close reach motor sailing with a reefed main until we got near Makapu and could reach off a bit.  With reefed main alone we were hitting 10-14 knots surfing down the waves.  Definitely spirited sailing and the most water washing over the decks ever.  It will go down as the gnarliest sailing conditions I’ve ever been in.  Made Farallones races look tame.  Once we got around Diamond Head the waves let up but the winds were still high 20’s.

We did pass right by the Diamond Head buoy, lining it up with the Diamond Head lighthouse to unofficially finish the Transpac race.  That was fun.  8 hours after leaving Kaneohe YC we were safely at Ke’ehi Marine center and got most of the work done to prepare for haul out.  Safety gear removed, emergency rudder gear removed, vang and boom removed, solar panel removed, radar post removed.  It’s getting crowded below deck.  We have a bit more work to get things ready tomorrow and then the boat will be in wait mode for a trailer to arrive from the west coast.  It looks like Pasha (the shipping company) is showing us some love and hopes to get a trailer on an earlier west bound ship.  Hopefully Hokulani won’t be waiting too long....

I’ll be leaving Saturday and will be leaving the boat In the hands of the marine center to finish the boat loading.  Once the boat is on the west coast (likely San Diego), I’ve got trucking arranged to get her to the boat yard in Richmond.  Fingers crossed for mid-September....