Karma Wins - Marquesas and Tuamotos

Fakarava in the Tuamoto IslandsWe had a few days in Hiva Oa.The anchorage was bouncy and all yachts had to have a stern anchor otherwise there might have been a few bumps in the night.The dinghy dock was always eventful, either the tide was out and we had to clamber up onto the pontoon, or the tide was in and there was a big swell and we inevitably got wet.The dinghies also had to have a stern anchor out and so it was a bit of a muddle extracting one dinghy from the others.Barry’s anchor rope was chafed through one evening but fortunately it was a floating rope so he found it the next morning.Andy, Emma (from Pentagram), Per and I had a morning horse-riding on tough 14 hand stallions.It was a wonderful way to explore the interior as we rode along ridges, through the forest and back down. read more...

Karma Wins - Blog 7 Looking for land

Another calm, apart from a big but gentle southerly swell, starlit night and 7 knot winds so we motored until 7 am.Karma Wins is now sailing on course for Hiva Oa, doing 5-6 knots with the gennaker and full main.The dawn was really colourful but the problem with sailing west is that the dawn is behind us so I have to keep looking back on my dawn watch.We are usually having supper on the patio at sunset so have to keep jumping up to look at it or take photos as it is in front of us.We have just had frankfurters rolled in cabbage leaves for lunch.Barry was a bit disgusted when I put vegemite in as well.The bread is a bit hard and the baker is on strike with so much fish to eat.Today’s excitement was a large piece of unidentified fishing equipment which passed close by and then Per spotted. read more...

Karma Wins - Blog 6 23 March The catch of today

As forecasted, we lost the wind so we motored most of the night.The wind picked up a little bit at dawn but the rain arrived too.We had the gennaker and main out and Karma Wins drifted along at 2-3 knots. The sun came out and it was very calm so Barry and I did some rust-removing and polishing.Per took the fuel gauge to pieces and now it sometimes works.The speedometer has taken on a life of its own and this afternoon, when we were putting up the main it said we were doing 75 knots!The dual wind-water turbine, now known as Genny for the electricity she generates, and the solar panels were producingtoo much power so we had to use a towel on the solars as a manual charge controller.A few days ago poor Genny managed to pick up a piece of netting which wrapped round her..sod’s law the whole. read more...

Karma Wins - Blog 5 The Third Leg

Having just finished writing the last blog we had another visit from the dolphin/whales.We think they were probably pilot whales as they showed no interest in Karma Wins, dolphins usually come and play.They went past leaping in the air and surfing the waves but not close enough to get a good sight of them.It was a lovely way to end the day.We have discovered the reason we haven’t caught any fish.I reel it in at night so if we have to do any manoeuvres it doesn’t get in the way and this time I realised the hook has gone!The supply of flying fish has also dried up as the sea is so much calmer they manage to miss the deck.Yesterday, having had a peaceful night sailing along at 3-6 knots, Barry decided it was time for the main.The genaker furls in really badly so we had to drop her on the. read more...

Karma Wins -

Blog 3 Calmer Winds ..not yetKalma wins is still bouncingalong on choppy seas, sailing well with 2 reefs in the main and full genoa, winds 20-30 knots and we think we are doing about 8 knots.Since the wind indicator has gone on strike we aren’t too sure what is genuinely registering what but we are heading in the right direction and have south-easterly winds and the sea with us most of the time.What with true wind, apparent wind, sog (speed over the ground), speed and mileage on the wind machine we think we are about halfway.As Per explains we do much more mileage as we go up and down the swell and from side to side as the auto-pilot struggles to keep on course.Per and I are enjoying the sailing and trying to get Barry to relax and enjoy it too.We had a good night sail and the clouds. read more...