What a year. Good, bad and exciting. The good was hearing from everyone that wrote, seeing all that came to visit and having a reasonably problem free year. The bad was the loss of my Dad Jim and Jeans Uncles Kenny and Robert. The exciting is the weddings of friends and family and the many places and people we have seen and met.
Our second year has been far more relaxing than the first. We have traveled about 8,000 miles, almost 1/3 of the distance around the world, at the Equator. That certainly is not much for the airline pilots in the family, but, quite a bit at less than 10 miles per hour. We have stayed longer at all of our destinations by not being governed so much by schedules and quests. Don’t take it wrong we still enjoy guests, but, fewer than last year has been nicer. There are so many wonderful people in the cruising community and islands, we have enjoyed meeting many of them.
You would be amazed at some of the critters in the sea. Whales larger than our boat, dolphins willing to play with us at close distances, large fins swimming by that we cannot identify and, of course, things hooked on our fish lines that we never see, they just take the lure and go on their merry way, never to be seen. The fishing has provided us many great meals of Tuna, Dorado, Jacks and a lot of fun. The best fish story has to be when we hooked two swordfish, at the same time, with both dancing and tailwalking together on the surface behind us. We lost both but what excitement. No photographic proof as we were both handling fish rods. As they say “trust me”.
The diving along the Central American coast was disappointing, as the water clarity was not good, however, now that we are far from surface run off the water has been as clear as a glass of water. We have found the water within many of the atolls and inside barrier reefs to be cloudy, but, outside the reef the water clarity is again excellent.
Our passages this year have been very pleasant. We had some time before our scheduled Canal transit so decided to visit the San Blas Islands, they gave us a hint of what we would see when we arrived in the South Pacific. These islands on the Caribbean side of Panama are small, low and palm covered islands inhabited by independent and proud Indians are something to see, we really enjoyed our time there. They have a local handicraft called molas, a swatch of cloth hand sewn with intricate designs that they bring out in their dug out canoes to sell.
Our transit of the Canal was an experience, scheduled 4 times, canceled 3. It was a week of great stress with no control or input. The crew that had come from Minnesota to help us through did not have enough time to make the transit when our turn finally came. They changed their fights to stay with us through the Canal. We can’t thank them enough. 2 days to get through. 3 locks up, 3 locks down. We were rafted with another boat most of the time.
Panama to Galapagos, about 800 miles, was quite slow. We spent 6 days motoring and 2 days sailing. Seems when you would like to have some wind there isn’t any, when you have too much you want some less, we are never happy. We stayed in the Galapagos for 8 days, sight seeing, resting, eating out and visiting. All of the things we do everywhere. It really is quite a place with the different animals and birds.
Galapagos to Polynesia is one of the longest offshore passages in the world. We spent 26 days traveling 3255 miles, 6 days motoring, 6 days sailing well, the rest just plugging along. This provides time to fish, read, fix things, read or read. Our 3 months in French Polynesia split between the Marquises, 3 weeks, Tuomotos, 2 weeks, and Society Islands, 7 weeks. This provides a wide variety of sights, geographic, ethnic and economic. Some of these Islands are considered the most picturesque in the world and it is true from what we have seen so far. The down side is that the French are in control there and are more than willing to uphold their aloof attitude and the prices, for everything, are extremely high. Jean really liked Papette on Tahiti. We have not been near a large town or city since Panama so she enjoyed the shopping, people watching and provisioning in stores containing everything you could want, all labels in French, of course. The island of Moorea is one of the islands mentioned as the most lovely in the world, Jean agreed. It has twin volcanic peaks towering over twin protected bays,
Bora Bora to Rarotonga, Cook Islands was 525 miles in just over 3 days, averaged 160 miles per day. We have found the wind getting stronger as we move west so the sailing has been better. Stayed there for 18 days sight seeing and working to repair slight damage to the rudders when we dragged anchor when hit by a 55 knot gale in the Rarotonga harbor. We finally saw the film Titanic here. No coincidence to the following experience.
Rarotonga is a very small, shallow harbor, about 300 x 500 feet, with many cruising boats and small ships coming and going all of the time. It doesn’t allow for much scope and when we arrived the only available space was in a corner where the local fishing boats have moorings. It was these moorings that saved us from going up onto the rocks, as it was we bounced on the rocks, doing only minimal damage. It was a scary night beginning around 2030 and lasting for 5 hours. Several other boats broke dock lines, dragged anchor, broke deck hardware which in turn damaged other fittings, railings, life lines etc. Being a small harbor there is not room to anchor and swing with the wind, you must anchor and tie off to land, this put us abeam to the wind when it started, our stern line to shore of course held, so the anchor dragged. Before we dragged we used the dingy to set out another anchor then used the windlass to haul it in to take some of the strain, the anchor didn’t set and we dragged it right up to the boat. After we dragged we cast off the stern line and motored into the wind to try to replace the second anchor but then we picked up mooring lines on one prop so that was the end of that, with only one motor and the other tied down we can’t move into that wind. We then settled back to where the fishing boat moorings held us while we made up a line to go across the harbor that was used to pull us back into deeper water. This would have precluded anyone from entering or leaving the harbor, but, for overnight it worked. All in all no fun, but, worked out OK.
Then to Aitutaki, Cook Islands only a day and a half away. Entering through a long, winding, shallow channel some cut through the reef to a very small harbor, bow and stern anchor, but no wind and very comfortable. Good sights, many small villages, rented a scooter to get around. Stayed for 3 days and then on to Niue.
Aitutaki to Niue is 574 miles, did it in less than 4 days, averaged 182 per day with gale force winds of up to 42 knots for 16 hours. The boat handled this easily under triple reefed sails, but, then arrived too fast and needed to slow down for a day arrival. Niue is unique as it is a raised coral island. When it was forced up by tectonic action it broke into pieces allowing sea water to erode the cracks making substantial caves, with stalactites and stalagmites, an eroded coral shelf on the windward side that is unbelievable in its rugged beauty. Rented a scooter to get around, saw the Miss Niue pageant, ate well, relaxed and took part in a yacht race that is put together annually for the school children of the Island, by the Niue Yacht Club, to see how the other half lives. We had 8 kids on board and I told them our strategy for the race was to cross the start line last and pass as many other boats as possible. Of the 14 boats, we passed 9 to come in 4th. The kids had a real hoot passing their friends. A good time was had by all and we feel good giving something to the islanders. Stayed at Niue for 7 days, then on to Vava’u.
Vava’u, Tonga is really quite a place, many small islands, 40 recognized anchorage’s, shallows, reefs, flat water sailing even with high wind, humpback whales, some with calves, scallops the size of your head and of course very friendly people. It is no wonder The Moorings and Sunsail have charter bases here. The town of Nieafu is a large village or small town, depending on your perspective. The chickens, pigs and dogs have as much right of way as anyone else. Provisioning is adequate, but, not complete. We had a great time there, making new friends, meeting more of the cruisers, running into people we have lost track of in the last few months. It is also a breeding-calving area for the southern humpback whales. We attended a seminar on the whales put on by environmental groups out of New Zealand discussing whale watching protocol, approach, photographing, swimming with etc., quite interesting. Whale watching is fast becoming a tourist draw for these islands.
We did a Tongan feast, all cooked in an “ UMU” underground oven, it was wonderful. Before the feast starts the locals are plying their handicrafts, baskets, jewelry, wood carving and Tapa, a tree bark striped off
like paper and painted. Was like being at the Renaissance Festival. We were then called to the “table” at which time the children of the village performed the traditional dances accompanied by some adults with instruments. After Grace is said the foods, each in their own clam half shell, are served on 8’ long banana leaf plates. 2 rows of guests sit on straw mats facing each other, under a narrow roof, with the food between you, you eat with your hands from the many assorted offerings, salad, fruits, seafood and of course pork.
Then traveling down the Tongan Islands, stopping at the Ha’apai Group for a couple of weeks before going to Tongatapu, the capital, where we waited for almost 3 weeks for a weather window to New Zealand. While enroute the weather a few hundred miles ahead of us changed for the worse so we sought shelter for 3 days in Minerva Reef, two small atoll like reefs out in the middle of nowhere, until things settled enough for a safe passage. The weather forecast was not pretty, a low was predicted to form right in our path, which it did, as we passed through the area, we experienced winds to 35 knots and it was indeed rotating. So I used the SSB, short wave, radio to let friends behind us know there was foul weather ahead. Those that took that advise and held up in Minerva reef did well, Blue J even turned back two days to get there. The ones that did not hear the message, or wanted to continue were beat up pretty badly, a couple were lost and the Rescue Helicopter lifted survivors off sinking boats. The 1130 mile passage took 8 days plus the 3 day stop at Minerva with our arrival at Whangarei, New Zealand, from where we will to see some of the country by land.
Our plan is to spend about 6 months, the South Pacific storm season, in New Zealand. Then next April on to Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and on to Australia for the next storm season.
We wish everyone could come to visit, but we know it is expensive to fly here. Receiving cards and letters, with news from friends and relatives, is almost as good, and greatly appreciated. Happy holidays from
