Morale afloat.

Morale aboard. 07/24/13 Kotzebue Sound Morale is everything afloat. There are unavoidable conditions at sea, which will wear a crew down. Kill Morale or upset the rhythm of a crew. These hazards can be mitigated but not eliminated. Many times we confuse the 2 and our tunnel vision assigns avoidable hazards into the unavoidable column. […]

A gift of time.

Its 2:30 AM here aboard Empiricus. We are a hundred Nautical Miles East of Point Barrow. Hugging the coast only 3 miles away. The pack ice curtains us in on the Port side, as we slowly motor in sloppy, uneasy seas. We douced all our sails a few hours ago, having sailed most of this […]

Snapshots of Nome

While in Nome, the crew worked hard. we rigged, painted and prepared each day. But we got out a little as well. Here are a few snapshots. Behind each is a much grander story, but here is a taste for now. Since I heard Bruce’s yowl as we left the dock, and turned about to […]

Parting Nome, an 800 mile run, Ice, wind, fog and a boat load of luck.

href=”https://empiricusembarks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/dscf2223.jpg”> After final preparation, we cast off from Nome. we sailed hard, non stop to ward our Arctic fuel depot on the North Slope. Over 850 Nautical Miles away.[/caption] But before we left, a crew change was completed. Steven said goodbye, as he and Bruce were loaded onto a plane. Another Father son greeting and […]

Were outa here!

Well, after 13 days in Nome, Crazy Logistics getting crew to and from the dock and a slew of repairs. Empiricus Embarks for Point Barrow. The Ice lead is thin but the South winds continue to encourage melt. Here is Yesterdays Ice report. The Canadian Hydrographic Survey website describes how to read the charts. […]

Changing Seas, Changes what you See

Aloha to all the avid readers of Empricus Embarks. Thank you for your interest in our journey! Your dedication to following our exploration, adds a welcomed “umph” to our already super-charged crew. As Empiricus prepares to leave Nome, Alaska and head toward the seas of the NorthWest Passage, I would like to take this time to […]

Today is Independence day.

Boundaries are truly in the mind.

As I lay in my bunk, I hear the water rush by my ear. Interrupted only by the hobby horse surge of the hull beneath me, the crackle of the fire, and the murmurings of my son, who plays in his bunk.

We sail directly for Nome. Nearly halfway there now, we have sailed a single tack under ideal conditions through the Bering Sea. My Partner and lover happily at the helm . A loyal crewmember resting in his bunk for the next watch. This is a happy crew indeed.

For a man like myself; who dreams with vigor and zeal… Who labors to attain them through setback after setback. These are the sweetest moments in life where; madness of preparation, dedication to training, sting of financial struggle, grind of life on land and the tension before departure simply melt into the waters around…

These are the moments that are freeze frame perfect.

As I lie in my bunk to rest now, I will smell all the smells; the fire, the food, the sea. I will hear: the creaking and groaning of the rig, the splashing rumble of the sea and the subtly meanderings of my companions. I will look around at; the varnish and paint, the brass, the glimmering light from the portholes.

I take all this in and am thankful for the opportunity, to live so richly, so boldly, so blessed, so free…

Capt. Jesse Osborn
July 4, 2013
Position
58 Deg 27.4’ N
167 Deg 08.7’ w

I wrote this while underway in the Bering Sea last week and thought I would share what I felt.

And we sailed the Bering Sea.

On the 2nd of July, near 1400 hrs, after 3 days of waiting for the right weather forcast. Empiricus cast lines from the port of False Pass. Crew Member Dan Duame flew in to join us on this leg to Nome. Based on the recomendationds of some local fishermen, we set out to cross the […]

We’ve made it to the Bering Sea!

Well we’ve made it through the Aleutian Islands! After a slow start with contrary winds, we made up time with some long passages and raging winds. Our route has taken us from well offshore, to inland passages from Chignik Lagoon, to King Cove to False Pass. In Chignik we picked up a stray dog that […]

We’ve Departed Kodiak!

After 23 hours out, we are about half way down Kodiak Island.

EMPIRICUS EMBARKS

A site dedicated to purpose filled life, exploration under sail and the philosophy behind it all

Author: empiricusembarks