Hello All,
We are now in day 5 of the Southern Ocean crossing to Savu Savu Fiji. I would have written sooner but we have been to busy trying to hold on. We have made good time but the wind has been very strong and the seas have been 8 to 10 feet. We have just been flying the staysail since yesterday and we are still making 5 knots speed. It has been like this the last 36 hours. We are still making good easting so just to take a little break I think we will stop at Minerva Reef but that will be subject to change when we get closer.
Every one is doing well on board. We haven't made any gourmet meals but we are sleeping and eating.
That's all for now, I will talk to you soon
PEACE
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
33 16.36S 175 34.55E
Hello All,
We are making way heading north to the tropics. The wind has been blowing 25 to 30 knots off of the beam for the last day and a half. We have 2 reefs in the main sail and flying only the staysail forward. We are making good speed and the seas are about 8 feet. We are heading more east than Fiji to get into more favorable winds after getting into the tropics.
There is a small fringing reef on our way called Minarva Reef. It has no land, only a reef protecting the lagoon. I am told it's like anchoring in the ocean but with no swell. I have a few cruising friends that are going to stop there so I hope to meet up with them there. We have about 5 more days to go at our current speed.
The guys are doing good, we have only fixed simple meals because of the roll of the boat but it is suppose to ease up in the next few days so will be easier to make something good.
It has been a long time since I have been out here on the open water but I am getting used to it all over again.
I will talk to you later.
PEACE
We are making way heading north to the tropics. The wind has been blowing 25 to 30 knots off of the beam for the last day and a half. We have 2 reefs in the main sail and flying only the staysail forward. We are making good speed and the seas are about 8 feet. We are heading more east than Fiji to get into more favorable winds after getting into the tropics.
There is a small fringing reef on our way called Minarva Reef. It has no land, only a reef protecting the lagoon. I am told it's like anchoring in the ocean but with no swell. I have a few cruising friends that are going to stop there so I hope to meet up with them there. We have about 5 more days to go at our current speed.
The guys are doing good, we have only fixed simple meals because of the roll of the boat but it is suppose to ease up in the next few days so will be easier to make something good.
It has been a long time since I have been out here on the open water but I am getting used to it all over again.
I will talk to you later.
PEACE
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Leaving Today
Hello All,
We checked out with customs this morning and I went around and said my goodbyes. It looks like there is about 10 boats or more leaving today. We got the boat all ready to go so now I am just getting ready mentally. We are all very excited to get going and the weather looks good.
I will be writing blogs on the passage so you will know where I am at. I wont be able to update my position till I get to Internet again.
I am going to get busy so I will talk to you later.
PEACE
We checked out with customs this morning and I went around and said my goodbyes. It looks like there is about 10 boats or more leaving today. We got the boat all ready to go so now I am just getting ready mentally. We are all very excited to get going and the weather looks good.
I will be writing blogs on the passage so you will know where I am at. I wont be able to update my position till I get to Internet again.
I am going to get busy so I will talk to you later.
PEACE
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Leaveing New zealand Monday
Hello All.
The weather looks like its good to leave Monday. We met with a guy that has sailed to the Islands from here for the last 30 years and he says Monday is the day for us to go to Fiji. We took the 10 minute ride on the Russell ferry across to the Island where he lives and paid him a visit at his home. He was kind enough to explain the southern weather to us. He is originally from Germany and is a really nice guy and we met up with him today to look at the forecast. I learned allot about the southern ocean from him because of his experience sailing here and his knowledge of the area. Steve from Curious and his crew went along also.
We will get the last minute things together for the boat tomorrow and head out Monday afternoon. We are all getting excited to go and I hope it all works out for an awesome passage.
I am ready to leave but have made some good friends here so will be hard to say good by. New Zealand has been beautiful and an awesome place to wait out the cyclone season but I am ready to move on.
I am looking forward to Fiji again and all I have missed there and the places I haven't seen yet so I guess I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
The weather looks like its good to leave Monday. We met with a guy that has sailed to the Islands from here for the last 30 years and he says Monday is the day for us to go to Fiji. We took the 10 minute ride on the Russell ferry across to the Island where he lives and paid him a visit at his home. He was kind enough to explain the southern weather to us. He is originally from Germany and is a really nice guy and we met up with him today to look at the forecast. I learned allot about the southern ocean from him because of his experience sailing here and his knowledge of the area. Steve from Curious and his crew went along also.
We will get the last minute things together for the boat tomorrow and head out Monday afternoon. We are all getting excited to go and I hope it all works out for an awesome passage.
I am ready to leave but have made some good friends here so will be hard to say good by. New Zealand has been beautiful and an awesome place to wait out the cyclone season but I am ready to move on.
I am looking forward to Fiji again and all I have missed there and the places I haven't seen yet so I guess I will talk to you soon.
PEACE
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Bay of Islands sailing tour
Hello All,
We just finished a 4 day trip of cruising around some awesome anchorages I have been wanting to visit all summer. We sailed to to most of them and ran the engine very little. We ran into Compass Rose at one of the Islands and had a good visit and a hike around the Island. We stayed the night there and moved to another anchorage the next day and took a 2 hour hike. The weather was great till yesterday when we anchored off the town of Russell which isn't to far from Opua. We went into town and looked around and had a beer. We had very strong winds and rain yesterday so we stayed put on the boat.
This morning was much better so we went to check out the museum. Russell is an old whaling town from years ago so it has allot of history. The museum even has a 1/ 5th model of Endeavor, Captain Cooks boat he came to New Zealand on. After we got back to the boat we took it over to Paihia and went to the fresh fruit market and did a few other things.
We arrived back in Opua at 1630 and got the boat back on the mooring. We all took a shower and went and joined Curious for dinner and what we thought would be the last time I see Steve for a while. He was planing to leave tomorrow but the weather didn't look good so they will leave on Monday.
Speaking of weather it looks like we will be leaving on Monday also. The weather models are starting to show more consistent wind for here and up North which hasn't happened in a few weeks so it looks good for now.
It is getting down to days now and we are all excited. The crew did an awesome job the last four days and we had a great time hanging out. This will be a good passage no matter what happens. We will get the boat fueled and water topped up Sunday and keep are fingers crossed for good weather.
Well thats all for now and sorry it has been so long for an update.
I will keep you posted.
PEACE
We just finished a 4 day trip of cruising around some awesome anchorages I have been wanting to visit all summer. We sailed to to most of them and ran the engine very little. We ran into Compass Rose at one of the Islands and had a good visit and a hike around the Island. We stayed the night there and moved to another anchorage the next day and took a 2 hour hike. The weather was great till yesterday when we anchored off the town of Russell which isn't to far from Opua. We went into town and looked around and had a beer. We had very strong winds and rain yesterday so we stayed put on the boat.
This morning was much better so we went to check out the museum. Russell is an old whaling town from years ago so it has allot of history. The museum even has a 1/ 5th model of Endeavor, Captain Cooks boat he came to New Zealand on. After we got back to the boat we took it over to Paihia and went to the fresh fruit market and did a few other things.
We arrived back in Opua at 1630 and got the boat back on the mooring. We all took a shower and went and joined Curious for dinner and what we thought would be the last time I see Steve for a while. He was planing to leave tomorrow but the weather didn't look good so they will leave on Monday.
Speaking of weather it looks like we will be leaving on Monday also. The weather models are starting to show more consistent wind for here and up North which hasn't happened in a few weeks so it looks good for now.
It is getting down to days now and we are all excited. The crew did an awesome job the last four days and we had a great time hanging out. This will be a good passage no matter what happens. We will get the boat fueled and water topped up Sunday and keep are fingers crossed for good weather.
Well thats all for now and sorry it has been so long for an update.
I will keep you posted.
PEACE
Friday, May 6, 2011
New crew joined the boat
Hello All,
It has been a few days since I have posted. My new crew is on board and we are waiting for a weather window to leave.
Steve on Curious showed up a few days ago and we walked to town so I could get my meds for malaria for the places I will be visiting in the next few months and he went shopping to stock up the boat. We had a great time visiting along the way of there travels of the south Island the last few weeks. Rob on Compass Rose showed up here also and have visited with him. I am sure we will all leave together with good weather to get there.
Alex and Renaud just joined me on the boat last night and we went shopping for groceries today. Bernie on Mo Mo gave us a ride to town to get a few things. I think we will have a great time , they are nice guys and easy to get along with. I hope to get them out sailing tomorrow to get to know the boat and weather permitting we will head out next week sometime. They have both been on sailboats so its nothing new to them. I am glad to have experienced crew on board for the crossing to Fiji. We will go cruise the bay of Islands while we are waiting and will be cool to visit anchorages I haven't seen yet.
Well that's all for now and I will keep in touch.
PEACE
It has been a few days since I have posted. My new crew is on board and we are waiting for a weather window to leave.
Steve on Curious showed up a few days ago and we walked to town so I could get my meds for malaria for the places I will be visiting in the next few months and he went shopping to stock up the boat. We had a great time visiting along the way of there travels of the south Island the last few weeks. Rob on Compass Rose showed up here also and have visited with him. I am sure we will all leave together with good weather to get there.
Alex and Renaud just joined me on the boat last night and we went shopping for groceries today. Bernie on Mo Mo gave us a ride to town to get a few things. I think we will have a great time , they are nice guys and easy to get along with. I hope to get them out sailing tomorrow to get to know the boat and weather permitting we will head out next week sometime. They have both been on sailboats so its nothing new to them. I am glad to have experienced crew on board for the crossing to Fiji. We will go cruise the bay of Islands while we are waiting and will be cool to visit anchorages I haven't seen yet.
Well that's all for now and I will keep in touch.
PEACE
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Storm warnings and pouring rain
Hello All,
I have got all of the good summer weather out of New Zealand and now I am seeing there fall. Since I last wrote we have been seeing pouring rain and 50 knot winds here in Opua. The North Cape of the Island reported 80 knot gusts yesterday. It has come down a bit this morning and is suppose to be nicer by mid week. It dosent look like there is a good weather window to head north for at least a week so I hope my crew can get up here in a timely manner so we can get the ,beep! out of here. This sucks worse than an Alaskan fall.
It is time to get back to beautiful clear water , sandy beaches and coconuts.
I will keep in touch so talk to you soon.
PEACE
I have got all of the good summer weather out of New Zealand and now I am seeing there fall. Since I last wrote we have been seeing pouring rain and 50 knot winds here in Opua. The North Cape of the Island reported 80 knot gusts yesterday. It has come down a bit this morning and is suppose to be nicer by mid week. It dosent look like there is a good weather window to head north for at least a week so I hope my crew can get up here in a timely manner so we can get the ,beep! out of here. This sucks worse than an Alaskan fall.
It is time to get back to beautiful clear water , sandy beaches and coconuts.
I will keep in touch so talk to you soon.
PEACE
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