As we clear Diamond Head on O’ahu we set Hawaii to the stern and begin the journey north. The strong trade winds from the east, that have powdered generations of sailors crossing the Pacific to Hawaii, are the engine for our track North. As we hit these trades a few miles North of the Island they become strong and steady 20+ knot winds as we tack as close to the wind and gain as much progress east as possible. The seas also begin to rise as we hit the open Pacific and an endless train of six to eight-foot swells come across the bow matching the wind angle. Hula Girls narrow fifty-foot hull is amazingly balanced as she slices both wind and wave, but the combination has the boat heeled over heavily as waves break across the bow and we hit 9+ knots heading just east of North. 

The islands and the daylight fade as the all aboard Hula Girl begin to settle into the boat and the sea, the rhythm of both, and the offshore cadence of the many hours and days ahead. We have each just met and we now begin to acclimate, to Hula Girl, her helm, hull, sails and rigging and to each other. The space the six crew will occupy together for this 2,500 mile trek is effectively 250 square feet, above and below deck combined. Here we will navigate our course and measure our progress, trade four bunks when off watch, prepare meals, and constantly assess weather, wind and wave as we quickly dress for the conditions on deck and ascend to the cockpit for each watch.

We begin the journey, and our first nights, with a New Moon over the Pacific which means black skies matching a black ocean and only the blanket of millions of stars to separate the two. The reality of the continuous heavy wind and wave, heave and heal of the boat and the length and magnitude of the commitment we each made begins to sink in as we pair up for watches, two on deck, four below. Always two hours on – three hours off – round the clock. With 250 miles now to the stern we aim north for the 2,300 miles ahead….. So the journey begins….