Simon 10/31/08 Simon 10/31/08

Bundy & Bundy to Brisbane

We made it !

Sint Maarten to Australia, home.... well not Perth but the Queensland coast (little did we know that this was soon going to be home)

And a big thank you for the support and guidance from the beginning............. way back in the Caribbean - Geoff & Merel and Greg

We made it !

Sint Maarten to Australia, home.... well not Perth but the Queensland coast (little did we know that this was soon going to be home)

And a big thank you for the support and guidance from the beginning..... way back in the Caribbean - Geoff & Merel and Greg

New friends (other sailors) who participated in the Bundy RallyAnd a few shots of family and friends that welcomed us home — New friends (other sailors) who participated in the Bundy Rally
And a few shots of family and friends that welcomed us home

Simon 10/29/08 Simon 10/29/08

Chesterfield - homeward bound

We left Vanuatu with light winds and a moderate sea…it did not stay that way for long. By day two we had 20 kts on the beam and four meter waves coming from the same direction. We had waves smashing into the side of the boat and a few making it into the cockpit. We even had water cascade into the saloon…who forgot to close the hatch??? By day three things had started to lighten up with the wind and waves behind us so we poled out wing and wing…very nice. We put the fishing line out and caught a big male dorado. He had plenty of fight and could not quiet get him onto the back scoop before he finally worked his way free. We were both happy to see him go as he was a magnificent fish. By the fourth night, the wind had completely dropped out with flat seas. We motored through the night to Chesterfield Reef. We had heard wonderful things about the reef but had some hesitation as the French Navy were in the area and we did not have prior permission to stop. There were currently 7 yachts anchored but had been given prior permission before leaving New Caledonia.

Fortunately, the day we arrived, ("stopped due to technical issues") they were busy playing war games or maybe they wanted to be back in Noumea for the weekend. They departed that afternoon without visiting us. Chesterfield reef is a coral atoll with a few tiny islands located around its circumference & surrounded by turquoise water. We anchored near three islands connected by a sand bar. As we arrived the wind started to pick up. We jumped in for a quick swim. Si checked the anchor saw a sea snake and stung by stingers....just a bit of a deterrent for me.

After a quick lunch, we couldn’t wait to get to shore. On the way we stopped to say hi to the crew on Reflection (Mark and Juliet) and ended up staying for a few tinnies (they were practicing their Aussie slang) and a bottle of wine. We finally made it to shore and was amazed at the bird life. Boobies are nested all along the beach. The boobies are either black or white with different colour beaks and feet…we even saw a red footed boobie. They are nesting at present and the baby boobies are very cute and fluffy.

We also saw a number of large turtles. On the second day we landed the dingy close to several large sea turtles that were very close to shore. There was a lot of shells, flippers, heads going in every direction…then it occurred to us what was going on…it was turtle mating season though there seemed to be about four turtles trying to get in on the action. We found it fascinating, particularly when the female rolled onto the shore as the tide was coming in. She was a big girl and certainly knew how to handle herself. We collected some great shells, tormented some crabs and had sun downers on the beach with the other yachties. Unfortunately the weather was fairly windy and the water was cold (in comparison to Vanuatu) so didn't get another chance to snorkel though I am sure it would have been spectacular.

After two nights we set sail for the home run to Bundaberg. We had two days of good wind. At one stage we had a 2 knot current against us but as we where doing 8 to 9 knots, it didn’t matter too much. We even managed to catch a nice dorado & this one didn’t get away. We decided that it is easier to let him them drag behind the boat for a few extra minutes before trying to pull him in. It was now day eight and we were on the home straight with only 100nm to go however somebody turned off the wind (but the GRIBs showed 12knts) ……back to Motor Yacht Woodsia…. we really wanted to finish the trip under sail. As we neared Bundy and into Curtis Channel we had a few blows that didn’t last long so we motored into Bundy. It was a very emotional experience as though we were excited to be coming home; it marked the end of a fantastic year. The only consolation is that we plan to do it all over again in a few years time and spend more time in one place so we can get a real feel for the country.

Simon 10/18/08 Simon 10/18/08

Vanuatu

The passage from Fiji was hard work and it seems as though the days of champagne sailing are behind us. Unfortunately Si caught a cold the day after leaving Fiji so he was miserable for two days. During the four day passage we were constantly looking over our shoulder for the dark clouds associated with the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). We thought we had got away but sure enough on day four, the heavens opened and stayed that way for the next 24 hours. At mid morning we approached Vanuatu, we could barely make out land. Thankfully the pass into Port Villa was easy to navigate. When we arrived at the bay, it was still pouring so getting the anchor down was the next on the agenda. As the quarantine anchorage area is deep (25m), trying to find a good spot amongst the other boats proved difficult and we where both soaked and cold by the time we got the anchor securely down.

Si went to shore to organise immigration and customs. He came back rather disappointed with Port Villa and the locals…not at all friendly or helpful. Maybe it was the +A$200 in local arrival fees? (priced to get us ready for entering Australia?) That evening we had drinks on New Address II (Jeanie and Col) who we hadn’t seen since Panama and met some of the Port2Port (P2P) participants. During our short 5 day stay in Port Villa, we caught up numerous times for a movie night and a very boozy farewell P2P lunch that lasted all afternoon.

As we only had limited time, we decided to take an island tour of Efate and see some of the sights. Thankfully, our views opinion of Port Villa did not extend to the rest of the island. Four of the five days in Port Villa, there was a cruise ship in port. Once you got away from the tourists, you could see some of the magic of Vanuatu that many of the other yachties had experienced. We visited some lovely beaches, drove through the villages, ate local food and swam at a pristine waterfall and cascades. It was a great day and their hospitality was very warm and friendly.

After the normal provisioning, checking out, water etc etc…we popped over to Mele Bay, behind Hideaway Island for a swim and a day of relaxation before out last passage home. Vanuatu is definitely somewhere we want to spend more time in as the outer islands are meant to be wonderful.

Simon 10/9/08 Simon 10/9/08

Fiji

I rate a passage by three important elements; what percentage of time do we spend outside in the cockpit, the number of bruisers I acquire through constantly knocking myself and lastly, how much sleep I get per night (can range from 2 hrs to 7hrs). So the overall passage rating from Tonga to Fiji was “HORRIBLE”. It was overcast and cold, by the time we reached Fiji, my butt was one complete bruise and I was a walking zombie. We also got hit by our first real tropical storm that came out of nowhere. We were lucky in that we had already furled the head sail so we just had to drop the main. We stayed in VHF contact with Flame (Steve and Di from Cottesloe) whose preventer (line that stops the main sail from an accidental gibe) pulled a block from out of the deck. They have a boom furling main so they were unable to bring their main in and had to sail with the wind for two hours. As the wind completely swung around, they had to sail two hours in the wrong direction…bummer.

We arrived at the pass to Lautoka around 4am as we could not slow the boat down to navigate the pass during the day in case the lead light through the channel were not working. As it was, all went well and it was an easy entrance. I must say that the eastern part of Fiji was far from spectacular. The land is hilly, barren and brown. It is a complete contrast to what we have experienced in the other Pacific islands. There was also a lot of burning going on due to the harvesting of sugar cane so there was ash falling from the sky.

After Checking In and provisioning (& finding NZ Sauvignon Blanc) at the local town we went to Vuda Point Marina to get organised for Jeff and Caroline’s visit. Once they arrived, we hardly gave them time to put their bags down and get changed before leaving the Marina for Muscot Cove, Malolo Island. This place is owned by three Aussies, one being Dick Smith (though not sure if he is the Electronics Dick Smith) and is well set up for yachties. They have a good super market, basics such as fuel & water, a well priced bar & free BBQs (BYO food but they provided the plates/cutlery etc). All just a few minutes walk from a welcoming resort with a pool, cafes, restaurant and local dancing. They do great cocktails and pig on the spit.

We’d finally caught up with Georgie & Hans (Arbuthnot - Fremantle), last seen Shelter Bay, Panama. They told us about a deserted island approx 25 nm north called Mamanutha-I-Ra. On route the fridge decided to die. Not a good start considering we had enough meat and provisions to do us for several days. We did have some luck in the fishing department and caught a lovely tuna that Jeff cooked on the BBQ that night. The island was gorgeous with palm trees, white beaches and amazing coral. Probably some of the best I have seen and allegedly another Survivor film set. So we are sitting around enjoying this lovely deserted island and sure enough the iPod transmitter decides to die. So I am playing around with the stereo and what do we pick up on the radio but the Aussie Rules Grand Final. A reality check for both Si and I, we are now very close to home. After a rolly night at anchor, I look out the port hole Motoring between islands and sure enough there is a cruise ship heading our way. Normally we would feel totally invaded but we viewed this as an opportunity to get some ice. The boys went over to the boat and got a small bag. Unfortunately it was too late for the steaks and chicken but cooled the wine for lunch. We spent a lovely day snorkelling and swam to the island where the boys proceeded to collect coconuts and try to open them. We were successful, enough for a couple of coconut, pineapple juice and rum cocktails on the beach. We headed back to Muscat Cove the following day so we could have access to fresh provisions and ice. There were some goats and chickens on the island but I don’t think any of us was up to the task.

We had a lovely sail back through the islands. There was no wind and the water was gorgeous. We did have one slight mishap involving poor navigation charts but as there was no damage, I am going to leave that story untold. The rest of the stay at Muscat Cove was great except the weather turned and it got rather windy. It did not stop us from going to shore and enjoying both the BBQ and restaurant along with Paul and Di (Flame) and their family. As all good things come to an end, so did our time with Jeff and Caroline and bid them a sad farewell.

On the way back to Vuda Point Marina, we finally had some wind to sail. Unfortunately I hurt my back trying to furl the head sail so was bent over for a few days. Fortunately there was a Chiropractor from the US who I was able to see who put me back into place. We had a quiet weekend while I recovered before hauling Woodsia Monday morning for her face lift. Everything went like clock work. Once she was out of the water, the hull was water blasted as a quick surface clean and then rubbed down, all before lunch time. In addition to the anti foul, we had her polished and the trademark Mooring stripes removed. We had the clears replaced in dodger (amazing we can now see forward), a little touch-up spray paint work on a few old marks on the hull. We also dropped the rudder and had the bush replaced.

She was back in the water Wednesday afternoon, looking very slick. We are both happy with the result and quality of work. The first night on the hard, we treated ourselves to a night at the resort next door. It was very hot and the air conditioning and swimming pool was a welcome relief. During our stay at the Marina we would often pop next door for a swim for a cool down.

We were ready to leave Thursday morning. We had to take Woodsia back to Lautoka to check out. After enjoying a curry for lunch, doing some last minute shopping and provisioning, we decided to leave. We where going to leave first thing Friday morning but it looked like the SPCZ (Convergence Zone) was on it’s way down so thought we would try to out run it. We had some success but it caught up with us a day out of Vanuatu….but I will leave that story for the next instalment.

Simon 9/20/08 Simon 9/20/08

Vava'u Tonga

We arrived in Tonga, the Vava’u island group to blue skies and lush green islands. The topography was different to what we both expected but not disappointing. We docked next to the main wharf and watched the procession of local bureaucrats…quarantine, customs, immigration and health come on board for us to fill out their paper work and a chat. They where all very sweet as Si had sustained a burn (cup of hot coffee) on route and needed to get it checked by the doctor. The health guy drove us to the hospital

The people of Neiafu are friendly & the village had good facilities for visiting yachts. We caught up with the Palmerston Island gang for a number of reunions. Neiafu had a real Margaret River feel with laid back bars and café’s (mostly run by Expats) that you could happily sit for hours and watch the world go by. I was amazed at the number of yachts in the bay as it is the last Pacific island group that most yachties visit before the big haul to NZ.

In the short time that we were there, we quickly established our favourite “locals”, the Bounty Bar and the Aquarium Café. It was a joy to be able to eat out and have a drink without it costing a weeks budget as in the Society Islands. We experienced a Tongan feast with the crew from Flame ( Paul and Di) and Dolcia Vita (Vincent and Patricia). They had local dancing and the food was amazing. Most of it was cooked under ground in a hungie (spelling??) type style. The table was laden with food that we had to eat with our hands. It was good fun though a napkin would not have gone astray. After the feast, we visited Tonga Bob’s (Aussie owned pub) to watch the Rugby final. It was the first and only game we watched for the series and very excited. It was a great game of rugby with the exception that the Aussies were beaten.

Each Friday they have a yacht race around the bay. I crewed on Kind of Blue with Dick and Anita. We came 6th after missing the start. Afterwards we had dinner at the Bounty Bar where they held a cava night. Interesting stuff if you can get past the fact that it tastes like mud. It momentarily anesthetizes your tongue and makes you very relaxed (not that we have any problem in that area). We didn’t consume enough to become intoxicated (sources say you need to consume more that 10 cups) but we did notice a distinct lack of energy the following day and could easily have spent the day in bed…of course it had nothing to do with all the wine and beer was consumed.

Each morning at 5.30am we were awaken to church bells. Half an hour later, the church choir could be heard over the bay. Even from a distance the voices were beautiful. We went to mass on Sunday morning to experience the singing first hand. All the Tongans were beautifully dressed, many wearing the traditional woven skirts. The service, although in Tongan, was lovely…and the singing…very time they burst into song, I burst into tears. I found the experience very emotional as the singing was amazing.

After spending five days in Neiafu, we decided to explore some of the islands in the area. All the islands are in close proximity to one another so we didn’t have to go far. We went to a lovely bay of the island Falevai. When we arrived there were about 10 other yachts. We figured that we would stay for one night and more on in the morning. That evening everyone went to shore for a sundowner and bonfire on the beach. It is amazing how many interesting people you meet. The following morning we woke to howling wind and heavy rain. I took on anchor watch while Si slept through the whole thing; thankfully we put plenty of chain down (80 meters). The rain continued through out the day and thankfully, all the other boats cleared out. We stayed on and the weather improved. The snorkeling was great and I saw my first sea snake…what is my biggest phobia??? So needless to say I didn’t stay in for long.

The highlight of the trip was swimming with hump back whales. Though out our travels, we have only seen whales from a distance (thank goodness say Si) and we really wanted to take the opportunity to see them up close. The first whale sighting was a mother and a very young calf. They kept on moving and not responsive so we continued our search. They took us outside the island group were they spotted a pod of 5 whales, a mother, her calf and 3 males. Si and I where up front talking to the driver so were unprepared when they told us to get into the water…I didn’t even have my wet suite on. So everyone was long gone by the time we got into the water…and fortunately while everyone else is swimming after them, we get dropped off right near them. I can’t explain how amazing it was. Si was so close that he could see the mother looking at him. We had about four more similar experiences. One time, Si got into the water over the top of one. He was looking around until he realized he was 15 meters (the visibility was great) above one and 5 meters from another. The baby was learning to breach so we would applaud it each time she came out of the water. The baby thought it was great and was very playful. We also watched the big ones breach which was incredible. It is amazing how far they come out of the water. We finished the day snorkeling in and around some caves. It was a great day and one that we will never forget.

It would be fair to say that Tonga was one of our favourite places and would have loved to have spent more time. We spoke to a real estate agent who informed us that there are a number of islands for sale (99 year lease)…how cool would that be. It would be an ideal place to set up a small bar and café…maybe one day…

Simon 9/5/08 Simon 9/5/08

Palmerston Island

Palmerston in the Cook Islands is a tiny isolated atoll 600nm West of Bora Bora and 500nm from Tonga. There is no airstrip and it is only accessible by sea. There are approx 70 people residing on Palmerston including 25 children. Most of them are descendants from the William Marsters and his three wives. There is a bit of inbreeding but when you are that isolated…..

We knew that bad weather was on the way and made the decision to stop at Palmerston rather than risk being caught in strong winds and swell enroute to Tonga (4 day sail). We arrived at Palmerston on a Thursday to blue skies and light winds. We where greeted by Bob (mayor)& Topou Marsters. They later picked us up and took us through the pass to the main motu where we met our host family Bill and Mitze Marsters. The atoll is gorgeous….white sand and palm trees. We initially anchored in 15 meters of water and you could see the bottom. We had two great days exploring the island and doing some snorkeling off the main beach. Our host family invited us to lunch each day….what a treat. For an island that only has access to a supply ship once every four months, they sure know how to put on a feast. Most of the families rely on yachties to bring supplies from their families in Rarotonga. Fish and rice is their main stable but our family treated us to ice cream, chocolate cake, lamb chops and chicken…we where very spoilt.

On Saturday the weather started to turn. Si and I were the only boat to go to shore (there were 7 yachts in total) not like us to miss out on being fed. We contributed to each meal with either a salad or a fish dish. That day the other yachts called a meeting to organise an anchor/mooring watch. We scored to 1.30pm to 1am watch. Although all of us had been placed on moorings, there was some concern as to how secure they were. Si dived on ours the day prior and it looked to be pretty good. We attached two lines...one to the shackle and one to the chain. We thought that the others were over reacting but sure enough the wind picked up that night with rain squalls (35+ knots) resulting in Flame (Paul and Di from Cottesloe) drifting away at 3am. If it was not for the anchor watch he would have been half way to Tonga. Thankfully he was woken up and able to cut the lines that he was dragging behind and safely anchor the following morning.

The weather continued to blow and we stayed on the boat for four days just in case something happened. Our host families would come through the pass with bread, fish and DVD’s for us to watch. Thankfully there were no more incidents apart from a yacht breaking one of their lines (everyone had two lines as a minimum). By Thursday, the wind had dropped to 20 knots and we decided to go to shore to visit our host family. Although the wind had dropped there was still talk that the swell was any where from 4m to 7m. As the weather was not getting any better the following week, we decided that we would make a run for it the following day. We had a lovely lunch and said a sad farewell to Bill and Mitze. We got back to anchor and found, with the exception of “Kind of Blue” that the others had gone. We had decided to have a good night sleep and make some passage good before heading off. As it was, the afternoon we returned to the boat, a number of big squalls went through so we were relieved that we did not follow. As for the passage, it was ok. We managed to miss all the squalls as they seemed to go straight around us. The swell was approx 4m to 5m with the waves coming from behind. If you didn’t look at the waves and ignore the constant rocking, you could just about forget you were at sea…well nearly!!

Simon 8/25/08 Simon 8/25/08

Society Islands Tahiti to Bora Bora

We had a wonderful time in the Society Islands. The islands are stunning. They are a mix between the Marquesas with tall lush volcanic mountains and the Tuamotus with lovely coral reefs and turquoise water. Add plenty of blue sky, four of our closest friends from Perth, and you have the ingredients for an amazing 11 days.

After another windless passage from the Tuamotus to Papeete (Tahiti), we arrived with barely enough fuel to spare. We were fortunate to get a berth at Marina Taina where we got to work doing boat chores before Bec, Andrew, Jono and Mornay joined us. The French supermarket, Carefour was just down the road so provisioning was made easy with vacuum packed NZ beef, yummy French produce as well as local fruit and veg. Gas on the other hand was not so easy to locate. After carrying our empty gas bottles all around the Papeete industrial area, we finally got to the gas depot to find out that they were on strike. Fortunately we found a service station that provided us with a small camping gas bottle. That with our other spare, saw us through until Bora Bora.

Our guests arrived amongst much anticipation and excitement. It was wonderful having them on board and the first night was all about catching up and maybe having a few drinks on the side…ok, ok, maybe more than a few. The following morning we got organised to sail to Moorea. Everyone was a bit slow not to mention going through all the goodies that Mornay and Bec bought us from Oz…it was better than Christmas. The trip to Moorea was fairly uneventful with the exception of poor Andrew going a pale shade of green. We had a lure out in the hope of catching fish for supper. Bec was very diligent holding onto the line waiting for a strike. It was not until a couple of hours into the trip as we were bringing out lunch did Bec ask if anyone wanted to take over holding the line. Oops…we forgot to tell her that there was no need to hold it like a conventual line…but she was having fun.

We finally arrived at Moorea, through the pass to Baie d’Opunohu. The scenery was absolutely amazing. We anchored in the bay with only one other boat…gorgeous. The crew went for a walk into town, while we chilled on the boat and enjoyed the vista. The following day we moved to the bay entrance where we anchored in 5 meters of turquoise water. The snorkling was amazing. Jono, Mornay and Kim took the dingy about 100 meters from the boat and were amazed at just how good the coral and fish variety were. We ended up staying an extra day as the weather was perfect and there was a lot to explore.

The following day we set sail early for Tahaa which is about 25nm from Bora Bora. We had good wind although the seas where about 3m. Bec finally caught a fish, a nice silver jacket tuna. We arrived early morning and anchored for a short time near the pass so to catch up on some sleep before we made out way to Baie Apu. We were fortunate to pick up a mooring line. Onshore we visited the pearl farm and had a very nice lunch at the yacht club. Mornay bought a lovely black pearl while Si bought three broce pearls.
The next day found us motoring to Bora Bora. We all had big expectations as it is known as one of the world’ most beautiful islands…it did not disappoint. We spent time at different anchorages around the island. The first was close to the southern reef. Jono, Mornay, Si and Kim took the dingy about 200 meters to a popular snorkelling spot . When we arrived there was a tourist boat feeding the fish. We jumped in and were immediately surrounded by fish of all different types and colours. The fellow from the tourist boat gave Si some fish in which to feed them. Needless to say, he was swarmed. It was great to watch but was happy to leave the feeding to him.

We spent another night moored outside Bloody Mary’s. It is a famous restaurant that has a very comprehensive list of visiting celebs. It is done in the style of a beach cabana. You leave your shoes at the door and walk through lovely white sand. There was also an abundance of honey moon couples. Felt a bit sorry if they were looking for a romantic night out….with the six of us near by, it was not going to happen.

Our favourite anchorage spot was further south in the lovely Matira Bay. It was a bit tricky gettin in but well worth it. We had our favourite hamburger place on our door step along with lovely white sand…and you guessed it, turquoise water. Andrew and Bec escaped a couple of nights to a lovely resort where they had hot showers and a loo that you could put toilet paper down. We had a sundower with them and consumed a fair number of Margarita’s. It definitely made for an interesting walk back to collect the dingy.

As all good things come to an end, the time flashed by and before we knew it we were waving (crying) goodbye to our dear friends. We stayed on in Bora Bora for three additional nights. Two of those were anchored behind Toopua where we spent time with Geoff, Merel and James from Miss Molly. We also had to say goodbye to them after 6 months of friendship and support. They had been with us since FKG Days (St Martin) and were waiting for the boss to take Miss Molly for a few weeks while they fly home to visit family in the UK and Netherlands.

Simon 8/8/08 Simon 8/8/08

Tuamotu Archipelago

The passage to the Tuamatu’s was fairly uneventful. Once again, we ran out of wind after the first day and had to motor for the remaining three. If we had of left two days earlier, we would have had too much wind…seems to be a reoccurring theme.

The Tuamatu’s are a group of 78 coral atolls that generally enclose a lagoon. The pass into the atolls are to be navigated with care as they are relatively narrow and have strong currents running depending on the time (high and low tide). Best time to attempt the passes is during slack water, though we never quiet sure when this was, so we went with the flow…literally.

The first atoll that we visited was Kauehi. Once we successfully navigated the pass, we motored for 8nm until we reached the anchorage. The atoll was like a big lake. As we approached the village you could see this vivid band of turquoise. As we got closer, you could see that it was the shallow water that fringed the white sand. Coconut trees swaying in the gentle breeze…paradise!!! We spent four gorgeous days chilling out and enjoying the crystal clear water. We met a number of new cruisers including Judith and Soenke from Hippopotamus, Dirk and Heidi from Latina and Jeremy and Danni from Thulani. We spent a number of nights enjoying their company. We snorkelled on the outer reef which had great coral but the number of fish and variety was a bit disappointing. The village was very small with a few houses scattered around a church and general store. Even the road was made of compacted coral…very cool.

The next island we visited was Fakarava. This atoll is much larger in size and in population. We met up with the same four boats from Kauehi (also Diana Felicia). Thulani started an early morning ritual, a dingy trip to the bakery and delivering a fresh baguette to each yacht before the occupants awoke. The following day it was the next yachts turn for the baguette run so we all had fresh bread for breakfast. The bakery was closed on Sunday and it was our turn to supply the baguettes. So we decided to bake a loaf of bread for everybody. Si must have started at about 4.30am and we were finally finished by 10am. Everyone was amazed that he actually did it…me included.

One the first day we hired some bikes and rode 10km to a pearl farm. It was lunch time when we arrived and the farm was closed so we peddled back 2km to the Mai Tai resort for lunch. After a lovely meal and a few glasses of wine, the ride back to the pearl farm into the wind didn’t seem like such a great idea after all. We had a quick tour of the farm and bought some black pearls to make into pendants and ear rings. It was a great day but our legs definitely felt it afterwards.

Unfortunately the wind picked up during our stay and Si didn’t do any organised dive trips due to poor visibility. He did a dive with Judith and Soenke around a coral reef which I snorkelled around. Heaps and heaps of really cool fish. It was like swimming in an aquarium. Si was fairly impressed though visibility was not great but at least it didn’t cost anything.

On the Saturday night, eleven of us went to a local restaurant for our steak fix. We had caught a yellow fin tuna so anything other than fish was looking good. After the meal we had everyone come back to Woodsia for drinks. Thankfully our cockpit is big and fit everyone comfortably. It was great to meet some new friends and it really made the Tuamatu’s special.

Leaving for Papaeete, we were delayed for a day due to strong winds. We have four friends from Perth Andrew & Bec and Jonathan & Mornay, joining us on the 9th Aug for some fun filled days in the Society Islands…can’t wait to see them!!

Simon 7/22/08 Simon 7/22/08

Marquesas - Niku Hiva

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Sailing Yacht Woodsia arrived in the mysterious land of Marquesas. The people spoke a strange tongue but they all looked like Kiwis. It is a tropical island with tall volcanic mountains that jut sharply into the deep deep sea (1,185m high and 40 - 100m deep). It was warm and the hills were lush and green, a magnet to clouds that had never seen land (it rained a lot).

Anyway, fairy tale stories aside on our arrival at the island of Niku Hiva, we were welcomed into the harbour by other yachts blowing their horns and just in time for the Bastile day long weekend. The locals don’t actually celebrate Bastille day but have their own indigenous celebrations in July that just happens to coincide. We were treated to several nights of local food, dancing and boxed French wine at the community hall (shed). We caught up with Steve, Di & Paul from “Independent Freedom” , Geoff and Merel (Miss Molly) and other cruisers for a couple of fun nights had by all. Kim was taken by the buffed guys dancing in grass skirts and nearly jumped over board when the following day they sped past the boat in their outrigger canoes.

We were told of an ancient ceremony site that was a couple of hours hike from the village. The layout was ideal for an episode of Survivor tribal council, doted around were stone tikis that looked like aliens and a huge Banyan tree that must have been over 200 years old. Our walk was made easy thanks to a local who gave us a lift there. Thankfully it was the uphill route.

Following the usual provisioning of fresh food & taking on fuel we moved to a very sheltered bay on the NE of the island inhabited by a small village. No rolly swell…yay!!! The houses were close to the golden sandy beach with a backdrop of a volcanic mountain. We spent several wonderful days with Geoff & Merel, cooking up a storm in the galley and simply catching up. We hiked to a large rugged, exposed bay on the east coast whilst enjoying the breath taking view. A few days later we moved to a neighbouring village for some fresh supplies. We visited the local store which had no fruit & veg. Thankfully Merel can speak French so we had a local escort us to a friendly neighbours back yard. They supplied us with ample mangos, bananas and the exotic fruit pamplemousse. The pamplemousse is sweet and juicy and resembles an oversized grape fruit. Eating it demands plenty of slurping noises as the small internal pockets/sacks explode in your mouth. Very tasty!! Geoff also fixed our lure so that we no longer have a visible trace. The lure proved to be a success when we picked up anchore one morning to pop around to another bay. Half a mile out, we caught a medium size dorado…the drought has finally broken!!!

We didn’t stay in the Marquesas as long as we had scheduled or explore the other island as the turquoise waters of the Archipel Des Tuamotu beckoned. Not to mention that it rains a lot and swimming is limited to jumping in then swimming back quickly to the boat. Sharks are fairly common and Si saw a 2 metre shark swim happily past the boat….

Simon 7/14/08 Simon 7/14/08

Galapagos to Marquesas - 3200nm

Close your eyes and imagine for three weeks you and one other (recommend that it is someone you get along with rather than someone you fantasise about), are confined to your lounge room, kitchen and bathroom, now divide that space into one third. With the exception of email, you have no contact with the outside world, no television, no newspapers and no internet. You are only able to prepare meals with food that you currently have available to you and the alcohol has been confiscated. By the way you are unable to use the microwave, bread maker, freezer, food processor or toaster. To top it off, at any one time, one of you has to be awake. Having fun yet????

Well strangely enough, we are. I think that we have both gone a bit crazy (some may argue a bit crazier) but the passage to the Marquesas has been a fairly enjoyable one though relatively uneventful. We left the Galapagos in 20 knot wind. We decided to follow Bob McDavitt’s (South Pacific weather guru) recommendation and head SW to 4 degrees South, 96 degrees West and then ‘straight’ to Marquesas. The first 5 / 6 days we were off and

Very tastyrunning. We had a nice broad reach run averaging 7.5kts to 8kts. We figured that at this speed we would make the passage in 18 to 19 days. Once we hit the go straight mark, things got a bit tricky. We figured we would pole out the head sail, goose wing the main and sit back and enjoy champagne sailing. Unfortunately, not everything went to plan. We struggled the remainder of the trip to find enough wind to fill the sails. So much for constant SE Trade Winds. With the exception of a 36hr period, we had to set the sails at least 3 to 4 times each day. At night the wind often dropped down to no wind and there is nothing worse than flapping sails when you only have three hours of precious sleep.

During the 36hr period mentioned above we had some lovely 18 to 20 knot winds and were averaging between 8 and 9kts. When we hit over 11kts the hull started to hum! I was getting a bit concerned thinking is this like having speed wobbles on a bicycle? but Si was loving it. Unfortunately the wind abated and it was back to motor

We ate well - lunch was the highlight of the daysailing. Apart from little wind, the days have been glorious albeit a bit cool after leaving the Galapagos. For the first 6 days we wore socks and jackets on watch. One day I wore jeans and by 4pm you needed a light pull over. Very strange considering we were so close to the equator. As we left the Galapagos behind, it started to warm up and Si adopted his customary passage attire….a hat and a smile. We have had a number of tropical squalls go around us and have been very fortunate not to have been in their path.

The fishing started off well with a dorado and a tuna blessing the dinner table. At one stage, we had fish jumping onto the lines with a couple that got away. Since about the half way mark, our luck turned and we have not had a bite. Si’s favourite lure is a red and white fish with a built in flashing red light. I think there is more chance of scaring them off but he is adamant that it will catch something. For the first week, we had a fair number of squid landing on the boat. So Si would

First sighting of terra firma - very excitedcollect them, clean them and cook them up. Very tasty but not sure if it was worth the effort.

Early in the third week we came across the path of two other yachts inconsecutive days. It was nice to feel that you weren’t alone. . Sailing yacht Kokoda called on the VHF radio and said ‘hello”, they then passed a few miles away as they headed to Hiva Oa. PlanB came up within 20 meters of us and we both took some great photos of them and vice versa. We are looking forward to catching up with them in Niku Hiva.

We have not seen much in the way of marine life with two unconfirmed whale sightings and only two dolphin pods. There was a large thing just under the water surface that looked to be heading our way. Si was just about the turn on the engine and we lost sight of it. Si also saw something that looked like a dolphin on steroids jump out of the water. It could possibly have been a pilot whale. Yesterday, we saw the strangest dolphins. They were short and stumpy with a smallish tail and a pink under belly.

Happy to have made itUnlike normal dolphins, they did not play at the bow of the boat instead they were surfing and jumping out of the waves. They were very fast and entertaining but only hung around for about 10 minutes.

Tomorrow, after 22 days at sea, we will finally make landfall at Niku Hiva. As you may imagine, both of us are very proud of our achievement but are so looking forward to a glass of wine/beer and restaurant food. Any thing that we don’t have to cook/prepare ourselves. We are meeting up with Geoff and Merel from Miss Molly and are planning a 3000 nm party to celebrate. Miss Molly is now only a day behind us and will have spent only 16 days at sea…just goes to show what you can do with a 66 footer (Oyster). Unfortunately Cadans was delayed yet again and only departed the Galapagos a few days ago so can’t quite make it in time for the celebrations. .

Simon 6/18/08 Simon 6/18/08

Galapagos Islands

As the sun rose on our 10th day at sea, you could see the Galapagos Islands. The swell dropped and looked like we would see blue sky for the first time in days. Already you could tell there was something special about the place.

I decided to have a quick nap so to be fresh for our imminent arrival. Si was under strict instructions to wake me if anything exciting happened. Within 5 minutes of putting my head down, I got the call. I came on deck to find the water bubbling with fish. It was quiet a site to behold. No more naps for me. We sailed down the North coast of Isla San Cristobal past Kicking Rock which is a small island with a large population of frigate birds. With the binoculars out, you could see hundreds of black birds with this slash of red at their gullet. I later found out that this is the female frigate bird, quiet spectacular.

During passage, we had no luck in the fishing department. After seeing all the fish, we put out a lure in hope of fish for lunch. Within 30 minutes, we caught something big. It started running down the side of the boat with the lure. As Si pulled him in, its teeth cut the line (nylon trace) and got away. It looked to be either a Wahoo or a Marlin…it was big (we’ve now replaced all the off the shelf lures traces with wire).

We anchored near the other yachts in Wreck Bay. We met Steve, Di & Paul from Independent Freedom who gave us the run down on immigration procedures (an interesting book has been written about this yacht (former owner)). All yachts require an agent to assist in the local formalities (well so the locals say). Our agent, Fernando also organised water and diesel (66c a litre) to be bought out to the boat. Wreck Bay is a delight. It is very clean village, revolving around the tourist industry, its actually the capital of the Galapagos and the people are friendly though they have very little English. We somehow muddle our way through, although while at the butchers, I asked for two chicken breasts (in part Spanish, part English) and ended up with half a frozen chicken. Also at the local video library, I thought we had rented a video for $2.00 only to be told that we didn’t have to return it manana (tomorrow) as we had just bought it.

Fernando organised a day tour with our own personal guide (a taxi driver with limited English) to see the giant tortoise, the iguana, volcano and past the coffee, banana & orange plantations. Unfortunately there was a lot of low cloud so we could not see much of the volcano. Walking up the hill and the large number of steps, we both realised how unfit we have become. Carlos (our tour guide) also stoped and showed us all the native fruits that grow wild on the island. We are still not sure what is native and what has been introduced but it sure tasted good. The tour ended with lunch at Fernando’s house. It was a lovely lunch that we shared with Fernando and his small son.

There are thousands of seal lions in and around Wreck Bay. They love lying on the back on our boat on the scoop. At first we would try to deter them by throwing salt water over them but as there is no way to stop them, we have just come to the conclusion that we will get rid of the seal oil prior to departing. They are mostly baby and young juveniles that camp on the back. They are so cute and love you talking to them. They are real poses and love a photo shoot. We had to clean the hull of the boat and they would come up and play. We had a couple of big females who have come along to feed their babes. They take up the whole scoop and are a little stinky. They don’t stay around for long and are a lot more timid than the young ones.

Si went for a dive while I went for a snorkel. We first went to Isla Lobos so that the divers could test out their dive gear and the snorklers could play with the seals. It was great fun except I stayed in the water way too long and took forever to warm up. The next stop was Kicking Rock (where the frigate birds live) where it is known for its sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and big fish. The first dive / snorkel was through a three metre channel (see photo) where there are a lot of black tip & Galapagos sharks and rays. I skipped this one as I was still cold but Si went down 28 meters and had a small shark come within a metre to check him out.

The next dive was to look for hammer head sharks. Si and the dive group did see a hammer head but they (plural) were a distance away and the visibility was average. I went for a snorkel and got to see some sea turtles and big fish. That was plenty for me, sharks really are not my thing.

We have managed to do some good walks and have been to the beach though it smelled of seal pooh. The water is still relatively warm (25c) and we have had some nice days (also some crappy ones). Unfortunately you can only take you yacht to one port and cruising is not allowed unless you get a permit that takes considerable paper work. Greg (Cadans) will arrive tomorrow (Thursday) with some spare parts (sliders for the main) so we will be off on Friday on route to the Marquises. It will take us any where from 21 to 25 days. Will be glad when this one is over!!!!

Baby Seal

Kim & Si and Giant Tortoise

Giant Tortoise

Iguana

Wreck Bay

Si Diving @ Kicking Rock

Kicking Rock

Cadans @ Sunset

Simon 6/18/08 Simon 6/18/08

Panama to Galapogas Islands

After finally leaving Panama, we headed for the Las Perlas island of Isla Pedro Gonzales for a rest before heading to the Galapagos. These islands are approx 35 nm from Panama City and have plenty of wild life and greenery. We anchored in a secluded bay north of the island to avoid the southerly swell. We had two nights of perfect weather. About 500m away there was another island that is a breeding colony for pelicans and other sea going birds. So there was no lack of bird watching to be had. We took the dingy across the reef & bay to the small village. Si wanted to replace the 10 liters of diesel we had used to get there. So after a couple of attempts (first attempt produced a black oily fuel) with an audience of about 20 we managed to get our fuel. Si also picked up a few more bottles of $6 rum……..(don’t ask how much wine, rum, vodka, tequila, whisky & gin we are carrying…for bartering so we say…).

The next day we had a leisurely breakfast and decided to commence the 900nm passage to the Galapagos. It was very still and knew that we would be motoring. One thing that did surprise us was the amount of rubbish and crap in the ocean. We think it might be that it is the rainy season and a lot of debris is being washed into the ocean from the rivers. We would come across huge logs that would cause serious damage if you hit one. As we passed one of these garbage slicks, I noticed a sea turtle struggling along that had been caught in rope / net. We bought the boat around and Si managed to use the boat hook to bring the turtle to the back of the boat where he was able to cut the rope that had been tangled around his flipper. Hopefully he is Ok and his family was happy to see him.

The rest of the day was quiet amazing. The sea was so calm it was like a huge lake. We would stand up on the bow and look in the water and even see fish. We saw the biggest pod of dolphins (ever). Because the sea was so calm, you could spot them a couple of miles away. There where probably about a hundred dolphins all doing their own thing. We had a few come and play around the boat but unfortunately they didn’t stay for long. Some were really big, brown in colour with white spots. We also sighted a lot of sting rays jumping out of the water. Quiet amazing!!

The passage to the Galapagos is relatively unpredictable as you travel through the ITCZ which is the convergence zone that is responsible for the doldrums, squalls, electrical storms and torrential rain. Just for good measure we experienced them all.

The second day out started with a nice 10kt breeze. We took on about 240 litres of additional fuel on top of our existing 250 litre tank, enough to motor for approx 6 of the expected 8 day passage (depending on usage & seas). Looking at the weather charts before departing indicated that the winds would be light so we were happy that we were getting some wind…or so we thought.

The next fours days were fairly tough. The wind dropped, while the swell and current increased. Unfortunately for us, not in our favour. We motored for most of the time. Due to being prudent with fuel, we were averaging about 3kts. I don’t know how many times we put the sails up and then had to take them down again. One evening Si woke up from a nap and got all excited as there was a bit of a breeze. We put the main up (with a reef thankfully as it was dusk) and then the head sail. Suddenly we were cracking 8 knots. Within 10 minutes of reefing the head sail, we were dead in the water again.

By day three, the rain had started and has continued on and off ever since. Due to the rain we started spent the majority of time in the saloon. With the pounding of the waves the front cabin was too noisy & rocky and the aft cabin was too noisy due to engine noise so the saloon was the best alternative. This was in addition to eating and using the PC instead of Plotter in cockpit. Preparing meals was no simple task. What ever you took out of the fridge generally fell back in with the addition of any thing else that was in the vicinity. Cooking had to involve one hand as you needed the other one to hold on. 2 minute noodles or what ever you could heat up in one pot was the general cuisine. Not quiet the champagne sailing we had coming through the Caribbean Sea.

By day six we started to get some wind but due to the rain fronts, although the wind shifts were still all over the place. Day seven the winds where a lot more consistent and really saw us pick up our speed to over 6kts. Three of the slides that hold the main broke off so we have only been sailing with the head sail…still we have managed to make some good head way.

Today is day nine at sea and will reach Wreck Bay, Isla San Cristobal at about 2pm tomorrow…9.5 days at sea…yay. We had a very busy day as we made pizza (…its Sunday..) and coconut pie to celebrate the crossing of the equator. The coconut pie was a little too adventuress and amazing that either of us didn’t end up wearing it. Both our shoulders were aching after the ordeal of trying to hang on. In the end it was well worth it. We crossed the equator around 6:45pm. We had a couple of little bottles of champagne to toast Neptune who was very appreciative of the coconut pie. Let’s hope he liked it enough to provide fair winds for the remainder of the trip. Mmm maybe I shouldn’t have given him the burnt bits.

Before signing off, I have to give special mention to our friends and stowaways that kept up along the way:

• Larry the Lizard: a green lizard we found onboard at Les Perlas. We can’t find Larry so we assume he jumped over board…can lizards swim?
• Jumping Squid: Minding my own business when something lops itself over my shoulder into the cockpit. It was a squid, one of several that landed on the boat that night…since when so squid jump?
• Ghost birds: Since leaving Les Perlas, we have several big sea birds that fly around the boat each night. The have white bodies and dark (possibly grey) heads that illuminate at night. They are fascinating to watch. What I want to know have they been the same birds for the entire trip?
• Lastly, Berty our stowaway who was a sweet little sea bird that last night got to close to the boat, hit her wing and lande. She rested for the day, stayed for the equator party, ate coconut pie (didn’t let her drink as she was flying) and flew away shortly after dark.

Simon 6/9/08 Simon 6/9/08

Panama to Galapogas Islands

Before signing off, I have to give special mention to our friends and stowaways that kept up along the way:

• Larry the Lizard: a green lizard we found onboard at Les Perlas. We can’t find Larry so we assume he jumped over board…can lizards swim?
• Jumping Squid: Minding my own business when something lops itself over my shoulder into the cockpit. It was a squid, one of several that landed on the boat that night…since when so squid jump?
• Ghost birds: Since leaving Les Perlas, we have several big sea birds that fly around the boat each night. The have white bodies and dark (possibly grey) heads that illuminate at night. They are fascinating to watch. What I want to know have they been the same birds for the entire trip?
• Lastly, Berty our stowaway who was a sweet little sea bird that last night got to close to the boat, hit her wing and landed in the cockpit. She rested for the day, stayed for the equator party, ate coconut pie (didn’t let her drink as she was flying) and flew away shortly after dark.

Simon 5/25/08 Simon 5/25/08

Panama Canal Transit

The big day had finally arrived. No matter how much you read and speak to people about the Panama Canal transit, the whole thing still seemed like a daunting task.

Firstly you need one captain, four line handlers and an advisor (from the Canal Authority). Jen and Ulf from Sea Quill, who we met on the way back from San Blas, kindly assisted with the lines. We also hired Rudy as our fourth lines person. Whilst in Colon, Rudy was our personal assistant, taxi driver & general advisor. He is Panamanian with many years experience transiting the locks.

The big day had finally arrived. No matter how much you read and speak to people about the Panama Canal transit, the whole thing still seemed like a daunting task.

We where scheduled to pick up the advisor at 4.30pm at “The Flats”, outside the Panama Yacht Club. We arrived around 4pm and drifted for a few hours whilst waiting for the advisor, who came on board around 6.30pm (they are always late). We were fortunate that out pickup time was relatively early as we have know some cruiser to pick up their advisor until 10pm at night.

Three yachts where scheduled to go through: Cadans, Woodsia and some guys from Venezuela who had a 39” Beneteau. As the sun was setting over Colon, we commenced the short trip to the first set of locks. The first three locks gravity feed water in so that you rise well above sea level. About 1km before entering, the three boats have to be rafted together. Cadans was in the middle with us on her port side.

As you enter the lock, there are two linesmen onshore who throw you a monkey fist ( a ball at the end of a line) that you tie to your bow and stern lines. We had been warned that they can aim for just about any where on the boat so we covered up our solar panels as a precaution. Once you have attached your lines, they walk your lines to each loch, pull your line up and secure it to a bollard.

Once you are attached, the water starts to rise and you have to keep the tension on the lines to ensure that the three yachts remain central and don’t come too close to the sides. Jen, Ulf and myself seemed to do all the work as the yacht on the other side just sat there and let there lines go slack. The first set of lochs went well and we made it through with out any problems. When it came to derafting the three boats, just as we where set loose, a large wake from a passing pilot vessel came through. We got away unscathed but the Beneteau & Cadans were still rafted, they rocked violently, rigging touched but no damage was done.

It took about an hour and a half to get through the first set of lochs. We then motored for about 20 minutes and arrived at a huge man made lake for the night. We tied up to a donut buoy for the night at around 9.30ish. The advisor warned us not to swim due to the croc’s! Once we arrived, we prepared pizza for supper…then disaster struck. As I was putting grounded black pepper on the second pizza before putting it in the oven, the grinder broke and the pepper corns went every where. We lost about a third of the pizza. With an additional mouth to feed (the advisor invited him self to dinner) we got creative with the BBQ chicken. It may not seem a big deal but we had been discussing the menu for weeks…but we made it through.

The advisor was dropped off at 7.30am. The next set locks are 28nm from our mooring buoy. We had sensational weather. Slightly overcast which protected us from the blazing sun. The trip through the water ways is really beautiful, with much of it being national park. You forget where you are until you see a huge ship mosey on by.

The remaining three locks release water from the locks so that you eventually return to sea level. It was also a lot less work as you have to release the line rather than take up on it. We had an audience as there was about 100 people standing around the numerous viewing platforms watch us make our decent. We also waved madly at the internet video cameras in hope that someone from home was watching.

As we got to the final lock, we hoisted our boxing kangaroo flag up the mast and put on the Men At Work classic “Down Under” (OS Aussie national anthem). It was a very emotional moment as the last lock opened to the Pacific. Not only was it a great achievement to get this far, but is also over whelming when you think about what is ahead……all part of the adventure.

We made our way down to the Balboa yacht club whilst having some celebratory champagne. To drop off our advisor we had to meet a tug boat for a boat to boat transfer. We also bid a sad farewell to Jen, Ulf and Rudy who were picked up in a water taxi. There was a strong southerly swell and the yachts at the club were really pitching. We decided to see if we could find a nicer anchorage on the other side of the causeway. We motored around to the Flaminco marina and anchored on the other side of the breakwater. Had a few more celebratory drinks on Cadans before calling it a night….and rolled all night (I don’t think there is such a thing as a calm anchorage on the Pacific side)..

The next day we moved to the Flaminco marina to wait for the bad weather to pass. There was a tropical low near Mexico that was pushing a lot of rain and wind our way. On day four, fully stocked and provisioned, we headed to Las Perlas on route to the Galapagos.

Simon 5/22/08 Simon 5/22/08

Panama

After another night of watching big ships pass us by we arrived at Panama on Sunday 27th April. We passed through the breakwater into a very large harbour then made our way to “The Flats” near the Panama Yacht Club. It is the popular anchorage used by yachts waiting to transit the Canal. After a few celebratory drinks with Greg and Dan from Cadans, we went ashore to have a look around. Within the first 10 minutes of speaking to a few cruisers, a couple of themes started to emerge. Firstly, crime in Colon is rife. Apparently an Aussie guy had been shot a couple of nights mugs trying to steal his bag. Two days after our arrival, a catamaran anchored about 50 meters away, had their 15hp outboard motor stolen from their dingy (hoisted on the davits). Needless to say, we didn’t feel safe. The second thing, was that it looked like we would be hanging around Panama for awhile. We met some cruisers that had arrived two days previously and have been given a transit date two months in the future. We were in shock. A two month delay meant that we would have to make haste across the Pacific with very few stops. We met a number of people that had been waiting for 6 weeks and it looked like the delays were getting worse.

The morning that we were due to get our transit date, I took the dingy ashore in to do the laundry. There was a buzz of excitement in the ranks. By some miraculous event, everyone had their transit dates moved forward by a month. How lucky were we!

In order to transit the canal the authority must physically measure the vessel. An official from the authority came on a pilot vessel to measure Woodsia however he didn’t board us, he just asked to meet us at the yacht club in 20 minutes. We obliged, completed some paper work and subsequently issued a transit date - 3rd June (without being measured). Only one month away. A few days past and our transit date had been moved forward (the latest date being the 24th May). We are really looking forward to getting through to the other side so we can start focusing on our trip to the Galapagos.

After four days anchored on “The Flats”, we moved to the marina located on other side of the harbour. It is a hike out of town (about 40 mins by taxi plus frequent delays when crossing the canal (Gatun Locks) but it is safe and quiet with some great amenities. It is located in a National Park so have done a few walks to check out the local wild life. There are heaps of monkeys and the odd snake. There is even a baby sloth that resides at the marina. The baby sloth was rescued after its mother was killed. He is so cute…just like a soft toy. The marina is new, secure and clean a vast contrast to the tired and worn out yacht club.

So after ten days of attacking the never ending to do list…oil changes, getting the sail bag patched, provisioning, provisioning, provisioning, we headed for the San Blas islands for a well deserved rest. We departed with little wind and motored most of the 70 nm trip stopping overnight at Portobelo and Isla Grande on the way. Portobelo was visited by Columbus in 1502 and is also where Captain Drake (the pirate) was buried. It is a beautiful bay surrounded by jungle clad hills, most of which have been fortified at some time by the Spanish. The next morning we woke to the sound of howler monkeys in the jungle. The town was a little disappointing as it is dirty and broken. Just as we left the dingy dock, some local pushed a fridge filled with rubbish into the water and set fire to it. I must say, that they are not very ecologically aware. Isla Grande was also lovely and the town is a lot cleaner. We had a great day exploring the island and stopped at the Bob Marley bar for a beer…every village in the Caribbean has one.

The San Blas are very unique and in total contrast to the jungle terrain that is prevalent for most of the Panama coast line. The first distance sighting of the San Blas was unimpressive as they are small flat islands covered in coconut trees. We made our way to Chichime Cays, one of 130 islands in the group. We had to negotiate several reefs to enter the one and only entrance. I was busy trying to take photos while Si was yelling at me to stop and look for the reefs to help navigate the

unmarked channel……….oops. As you get closer you really get the feel for what a true tropical island is; aqua water, white sands, coconut palms swaying in the wind….stunning. We got an extra surprise when we came across Miss Molly (Meryl and Geoff) anchored near by. The San Blas is owned by the indigenous Kunas. Much of their culture is unchanged from prior the Spanish Conquista. We anchored between two islands, both inhabited with several people, mostly women. They make molas as part of their traditional clothing that they wear as a sort of bodice. Molas are hand sewn patch work decorations using many different designs. These are sold to visiting yachts and provide the village with a good income. The villages are out in their canoe even before you have a chance to put your anchor down. Some women can get quiet pushy and we met some cruisers who found it an effort to keep them off their boat. Si was impressed with one guy who had his own business card and was even equipped with fenders to keep his canoe from marking the customer’s yacht. He certainly does make beautiful molas.

We spent the next six days not doing much at all. We got to know our neighbours (Kunas) who live in grass huts, we even charge their mobile phones. The locals would come around and sell fish, crays and tropical fruit. We did buy a few crays ($2.50 - $5 each) only to find out later that it is illegal as the catching of them is out of season…but they were so good. We swam, snorkelled and explored the local islands… you can walk around them in 15 minutes.

I must admit that in our laziness we did not explore any of the other areas. We figured that there was nothing else we needed. Also if we went to another island, we would get bothered by more mola sellers. One day was enough. So we eventually set sail for Colon via Isla Linton. Another gorgeous island that is close to Isla Granda. Here we met Jen and Ulf who had been cruising for 18 months and had been struck by lightning five days earlier while in the San Blas. We went ashore and had a great meal at a local restaurant run by a Dutch fellow and his Columbian wife.

A day later, we were back in Colon (Shelter Bay Marina). The marina was humming as the round the world Clipper fleet had arrived. The poor marina was close to over flowing as each Clipper yacht had at least 15 crew. The marina bar, restaurant & internet couldn't cope with the influx (normally only 2 people per cruising yacht). As they pulled out the next day, the skies opened up and rained solidly for the next 10 hours…I don’t think I have seen so much rain!!!

The next day (Monday), we headed for Panama City for a romantic getaway. We stayed in a restored boutique hotel in the old district of Panama City. It was such luxury…flushing toilet, air conditioning, no mosquitos, plasma tv and a big fluffy doona. We went to a great restaurant around the corner that did great tapas but without a menu. The food just kept on coming and coming and coming. The next day we went to the Canal museum (located next door our hotel) and were hosting a visiting Rembrandt exhibition….sensational. The rest of the day was spent at the shopping mall. We both bought a few tops to spruce up our wardrobes. I could have gone crazy at Zara’s but it is a bit hard to justify long flowing dresses and sexy silk tops. Must say that Panama is an amazing place to visit and have welcomed the opportunity to get to see some of this beautiful place. I guess there is always a next time. 

Simon 4/30/08 Simon 4/30/08

British Virgin Islands

The remainder of our visit to the British Virgin Islands went by in a flash. A lot of lazy days snorkelling, eating and drinking.

The remainder of our visit to the British Virgin Islands went by in a flash. A lot of lazy days snorkelling, eating and drinking. We finally caught up with Geoff and Merel from Miss Molly and spent some great evenings with them and son James. One of the highlights was going across to Marina Cays for happy hour and be entertained by this fellow who had the whole one man band thing happening. He had us all singing along with our clappers and Rummmmm…….and some lethal cocktails.

We also spent a couple of nights at Gorda Sounds at the Bitter End. It was a gorgeous spot with a calm anchorage and stunning views. We went for a snorkel with Geoff and Merel to find some old cannons (I think they are fairly old) on the reef. There are no markers so I was amazed that Si located one.

From Gorda Sounds we had to go back to Spanish Town to extend our visa and collect Greg and young Danielle on Cadans. Our deflag papers had not yet been received so our departure date to the Panama was reliant on these being sent to Tortola. So with nothing more to do we headed back to Norman Island for the weekend. We secured our favourite anchorage in front of all the mooring buoys. The four of us had a BBQ off the back of Woodsia before heading over to Willie T’s. It was a fun night with lots of very drunk people to watch. Their rum punch is rather lethal. Poor Si played rescue ranger for most of the evening. He rescued some very drunk guy who had started his tender and somehow got a line caught around his prop. Everyone just thought he was waving. So as he slowly started to drift away, Si decided he had better go get him. Then half an hour later, someone had let loose a dingy, so off Si went again…very heroic.

The next day Geoff and Merel popped by and we had a FKG (Simpson Lagoon, St Martin) reunion. Geoff took us out to snorkel around the 4 Indians (rock formation). It was hard to get across as we had six in a dingy and the wind had picked up. I thought the snorkelling was amazing and well worth the journey.

All too soon we had to leave Norman Island and head back to Tortola to pick up our deflag papers (that had finally arrived) and prepare Woodsia for the trip to the Panama. We had originally planned to head out on Wednesday but due to some large swell in the Caribbean Sea, we departed on Friday 18th April.

So here we are on passage. We have had very light winds so we are only averaging 5knts an hour. It will add an extra two days to our initial seven day passage. Must say I don’t mind too much as the conditions have been perfect. We did have some reservations about only the two of us doing the passage but it was definitely the right decision.

The night watches are working well. We generally go three on three off. We still get our eight hours sleep; it is just spread out during the day. At the start of the passage we had a full moon with the light reflecting off the ocean. Now that the moon is setting later, the stars are out and you can see the phosphorous in the waves. It really is beautiful and it makes getting up at 3am nearly bearable. We have seen many big ship pass us in the night with only one getting a bit close for comfort.

Si has become a nudist and not sure if he will ever be able to adjust in the real world. He definitely has adopted that Albi Mangles look. We caught our first fish off the lure that Trevor made us. It was a good size tuna but I was a bit taken aback after watching the poor thing suffer. I would have taken a photo but it was all a bit messy. I think we have to work out a better system. In the end, it did taste delicious. Unfortunately we have had no such luck since.

The highlight of the trip was waking up one morning I woke up to find the boat surrounded by about 30 plus dolphins. Some where playing on the bow while others where surfing the waves and getting some serious air. There were a number of mums with babies…very cute. They hung around for about three hours. They were amazing to watch. We sat up on the bow and they were right at our feet. It was sad to see them go !!!

Simon 4/5/08 Simon 4/5/08

Anguilla then the BVI's

We finally escaped St Martin. We had some good news. Our auto pilot could be fixed without having to wait for parts from the States. It is amazing what you can achieve when they want the dock space. After about 10 trips to the supermarket and a lot of hair pulling trying to work out where to put every thing, we were all provisioned ready to go.

We said goodbye to our friends knowing that we would catch-up in a week or so. The first stop was Friars bay on the west side of St Maarten (French Side). We wanted too test out the autopilot before wandering too far from Simpson’s Lagoon. From there we sailed around to Road Bay in Anguilla. The winds were directly behind us so Si took the opportunity to test out the spiniker pole to hold out the head sail. It worked a treat and cruised along nicely. Road Bay was lovely. We spent a day chilling out; I sewed a strap for the spinnaker pole (attached topping lift and down brace) while Si set up the preventer for the Main sail and the down brace for the Head Sail.

We had a few hours sleep before heading off at midnight for the BVI’s. It was a sensational sail with 15 to 20 knot winds and 1 to 2 meter seas. The moon rose shortly after our departure and added to the serenity. We reached the north of Virgin Gorda around 1pm and sailed past Richard Branson’s island. We arrived in Spanish Town around 3pm. Customs was closed (being Sunday) so settled in for the evening. Being Sunday night, pizza night, I made my first ever pizza (I have become Susie homemaker).

The following day we anchored across from a bay with palm trees and white sand…heaven. We waited until about 3.30pm and took the dingy around to the Baths. It is a collection on giant granite boulders that are partially in the sea. It is a major tourist attraction hence the reason for leaving it late in the day. We had a snorkel around, not much in the way of coral but there are some really cool fish. We swam to shore and walked through the caves. Very cool.

That night the weather turned and we got woken to some serious swell. We did an early run to Peter’s Island as we heard that it was relatively protected. It must have been blowing 35+. We dragged anchor about three times before we but out a stern anchor to stop from hunting. It worked a treat and we pretty much did nothing for the next couple of days. The bad weather continued so went to Road Town, Tortola to visit Giles. Giles was the fellow who sold us Woodsia so it was great to put a face to a name. We had a yummy lunch (it was a treat not to have to cook) and stayed on the Moorings dock for the night.

The next morning we left early for Bight Bay on Norman’s Island, otherwise known as Treasure Island. It is still blowing hard but at least the sun has come out. We have a nice anchorage that is relatively protected. We have been swimming and snorkelling and generally enjoying life. Sure beats 9 to 5!!!! We had a squall come through this morning that clocked 40 knots that flipped the dingy. Fortunately we where up and witnessed it happen. Can't say that Si's crocs and my thongs had a happy ending. They are on the way to the US VI's.

Our friends are arriving from St Martin early this week. The wind has been so bad they did not open the Simpson Lagoon Bridge to let boats out so they have been stuck their. We intend to stay for another week before heading to the Panama. That is when things are really going to get interesting.

Simon 3/20/08 Simon 3/20/08

Simpsons Lagoon

We are still in St Maarten. It has just been over two weeks since we arrived back from Mexico and time has flown. It has been two weeks of hard work getting Woodsia in ship shape for her voyage. Our days start at 8am and are lucky to finish by 6pm. It has been hot sweaty work but we are slowly getting there. Achievements to date include;
• Install of a new hot water system
• Cradle for our 10 man life raft (bloody heavy)
• Steel work for solar panels and radar (we can also use to winch dingy from the stern)
• Install of solar panels and solar controller (we now have enough power to support a small country)
• Radar
• Extra Battery

We have made some great friends that have made the experience bearable. Lyn and Bruce kindly adopted us on the first day and took me provision shopping and were a wealth of knowledge. Jeff and Merlyn are skippering a 66' Oyster to New Zealand (they also did the trip last year on their own boat) and Greg who has been an extra hand.... also a regular at the dinner table. Greg is also heading to Oz and is thinking of doing it solo so we will be most likely do the trip in convoy.

Des and Liz Lord arrived in St Maarten last Sunday (9th March). As expected they where a great help. Unfortunately we didn’t get to sail to St Lucia. They hired a car and got to see some of St Martin. They took us to a lovely French restaurant in Marigot. We also went out with our neighbors for some wicked Indian in Simpson Lagoon and spare ribs another night. We escaped for the weekend and anchored in Friars Bay (on the French side) for some relaxation. The weather was gorgeous and we had a lovely sail. I even made bread which turned out to be a great success.

We dropped Liz and Des off at the dock on our return and bid a sad farewell. We will probably be here for another week organizing a spiniker pole, hatch covers, service auto pilot and anchor.

We are thinking of changing our route and heading north west to the Virgin Islands (British and US)for a couple of weeks before heading south to the Panama where we want to explore the San Blas Islands. They are beautiful and unspoilt. The decision is partly due to safety (less risk of pirates, speed (lost some time getting stuff done) and we can also pick up our deflag paperwork on the way.

Simon 3/13/08 Simon 3/13/08

St Maarten

We got in about 10.30pm to St Maarten. It was a long day. We got to out hotel at about 11 ish only to find no one at reception. Just as we had made other arrangements to stay at a hotel in Philipsburg, someone showed up (about 12.30am). The next day we got to Oyster Pond around 1pm. Woodsia was waiting for us. We reviewed all the work that had been done and found that a number of the hatches still leaked and some small maintenance type stuff not completed. One our first night we met six duchies sitting in the bar. We got talking and found out that they had arrived for the Regatta and that their boat would not be ready until the following day. So Si kindly offered them to stay on our boat. Normally it would not be a problem except that we had stuff from one end of the boat to the next. With our recent homeless experience we moved stuff around and found enough beds - two outside, two on the saloon and two shared a bunk. A bit squashy but I know how it feels to think you have no where to sleep. The next morning they took us for a lovely breakfast.

That afternoon we took Woodsia out for her sea trial. We had a skipper with us thankfully as the swell was huge. She sailed really well, a lot easier to steer than Figaro. I was sick for the first time in a long time. Hopefully this is not going to be the norm.

We got back and I had to go and find some provisions as we didn’t even have toilet paper. I finally found this little shop that was undergoing renovations. I begged my way in the door and managed to get some basics…water, toilet paper, wine and beer. I came back and found the duchies having a drink with Phil and crew. Some lovely Americans who we drank wine with and sang Karaoke with (Hotel California with never sound the same again). Phil kindly gave us our first Jimmy Buffet CD along with a case of red wine and beer. It was greatly appreciated.

We then had dinner with the Duchies who kindly embarrassed me by being dragged onto the dance floor (in the middle of the restaurant), they thanked us for our hospitality and sang me happy birthday. It was a fun night with lots of dancing and laughs.

The next day Si found water leaking in the bilge so he spent the morning with his head in the bilge. We decided that we needed a new hot water system. We went to a lovely French restaurant up on the hill over looking oyster pond. The champagne, wine and food was sensational. We had the restaurant to our selves and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon. Little did I know that it was to be the last relaxation I would have for some time.

We set sail for Simpson Bay early Monday morning to pass through the bridge that opens at 9.30am and lets you into the Lagoon. We sailed across with only the head sail. The swell was a lot less. I was at the helm most of the way and found her very easy to sail. We made it to the lagoon without incident. We past all the super yachts that put the ones at Royal Perth annex to shame. We have a great dock mooring out the front of FKG who are doing the steel work for mounting of the wind generator etc. We will be here for a week getting steel work done, electrical work eg radar etc, and the rigging checked. Si has replaced the hot water system and I have been bleaching the saloon covers. There is so much to do. Did I mention cleaning? Bec, I need your expertise with a match stick. 

There are a lot of boats here for the Regatta that starts Friday 7th March to Sunday 10th March. I think there are about 250 entrants in varying classes. Now that we have a dingy, we will go over to watch the start of the race. We are fortunate that we have a dock mooring as anchoring amongst all those boats would be a nightmare. Also it is meant to get windy so we are nice and protected. There are some big parties organized over the next four nights so we are looking forward to watching some local bands and soaking in the atmosphere. Des and Liz will be joining us on Sunday. At this stage, we hope to be away Wednesday (13th March) morning.

Simon 3/12/08 Simon 3/12/08

Mexico (again)

We decided to head back to Isla Majures for a bit of rest and recreation before going back to St Maartin where things would be hectic getting the boat ready. We arrived to find some of the old crew had left but replaced by a group of Canadians that get together each year. We spent our days lying on the beach, drinking margaritas, tequila, and eating great Mexican food. Life is good!!! We did go into Cancun one day to determine what we needed from Wal-Mart. Great place to shop for cheap home wares and Si picked up cheap locks, lures tools. All essential boy stuff!! We spent that afternoon trying to find someone who would print the 50 maps we had copied before heading off. It took four attempts before we found someone who could do it. We got there in the end. The highlight apart from spending many drunken evenings with Phil and Nina on the Verandah, was the Banana Daiquiri party. This is an annual event and they take a photo of everyone staying at the time. Theo (alias Dame Edna) was the serving wench and looked fairly convincing. We made vegemite sandwiches which surprisingly were as a great success. We had dinner that night with Linda and Leigh as Leigh went fishing and kindly shared his catch with us. Very good!!!!

We went back to Cancun a day early to do our shopping and finish off printing the maps. We managed to fill three tubs full on stuff. Our luggage went from one backpack to four pieces, two maps holders and a pressure cooker (10 liters). We packed all our goodies into the three tubs in the McDonalds section of Wal-Mart. Not surprisingly, we had a number of people come over and ask us what we were doing. We finally got back to our hotel and taped the tubs and got ready to leave. We had an early flight. We arrived at the airport around 6.30am. Got our tubs wrapped in plastic, got to the check in only to be told that they tubs had to be inspected. Si was in the process of opening then (none to happy) when we where told that our flight did not leave until tomorrow. Regardless to say, we were not talking at this point. We decided to get the bus back to Cancun that involved carrying all the luggage
to the bus station (no trolleys). We finally got back to the hotel. The weather turned crappy so we watched TV, drank tequila and had some great food from a stall across the road. It all ended up being a very nice day. The next day went like clock work and we where on the way to St Maarten.