AlexandrA comes home

Vessel Name: AlexandrA
Vessel Make/Model: Catamaran Fontaine Pajot Bahia 46'
Hailing Port: Coming home from St Martin to Oz
Crew: Max (Skipper) Sandra (Mate) and Mark (technology management)
About: A Family, a Boat and many a tale to remember
Extra: This tale will unfold in almost real time so we shall see what we shall see.
04 July 2012
11 June 2012 | Tahiti
29 May 2012
22 May 2012 | 100o mls short of next landfall
16 May 2012
15 May 2012
09 May 2012 | Galapogos
06 May 2012 | Guess!
28 April 2012
23 April 2012 | Panama Canal
18 April 2012
16 April 2012
08 April 2012
04 April 2012 | colon Panama
24 March 2012 | Roseau, Dominica
Recent Blog Posts
04 July 2012

CYCLONE KEITH

Well at present we are well in transit between The Cook Islands and Tonga. Having motor sailed due to light winds in the middle section we are now back to sail with a lovely 15 knots off the port stern. 48 hours away till the greetings of the Tongans. we encountered cyclone Keith upon leaving The Cooks. [...]

11 June 2012 | Tahiti

Sharks one Bannanas

Well while at Hivo Oa we grabbed some fruit from a farm in the mountains. I Bunch of 120 bananas for $5 and my new bestest favorites food, pomellos. I have never heard or seen pomellos but the are like a grape fruit but up to 30cm. Not as bitter as a grape fruit, they are delicious. At only $1 each if [...]

11 June 2012

Don't Shoot the Messenger

Listen up guys...I am not the writer and I have things to do so I don't always have time to do an instant update so please don't winge when I am not intantly updating this website. I do it when I can. Tha being said here is the next episode.

29 May 2012

Land at Last

As we approach the Marquise islands we come to huge sheer cliffs hard to gauge their height but can easily be 500m plus. I cannot wait to get ashore and out of the boat confines. I have been cramming for the last week and long for a decent walk. The first place I will head to will be any store that has [...]

22 May 2012 | 100o mls short of next landfall

Fishy Tales

Happy birthday Sis! (How many people get to have their birthday in the middle of the Pacific and be with their Dad and Brother? (BG)). We have now made it 2/3 on this leg, currently we are at 5 degrees south, 123 degrees west, 1000nm to the Marquises . The wind goddess Blusterina forgot us [...]

16 May 2012

Middle of nowhere

6 days out from the Galapagos and we hit 1000nm. 1/3 of the way, haven't see a boat of any sort since leaving. The winds have been consistently 10-15 knots with our boat speed averaging around 7+ knots. We look likely to cover the 3000nm in 18 days assuming the same weather. When the weather map is downloaded we check to confirm out current course directly east at 3.5 degrees south of the equator has predicted good winds. On every download there are always larger winds and storms to the south for us to be wary. If they come more northerly than predicted we plan to sail with them towards the equator as they reduce in intensity. Sandy has the cooking sorted and I'm sure the boys home in Cairns are missing that. Such a long way still to go and one has to be mindful to keep your mind occupied. It took me two days to get back my sea legs on this trip as I did not quite feel right. As the boat speed has been up too high for any fishing I still have managed to catch a flying fish in my bed courtesy of an open window. Cheers for now, mark.

Don't Shoot the Messenger

11 June 2012
Brodie
Listen up guys...I am not the writer and I have things to do so I don't always have time to do an instant update so please don't winge when I am not intantly updating this website. I do it when I can. Tha being said here is the next episode.

With no satellite phone operational again I could not write the blog in transit as previously. Two times before we have had no data for emails for over a week on the Iridium satellite and this time no email or phone calls. The phone had issues the instant it was turned on when arriving and as per may things when one has an issue I was the only person ever to have ever had an issue. This US military issue hand set, water proof and ruggedized was the only faulty one ever. As per Iridiums slogan, everywhere, it would not work every where and even though sold every where could only be attended to in Australia, not everywhere, go figure. I will say in the retailers defense that we have received a subsequent email advising there is a recall on the hand sets as when they are everywhere they do not always work. Well it's back working now.
We have just arrived at Raniroa Atoll, part of the Tuamotu Archipelago.14,58 south, 147,38 west.
We have anchored inside the atoll which is as large as Port Phillip bay and at last are in dead calm water. Well not actually that dead calm, when the sun set as for what ever reason on insane number of small garfish surrounded the boat and as what I would assume to be barracuda were having their dinner. Garfish jumping out of the water all around with the predator fish following them out and I mean thousands of gars. We have anchors off a resort with the thatched roof rooms being on poles over the water, very beautiful. We left Hiva Oa in the Marquise hurriedly as the anchorage was not kind to us. The first two days, as the bay was very full, we lay off the rocky cliff with fore and aft anchors out to keep the boat from swinging around toward the rocks. Even though the anchors held well the stretching and groaning as they worked to hold the boat in the swell was in nerving. We relocated after 2 nights here to the rear of the fleet in shallower water as there was now room and being away from the adjacent rocks was releivingly. Unknowling until dark did we find that the incoming swell caused the waves to crest and break at where we were anchored. Had another yacht which came in after us not settled uncomfortable close to us and others, not allowed us any movement. We had more than ample anchor chain set and could have just pulled forward on our chain our of the breaking wave zone. After eating and well after dark random waves broke around the board. After a rogue wave broke completely over the front of both bows washing up to the cabin and driving us ferociously rearward, saw us then put floats or our 2 rear anchor ropes and throw them over and head for deep water. Upon leaving and navigating through the fleet we found the cats steering to be not responding unless on near full lock, bloody hopeless. In the dark, obviously no street lights here, also no head lights in the cat, we poked through to a safe area and dropped anchor. We retrieved the anchors the next day, made repairs to the stripped bots holding the rudders to the steering shafts and head south west towards Tahiti. Hive Oa had been a stress full stop even with out these events. I had become ill with chronic dirrohia and vomiting 2 days out from arriving and had to visit the hospital from assistance to recover.I was quite concerned that there may not be a doctor even on the island. The population of 1500 people only saw very little shops: gendarmerie for customers clearance, police station, post office, 3 small mini marts, hardware, one bank, one restaurant, chemist, hairdresser and a small hospital. All usually closed for their 1 1/2 to 2 hours lunch, Friday was part of the week end, 3 days week end! The chemist and other shops only open some odd half days. Other than these trials the island was beautiful with sheer high peaks covered with cloud most of the time, greenery everywhere and smiling people. Boy, most of them were big units too! I think this is where Andrea the Giant from WWF was born. For those whom never saw Andre the Giant wrestle, Hulk Hogan came up to his arm pit and weighed half. My understanding whether correct or not is that tattooing originated in the pacific islands. Both the men and women have inked skin which looked in place on their dark skin, the tattoos having meaning to them. Paul Gogan the French artist lived here on Hiva Oa the second half of his life dieting I think in 1906?. The museum houses tributes painted of his many many works. No mistaking the images of the islanders as his primary influence. I cannot say that I would request any of his paintings for a wall at home but it was an interesting time to walk through regardless, it must be my convict background. Well as per the previous blogg a walk was well warranted upon getting off the boat. The unnatural act of not walking and very little even standing for 20 days saw both Sandy and I walking with a stoop with the pain in our backs. It was about a 3km walk into town with a good large hill half way. After 2 walks in and back over the first 2 days we were both good. A tour over the island and a visit to the far side saw us traveling 4wd across the cliff edges with no armcove. I awae I could not imagine how this road could have ever been safely cut into the steep edge falling to the water. Kilometer after kilometer we travelled to see the giant stone tiki. The Tiki is obviously a very important item to the native people. No two Tiki's look alike. However whether you are 6 or 96 the one thing that you instantly comment on is wow they all have enormous DICKS! Either a Tiki is a 3 legged animal or wow! As mentioned earlier, they are massive units here and I dare anyone to ask these islanders whether the Tiki's resemble them in any way and live! Sailing to here we finall caught a tuna small enough to keep. I know that's the opposite of normal fishing but all the fish to date have been too big. Sandy baked the tuna as a whole with Thai spices, chilli, lime and lemon. Yum. It's still took 2 sessions for the three of us to nearly finish it. The four days passage to here was a sinch in comparison to the previous 20 day, such a relief! Cheers for now.

Sent from my iPad
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