Leg 3 - False Start!

Hello everyone,

Well, sad to say but we are back in port, 2 days after we sailed off with high hopes of seeing lots of cool stuff on Leg 3. Immediately after we left the harbor, we noticed some weird weather. First, there was this weird haze hanging around that made visibility really bad - plus it smelled and made my throat itchy. Apparently it came down from China and hung out over Guam for a couple days in a low pressure area...great, pollution from China for me to inhale...

Anyways, the ocean was weird, too. There was a huge swell - 18 feet! but no wind. So these huge rolling waves, but really calm (actually really pretty greenish water with no white caps). And hazy. Very eerie. Like the calm before the storm, literally -- as it turns out.

After turning the corner around the northern part of Guam to head East and then south towards the Mariana Trench, the weather got worse. At first it was nice, because the wind kicked up and blew the nasty Chinese smog out of the area, but then it kept blowing, and getting harder. Before we knew it the wind and waves had built up to a Beaufort 8 (Gale force!!) and we were clinging for our dear lives to the binoculars and anything else immobile. Believe it or not, we still surveyed part of the day. This is the worst weather I've ever been in at sea - really bad. Like the "Perfect Storm" but without all the drama and sinking ships. And not quite so big of waves, but you get the point! Ultimately, we decided to turn around and hide in the harbor in Guam until the storm passes. So, here we are, twiddling our thumbs and doing more emailing. It's dumping rain in Guam, and apparently this weather could develop into a Typhoon! There's actually three huge cargo ships also hiding in the harbor, anchored. One of the big cruise ships broke some of its lines while tied up at the dock next to ours because of the strong surge in the harbor. And...believe it or not, I'm wearing jeans AND a down vest!!! Now that is crazy. I'm in the tropics, man! But I am also a wimp when it comes to cold weather, even though I am from the great Northwest...

So anyways, that's the update for me, a whole lot of nothin...None of us got seasick on the boat, but I bet some of you landlubbers would have! I made a short video to really impress upon you what a Beaufort 8 feels like, crashing waves and rolling ship and all, stay tuned til I can figure out how to post it...

in the meantime, hope all is well for all you landlubbers - I'm amongst you now too! (well except I am still sleeping on the boat while tied at the dock...)...and I am in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a small island that is feeling smaller by the day and as the weather get worse...

beth

Stormy weather...

Hazy Guam – before the storm...By the way that’s the sun at about 4 pm!!! The haze is apparently from China - it actually smells weird and makes my throat itchy...but other people say it's from a volcano on one of the N. Mariana Islands...whatever it is, it's weird!Another shot of Guam in the haze (from China)

The waves kicked up on shore – 18-20 feet off shore, so just imagine!!! This is Asan Beach, site of the American led invasion of the Japanese in WWII in Guam three days agoAnother shot of Asan Beach, literally where the troops were (there’s a photo from 50 years ago at the same site!). The trees show the wind – 40 mph and getting worse!!!