TIME: 2013/06/17 05:11 UTC
Position: 13-20.34S 176-13.47W
Anchored Iles Wallis
Overnight I was struggling to slow the boat down so we'd arrive at Wallis around sunrise. First I dropped the spinnaker and unfurled the jib which shaved a few knots of the speed and still we would arrive well before daylight. Ultimately, I stuck all sail and we were still averaging 3.5-4 knots under bare poles in 16 to 20 knots true at 150 apparent.
Nearing Wallis, but well before first light I dropped line in the water to try some night fishing with no luck. Low slack tide at the pass was scheduled for 5:30AM and we hit the pass at 6AM riding smoothly in on the minimal flood tide. In the early morning light it was hard to discern the edges of the pass, but the navigation adds were numerous and the CM93 (January 2010) charts were spot on. Once we cleared the pass we turned East just as the sun broke the horizon and blinded us with low angle light glaring off the water. Feeling tired and unwilling to battle the glare for several miles as we negotiated the well marked but coral studded lagoon we dropped anchor at the first opportunity and had a nap. Then feeling invigorated we jumped in the water for a quick snorkel which revealed some really nice coral and fish. Around 11AM we checked email via SSB and received advice from friends Jeff and Jose that we should move 4 miles to the west side of Wallis and anchor by the wharf with the large oil storage tanks. The new anchorage is very calm if not so scenic as the first. Jeff and Jose dinghy'd over and we invited them aboard for a nice several hour chat. Jeff is a vet and a boat builder so we talked cats of both the feline and sailing varieties.
Tomorrow we'll hitch hike to the big village on the other side of the island to check in with the Gendarmarie and Customs all of which we hear is very casual and FREE. Then check out the shops and grab a baguette and some nice French cheese.
That's it for now.
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Sunday, June 16, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Unexpected course: Sailing from Samoa to Iles Wallis
June 16, 2013
Position 13°45.57'S 174°07.92'W
Underway for Iles Wallis
Yesterday morning we made a early departure from Apia, Samoa heading for Fiji or so we thought.
We encountered some rough waters while sailing between the Samoan islands of Savai'i and Upolu through Apolima strait where current strongly opposed tidal flow. We recommend that other sailors consult tide tables and local fishermen about the appropriate time to transit Apolima strait to avoid the rough confused seas. At one point we slowed the boat to only 2 knots to avoid launching off the crazy steep confused seas that extended seaward nearly 10nm from the strait. Once clear of the shallow tormented waters the desired course to Fiji was quite uncomfortable with strong SE winds and swell almost on the beam and stronger winds in the forecast. There is no substitute for going where the wind blows, so we altered course 40 degrees to starboard to get the swell astern which resulted in a much more comfortable motion aboard. Luckily, the new course had us aimed at Iles Wallis a French atoll some 225 nm distant. I launched the smallest of our spinnakers as boiling black squall clouds blotted out the horizon and soon engulfed s/v LightSpeed in a tropical deluge and gusty winds. It was good to be on a comfortable heading, even it meant a radical change in plans and a unexpected destination.
You've got to ask why in the heck would we leave port with unfavorable weather? Especially, when I write so much about our regular study of weather GRIBS and WW3 wave models. The short answer is the weather changed on us. It all looked good up until the morning of our planned departure, then the GRIB files showed stronger winds and a less favorable wind angle. At this point we were really committed to leaving having already checked out of the country with Customs, Immigration and the Port Captain the day BEFORE. If we stayed through the weekend we'd be breaking the rules badly and likely be confronted with the need to check back in and then out again a full day affair. So, hoping for the best we decided to set sail and see how reality compared to the GRIB wind model. The GRIB file was spot on, so utilizing our flexible time table we changed course and are making the best of the weather by going with the flow. Visiting a totally new island will be fun considering many of our recent stops have been our second or third visit.
That's it for now.
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com
Position 13°45.57'S 174°07.92'W
Underway for Iles Wallis
Yesterday morning we made a early departure from Apia, Samoa heading for Fiji or so we thought.
We encountered some rough waters while sailing between the Samoan islands of Savai'i and Upolu through Apolima strait where current strongly opposed tidal flow. We recommend that other sailors consult tide tables and local fishermen about the appropriate time to transit Apolima strait to avoid the rough confused seas. At one point we slowed the boat to only 2 knots to avoid launching off the crazy steep confused seas that extended seaward nearly 10nm from the strait. Once clear of the shallow tormented waters the desired course to Fiji was quite uncomfortable with strong SE winds and swell almost on the beam and stronger winds in the forecast. There is no substitute for going where the wind blows, so we altered course 40 degrees to starboard to get the swell astern which resulted in a much more comfortable motion aboard. Luckily, the new course had us aimed at Iles Wallis a French atoll some 225 nm distant. I launched the smallest of our spinnakers as boiling black squall clouds blotted out the horizon and soon engulfed s/v LightSpeed in a tropical deluge and gusty winds. It was good to be on a comfortable heading, even it meant a radical change in plans and a unexpected destination.
You've got to ask why in the heck would we leave port with unfavorable weather? Especially, when I write so much about our regular study of weather GRIBS and WW3 wave models. The short answer is the weather changed on us. It all looked good up until the morning of our planned departure, then the GRIB files showed stronger winds and a less favorable wind angle. At this point we were really committed to leaving having already checked out of the country with Customs, Immigration and the Port Captain the day BEFORE. If we stayed through the weekend we'd be breaking the rules badly and likely be confronted with the need to check back in and then out again a full day affair. So, hoping for the best we decided to set sail and see how reality compared to the GRIB wind model. The GRIB file was spot on, so utilizing our flexible time table we changed course and are making the best of the weather by going with the flow. Visiting a totally new island will be fun considering many of our recent stops have been our second or third visit.
That's it for now.
----------
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Friday, June 14, 2013
Suwarrow atoll to Apia, (Western) Samoa
Maupihaa atoll pictures 2013
Improvised island shoes quickly thrown together when a sandy beach walk turned to sharp coral.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Arrived Apia, Samoa
Just got internet update tomorrow with lots of pics from the last 30 days of fun.
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Suwarrow to Samoa
May 5, 2013 (2300UTC)
Underway Position: 13°10' S 166°37' W
Sailing from Suwarrow atoll toward Apia, Western Samoa
Writing blog posts is becoming difficult as my keyboard is failing with several keys stopped working. Namely it is the letter after w in and the letter after y in the alphabet. When you see 'these letters' appear it the result of some creative misspelling and the wonder of auto correct to deliver up the properly spelled word, from there I cut and paste the 'letters' as needed. I've also noticed that capital letter version of j,k, and l are non responsive. This year we've had 3 computers fail from the tropical malady of salty air and high humidity. Anyway, looking forward to a new laptop computer and wireless keyboard in the near future.
Our time at Suwarrow atoll was pleasant, but visiting Suwarrow on the heels of the exceptional experience at Maupihaa atoll took some sparkle out of this remote Cooks Island National Park ... too many rules. The rangers at Suwarrow are great, but the rules are pretty oppressive limiting anchorage to Anchorage island with all other motus off limits. No walking on the other motus, no beach fires, no fishing in the lagoon, no lobster hunting at night, no, no, no. On the yes side, one morning I went fishing at 6AM with the assistant ranger named Ngatupuna. He picked me up at the boat in a 16' aluminum skiff with a poorly running Yamaha 25 outboard. We set off to run the pass and fish outside in the ocean for Tuna and other pelagic's like Wahoo and Mahi Mahi. The 2 cylinder engine was only running on one cylinder and was hard to start, did not idle and had little power. Heading offshore to fish on the windward side of the atoll in the squally weather seemed an arms wide open invitation for disaster. Ngatupuna is a Cook Islander, but left the Cook Islands when he was 12 to live in Australia and only just returned to the Cooks last year. Ngatupuna was the designated boat man for Suwarrow atoll, but as we limped toward the pass I wondered how much time Ngatupuna had in boats while living in Australia.
Just before the pass I called a timeout to look at the engine. A nearly severed spark plug wire was readily apparent, so I shifted the broken wire a bit so, it might make the occasional delivery of a spark to the lower cylinder and we set out sputtering toward the open ocean. Ngatupuna had no concern for the maligned engine and seemed oblivious to the risks of open ocean fishing. Soon we had handlines of dubious construction and creative knot tying trailing behind the boat. In less than a minute Ngatupuna had a big bite, but lost the fish from the 40 foot handline. Next it was my turn to battle a nice Yellow fin tuna to the boat, but just before hauling the fish aboard a shark attacked and I yanked only the bloody remains of a tuna head aboard. We chased feeding birds as we trolled along the lee shore of Suwarrows treacherous wave pounded reef. Threatening dark black squalls built on the horizon, the faulty engine sputter along on one cylinder and my nerves were racked by all the potential ways I could die that morning. Would I be dashed to ribbons of bloody flesh on the reef, torn to bits by hungry sharks, marooned at sea as the boat drifted past the atoll into a dark lonely sea or simply drown in the confused seas when the boat flipped?
Around 4 miles from the pass we hadn't yet landed a fish and I reluctantly called uncle and asked Ngatupuna to head the boat back to the safety of the lagoon. A party was planned for the evening and our job was to catch the main entree, but I'd had enough of tempting fate in a small broken boat at sea for one day. On the return trip I landed a nice Yellow fin tuna, but with a party of 14 for the BBQ ashore one fish would never do. Ngatupuna suggested we try fishing again in the afternoon, to which I politely demurred. To his credit Ngatupuna did go fishing again that afternoon and not only returned alive, but with 7 Wahoo to boot. We had a delicious BBQ with the other cruisers and Ranger Harry played a few songs on his guitar accompanied by Ngatupuna who sang some traditional Cook Island songs.
On another day Kathy and I made a drift snorkel through the Suwarrow atoll pass. The quantity of fish was remarkable with huge schools of Parrot fish and plenty of sharks, the coral was not so impressive due to the high water flow that constantly scours the bottom. Outside the pass the coral was nice as was the visibility with lots of grey sharks patrolling the waters.
Yesterday, we decided to get underway for Samoa. The weather conditions and forecast for the first day of our passage were outside of our normal comfort parameters, but we were anxious to get going. Swell was forecast to be 3.4 meters and winds around 20 knots with squalls. We set our storm spinnaker and blasted down the foam topped waves at remarkable speeds into the teens. On one big surf we hit a solid 17.8 knots speed through water and 19 knots speed over ground. The overtaking breaking waves created a noisy under deck rumble and crash as they moved between the hulls. Squalls unleashed a furry of added wind and a solid deluge of pelting rain. Both Kathy and I were feeling a little seasick, but the forecast called for moderation. Overnight, the weather instead intensified with base winds a steady 25 and 30 plus in squalls. One hour we averaged 10.1 knots with just our tiny storm spinnaker of 300 square feet flying. Around 2:30AM a spinnaker sheet parted for unknown reasons and the sail flogged wildly. I rolled out the jib to cover the flogging sail for the takedown, it was a wet messy job in the howling wind, rain and spray. Afterwards I treated myself to a quick shower to rinse off the salt. The remainder of the night we flew a mostly furled jib and still averaged over 7 knots.
Today the wind is still steady around 22 knots and we're still flying the jib with good results. The seas have yet to abate and it looks like our entire ride to Samoa promises to be boisterous.
That's it for now.
Underway Position: 13°10' S 166°37' W
Sailing from Suwarrow atoll toward Apia, Western Samoa
Writing blog posts is becoming difficult as my keyboard is failing with several keys stopped working. Namely it is the letter after w in and the letter after y in the alphabet. When you see 'these letters' appear it the result of some creative misspelling and the wonder of auto correct to deliver up the properly spelled word, from there I cut and paste the 'letters' as needed. I've also noticed that capital letter version of j,k, and l are non responsive. This year we've had 3 computers fail from the tropical malady of salty air and high humidity. Anyway, looking forward to a new laptop computer and wireless keyboard in the near future.
Our time at Suwarrow atoll was pleasant, but visiting Suwarrow on the heels of the exceptional experience at Maupihaa atoll took some sparkle out of this remote Cooks Island National Park ... too many rules. The rangers at Suwarrow are great, but the rules are pretty oppressive limiting anchorage to Anchorage island with all other motus off limits. No walking on the other motus, no beach fires, no fishing in the lagoon, no lobster hunting at night, no, no, no. On the yes side, one morning I went fishing at 6AM with the assistant ranger named Ngatupuna. He picked me up at the boat in a 16' aluminum skiff with a poorly running Yamaha 25 outboard. We set off to run the pass and fish outside in the ocean for Tuna and other pelagic's like Wahoo and Mahi Mahi. The 2 cylinder engine was only running on one cylinder and was hard to start, did not idle and had little power. Heading offshore to fish on the windward side of the atoll in the squally weather seemed an arms wide open invitation for disaster. Ngatupuna is a Cook Islander, but left the Cook Islands when he was 12 to live in Australia and only just returned to the Cooks last year. Ngatupuna was the designated boat man for Suwarrow atoll, but as we limped toward the pass I wondered how much time Ngatupuna had in boats while living in Australia.
Just before the pass I called a timeout to look at the engine. A nearly severed spark plug wire was readily apparent, so I shifted the broken wire a bit so, it might make the occasional delivery of a spark to the lower cylinder and we set out sputtering toward the open ocean. Ngatupuna had no concern for the maligned engine and seemed oblivious to the risks of open ocean fishing. Soon we had handlines of dubious construction and creative knot tying trailing behind the boat. In less than a minute Ngatupuna had a big bite, but lost the fish from the 40 foot handline. Next it was my turn to battle a nice Yellow fin tuna to the boat, but just before hauling the fish aboard a shark attacked and I yanked only the bloody remains of a tuna head aboard. We chased feeding birds as we trolled along the lee shore of Suwarrows treacherous wave pounded reef. Threatening dark black squalls built on the horizon, the faulty engine sputter along on one cylinder and my nerves were racked by all the potential ways I could die that morning. Would I be dashed to ribbons of bloody flesh on the reef, torn to bits by hungry sharks, marooned at sea as the boat drifted past the atoll into a dark lonely sea or simply drown in the confused seas when the boat flipped?
Around 4 miles from the pass we hadn't yet landed a fish and I reluctantly called uncle and asked Ngatupuna to head the boat back to the safety of the lagoon. A party was planned for the evening and our job was to catch the main entree, but I'd had enough of tempting fate in a small broken boat at sea for one day. On the return trip I landed a nice Yellow fin tuna, but with a party of 14 for the BBQ ashore one fish would never do. Ngatupuna suggested we try fishing again in the afternoon, to which I politely demurred. To his credit Ngatupuna did go fishing again that afternoon and not only returned alive, but with 7 Wahoo to boot. We had a delicious BBQ with the other cruisers and Ranger Harry played a few songs on his guitar accompanied by Ngatupuna who sang some traditional Cook Island songs.
On another day Kathy and I made a drift snorkel through the Suwarrow atoll pass. The quantity of fish was remarkable with huge schools of Parrot fish and plenty of sharks, the coral was not so impressive due to the high water flow that constantly scours the bottom. Outside the pass the coral was nice as was the visibility with lots of grey sharks patrolling the waters.
Yesterday, we decided to get underway for Samoa. The weather conditions and forecast for the first day of our passage were outside of our normal comfort parameters, but we were anxious to get going. Swell was forecast to be 3.4 meters and winds around 20 knots with squalls. We set our storm spinnaker and blasted down the foam topped waves at remarkable speeds into the teens. On one big surf we hit a solid 17.8 knots speed through water and 19 knots speed over ground. The overtaking breaking waves created a noisy under deck rumble and crash as they moved between the hulls. Squalls unleashed a furry of added wind and a solid deluge of pelting rain. Both Kathy and I were feeling a little seasick, but the forecast called for moderation. Overnight, the weather instead intensified with base winds a steady 25 and 30 plus in squalls. One hour we averaged 10.1 knots with just our tiny storm spinnaker of 300 square feet flying. Around 2:30AM a spinnaker sheet parted for unknown reasons and the sail flogged wildly. I rolled out the jib to cover the flogging sail for the takedown, it was a wet messy job in the howling wind, rain and spray. Afterwards I treated myself to a quick shower to rinse off the salt. The remainder of the night we flew a mostly furled jib and still averaged over 7 knots.
Today the wind is still steady around 22 knots and we're still flying the jib with good results. The seas have yet to abate and it looks like our entire ride to Samoa promises to be boisterous.
That's it for now.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Stormy Suwarrow
May 31, 2013
Position: 13°14.92'S 163°06.49'W
Suwarrow Atoll, Cooks Islands, South Pacific Ocean
Officially the Suwarrow National Park of the Cook Islands opens on June 1 and Park ranger Harry and assistant Ngatupuna have been busy 'cleaning' the Anchor Island atoll. 'Cleaning' in South Pacific lingo means chopping down everything in sight, raking the debris in to huge piles and burning everything to a crisp. It's seems ironic that the protectors of this natural paradise are tasked with battling nature on a daily basis. As palm fronds and cocouts go up in smoke the underbelly of decades of human habitation are slowly revealed. A mighty stack of long neglected lead acid batteries rest under the eve of the forlorn dilapidated remains of Tom Neal's shack. Tom Neal inhabited Suwarrow for 30 years and authored the intriguing novel 'An Island to Oneself'. Nearby, half a pallet of old rusty paint cans slowly leak, leaching into the thin atoll soil, metal fuel drums rot, useless outboard engine parts are piled high in a corner, scavenged bits of ship wrecks, fishing nets, pearl floats and even a full case of unopened rust encrusted spaghetti-o cans litter the motu. The 'cleaning' has revealed a fragile ecosystem under serious threat from a long legacy of it's very caretakers. With the problems clearly in the open, it's time to clean up the toxic waste and implement a simple waste management plan for the future akin to 'Pack it in Pack it out'.
The Cook Islands minister of environment is rumored to be visiting Suwarrow later this year. Perhaps, the seemingly frivolous visit can be made worthwhile if the ministers expensive charter vessel is tasked to haul the toxic debris back to Rarotonga for safe disposal. It's time to clean up the long tail of ignorance, waste and neglect that threaten a true national treasure of the Cook Islands.
End rant.
In other news, we had a real blow a few nights ago. It was pitch black with only the occasional glimmer of our neighbors mast head light between bolts of lightning and clap of nearby thunder. Wind whistled through the rigging and rain pelleted the decks with a vengeful tropical furry. From 10PM to the wee hours of the night we maintained active anchor watch with engines idling at the ready. Nearby, our friends on s/v Venus clocked a gust of 55 knots and sustained winds in the 40's for several hours. We're thankful that we decided to layover at Suwarrow as this is the very storm would have overtaken at sea as we approached Samoa.
Before the storm we went for a snorkel in the lagoon and enjoyed the company of a large Manta, curiously all black, but for one small patch of white on it's belly. Fortunately, the pack of 20-30 ravenous sharks that encircle out boat didn't follow us to the snorkel site where we only say two sharks.
After the manta swim I ventured out the pass to troll for tuna and in short order landed a nice 10 pound yellow fin. We prepared a nice sushi feed for Gisela and Uwe aboard s/v Venus including rolls, sashimi, lightly seared loins and even a few pieces of fried fish for Ewe whose not a fan of raw.
Today, s/v Tamora arrived and we're planning a kai-kai (Cook Island Maori speak for pot-luck) and fish bbq ashore on Saturday.
----------
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Position: 13°14.92'S 163°06.49'W
Suwarrow Atoll, Cooks Islands, South Pacific Ocean
Officially the Suwarrow National Park of the Cook Islands opens on June 1 and Park ranger Harry and assistant Ngatupuna have been busy 'cleaning' the Anchor Island atoll. 'Cleaning' in South Pacific lingo means chopping down everything in sight, raking the debris in to huge piles and burning everything to a crisp. It's seems ironic that the protectors of this natural paradise are tasked with battling nature on a daily basis. As palm fronds and cocouts go up in smoke the underbelly of decades of human habitation are slowly revealed. A mighty stack of long neglected lead acid batteries rest under the eve of the forlorn dilapidated remains of Tom Neal's shack. Tom Neal inhabited Suwarrow for 30 years and authored the intriguing novel 'An Island to Oneself'. Nearby, half a pallet of old rusty paint cans slowly leak, leaching into the thin atoll soil, metal fuel drums rot, useless outboard engine parts are piled high in a corner, scavenged bits of ship wrecks, fishing nets, pearl floats and even a full case of unopened rust encrusted spaghetti-o cans litter the motu. The 'cleaning' has revealed a fragile ecosystem under serious threat from a long legacy of it's very caretakers. With the problems clearly in the open, it's time to clean up the toxic waste and implement a simple waste management plan for the future akin to 'Pack it in Pack it out'.
The Cook Islands minister of environment is rumored to be visiting Suwarrow later this year. Perhaps, the seemingly frivolous visit can be made worthwhile if the ministers expensive charter vessel is tasked to haul the toxic debris back to Rarotonga for safe disposal. It's time to clean up the long tail of ignorance, waste and neglect that threaten a true national treasure of the Cook Islands.
End rant.
In other news, we had a real blow a few nights ago. It was pitch black with only the occasional glimmer of our neighbors mast head light between bolts of lightning and clap of nearby thunder. Wind whistled through the rigging and rain pelleted the decks with a vengeful tropical furry. From 10PM to the wee hours of the night we maintained active anchor watch with engines idling at the ready. Nearby, our friends on s/v Venus clocked a gust of 55 knots and sustained winds in the 40's for several hours. We're thankful that we decided to layover at Suwarrow as this is the very storm would have overtaken at sea as we approached Samoa.
Before the storm we went for a snorkel in the lagoon and enjoyed the company of a large Manta, curiously all black, but for one small patch of white on it's belly. Fortunately, the pack of 20-30 ravenous sharks that encircle out boat didn't follow us to the snorkel site where we only say two sharks.
After the manta swim I ventured out the pass to troll for tuna and in short order landed a nice 10 pound yellow fin. We prepared a nice sushi feed for Gisela and Uwe aboard s/v Venus including rolls, sashimi, lightly seared loins and even a few pieces of fried fish for Ewe whose not a fan of raw.
Today, s/v Tamora arrived and we're planning a kai-kai (Cook Island Maori speak for pot-luck) and fish bbq ashore on Saturday.
----------
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Monday, May 27, 2013
Suwarrow atoll, Cooks Islands
May 27, 2013
Position: 13°14.92'S 163°06.49'W
Suwarrow atoll, Cooks Islands
The swell and wind built from the SE last night, so we decided to go where the wind blows us and stop at Suwarrow atoll. It's just us and one German boat s/v Venus. Officially the park doesn't open until June 1, but the park ranger / customs officer / immigration officer / health officer / agriculture officer, yes this is just one person, was happy to check us in and inspect the boat. It might have been an hour of filling out forms at least 8 or maybe more. The lagoon is beautiful and similar to Maupihaa atoll, but lots more rules here. No beach fires, no spear fishing, no, no, no.
We did a little fishing just before entering the pass and hooked with a wahoo, but lost him. The fridge is getting bare so maybe we'll take the park rangers out for some fishing outside the lagoon where the there are no rules.
Tons of back tip sharks here in the lagoon. It's sound like a fish story, but I counted 29 sharks while standing on the back step of LightSpeed.
That's it for now.
----------
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Position: 13°14.92'S 163°06.49'W
Suwarrow atoll, Cooks Islands
The swell and wind built from the SE last night, so we decided to go where the wind blows us and stop at Suwarrow atoll. It's just us and one German boat s/v Venus. Officially the park doesn't open until June 1, but the park ranger / customs officer / immigration officer / health officer / agriculture officer, yes this is just one person, was happy to check us in and inspect the boat. It might have been an hour of filling out forms at least 8 or maybe more. The lagoon is beautiful and similar to Maupihaa atoll, but lots more rules here. No beach fires, no spear fishing, no, no, no.
We did a little fishing just before entering the pass and hooked with a wahoo, but lost him. The fridge is getting bare so maybe we'll take the park rangers out for some fishing outside the lagoon where the there are no rules.
Tons of back tip sharks here in the lagoon. It's sound like a fish story, but I counted 29 sharks while standing on the back step of LightSpeed.
That's it for now.
----------
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Sunday, May 26, 2013
Occilating course
May 26, 2013
Position: 14°09'S 161°41'W (0130UTC May 27)
Occilating course
This morning I downloaded a weather GRIB file and WW3 wave model to evaluate our routing options. Western Samoa was three days away, but the last day the wind would build to 20+ and it looked like we would get smacked by a strong frontal passage. Suwarrow was less than a day, but then how long would we need to wait for weather from there? We decided to keep moving west toward Samoa and the faster we could sail the less crappy weather we'd need to endure near Samoa. I went to work swapping our small overnight spinnaker for the big daytime spinnaker and aimed for Western Samoa. Later in the day our local wind that was forecast to be 15+ knots dropped to 11 and we slowed from the high 7 to 8 knot range to 5 to 6 knots. With Suwarrow only 114 nautical miles to the NW we decided to head up 30 degrees and improve the apparent wind angle and get the boat moving a little faster and maybe we'd think about stopping at Suwarrow once again.
Last night Kathy made an awesome pepperoni pizza using a dough recipe from our friend Cinda of s/v Songline. We spent a few months in the company of s/v Songline last year in American Samoa and about 33 days ago they set sail for Hawaii. We're follow email updates and it's a voyage that tests even there zen like patience as they slog it out up the rhumb line.
Cinda's s/v Songline pizza dough
Makes 2 medium pizzas with fluffy crust.
3C all purpose flour
1 package yeast (quick rise is preferred)
1/4t salt
2T cooking oil
1C warm water 120-130F
Combine flour, yeast, salt and oil in bowl.
Add warm water and knead for 5 minutes.
Let rise, covered until almost doubled in size.
Roll out into pizza shapes. Note: using a pastry paper under dough makes it more crusty.
Let rise for about 10 more minutes before adding toppings.
Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.
As you can tell it's been a pretty low key voyage as I'm blogging a recipe. We've avoided any high drama thus far, like fishing with the spinnaker up. Maybe tomorrow we'll indulge in some chaos by trying to hook a big fish. The only thing I've caught so for on this trip is our cat 'Shell' on the roof last night. A big no no to be outside the cockpit, especially underway. I gave her a squirt with spray bottle and she retreated indoors with a protesting meow.
That's it for now.
Position: 14°09'S 161°41'W (0130UTC May 27)
Occilating course
This morning I downloaded a weather GRIB file and WW3 wave model to evaluate our routing options. Western Samoa was three days away, but the last day the wind would build to 20+ and it looked like we would get smacked by a strong frontal passage. Suwarrow was less than a day, but then how long would we need to wait for weather from there? We decided to keep moving west toward Samoa and the faster we could sail the less crappy weather we'd need to endure near Samoa. I went to work swapping our small overnight spinnaker for the big daytime spinnaker and aimed for Western Samoa. Later in the day our local wind that was forecast to be 15+ knots dropped to 11 and we slowed from the high 7 to 8 knot range to 5 to 6 knots. With Suwarrow only 114 nautical miles to the NW we decided to head up 30 degrees and improve the apparent wind angle and get the boat moving a little faster and maybe we'd think about stopping at Suwarrow once again.
Last night Kathy made an awesome pepperoni pizza using a dough recipe from our friend Cinda of s/v Songline. We spent a few months in the company of s/v Songline last year in American Samoa and about 33 days ago they set sail for Hawaii. We're follow email updates and it's a voyage that tests even there zen like patience as they slog it out up the rhumb line.
Cinda's s/v Songline pizza dough
Makes 2 medium pizzas with fluffy crust.
3C all purpose flour
1 package yeast (quick rise is preferred)
1/4t salt
2T cooking oil
1C warm water 120-130F
Combine flour, yeast, salt and oil in bowl.
Add warm water and knead for 5 minutes.
Let rise, covered until almost doubled in size.
Roll out into pizza shapes. Note: using a pastry paper under dough makes it more crusty.
Let rise for about 10 more minutes before adding toppings.
Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.
As you can tell it's been a pretty low key voyage as I'm blogging a recipe. We've avoided any high drama thus far, like fishing with the spinnaker up. Maybe tomorrow we'll indulge in some chaos by trying to hook a big fish. The only thing I've caught so for on this trip is our cat 'Shell' on the roof last night. A big no no to be outside the cockpit, especially underway. I gave her a squirt with spray bottle and she retreated indoors with a protesting meow.
That's it for now.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Suwarrow atoll or Apia, Western Samoa? Equipement issues... very few.
May 25, 2013
Underway position: 15°18'S 158°22'W at 1900UTC
Evaluating weather for the sail to Suwarrow atoll or continuing on to Apia, Western Samoa?
First we were underway for Aitutaki, Cook Islands, then we altered course to Suwarrow atoll to harmonize with the wind and swell. Now we're looking at the possibility of going direct to Apia, Western Samoa about 800nm distant.
Three primary factors weigh in favor of continuing on to Apia.
One, they have a great fruit and veggie market and we're running preciously low of fresh items. I think we have one cucumber, one carrot and a tiny bit of cabbage remaining and so Kathy has ramped up our sprout production to three trays of broccoli sprouts.
Two, the weather forecast looks good to keep moving to west and north. A huge high pressure system is moving in and if we keep a heading toward Apia, Western Samoa we'll skirt the edge of the strong winds with just enough to keep moving fast, but not so much as to become uncomfortable. We're looking ahead five days at this point, so today's plan is subject to change.
Three, we're motivated to keep moving west as we have lots of activities planned for Fiji. Topping the list is hauling the boat for an anti-fouling paint job which requires we find a yard that can haul the boat, source paint, and perform all the work. None of which are small tasks. Obtaining visas and permits from both the Indonesian and Papua New Guinea consulates will no doubt require several visits over many weeks. Fiji will also be our last good place to shop for almost a year while we venture far off the beaten path, so lots of provisioning runs. Throw in two groups of guests visiting while in Fiji and a few months will pass in a flash of activity.
We've had a spinnaker up for the last 24 hours. Super big spinnaker during the day and small squall proof spinnaker at night. Good easy sailing, but for the swell which is out of sync with the wind speed and the fact that it's hot as hell with very little apparent wind to move through the cabin.
Knock on wood we've had almost no issues with equipment on the boat the last several years. Looking back just minor repairs: A union on the 15 year old Furlex furler foil was loose and I tapped in a few new bolts. DiTto with the furler drum. The pump head on our Spectra water maker mag-pump wore out, but I already had the $600 spare onboard. A major bearing failed last year on the windlass, but Maxwell was quick to send me a replacement shaft assembly at no cost. Luckily we were near Tahiti to receive the shipment. We had a small leak around a dorade vent that required some epoxy work to the core. The lazy jacks have broken a few times, but this is expected after three years of using too small of line to minimize wind resistance. We have a cracked window from the main sheet block hitting the corner of the glass, but have a spare window onboard. A switch on the propane system wore out, but easy to fix. A hatch hinge broke, but we have every spare possible on board for the hatches. One of my Gori folding propellers is getting some play in the internal bushing that will need evaluation in Fiji where I plan to pro actively replace seals in the Yanmar saildrives. Again, knock on wood, but all minor issues considering something like 13,000 nautical miles on the major systems since our last major haulout in 2010. This morning I sent Kathy half way up the mast to retrieve a busted lazy jack.
That's it for now.
Dave & Kathy
s/v LightSpeed
----------
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Underway position: 15°18'S 158°22'W at 1900UTC
Evaluating weather for the sail to Suwarrow atoll or continuing on to Apia, Western Samoa?
First we were underway for Aitutaki, Cook Islands, then we altered course to Suwarrow atoll to harmonize with the wind and swell. Now we're looking at the possibility of going direct to Apia, Western Samoa about 800nm distant.
Three primary factors weigh in favor of continuing on to Apia.
One, they have a great fruit and veggie market and we're running preciously low of fresh items. I think we have one cucumber, one carrot and a tiny bit of cabbage remaining and so Kathy has ramped up our sprout production to three trays of broccoli sprouts.
Two, the weather forecast looks good to keep moving to west and north. A huge high pressure system is moving in and if we keep a heading toward Apia, Western Samoa we'll skirt the edge of the strong winds with just enough to keep moving fast, but not so much as to become uncomfortable. We're looking ahead five days at this point, so today's plan is subject to change.
Three, we're motivated to keep moving west as we have lots of activities planned for Fiji. Topping the list is hauling the boat for an anti-fouling paint job which requires we find a yard that can haul the boat, source paint, and perform all the work. None of which are small tasks. Obtaining visas and permits from both the Indonesian and Papua New Guinea consulates will no doubt require several visits over many weeks. Fiji will also be our last good place to shop for almost a year while we venture far off the beaten path, so lots of provisioning runs. Throw in two groups of guests visiting while in Fiji and a few months will pass in a flash of activity.
We've had a spinnaker up for the last 24 hours. Super big spinnaker during the day and small squall proof spinnaker at night. Good easy sailing, but for the swell which is out of sync with the wind speed and the fact that it's hot as hell with very little apparent wind to move through the cabin.
Knock on wood we've had almost no issues with equipment on the boat the last several years. Looking back just minor repairs: A union on the 15 year old Furlex furler foil was loose and I tapped in a few new bolts. DiTto with the furler drum. The pump head on our Spectra water maker mag-pump wore out, but I already had the $600 spare onboard. A major bearing failed last year on the windlass, but Maxwell was quick to send me a replacement shaft assembly at no cost. Luckily we were near Tahiti to receive the shipment. We had a small leak around a dorade vent that required some epoxy work to the core. The lazy jacks have broken a few times, but this is expected after three years of using too small of line to minimize wind resistance. We have a cracked window from the main sheet block hitting the corner of the glass, but have a spare window onboard. A switch on the propane system wore out, but easy to fix. A hatch hinge broke, but we have every spare possible on board for the hatches. One of my Gori folding propellers is getting some play in the internal bushing that will need evaluation in Fiji where I plan to pro actively replace seals in the Yanmar saildrives. Again, knock on wood, but all minor issues considering something like 13,000 nautical miles on the major systems since our last major haulout in 2010. This morning I sent Kathy half way up the mast to retrieve a busted lazy jack.
That's it for now.
Dave & Kathy
s/v LightSpeed
----------
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Friday, May 24, 2013
Maupihaa wrap up and sailing DDW toward Suwarrow atoll
May 24, 2013
Underway position: 16°25'S 155°44' W @ 1845UTC
Sailing toward Suwarrow atoll, Cook Islands (460nm remaining)
It's a pretty sweet South Pacific sleigh ride with the wind and swell directly on the stern. We're flying our biggest symmetrical spinnaker dead down wind (DDW). Yes, symmetrical spinnakers are out of fashion these days and all the better as you can pick them up for cheap. We have 3 and just 1 asymmetrical spinnaker. On a beamy catamaran I don't know how you can beat the simplicity and speed of a symmetrical spinnaker DDW. We're making an average of 9.1 knots in 15 knots true wind! The symmetrical spinnaker sailed DDW is incredibly tolerant of wind shifts and self tending. On the occasional huge surf we approach wind speed and almost, but not quite sail into our own sail. Fast and no drama = perfect fast downwind sailing cruiser style. Top speed in the last hour since we raised the spinnaker is 12.6 knots.
Tearing ourselves away from Maupihaa atoll was difficult, but a nice looking weather window to the Cooks enticed out the reef pass at 2:30 pm yesterday. Hanging out at the north shore of Maupihaa was idyllic with many all you can eat lobster feeds with Hio and family. Snorkeling at the reef pass was superb with tons of sharks, huge green wrasse and hundreds of blue and silver green trevali. We also made a few marathon snorkeling expeditions at the south rim of the reef. Full mile long swims through shallow coral gardens studded with gem like giant clams, fish and corals of nearly every color imaginable. We even spotted an old stone tool encrusted with coral a mile from the motu, which perhaps came from an ancient voyaging canoe that crashed on the reef?
Another day we helped chop coconuts at the north shore and on yet another we husked the thick rich coconut meat at Hio's new SE shore outpost. Later in the day Hio guided us to a old ship wreck on the SE shore of Maupihaa where small multi colored blast stones are scattered amongst the coral sands and the rotting steel ribs of the ship slowly rust in the pounding surf. Hio says this is an old Spanish shipwreck and more of the ship is visible off the reef on a calm water day. Hio netted some fish for lunch in less than a minute and we had a great meal cooked on a coconut husk fired barrel stove.
We again tried our hand at Varo lobster fishing and gained some new techniques, but windy wavy weather prohibited the successful extraction of a mantis shrimp from his sandy burrow. More than half the battle is finding the camouflaged burrow and if the water is not mirror smooth it's nearly impossible.
Lobster hunting on the reef at night with expert fisherman Hio was a blast, I was tasked with carrying an old 50L jug that was fashioned into a back pack to carry the lobster. Spotting the lobsters while wading the reef takes a practiced eye and quick reflexes to negotiate the crashing waves and sharp corals. In about 2 hours we captured 13 live lobsters by quickly plunging our bare hands into the water and grasping the unsuspecting lobster before he could skitter away. Afterwards a big lobster feed with a few other cruisers that went until 11:30PM. Fun and Delicious!
When we first arrived at Mauphiaa the island population was a total of 7. North Shore: Hio, Adriana (mom) and Faimano (sister). East side: Kevin and Kevin's father. South shore: Hina (in the house) and Tino at the end of the motu. One Friday evening we stopped by to visit Hina and Tino on the South shore and a bush beer party was well underway. Partially fermented sugar and yeast in a one gallon jug, yuck.
The first 40nm from Maupihaa we were headed on a course of 240T for Aitutaki in the southern Cook islands, but building winds of 20 knots from the SE had us change course to 290T for the DDW sail toward Suwarrow atoll. We're sad to miss visiting our friends Ingrid and Greg at Aitutaki and this change of plans will also preclude our planned visit to Beverage reef and Nuie. At this point even our planned stop at Vava'U, Tonga is on the chopping block as we angle north of west it's maligning the future angle to Vava'U in the process. Maybe a stop at Apia, Western Samoa is in the works on our way to Fiji. Our loose goal is to arrive in Suva, Fiji in early to mid-July. Nephews are planning to visit, so maybe they can start thinking about the second half of July in Fiji? And our friend Alex can think about the possibility of an early July sail from Western Samoa to Fiji?
Going where the wind blows...
That's it for now.
----------
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Underway position: 16°25'S 155°44' W @ 1845UTC
Sailing toward Suwarrow atoll, Cook Islands (460nm remaining)
It's a pretty sweet South Pacific sleigh ride with the wind and swell directly on the stern. We're flying our biggest symmetrical spinnaker dead down wind (DDW). Yes, symmetrical spinnakers are out of fashion these days and all the better as you can pick them up for cheap. We have 3 and just 1 asymmetrical spinnaker. On a beamy catamaran I don't know how you can beat the simplicity and speed of a symmetrical spinnaker DDW. We're making an average of 9.1 knots in 15 knots true wind! The symmetrical spinnaker sailed DDW is incredibly tolerant of wind shifts and self tending. On the occasional huge surf we approach wind speed and almost, but not quite sail into our own sail. Fast and no drama = perfect fast downwind sailing cruiser style. Top speed in the last hour since we raised the spinnaker is 12.6 knots.
Tearing ourselves away from Maupihaa atoll was difficult, but a nice looking weather window to the Cooks enticed out the reef pass at 2:30 pm yesterday. Hanging out at the north shore of Maupihaa was idyllic with many all you can eat lobster feeds with Hio and family. Snorkeling at the reef pass was superb with tons of sharks, huge green wrasse and hundreds of blue and silver green trevali. We also made a few marathon snorkeling expeditions at the south rim of the reef. Full mile long swims through shallow coral gardens studded with gem like giant clams, fish and corals of nearly every color imaginable. We even spotted an old stone tool encrusted with coral a mile from the motu, which perhaps came from an ancient voyaging canoe that crashed on the reef?
Another day we helped chop coconuts at the north shore and on yet another we husked the thick rich coconut meat at Hio's new SE shore outpost. Later in the day Hio guided us to a old ship wreck on the SE shore of Maupihaa where small multi colored blast stones are scattered amongst the coral sands and the rotting steel ribs of the ship slowly rust in the pounding surf. Hio says this is an old Spanish shipwreck and more of the ship is visible off the reef on a calm water day. Hio netted some fish for lunch in less than a minute and we had a great meal cooked on a coconut husk fired barrel stove.
We again tried our hand at Varo lobster fishing and gained some new techniques, but windy wavy weather prohibited the successful extraction of a mantis shrimp from his sandy burrow. More than half the battle is finding the camouflaged burrow and if the water is not mirror smooth it's nearly impossible.
Lobster hunting on the reef at night with expert fisherman Hio was a blast, I was tasked with carrying an old 50L jug that was fashioned into a back pack to carry the lobster. Spotting the lobsters while wading the reef takes a practiced eye and quick reflexes to negotiate the crashing waves and sharp corals. In about 2 hours we captured 13 live lobsters by quickly plunging our bare hands into the water and grasping the unsuspecting lobster before he could skitter away. Afterwards a big lobster feed with a few other cruisers that went until 11:30PM. Fun and Delicious!
When we first arrived at Mauphiaa the island population was a total of 7. North Shore: Hio, Adriana (mom) and Faimano (sister). East side: Kevin and Kevin's father. South shore: Hina (in the house) and Tino at the end of the motu. One Friday evening we stopped by to visit Hina and Tino on the South shore and a bush beer party was well underway. Partially fermented sugar and yeast in a one gallon jug, yuck.
The first 40nm from Maupihaa we were headed on a course of 240T for Aitutaki in the southern Cook islands, but building winds of 20 knots from the SE had us change course to 290T for the DDW sail toward Suwarrow atoll. We're sad to miss visiting our friends Ingrid and Greg at Aitutaki and this change of plans will also preclude our planned visit to Beverage reef and Nuie. At this point even our planned stop at Vava'U, Tonga is on the chopping block as we angle north of west it's maligning the future angle to Vava'U in the process. Maybe a stop at Apia, Western Samoa is in the works on our way to Fiji. Our loose goal is to arrive in Suva, Fiji in early to mid-July. Nephews are planning to visit, so maybe they can start thinking about the second half of July in Fiji? And our friend Alex can think about the possibility of an early July sail from Western Samoa to Fiji?
Going where the wind blows...
That's it for now.
----------
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Maupihaa: Lobster, exploring, snorkeling and beach bonfires.
May 15, 2013
Anchorage position: 16°49.756'S 153°55.565'W Maupihaa atoll south east anchorage
As we approached Maupihaa we deployed some new fishing lures and immediately had a double hook up. We ended up loosing both fish and a bunch of line to either really big tuna or big sharks feasting on the tuna we just hooked. Either way we got more lines in the water and soon lost a third lure and even more line even after a protracted battle chasing one of the beasts with the boat for awhile. Some sort of big monsters are lurking around Maupihaa atoll. Finally we hooked a nice yellow fin and wound it in at top speed before it got eaten as well. The final score big fish 3, LightSpeed 1. We were excited to be back at Maupihaa atoll, our favorite stop in all of French Polynesia and happy to have some fresh tuna to share.
Luckily timing allowed an easy transit of the 60' wide reef pass and from there we motored directly for the north anchorage (16°46.73'S 153°57.08' W, 4M sand) to catch up with our favorite south pacific family. A true Polynesian welcome with lots of big hugs and kisses on each cheek after which we were adorned with beautiful shell leis. Some trips you shouldn't repeat as they're never the same, but Maupihaa is one that should never be passed up. We visited well past sunset and made plans for a big lobster dinner the following evening. Hio captured 15 lobsters in just 2 hours of wading on the reef and we enjoyed a real feast. Somehow, five days have already passed at Maupihaa atoll. Snorkeling outside the pass was superb with hundreds of blue-silver trevali, giant green wrasse, the usual complement of parrot fish and tons of sharks. Drifting through the pass you can see a cannon from the wreck of the Sea Adler and outside the reef a good length of ships chain that might serve as a good tie off for a temporary mooring. I took my spear gun hoping for a pelagic target, but after firing the spear at a parrot fish I was overwhelmed by a pack of aggressive sharks and made a hasty exit to the safety of the dinghy. No fish for dinner tonight. Another day we walked nearly the length of the atoll, alternately exploring the central road and making forays out to the ocean to beach comb.
We're also enjoying the company of s/v Miss Goodnight with a dinner aboard their Lagoon 440 and also a beach bonfire. A huge south swell has been battering the atoll the last few days and the reef pass is ebbing at an alarming rate, so we'll stay until the swell moderates and the pass again becomes safe to transit.
That's it for now.
----------
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Anchorage position: 16°49.756'S 153°55.565'W Maupihaa atoll south east anchorage
As we approached Maupihaa we deployed some new fishing lures and immediately had a double hook up. We ended up loosing both fish and a bunch of line to either really big tuna or big sharks feasting on the tuna we just hooked. Either way we got more lines in the water and soon lost a third lure and even more line even after a protracted battle chasing one of the beasts with the boat for awhile. Some sort of big monsters are lurking around Maupihaa atoll. Finally we hooked a nice yellow fin and wound it in at top speed before it got eaten as well. The final score big fish 3, LightSpeed 1. We were excited to be back at Maupihaa atoll, our favorite stop in all of French Polynesia and happy to have some fresh tuna to share.
Luckily timing allowed an easy transit of the 60' wide reef pass and from there we motored directly for the north anchorage (16°46.73'S 153°57.08' W, 4M sand) to catch up with our favorite south pacific family. A true Polynesian welcome with lots of big hugs and kisses on each cheek after which we were adorned with beautiful shell leis. Some trips you shouldn't repeat as they're never the same, but Maupihaa is one that should never be passed up. We visited well past sunset and made plans for a big lobster dinner the following evening. Hio captured 15 lobsters in just 2 hours of wading on the reef and we enjoyed a real feast. Somehow, five days have already passed at Maupihaa atoll. Snorkeling outside the pass was superb with hundreds of blue-silver trevali, giant green wrasse, the usual complement of parrot fish and tons of sharks. Drifting through the pass you can see a cannon from the wreck of the Sea Adler and outside the reef a good length of ships chain that might serve as a good tie off for a temporary mooring. I took my spear gun hoping for a pelagic target, but after firing the spear at a parrot fish I was overwhelmed by a pack of aggressive sharks and made a hasty exit to the safety of the dinghy. No fish for dinner tonight. Another day we walked nearly the length of the atoll, alternately exploring the central road and making forays out to the ocean to beach comb.
We're also enjoying the company of s/v Miss Goodnight with a dinner aboard their Lagoon 440 and also a beach bonfire. A huge south swell has been battering the atoll the last few days and the reef pass is ebbing at an alarming rate, so we'll stay until the swell moderates and the pass again becomes safe to transit.
That's it for now.
----------
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Saturday, May 11, 2013
Near Maupihaa atoll
May 11, 2013 (5am local [UTC-10})
Position: 16°50'S 153°16'W
It's 5am and the sun has yet to brighten a moonless night filled with a grand array of stars. I'm guessing we're now on the edge of a different time zone as there should be at least a little glimmer of a new day on the eastern horizon by 5am. Our passage from Moorea has been a tiny bit bumpy at times with frequent squalls and plenty of rain, but overall pretty easy as sailing. In contrast, friends Cinda and Fred on s/v Songline are doing some bashing as they sail directly into the NE trades on their way from American Samoa toward Hawaii and Alaska. As of day 18 they've covered 900nm with 1360 remaining to Honolulu. These two define patience. Back in January we contemplated the same voyage and decided it would be better to sail twice the distance by sailing back to the Marquesas to set up for a better angle to Hawaii, but after all that effort we bailed on the Hawaii idea and are now circling back. 4000nm under the keel later we are living proof that not having a really firm plan can burn you from time to time.
Getting back to the question of why the suns not up yet. Along the equator the sun rises later at a rate of one minute per 15 nautical miles of easting sailed. (360 degrees/24 hours = 15 degrees longitude * 60 nautical miles per degree = 900 nautical miles / 60 minutes = 15 nautical miles per minute. At a latitude of 17 south it's something like 14.35 nautical miles per minute as it's a smaller circle and 15 degrees of longitude requires only 861 nautical miles of sailing (861/60 = 14.35). So, having sailed 912 nm to the west since Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas the sun is now rising something like (912/14.35)= 63 minutes later each day. Yep, time to change the clocks.
Today we should be dropping anchor at Maupihaa atoll, our all time favorite atoll in the South Pacific. The pass is tricky, but we think the conditions will be settled enough to safely transit the 60 foot wide opening in the reef gaining access to the calm waters inside. Huge seas are on the way so once we get safely inside the pass will close out for a few days as the 5 meter SSW swell roar through.
That's it for now.
----------
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Position: 16°50'S 153°16'W
It's 5am and the sun has yet to brighten a moonless night filled with a grand array of stars. I'm guessing we're now on the edge of a different time zone as there should be at least a little glimmer of a new day on the eastern horizon by 5am. Our passage from Moorea has been a tiny bit bumpy at times with frequent squalls and plenty of rain, but overall pretty easy as sailing. In contrast, friends Cinda and Fred on s/v Songline are doing some bashing as they sail directly into the NE trades on their way from American Samoa toward Hawaii and Alaska. As of day 18 they've covered 900nm with 1360 remaining to Honolulu. These two define patience. Back in January we contemplated the same voyage and decided it would be better to sail twice the distance by sailing back to the Marquesas to set up for a better angle to Hawaii, but after all that effort we bailed on the Hawaii idea and are now circling back. 4000nm under the keel later we are living proof that not having a really firm plan can burn you from time to time.
Getting back to the question of why the suns not up yet. Along the equator the sun rises later at a rate of one minute per 15 nautical miles of easting sailed. (360 degrees/24 hours = 15 degrees longitude * 60 nautical miles per degree = 900 nautical miles / 60 minutes = 15 nautical miles per minute. At a latitude of 17 south it's something like 14.35 nautical miles per minute as it's a smaller circle and 15 degrees of longitude requires only 861 nautical miles of sailing (861/60 = 14.35). So, having sailed 912 nm to the west since Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas the sun is now rising something like (912/14.35)= 63 minutes later each day. Yep, time to change the clocks.
Today we should be dropping anchor at Maupihaa atoll, our all time favorite atoll in the South Pacific. The pass is tricky, but we think the conditions will be settled enough to safely transit the 60 foot wide opening in the reef gaining access to the calm waters inside. Huge seas are on the way so once we get safely inside the pass will close out for a few days as the 5 meter SSW swell roar through.
That's it for now.
----------
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Thursday, May 09, 2013
LightSpeed setting sail for points west.
May 9, 2013
Cooks Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia
Later today we'll be setting sail for points west. Bye bye French Polynesia... we'll miss your cheap crunchy baguettes, but not your overpriced beers and outrageous $400/gal bottom paint. After nearly 9 of the last 12 months sailing the Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society Islands we're ready for new adventures.
What's next? Maybe a stop in the Cooks? Bevridge reef then Niue? Or maybe Suwarrow then Vava'U, Tonga? We'll set a comfortable course and sail where the wind takes us. One way another we'll be sure to explore off the beaten path locations in Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomons islands this year. In 2014 we're envisioning Papua and a slow tour of Indonesia.
LightSpeed anchored near the entrance of Cooks bay on the island of Moorea.
Cooks Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia
Later today we'll be setting sail for points west. Bye bye French Polynesia... we'll miss your cheap crunchy baguettes, but not your overpriced beers and outrageous $400/gal bottom paint. After nearly 9 of the last 12 months sailing the Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society Islands we're ready for new adventures.
What's next? Maybe a stop in the Cooks? Bevridge reef then Niue? Or maybe Suwarrow then Vava'U, Tonga? We'll set a comfortable course and sail where the wind takes us. One way another we'll be sure to explore off the beaten path locations in Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomons islands this year. In 2014 we're envisioning Papua and a slow tour of Indonesia.
Marquesas and Tuamotu wrap up
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