Daily Logs

Cleone - in Ua Pou

Another uniquely beautiful Polynesian IslandOne of the amazing things about this small group of closely knit islands is how different they are from each other.  Yet what characterises them all are charming, friendly people, stunning scenery and a wonderfully mild climate.  In terms of physical size and population, Ua Pou is probably the third largest of the Marquesas, and is in many ways the most spectacular island we have visited so far.  We left Nuku Hiva bound for Hakahau Bay - a pleasant, down-wind sail of about 24 miles.  We made excellent progress, with Will at the helm, passing Northern Sky on the way.  It was good to catch up with them, and, despite continuing engine problems (dirty fuel again) they were in good spirits as they headed up to take our place in Nuku Hiva.  When we. read more...

Sapphire II - Day 7, Sunday 15 Jan, Forget All......

.....your cares and concerns. These San Blas islands have a magical quality. They evoke a feeling of happiness at the simple, unspoit beauty of the setting. We spent a leisurely day, visited a couple of the islands in the RIB. On the second one there was an extended Kuna family; patriarch and matriarch, a number of men and women in their 20s hanging loose in hammocks and perhaps flirting and then a big gaggle of kids from babies on up.. There were a number of thatched huts, in the center of one an open fire was heating a pan of food. The Indians were extremely welcoming. They smiled and laughed happily and some played games with Charlie, who charmed them. We took lots of photos and were never asked for money. Alex was able to translate and so we got a good understanding of their. read more...

Wind Dancer -

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Maamalni - Leg 4 - Log #6 Twice makes perfect!

Otto having been repaired and made good again seemed to be happily steering along, but the next day there was little squeak coming from below the bunk. There are always noises on the boat when making passage, but some are more beseeching than others. This one wanted our attention. So we open up the whole compartment again, which entails folding and removing the mattress and bed clothes, then removing the cabinetry top to reveal the aft section of the boat where all sorts of equipment resides, and nestle between are bags of spare parts, extra rolls of paper towels and possible trading items. We determine that Otto needs to be burped and the squeak surely must come from air inside the hydraulics, but as the pump is below the ram, this was going to be a difficult burp. So it is decided that. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World........( presently in Fiji )

WEDNESDAY   30th  June    2010 06.15hrs  Skipper jumped out of the scratcher , only to find that Scotty had already vanished up to the town center to get his daily injection of hormones from " Little Ollie " on the net. 06.30hrs  We started the engine and let it heat up while Donal and skipper got the boat ready to leave the dock.07.00hrs, Scotty returned just as we were about to leave the marina / dock. We reversed the boat out of the marina, a fairly tight spot , and then made our way down the narrow channel to Nadi Bay . A one stage we thought we were going to get stuck, when the dept sounder was reading 00 m,,,,,  but " the luck of the irish", we escaped We set a course for the Island of " Malolo " just 10 miles away, We had. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log 20 Juno 2010

Es ist fast schon dunkel und wir koennen das Ufer nur an ein paar Lichtern und dem Hundegebell orten.Zwei Yachten liegen in der Bucht der Wayaseva-Insel, die nach Osten, gegen Wind und Duenung abgeschlossen, eine der zehn schoensten Buchten der Welt darstellen soll (sagt unser Reisefuehrer!). Wir glauben das gerne, denn wir liegen hier sicher hinter einem Riff, das zwei Inseln miteinander verbindet, die wirklich das Gebirgige der Marquesas mit den unendlichen weißen Sandstraenden der Touamotus vereint.Die Ueberfahrt von Bora Bora nach Tonga haben wir als Erster in der Cruising-Klasse abgeschlossen...zu all dem Schoenen auch das noch dazu!Wir freuen uns mit unserem Eigner Dieter ueber diesen Erfolg, der bestaetigt, dass ein Serienboot wie eine Bavaria 47 sehr gut fuer schnelle und. read more...

Maamalni - Leg 4 - Log # 5 Autopilot (Our third Crewmember) Severs Arm!

Remember that warning that if there is more than 24 hours in the "All Fixed" category, Neptune may save up for something special. Heeding these words we had deliberately left the forward head unfixed and hadn't installed the new regulator for the house bank alternator and instead had a pleasant afternoon of sailing while trying to recuperate from the last big repair job? it was so long ago (2 days) we can't quite remember what it was. So at 2 o'clock in the morning the following day, alarms start going off, our very valuable crewmember was not functioning and displaying an error of "Rudder Response Failure". We are referring to "Otto" a.k.a. Auto Pilot, a very valued and trusted crewmember. The prospects of making this journey without him were bad or really bad depending on your. read more...

BRIZO - Log Entry

We were anticipating an easy final portion of the trip based on the prevailing conditions north of Panama. Unfortunately we have been caught between a high pressure and low pressure and are experiencing strong winds and following seas.No fishing or schoolwork today, just waiting to arrive. We may go straight to the Panama Canal entrance for fear of encountering very rough seas in the approaches to San Blas.Brizo crew. read more...

Pura Vida 6 - Despues de la tormenta la Calma:

Despues de la tormenta la CalmaEsta manana a las 05:00 me he dado cuenta que el viento ha bajado a fuerza 4 por lo que hemos izado la mayor con tres rizos y parado el motor. Navegabamos con los girones del foque dando bandazos, pero hasta que el mar no bajara no era seguro intentar quitarlo.Asi hemos ido hasta que las olas han bajado a unos 2 metros lo que nos ha parecido que ya podiamos intentar sacar el foque roto.Alfredo, Luis, Christian y Juan al timon, se han estado peleando y lo han conseguido, lo hemos apartado y como tenia otra vela de repuesto la hemos izado y ha quedado arreglado, espero que esta vela, que es de las clasicas, aguante mas que la que se ha roto, que era nueva, pero de estos tejidos tan modernos.Ya parece que llegaremos a las islas de San Blas manana por la manana. read more...

Graptolite - To The Blue Lagoon

15:00.57S 147:48.79W Thursday AM, RangiroaFor the past couple of days we have been anchored off the very posh Kia Ora Hotel on Rangiroa. Yachts are brilliant for this kind of thing. It's just like staying at the hotel free of charge except the room service is a bit slow and there are no chocolates on your pillow. The restaurant was excellent and we ate there a few times. Last night there was a hula dancing show for the handful of hotel guests and us. Foolishly, I let myself be persuaded to wiggle my hips in public. I think some of the waiters appreciated it.We also availed ourselves of the hotels diving centre and compared wiggles with huge Moray eels and Blacktip sharks. This diving thing is a piece of cake and I don't know why it's taken me so long to get into it although I should. read more...

Crazy Horse - July 1

We are here on Malolo Island at Musket Cove Marina and Resort. It is abeautiful island and resort community. All the folks here are reallyfriendly and welcoming. They make a point of remembering all our names. Someof the staff live here on the island and some commute every day by watertaxi to this island paradise.We arrived on Sunday and have making our way around the island via walking,hiking and swimming. They have a small airport, 9 hole golf course and 18hole putt putt course. There are several resorts on this one island.Plantation Resort is more geared for families and we have seen many familiesfrom New Zealand and Australia taking a mid-winter holiday here. Fiji seemsto be a common place for those folks for taking holidays here. Although manyof the people from both places are big. read more...

Windflower III - Kulinarischer Genuß, Blinder Passagier, Qualm an Bord

Mangels Kartoffeln sind wir am Samstag um 0400 Uhr aufgestanden um den ,für uns zu ungewönlichen Öffnungszeiten(0430-0700), Farmer Markt auf Nuku Hiva zu besuchen.Kartoffeln bekamen wir trotzdem nicht. Diese sollen erst im Laufe der Woche mit dem Verorgungsschiff auf die Insel kommen .Dafür gab es jede Menge frisches Obst und Gemüse.Und es gibt ja auch Kartoffeln in Dosen.Nachdem wir uns dann am Sonntag auf den Weg zum Tuamotu-Archipel machten,und kurze Zeit später ein kapitaler Thunfisch an der Angel zappelte, konnte Regina Dank eines tahitianischen Rezeptes,des frischen Gemüses und reichlich Kokosmilch den rohen Fisch marinieren und uns als ausgezeichnete Vorspeise servieren. Vielleicht durch unser Essen angelockt, kreiste ein Tölpel ständig um unser Boot,um nach vielen vergeblichen. read more...

Matilda - First night at anchor

We crossed the finish line at 15.05 St Lucia time (14.05 local time) on Sunday 15 January with no engine hours. Hurrahh!! All of the rally legs are timed in the Departure port's local time, so we have been working to St. Lucia time all the way across. We're feeling great after a brilliant night's sleep at anchor; even had an aperitif with another yacht from the fleet, Ruby yesterday evening to celebrate our arrival. Washing and repairs today along with a little exploring if there's time.We dropped our anchor at about 1700 yesterday (for the first time ever) and it seems to have held overnight well enough. Heather is just getting some water on the boil for our poached eggs and smoked salmon on toast for breakfast - this is the life! We will try and take a photo of the achnorage once. read more...

Ariane - Fiji und Malolo Lailai Island...

Hallo liebe Segelfreunde in grosser Ferne Unsere Yacht glänzt nach der Behandlung in Denarau wie neu. Der von Australien verlangte neue Unterwasseranstrich ist dran und wir besitzen das nötige Zertifikat. Unsere Ausflüge mit dem Auto waren eindrücklich, aber wir haben mit Unterhaltsarbeiten am Schiff viel Zeit verloren. Die nicht abgerundeten Salinge (Querverstrebungen) haben unserem Grosssegel die erwarteten Löcher beigebracht, obwohl wir die schlimmsten Stellen am Rigg mit Klebestreifen entschärft hatten. Man fragt sich oft, was für Schwachköpfe Yachtausrüstungsteile herstellen! Einmal eine grössere Fahrt und der ganze Unsinn ist entlarvt. Merkwürdigerweise sind davon viele bekannte Yachtausrüster betroffen. Wir könnten heute beratend zur Produkteverbesserung. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently in Denarau, Fiji)

TUESDAY  29th JUNE 2010Sometimes I wish I could sit down at this computer and say  :-   " please call back tomorrow "The commitment to doing this thing every day is akin to a marrage.The Marina's complimentary drinks party is in about an hours time , so we are already under pressure to get dolled up and apply all the smelly perfume's and deoderents. Prop up the boobs and fasten in the belly. 06.00hrs  Another beautifull day in paradise, paradise Islands.. We keep saying it cant get better than this, but it blinkin well does.08.00hrs  It just high tide now, and as the entrance to " Musket Cove " on Malolo  Islandis very shallow, we would neverget to the Island before the water level gets too shallow for " A Lady "  So we. read more...

Ensemble - Day 6: Arrived in San Blas Islands

Greetings from Ensemble.We safely arrived at the San Blas Islands at 9:30am this morning.We weaved our way through the coral and found a nice sheltered anchorage.It looks something like Gilligan's Island - all we're missing is the castaways.We spent the day cleaning and relaxing. The last week was pretty tiring -but I think we handled it well - and it proved the 'double handed' sailing can work for us.The down side was the number of equipment failures we had - the Iridium phone failed yesterday - so now Inmarsat only (0087 077 3189026) and this means a bit of work getting things ready for the next leg. Fortunately Panama and Colon should have some decent repair shops...I decided to give fixing the impellor on our diesel a go (the deisel also drived our water maker and most importantly. read more...

Trompeta - San Blas arrival!

We are pleased to report we crossed the finish line at 8.35am St Lucia time so ahead of our forecast arrival 12 noon. No incidents along the way and Alison finally saw two baby dolphins as we approached the San Blas early this morning. Now at anchor adjacent to the East Hollandaise Island.. read more...

Jus'Do It 3 - next atoll- Fakarava

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A Lady - Sailing around the World, and avoiding the recession.

Monday  28th  June  2010 07.00hrs  Another beautifull day in paradise,   The sun was shining down all over us and on " Adelle " the super big classic yacht moored on our starboard side. Following breakfast, we decided to go into " Denarau ",  a marina around the corner from where we are anchored. We could see from the AIS that a number of A.R.C. yachts were in there, 09.00hrs we raised the anchor and motored into Denarau,  Ohhhh we really landed on our feet here, a beautifull lagoon,with a big marina, and a town centre attached, all very modern and obviously the center of all the resorts around the area. We radioed the marina office and were given a space, which we duly tied up to. We decided we would spend a day or two. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World. ( Presently in Fiji )

SUNDAY  27th  June  2010  06.15hrs,  We wake up to a dull morning in " Yanuca Island"  and start the engine to let it warm up, We do all the usual things we do most days, but never mention them, like brush the teeth, wash the face, brush the hair.( for skipper, thats a quick job.) put on the anti smelly stuff. etc. etc. generally preening ourselves, Aileen is still feeling very sore, so she will stay in the scratcher for a while longer. We put on the kettle for a cup of tea and some light breakfast,  06.45 hrs  We raised the anchor, and set sail west on a course for the SW corner of " VITU LEVU" the main Island,on our route to " Lautoka" , the place we have to clear into, and out of , before going to Musket cove. The distance is 80. read more...

San Blas blast.

We are anchored in the lee of a sand cay lined with palm trees. Last night was a relatively smooth sailing one but the wind piped up early this morning. We passed the finish line on a beam reach under reefed main and headsail. Ted. read more...

12Moons - Bei den Kuna Indianern auf San Blas

Die erste Etappe ist geschafft. Die 1100 nm von St.Lucia zu den San Blas Inseln haben wir in 5 1/2 Tagen zurückgelegt. Die ersten 3 Tage hatten wir beste Passatwindbedingungen. Die berüchtigte Ecke vor der venezuelanischen Küste hatte es dann in sich. Der Wind frischte in den Böen auf über 40 Knoten auf, die See türmte sich zu steilen Wellenbergen von bis zu 5m auf. Ähnliche Bedingungen wie in der Biskaya wenn die Atlantikwelle auf den flachen Festlandsockel trifft. Zu guter Letzt sorgte noch ein Strom von 1,5 knoten gegen den Wind für eine kochende See. Unserer 12moons ist aber bestens mit den Bedingungen zurechtgekommen, sogar der Autopilot hat die meiste Zeit Dienst getan. Der aktuelle Rekord für einen Surf der 12moons steht jetzt bei 17,4. read more...

Crazy Horse - June 29

Yesterday we spent the day fixing lazy jacks, defrosting refrig and freezer,and doing the laundry. Didn't get much exploring done on this island. Todaywe will try to explore to the other side. They have a small putting coursehere so I hope to try that. They also have a volleyball net set up in thesand by the beach. There is a lovely pool here for wading and cooling off.There is another for laps. When the tide is in one can rent hobies orkayaks. I am sure we will have some competitions with them over the next fewdays. Lady Ev and Skylark arrived here late yesterday. I am sure more willarrive today. We got news that Chessie was spotted at Denerau Marina.Last night we all brought our food in to the fire that they make nightly andwere able to find a place to cook our own food. They have. read more...

Matilda - Arriving San Blas

Well, it's been seven days almost to the minute since we left St Lucia and we are now about 15 miles from the finish line in San Blas. I am still defying biology by running on very little sleep; I seem to have managed about 2 to 3 hours per day since we left. We have figured out a watch system which will work for us going forward though, so we will use that on the next long leg to Galapagos.On Friday night we had a fair amount of wind and sea, with the stronger gusts pushing 40 knots. We tag-teamed on the steering in two hour watches due to our malfunctioning Autohelm. This seemed to work well, although it was a bit tiring as you can imagine. We have been very impressed with the way Matilda handles; she seems to love the stronger winds and feels very secure in the cockpit. We had a. read more...

Crazy Horse - Denerau to Musket Cove

It was a short hop to Musket Cove but there are so very many reefs all around one must be on constant alert to keep clear. They don't have many channel markers or some have floated away. In some of these countries the hurricane has them away and they don't get fixed for years. We are lucky to have the Coast Guard in our country to take care of all that! Yeah for the U.S. Coast Guard!!! We have some friends and family who have children in the Coast Guard so they will appreciate that!Once clear of the reef you can see the different colors of the water and the waves crashing , the sand and th e rocks and it is quite beautiful. The reef is something to respect!!We are here at Musket Cove wedged in between Wasabi and Ocean Jasper. They must fit all the World Arc boats here or out on the. read more...

Tucanon - Critters & maggots from the flour

We had reefed the foresail to slow down the progress we were making to Suva,Fiji. We didn't want to arrive at 3pm and then be charged overtime by thelocal officials to have to come aboard to deal with the initial formalitiesof entering the country. The next morning they were due to check Voyageur at9am and then come over to us but as it turned out, they didn't arrive untilaround 3pm, making negative noises regarding the amount of alcohol we had onboard which exceeded the duty free allowance for people who had flown intothe country. We had to complete more forms, duplicating the informationalready emailed to them from Tonga, when we provided 2 days notice of ourarrival in Fiji, or face a fine.Although the customs official ashore said that the delay had been due to thecorrect information. read more...

BRIZO - Daily Log 15 Jan 2012

You should have seen the one that got away! So far we have had three hits but no landings. One fish left part of it's jaw and the last was actually hooked, Kathryn saw it and reported that it was white/silver and approx 2 feet long. Unfortunately it bit through the hook and got away. Our small lure which was so successful for Clark on the ARC is now looking a bit shabby having lost a few of its squid tentacles and one of the two hooks. We will keep using the lure as long as we can, we are afraid of what the other, larger lure would attract.The new generator is having a few teething problems, that is about the kindest way of reporting its performance to date. The three bolts holding the drive pulley to the flywheel backed off and the extended bolts caused the water pump belt to come off. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 115 - On the move again.....

26 June 2010With a distance of 105nm from Suva to Denerau Marina on the west side of Viti Levu we wanted to make sure we arrived at the Navula Passage, our entrance through the reef in daylight. But first we had to negotiate our way through a tricky passage called the Beqa Channel. This kept both of us up for the first part of the night and very much on our toes, its narrowest point between the unmarked reefs being only one nautical mile. For once the Max Sea chart was accurate and it was backed up with the radar and eyeball navigation, a half moon just giving enough light. We do miss the excellent reef markers of French Polynesia. Here they are very much a non entity. Thereafter we hugged the Coral Coast and sailing in very light winds, made our way up the island's western side to. read more...

Pura Vida 6 - arrival time

We crossed the finish line on the 15 January, at 0628, Saint Lucia time.Everybody is alright but we broke the jib and motored 10 hours (50 miles) to pull it down and change it.Antonio PURA VIDA. read more...

Kealoha 8 - Makemo (Tuamotu) - the low down and highlights from K8

What an amazing place - we hardly ever left the boat because the beauty of the atoll was so breathtaking - while not covered in all the pilot books - this one is definitely worth a visit - everything the postcard of the south pacific advertised. we arrived at dawn on the NE entrance ( 7/4 - HW 05.20 LW 11.40, HW 17.50, LW 2400) fairly easy entrance and well marked - up 2/3 knt tide - turn right to the small but lovely town - v friendly local police man ( check passports etc ) and photocopied map of island for us . - ( Town = Post office ( with PAYG internet) , 1 shop + "City Hall" )Cruised (under sail) along western shore for 2 days - taking turns at the top of the mast to spot the coral and weave our way through ( easy until circa 15.00 each day - but you need to be high and a jib. read more...

Cleone - in Nuku Hiva

Wonderful visit to Nuku Hiva marred by Elizabeth's enforced return to Canada. We have had a wonderful visit to the beautiful island of Nuku Hiva, in the north of the Marquesas.  But on Saturday afternoon, Elizabeth received the awful news that her Father had been taken fatally ill that morning at home.  It had taken her family 3 hours to contact Elizabeth, and by that time it was Saturday afternoon here, and even later at home.   Even though we knew there was a flight to Tahiti on Sunday, from where she could get a connecting flight home, it was too late to do anything about it until Monday morning.  And inevitably, Sunday's flight was cancelled, and so, despite the urgency, there were no seats available until Tuesday afternoon.  So this morning we sadly bade farewell to Elizabeth,. read more...

Sapphire II - Day 6, 14 Jan, San Blas Arrival

The run to the San Blas was uneventful and we arrived at 11:40. Motored in to the anchorage in East Hollandes Cays. After a few celebratory drinks we tendered over to one of the many palm covered mini- islands. The setting of these islands is quite spectacular with the waves breaking over the long protective reef, behind the shelter of which the islands sit in calm water. The whole setting is idyllic and lives up to its promise. We were greeted on the little island by a Kuna Indian in a dugout canoe who had filled it with coconuts. After giving us a gift of a big bag of bananas he explained the ecology of the islands to Alex. Then we swam and lazed about in the crystal clear waters until it was time to go to Gunvor for drinks. Crews from 4 boats ended up there and a good time was had by. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World, ( presently in " Beqa " Fiji )

SATURDAY   26th  June  2010 08.00hrs,  The weather is very wet and we have a full tide. We all pile into the rib and go ashore to the resort for breakfast with Mark and Sue,  thats everyone , except Donal, he was still in the middle of his nightly solo orchestral performance, so we left him at it....ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzZZZZ. The food was excellent, pancakes & syrup, eggs, and lots of other goodies. The weather was so wet, we decided to treat ourselves to some pampering, so Aileen and Margaret had mini manicures and pedicures, while skipper had a massage and John walked around the coast to the village in the rain. This got rid of a few hours,  12.00hrs  As the Yanks say, " We were all done by midday " ready to roll, we went to say. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 114 - A touch of culture.....

23 June 2010Within an hour and a half, all our entrance papers were at last completed having whisked from one department to another by taxi across the city. It was interesting to see Fiji still retains some traditions from its colonial past. We were just in time to see the changing of the guard at the gates to the Presidential Palace, the soldiers resplendent in their royal blue jackets and white silk "sulus", the Fijian equivalent to the Tongan tupenu. The next "must see" was the fantastic municipal market. On two levels, the lower one was dedicated to fruits and vegetables of every description. The produce is arranged in piles on a plastic or paper plate and you pick your pile and pay for it. Upstairs was where the Indian spice merchants and kava sellers plied their trade. Kava is big. read more...

Pura Vida 6 - DOS DIAS CON VIENTOS TORMENTOSOS:

DOS DIAS CON VIENTOS TORMENTOSOS:Que dos dias y sus dos noches !!!!!Nos pronosticaron que seria fuerte, pero navegar dos dias y dos noches con fuerza 7 (50Km/h) y 8 (70 Km/h) no se lo esperaba nadie y lo peor, las olas, superaban los 5 metros, dia y noche, lo que no nos permitia acercarnos a tierra, porque solo las podias navegar a su favor, cuando te las ponias algo de lado rompian en el costado y era un estruendo. Llevandolas por la popa rompian en ella y se llenaba la popa de agua que desaguaba enseguida.Por la noche, era fantasmagorico, solo oias su estruendo y veias la espumna que avanzaba hasta que te alcanzaba y sobrepasaba para continuar su camino hacia la obscuridad de la proa. A media noche salia la luna y daba un color plateado al mar en el que resaltaba una especie de. read more...

Graptolite - The Biggest Catch Yet

We took our leave of Ahe and at first light this morning we entered the huge Rangiroa atoll at the Avatoru Pass and anchored.With splendid Teutonic enthusiasm Heike massaged the skipper's back, made breakfast, then stripped off and jumped over the side for a swim. Of course the fast outgoing tide that Colin and I noticed after throwing a spare pancake into the water was not noticed by Heike until she was some distance from the boat and in danger of getting swept out of the pass and back into the Pacific. It was a good job she was still within rescue-line throwing range or there would have been the unusual sight of a British-flagged yacht chasing a swimming naked German girl across the lagoon. We hauled her back onboard like a tuna but she required no subduing with rum or winch. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 113 - Checking in

21 June 2010 It David's Scottishness! He just cannot help himself. Arriving in Suva on a Sunday we would be faced with customs overtime charges. So in order to avoid that we reduced all sail down to the size of a pocket hankie and drifted along, our entry through the pass timed precisely for 5pm. "You will not be able to clear customs until tomorrow at 9am" the Suva port control told us. Ah, too bad. We settled to a sundowner, tucked into a hearty meal of fish pie and turned in early to await the arrival of the officials first thing in the morning.... Nine o'clock came and went. Ten o'clock came and went. Dick called them up at 11am. They would come now. But their interpretation of now was not ours. David called up at twelve. They will come at 2pm he was told. They finally arrived at. read more...

Samsara - Big Wind + Big Waves = The Wave Coaster

Jan 14We've had 2 days of big wind and big waves - wind over 35 knots (gusting to 40s) and waves 10-12 feet but a number over 15 feet or so too. The girls woke up this morning and declared it's just like a Disney ride - they've named it the "Wave Coaster." They thought it was hilarious when a few waves broke over the stern and we had about 4 inches of water in the cockpit. Luckily at this time (early evening) it appears that the wind and waves have moderated and we just put up the full mainsail and full genoa.121 miles to go!Pauline. read more...

Glamorous Galah - What a difference a day makes!

What a difference a day makes! We are currently sailing in 10 to 12 knots on a starboard tack with full main and genoa. We expect to reach the finish line for this leg in the early hours of the morning. But last night we had our own swimming pool in the cockpit when a wave spilled in. And we snapped the genoa sheet today, it had chaffed at the pole. Ted. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World,, ( Presently in Savu, Fiji )

Friday  25th June   2010  A very cloudy and overcast morning, it blooming rained most of the night. We had an early cup of tea and boat made brown bread, with plenty of butter and marmalade. 09.15hrs    Skipper, Aileen, Margaret and John went ashore in the rib as far as the Y.C. Aileen and Margaret went to the museum, while skipper went to the custom house, Of course the bloody taxi driver took him to the wrong building first and wasted the best part of an hour before learning that, and then had to get another taxi back into town to the right place..............at least the taxi's are cheap,  5 miles for the equivalent of 1 euro. Meanwhile John welded himself to his laptop at the Y.C. but found it frustrating as he could not get. read more...

Crazy Horse - June 26

Yesterday am we got up early and made it to Lakota by 10am. Off went therespective captains of Crazy Horse, Ocean Jasper, and Windswept to check inagain into Fiji on the island of Viti Levu. We all had to decide if weshould try to make it to Musket Cove or stay and try to reprovision on themain island. Well, those of us who wanted to go shopping won and we all wentto Denarau Island and Denarau Marina. What a wonderful place it is withshopping only a cab ride away and wonderful stores and markets for freshproduce. We even went to a Hard Rock Cafe for dinner last night. And when wearrived at Denarau who should we see at the marina but Voyageur, Skylark,Wild Tigris, Jeanneus, Arianne, Dreamcatcher and now Tucannon. What areunion! It is great to see them all and know that we all have. read more...

Sapphire II - Day 5, Friday 13 th Jsn, Dark & Stormy

Although not signalled by the weather forecasts, the barometer dropped from 1016 mb to 1003 mb in 10 hours, heralding a deep low pressure event. Friday the 13 th then proceeded to justify its scary reputation. From some 40 kts at midnight on the 12 th the wind strengthened to 51 kts at 0100 and gusted 55 kts at 0200 (why do all these events seem to happen in the middle of pitch black nights?). Through the build, we continually shortened sail in good time and the auto helm coped well. The waves were about 18 feet at peak and appeared to tower above the deck as they came roaring from astern. The night was coal black, and only the stern white NAV light showed the magnitude of the walls of water racing down on us. The wind whistled and shrieked in the rigging and Sapphire charged on at. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently in Suva, Fiji)

THURSDAY   24th  JUNE    2010    It is exactly 12 months ago since we left crosshaven ( home port ) .That was the start of our trip around the World,  and so far to date, we have covered 16,951 miles and visited more than 65 ports or destinations in 16 different countries. Our crews have changed from time to time, and so far, we have had a great 12 months, And its about to change again shortly, as Fat's and Margaret are going home to Ireland, and spending some time in the U.S.A. on route, before reaching the " Old Sod" ( not together ) Anyway, today is a very cloudy day,  We spent ages deciding whether to push on or not, eventually after a load of woffle, we decided for all sorts of logical reasons , to push. read more...

Anastasia - Anchored in San Blas

9:35.77N 78:46.55W 1122 miles covered The trip from St Lucia to San Blas was a "baptism of fire" for most of the World ARC yachts. I think we were all expecting a gentle trade-wind cruise to a tropical paradise. However part of the gentle cruise involved gale force winds and big, confused seas. For the non-sailors out there, gale force winds are not really a problem for an ocean-going yacht, you just handle that by reducing your sail area. It is the wind/current/tide combination making up the waves that can cause problems if these are all going in different directions. For us there was one thirty mile stretch where the wind and current caused sets of waves at right angles to each other. The worst for us was when we were on the crest of one wave and got hit sideways by another, spinning. read more...

Ensemble - Day 5 - 14 January: Bumpy ride - only 1 day to go!

Greetings from yacht EnsembleWe are getting close to the finish of the first leg - with only 150nm to go we should be there just after sunrise tomorrow (all to plan)!Our current position is N 10d 53.179', W 076d 23.116'. Course 237 T, wind speed 25-30 knots, swell 2-3m, barometer 1004 and rising, temp 28C.Yesterday the wind and waves made for a very bumpy ride! White horses everywhere - with wind gusts nudging 40 knots and swells over 3m. We just have the jib up - and it is reefed in - and we still hit a top speed (surfing down a wave) of 20 knots... so it was getting a bit scary!Sea state and wind are down a notch today - so hopefully smoother sailing.Needless to say the kitchen duties were kept to a minimum. We still managed pizza for lunch and sushi / mahi mahi papiotte for dinner. We. read more...

Quasar V of Lleyn - Taiohae

Thursday 3rd AprilTAIOHAEGot up early for a 6 am start to get back to Nuku Hiva's main town and arrived after motoring most of the way about 10 .30. I slept poorly and was up early so wanted to go back to bed in the afternoon and didn't much fancy the hire car idea as I think its much more interesting to have a driver/guide. In the end the others couldn't get a hire car and got a guide called Jocelyn, who was really good, I couldn't sleep and wished I'd gone on the excursion!Having booked and changed for the last 2 nights we finally made it to the only other restaurant open in Taiohae the Keikahanui Pearl Lodge. We had a good evening but the food was expensive and only average!clip_image002. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log, 22. Juni 2010

Daily Log, 22. Juni 2010Liebe Freunde und Daheimgebliebenen, hatte Euch versprochen, von Port Denarau zu berichten.Nach unserer langwierigen Einklarierungsprozedur fuhren wir dann wieder suedlich nach Port Denarau, wo wir am 14. verabredet waren, um Reparaturen am Schiff auszufuehren.Ich hatte auf unserer 19 Tage Ueberfahrt von Galapagos nach Marquesas den Skipper Gerd Berner genervt, weil ich ein gefaehrlich scheinendes Spiel in den Ruderlagern entdeckt hatte...immer, wenn eine Welle unser Heck seitlich traf, oder ein Lastwechsel am Ruderschaft vorlag, ruckte das obere Lager hoerbar und deutlich fuehlbar (ich habe manche Stunde auf den Knien mit einer Hand am Ruderschaft verbracht)in eine neue Lage ein. Ich wuerde lieber den Mast verlieren als das Ruder, habe ich gejammert!Jedenfalls. read more...

Crazy Horse - June 25

Crazy Horse, Ocean Jasper, and Windswept continue on our journey to Lakota today. We hope to make it into the harbor to check in by 10-11am. From there we hope to make it to Musket Cove Marina before dark. This has been an interesting trip through these reefs. Sometimes it is like you are in the middle of the ocean because you just can't see the reefs. You must rely on the charts to see the reefs. On the chart it looks like you have a mountain on either side. So when we anchored last night we had the feeling of anchoring right out in the ocean. There was the island on one side but we had to anchor far out to keep away from the mud.Last night our friends on Windswept learned that the young couple they were traveling with for two months had to be rescued off the coastline of the island of. read more...

BRIZO - Daily Log Saturday 14 January 2012

Things seem to be looking up onboard: the cases of seasickness are diminishing and the crew is beginning to have fun! Although no fish were caught yesterday, the prospect of catching fish and then cleaning the fish was the topic of much conversation. Audrey, who does not eat seafood, said that the only type of fish that she likes even a little is mahi-mahi so we are hoping to catch one of those. The concept of immediately consuming sashimi from our prospective catch does not sit well with most crewmembers so we have agreed to let the fish season overnight before consuming.Some schoolwork has been completed but serious work will likely have to wait for a full recovery of the teacher. We had a substitute teacher yesterday but, as is the case with substitute teachers on land, this one was. read more...

Anastasia - Nearly at the San Blas Islands

10:07.9N 77:49.9W 1051 miles covered, 54 miles to go   Today was a "fun filled" day because, having trashed the Parasailor yesterday, I was experimenting with different sails to try and get a reasonable speed.  To no avail.  All I managed to do was give Bertie a rope burn on the hand when the asymmetric spinnaker opened out too quickly.  It was largely my fault, I am afraid, because I did not insist that everyone on the foredeck wore gloves and I told Bertie that the asymmetric spinnaker would not pull up as hard as the Parasailor.  Fortunately it was not too bad a burn and he will be OK in a couple of days.   Andrea says if it happens again I will be looking for a new crew.   Now we are reduced to tacking down to the finish line. read more...

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