Blog | Mark Ellis: Waiting for Favorable Winds
Written by Mark Ellis.We can’t control the winds, but we can control when we leave.
We’ve been here in Pago Pago, American Samoa for about a week now. We start each day with a 7am morning crew meeting, at which time we go over the plans for the day, as well as getting an update on weather.
Over the past several days our Captains and others have been watching the weather closely, looking at the forecast to see when the winds would be most favorable for the canoes to depart Pago Pago.
During this waiting period, we are able to review and refine safety procedures and deepen our understanding of sail dynamics to ensure a safe and successful sail. For those of us who are learning navigation, this waiting period has been a great opportunity to learn from two Pwo navigators – Bruce Blankenfeld of Hawaii and Jacko Thatcher of Aotearoa.
We meet together often to discuss different navigation techniques and concepts. I really enjoy the times when they share with us their personal moʻolelo (stories) of how they learned a concept or technique, as it makes it real for me. For some outside of our crew, it may seem that a weather delay could be an inconvenience, but for me and many of the crew members on this leg of the worldwide voyage, it’s a unique opportunity to learn and sharpen our skills.
As I continue to learn, I look forward to the day that I can share this moʻolelo of waiting for favorable winds in Pago Pago with my children.
Never goodbye, but until we meet again.
Mark
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