Sabra took us on the annual 3-day race around the island (Oahu) race, sponsored by the Waikiki Yacht Club. This time we had the fun-ist race ever, laughing ourselves silly with Jean, Bambi, Mike and his sweetheart, Lynne on board. It was a light wind race but we took to tacking through the NE Trades after leaving Diamond Head with the first night layover in Kaneohe Bay at the KBYC. The next leg took us around Kahuku Point where we had a nice wing and wing downwind run to Kaena Point. The second night we anchored in Pokai Bay on the western side. The third day was the slow, tacking slog back to Honolulu on the leeward shore of Oahu. We had the best time (fun) and not winning time.
 |
| Sabra at anchor Hanalei Bay |
 |
| Hanalei Bay, Kauai Google Images |
Mike and Lynne followed Sabra to Kauai in his CAl 29, anchoring in Hanalei Bay. From there 7 of us took a fabulous day sail down the exquisitely gorgeous, windward Na Pali coast and back with lots of wind and catching ulua for the BBQ. That was such a memorable trip.
 |
| Na Pali Coast Kauai Google Images |
I had a self tending jib put on Sabra for when I was sailing her singlehanded or for short trips. Short tacking back up the Na Pali coast was primo and easy. I would call out, "tacking" and over she'd go and no one had to handle a line. Don't you just love it? Well not everyone did. There were a few sea sick folks who, upon entering the calm waters of Hanalei, cried out, "what a difference a bay makes" and "terra firma--the more firma, the less terra".
Speaking of terra or terror. Sabra was my final potion that cured me of my fear of sailing and being in rough seas. When I stepped aboard her, I was never afraid, nor sea sick. Thank you Sabra, Sparkman/ Stephens and Nautor for making such a therapeutic boat that fit me to a tee.
My latest update on Sabra. In June 1987, I sold Sabra to Tami Oldham (Ashcraft). She is the famous lady mariner who got pitch-poled in the south pacific ocean during a hurricane, losing her fiancee, but being able to jury rig the boat and sail her back to the big island of Hawaii. She wrote the book, Red Sky in Mourning, about this experience. She was living in Friday Harbor at the time I sold her Sabra. She kept her for a few years and then sold her. A few weeks ago I called her to see if she knew the whereabouts of Sabra.
She had a hard time recalling specific information, but this is what she said. She thinks she sold her to a lady in Port Townsend, Wa. The lady may have been Jewish as she recalls the lady liking the name of Sabra. All this is new information for me. Another piece in the puzzle in my efforts to find Sabra.
Somewhere a Swan 36, hull number 74, built in 1969 is berthed in the Pacific North West.. Anyone with information about this boat, please notify me.
