Our life has taken an unexpected turn. The call came unexpectedly. Hawaii in summertime is wonderful by boat, or by any other means. Debbie had mentioned she wanted me to remind her always how much she loves palm trees, sun and ocean. The August post for Eliana’s Journal was in process save just a few more pictures I wanted to add. We were in the midst of planning Eliana’s next passage bound for Fiji. I had already scoped a killer metal detector I could use at Nikumaroro Island where Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan met their demise. I am absolutely sure I could have found the final, indisputable proof of her presence there.
But then the call came. I was asked to go back to work. In a moment, my love for Eliana and our life at sea met toe to toe with a lifelong passion for Agriculture. It was possibly the one thing, the only thing that could pull me away.
Debbie and I debated it all over and over. It meant moving to Calgary, a beautiful place, but a long way from the water. That didn’t matter. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. As is usually the case, Debbie was supportive and the decision was made.
Moving Eliana
Given the urgency of the call, I needed to report within just a few days. Eliana had to be moved to Seattle where we could keep closer tabs on her. Even though I had no known issues on any of her systems, I was concerned about preparing for a 2400+ nautical mile passage on such short notice. Herein, though, is yet another testament to the Nordhavn legendary ability to reliably cross oceans. Within a few short days, I performed all scheduled Wheelhouse maintenance, filled her with fuel, double checked everything and I was confident she was ready for the trip.
The only remaining issue was crew. This would be the first time since we took delivery that Eliana moved without me at the helm. I decided to engage Jeff Sanson to recruit a senior captain, along with a junior captain with engineering experience. He came through in less than 48 hours! Together with Debbie, sister Linda and brother in law Bill, the five-person crew made the crossing in 13 days without incident. Eliana now lies in Salmon Bay Marine Center just inside the Ballard Locks.
My Job
I have taken the position of President for Hemisphere GPS. Here is a link to the press release. Hemisphere specializes in Precision Agriculture. Our key technologies involve precise GPS positioning (2 cm), automatic driving and cloud based information exchange platforms, all of which enable hundreds of environmentally green and production maximizing techniques. It’s an exciting field that will no doubt proliferate quickly over the coming decades.
Closing Chapter
I’ve heard that in the final moments, one’s entire life experiences pass through their consciousness. It’s as if a million memories of sights, sounds, relationships, hardships, emotions erupt in an instant. Beyond the lens of any camera, a high speed film reel feeds a sense of satisfied accomplishment. I now know of no other endeavor more rewarding than what we experienced with Eliana. For that we are thankful.
Debbie and I would like to express deep appreciation to our dear readers who have offered encouragement knowing we started out knowing nothing. Also, to Dan Streech and company for making the business of creating competent passagemakers a higher calling. And to Ta Shing, where the heart and soul of each boat comes from the hundreds of craftsmen that make dreams for those of us lucky enough to experience it. And finally to those who are uncertain whether they can do the same thing … if we can do it, you can too.
One never knows what lies ahead. If we can be so blessed, we hope to have the opportunity to return to the sea.
Rick Heiniger
