Sunday is easily the most uncomfortable day of the lot. We may have seen bigger, more dangerous seas off Japan, but these ones take the biscuit for sheer pain and discomfort. The motion goes in several planes, the bow pitching up and down, but with rolling from side to side as well. So as we forge ahead, the bow pitches upward. Everybody leaves their seat or bunk.
The bow pitches downward, leaving us weightless for half a second before we fall back down. By then the boat has pancaked into the sea with a sickening crunch, and we crash land back into our respective seats and bunks, our spines compressed that bit more.
But there's a rolling motion as well, so the whole catalogue of movements goes something like: up, weightless, down, ouch, roll left, ricochet off a wave, ouch, roll right, ricochet off another wave, ouch, up, down, ouch. It goes on, and on, and on.
Our shortest route to Kodiak is around the south of the island, but that takes us straight into the wind. So Alan opts for a somewhat longer route along the Shelikof Strait, between Kodiak and mainland Alaska. In theory, we should gain some shelter. Strangely, the wind is blowing in a different direction along here, so we still end up taking it on the nose.
The final respite comes as we round the northern end of Kodiak. It's beautiful, the mountains, some snow-clad, others green and tree-covered, glow in the late afternoon sun. In fact it's the first time we've seen substantial numbers of trees since Japan, and that cheers me up enormously.
We turn into Kupreanof Strait, with Raspberry Island to our left, heading for Whale Passage. We scan the hillsides for any possible sightings of Kodiak's famous bears, but all we manage to see is lots of seals in the water, a couple of humpback whales, and a few eagles. Closer to the town of Kodiak, we enter a bank of fog, ending up making a blind approach into the harbour, made infinitely more easy by our Raymarine radar and chart plotter.
As we tie up, we're met by Kyle Crow - he'd read about us in the local newspaper, and was just passing as we came in. Before we know it, we're being whisked off to experience a traditional banya, what they call a sauna here. Our aches and pains quickly melt away, but it doesn't do much for the way the ground seems to keep moving about!
Kodiak is a fascinating place. The town has a population of around 15,000, and it seems as though the popular way to get around is by float plane. Just along the dock from where we're berthed is a ship called the Star of Kodiak. It was lifted up onto the dockside by the earthquake of 1964, and instead of scrapping her afterwards, they converted her into a canning plant.
We spend the evening with Kyle and his wife Leona, dining on what they call scraps. Some scraps - more like a feast, we'd say. It's a great meal, and we get a chance to catch up on what's been going on with our website.
The next day we call in at the US immigration office to collect our cruising permit and visas. There's a glimmer of hope when we're told the visa charges might be waived on account of our financial plight, but the officer needs to make a phone call after lunch. We return an hour later, but it's bad news. We have to pay - 195 dollars each. Fortunately we haven't quite got as far as putting a sticker on the boat saying "sponsored by the US Government". Up until now the Philippines has been the most expensive stop for official charges. Now the USA has stormed into the lead.
We set off from Kodiak with British Columbia in our sights. Everyone we've spoken to reckons we've had the worst of the bad weather. The next thousand miles might have its uncertainties, but hopefully without so much of the extreme pain factor.
Clive Tully
FACTBOX
Adak Island - Kodiak
Time of leg: 3 days 6 hours 49 minutes
Length of leg: 1,057 nautical miles
Total distance covered: 14,314 nautical miles
Distance to go: 10,770 nautical miles
Average speed over leg: 13.42 knots
Time from Gibraltar: 56 days 19 hours 29 minutes
Fuel consumed: 2,365 litres
Average fuel consumption: 2.24 litres / nautical mile
Next stop: Telegraph Cove, British Columbia, Canada
ETA: Thursday / Friday
Copyright Clive Tully ©2002
Picture and text transmitted by Iridium satellite network