24 Days Across The Pacific: From Tropics to Glaciers
February 20, 2026 · 1h 0m · 13K views · East Honolulu, United States
Sailor in yellow hood battles rain on heeling boat
What this video covers
A 33-foot sailboat built in the late 1970s, Sea Dream of Clyde, departs Honolulu on June 21st with skipper and crewmember Brian for a 2,700-mile, 24-day passage to Elfin Cove, Alaska.Watch Unlike the trade-wind-dominated Mexico-to-Hawaii run, the Hawaii-to-Alaska route is governed by frontal systems and proved relentless: strong headwinds forced them off course within hours of departure, the skipper fought what may have been pneumonia in the first days, and a stretch of thunderstorms brought lightning strikes within miles of the 40-foot mast.26:31 Twelve hours of near-gale winds on the nose followed, pounding the boat continuously.26:40 Persistent fog in the final week drained the solar bank, forcing them to shut down the freezer and transfer food to a cooler with ice.38:28 The skipper also suffered several days of debilitating lower-back pain.40:00 Ship traffic through the North Pacific shipping lanes added stress, particularly in fog — 33 vessels logged on AIS, three requiring radio calls to alter course.49:38 PredictWind's Vessel Tracker and onboard AIS managed the traffic.49:17 The Hydrovane steered throughout.25:31 Calmer conditions in the final days brought unexpected favorable wind, and the boat arrived in Alaska after 24 days.57:34 Frontal-system passages between Hawaii and Alaska demand flexibility on course, robust weather data, and contingency plans for both electrical load and crew health.
Boats in this video
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