04/23/2009, Tahuata, Marquesas
The long ordeal appears to be over! No longer do we have to schlep 15 liter jerry jugs to questionable water sources. No longer do we stare at whoever is washing dishes in the galley to ensure the faucet is a trickle rather than a gush. No longer do we go without ICE CUBES. ( I never understood why we had to go without icecubes. it's all hydration, but I digress) No longer are we subjected to only saltwater showers.
Over the last several days, a new feed pump was installed, which returned pressures feeding the watermaker to normal, but we would only get potable water 10% of the time. As it turns out, the HIGH pressure pump had deteriorated such that it did not produce the needed pressure to make potable water. A little troubleshooting over the satphone with Alan from Boatguys, who installed the unit, and the problem was solved. Turns out there these little plastic blocks inside the high pressure pump that, when worn, reduce the pressure just enough to not push water through the watermaker membrane. By pushing water through the membrane at 500+PSI, salt is removed and only potable water comes through.
We took the ETD apart and sanded the plastic parts and put it back together, and as the French say Voila! We have water again.
Much thanks to Alan McDonald at "The Boatguys" in Alameda for assisting in the repair with parts and expertise...
We now return to our normal programming... -allan
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Comments [2]
04/22/2009, 09 54.'S:139 06'W, Tahuata, Marquesas
Stephanie and John have arrived from Newport Beach to crew on Follow You for the next 4 weeks as we cruise the Marquesas and Tuamoto Islands. We are taking this opportunity to "be on vacation" along with them, as opposed to staying in cruising or passage mode. It's pretty easy really. just put that "do list" in the back of your mind. except that pesky watermaker. The new pump is installed and working fine, but the watermaker is still not producing potable water. Looks like the seals might be leaking. Currently working with our stateside watermaker vendor to get it right. It's frustrating because it will make water for 20-30 minutes, then stop. John and I are trying various triage strategies to get it working. The good news is that after we left Atuona and sailed the short 14 miles to Tahuata, we found a fresh water spring that is potable, so we have plenty of good water aboard.
We are enjoying a nearly deserted anchorage in a beautiful bay with a white sandy beach and great snorkeling. This anchorage is much calmer than Atuona, with no swell, but lots of refreshing wind at night. -allan
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04/19/2009, Hiva Oa, Marquesas
Alyssa and I were joined by Dietmar and Kurt for a hike to the ancient petroglyphes in the Tehueto valley near our bay. We walked about 4 miles up the rustic jungle valley, crossing rivers and marveling at the scenery. Locals told us it is ok to pick any fruits you want as long as they are not behind fences. We were able to find bananas, papayas, limes, pamplemouse and mangos. At the top of the trailhead near the petroglyphes, we found a deep swimming hole where we all took a refreshing swim.
Alyssa took great pictures of the hike which can be found on the gallery to your right, along with pictures of our arrival and 80 pictures from our crossing.
Enjoy!
-allan
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No comment to all these Hunks
But just to say on the blog thanks for a wonderful time and goodbye to everybody who has been following me on Your Blog!
04/18/2009, Hiva Oa
It's hard to truly appreciate how the crew of Follow You felt after anchoring in the crowded little Baie Tahauku, and taking in the full extent of the scenery surrounding us. Every sense was overloaded. Visually, the stunning green jungle foliage amplified by the sunlight created an instant contrast to the vibrant blue we have experienced for the past 25 days. Once we landed, the aromas of the island also overwhelmed our sense of smell sanitized by the sea. And the sounds of people and civilization, cars, motorcycles and heavy construction equipment interrupted our orderly and familiar boat sounds.
We sat around that first day and just took it all in, relishing the unique feeling and knowing full well that this special moment would pass as the new order became familiar. Our first dinghy landing reintroduced us to solid ground. Unfortunately our inner ears did not get the message for a couple of minutes and made for some interesting first steps.
The last couple of days have been dealing with the formalities of checking in and re-provisioning some much needed fresh fruit, veggies, water and fuel. Once we got here, the sky also opened up and gave us plenty of fresh water in our tanks to compliment the rustic showers on land, near where the locals cleanup after outrigger canoe races.
Jan departed yesterday to join friends on sv Milonga, who will get him closer to Papeete over the next month or so. We very much enjoyed our 8 weeks with Jan. He was an exceptional crew member, always helpful and a great cook. We will miss him.
We will be adding pictures of our crossing to the gallery over the next couple days as the slow internet connection allows.
Look for blog entries every couple of days going forward... as I said earlier (mom!) its time to enjoy the fruits of our long voyage.
-allan
Land is a beautiful thing...Allan's right, green, lush & beautiful here on the island of Hiva Oa. Towns people are very friendly. Hitchhiking back & forth to town is the norm and quite fun. Rain everyday, typical of the tropics. Laundry on the shore by hand, rain to rinse our clean clothes...What happens is when we put it out to dry...it's almost dry and then...it RAINS! It's taken several days to dry a few t-shirts and sheets! We are not able to use our washer yet due to the fact that we still have no watermaker to make water. Lugging water from the shore is really a chore...so we just wash it on shore with the local fishing faucet...and a cement shower. Loving every minute of this, it sure was worth the 25 days at sea. All of our boat friends are either here, or catching up with us. We'll be waiting for Pep & John to join us on the 20th!! Can't wait to explore the rest of the Marquesas Islands when they arrive. Will write more soon, off to Carinthia for 5pm happy hour....
-Rina
Hiking around the island is really beautiful. There's really no commercial tourism or tourist shops of "local trinkets" really made in China either. It's quite a change from the normal Puerto Villarta or Papeete vibe. Me and Jan walked for miles on this little road that dead ended into a tiny town just south of Atuona, where we are now, and there was nothing but 2 tiny huts, a pre-school, and a gorgeous church that we were told by a local was built in the 1700's by the first missionaries that came to the island. About 2 miles inland, we hitched a ride into the largest archeological site on the island. Huge ceremonial pits and different levels of huge volcanic, stone walls lined the hill and it was surrounded by gigantic trees, the ones with all the roots shooting to the ground from every branch... We could look up the mountain cliffs and see tall waterfalls in every direction. Even when we were driving we had to slow down to cross rocky/mud creek beds the government workers constantly have to rebuild to even get to the site. We were lucky to get a ride into town, but it took awhile hiking back until another car came in our direction. We were thankful to get the exercise and some great pictures of the view along the way though! It was just so silent in this town compared to Mexico. There was really no one. It is so tropical and all the huts are so spread out in the mountains that you hardly see anyone. Everything closes from noon-2:30pm. Another interesting fact... all the children on the islands go to school until they are ten years old then go to a boarding school in Tahiti. The government pays for their flights to and from Tahiti for holidays too.
I really do love it here. I hear this is nothing compared to the next island though!
-Alyssa
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04/14/2009, 09 48.25'S:139 01.88'W, Hiva Oa
After a lovely sail over the last 24 hours, we anchored safely in Tahuku Bay at On Hiva Oa's South shore at 10am. After a celebratory beer and shot, we are headed to the shoreside showers and a trip to the local markets and a lunch out.
Full report after we get our heads fully around what it all means. -allan
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Congrats on your arrival in yet another paradise and job well done. The challenges of the passage make the accomplishment that much more rewarding. Sure like the look of the neighborhood. Hey, Phill, fuel up the 172, we're heading south west. Enjoy the well deserved shower, cold drinks and fresh food. Can't wait for the next blog update. Best wishes. Corey.
congratulations!
What will you include in your traditional tattoo?
Love you and miss you!
Someday, when you are all writing your memoirs, you will wonder what happed in those missing three days on Hiva Oa! Remember, "Gotta love Moms"!!
04/13/2009, 09 26.44'S:138 05.14'W, Less than 47 Miles to Hiva Hoa
And Susan (Allan's mom) then he forgets to write you that we had our sauerkraut with polish sausage and mustard in the middle of all this. That we enjoyed very much. Well all those blog comments about me being grumpy. Note!! plus understand that when I hum incessantly as Allan put it (not only Abba songs, but many sailor songs, which I learned in the sailing camps) You can be sure I am having a great time. We got our wind and the rollers. Now I am really surprised that we are almost there. So land Ahoy! Here we come! -jan
Five bucks says I see land first! -Alyssa
It's been a great ride.can't wait to explore our new territory ahead. Hope all is well with everyone. Miss you all! Watch for pictures of our land ventures since we'll be back on internet(slow, but it'll work) soon. We will be catching up with our other boating friends for a reunion after the passage on some of the islands. Should be fun! Ok, Alyssa, I'll bet you.since I'll be on watch when it's light outside!!! -Rina
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04/13/2009, 09 08.30'S:137 39.05'W, Less than 80Miles to Hiva Hoa
At 4.0 knots through the water and 6.0 knots over ground, how long will it take us to travel 143 miles to Hiva Oa
A) 35 hours B) 27 hours C) 24 hours D) 22 hours E) Not soon enough F) Are we there yet?
When you see lightning to windward of the boat, you should:
a) panic b) start your engine and motor away from it c) Place your portable electronics in the oven d) Place portable electronics in the oven and bake until golden brown
When viewed from the cockpit, a 10 foot roller coming at your beam:
a) is well above your head b) is going to pass harmlessly underneath you c) will rock the boat 20 degrees in each direction d) all of the above
At night in heavy weather, the captain changes watch schedules from 1 person x 3 hours each to 2 people x 2 hours to:
a) piss the crew off b) increase safety c) give Jan somebody to talk to d) make sure Alyssa stays awake e) all of the above
Life vests and safety tethers are required:
A) at all times B) never for the captain C) at night D) whenever Rina says
Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning,
a) the sun is going to come up soon b) I got the shitty watch again c) Sailors warning d) All of the above
The loud THWACK! and spray of salt air you hear every 30-45 minutes on the side of the windward hull is:
a) Poseidon's fiery wrath b) Confused seas conspiring to sink the boat c) Old dud world war II torpedos hitting the hull d) Your imagination running wild
When slammed on the port beam by a 10 foot roller, and the bilge alarm shrieks in your ear, you should:
a) abandon ship b) panic c) grab the ditch bag d) calmly look into the bilge to find and correct the malfunctioning float switch
Billowy white clouds with dark underbodies:
a) are cute cuddly circus animals in the sky b) are deadly threats to our wellbeing c) are viewed very differently by optimists and pessimists d) all of the above
To stay awake on long night watches, you should:
a) Hang off the back of the boat by your tether to test its strength b) Sleep all day c) Make mental lists of all of life's regrets d) Make up stupid blog entries in the middle of the night e) Hum Abba's greatest hits in Dutch to yourself incessantly f) Be in awe over witnessing all phases of the moon over 25 days
Before making landfall, the crew must:
a) blow up the dinghy and stow on the foredeck b) rig the stern anchor c) print out customs documentation for the Gendarmes d) dive on the boat to clean gooseneck barnacles off the depth sounder e) fly the ships colors f) haul up the French courtesy flag g) haul up the quarantine flag h) hide the booze from the gendarmes i) practice our French greetings again j) stow the spinnaker k) shave and have a seawater shower l) turn on the radar to help find land m) post a lookout to look for land and other boats n) remove the sea brace from the bow anchor o) start the outboard to make sure it still runs p) review the French maritime marker system (red markers are on the LEFT returning) q) Study the charts of Hiva Oa again r) Review our approach plan to Hiva Oa with the crew s) Practice heaving to with the crew, in case we arrive before daylight t) Take parasite prevention pills u) All of the above and more
We are currently 80 miles from Hiva Oa and sailing comfortably in 17 knots of wind on a broad reach. Conditions moderated overnight as the leading edge of a front passed over us. (picture on the left) We will likely need to slow the boat down so we don't arrive during darkness tomorrow morning.
The picture on the right is our helm station chartplotter, showing the boat in the bottom center, 80 miles from Hiva Oa. Clockwise from top left: Water temperature, local time, current lat/long, overall boat log and current log. (It only shows 144 miles because we have had to restart the plotter numerous times because of various electronic gremlins), current boat speed in knots, bearing, miles, and time to next waypoint (22) which is off the top of Hiva Oa.
Answers to the final exam will be given in our final passage blog tomorrow or the next day... and we grade on a curve. -allan
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Oh, and I add one extra question for you...how many coups have occurred in Fiji in the last 20 years including the one last week?
2)b. Start the engine
3)d.
4)e.
5)a. D "samethng"
6)d. -but b. is Jan's favorite
7)d. imagination !
8)d.
9)cute but imforative
10)d-is probably the case BUT I LIKE "e" ABBA!!!!!!
11)Probably all of the list (but I can't find a marina on the island).
12)All of the list as long as the quarantine is only posted for any crew members that need a bath!!!!
04/12/2009, 08 07.20'S:136 13.53'W, Less than 200 Miles to Hiva Hoa
Our day began with a brisk easterly breeze, as we had finally popped into the consistent Southern tradewinds. The seas built as the day continued, making for a rocking sleigh ride at 7 knots, at or near our hull speed. Frequent squalls around us caused windshifts that made life interesting. Winds were forecast for 12-18, but have been 20-25 all day.
As I sat down to write the blog, Rina yells "hold on!" from the helm, and just as she does, the boat quickly jumps to starboard, as we get hit on the port beam by a wind driven wave. It was one of those slow motion moments, where everything that was not well secured on the port side of the boat went flying. While we did not heel very far over, the suddenness of the jolt catapulted loose books, alyssa's computer and assorted fruits and veggies through the air. We quickly changed course to take the growing wind waves on our port bow and triple reefed both main and jib, which slowed us to about 4 knots SOG.
After a quick dinner of fried rice, which Jan made in a heaving galley, we are battening down the boat for a bouncy night. We have installed the hatchboards to protect the boat in case we get pooped. (take a wave from behind) We will stay on this course until daybreak, or unless we get overtaken by squalls which may force us to run with the wind down the waves.
We are less than 200 miles from Hiva Oa, passing into French Polynesian territorial waters about 2 hours ago. Landfall should come early the morning of April 14th.
Our final exam is underway..
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04/11/2009, 06 45.25'S:134 08.62'W, 340 Miles to Hiva Hoa
We received the following email from good friends Devin and Donna in response to a recent blog.
---------- Original Message ---------- From: (ddhammer) Subject: Date: 4/10/2009 11:37:13p
You guys need to seriously get a grip...you are sailing across the freaking Pacific Ocean, on the trip of a lifetime that .00000001% of people who have ever lived on the planet have ever had the opportunity to do, and all you can do is ask -- is it over yet? Seriously? You'll forgive me if I just can't conjure up any sympathy for you. I hope you get to sail some so you have something to do. Looking forward to more pictures too. Donna
Donna, oh Donna, how right you are. Thanks for slapping us back to our senses! It only takes a trip to the bow of the boat, where it is relatively quiet, and take in scenes like the one above, to make us truly appreciate where we are. And the picture, no matter how high resolution, does not do the actual experience justice. It does not take much to be humbled by our surroundings. our lives hanging by simple threads of a sound boat, drinkable water and reasonable weather. We are very much on our own, and I'll tell you, the ocean is BIG out here. Our perspective has also morphed in the past days knowing that this passage will end in 3 days time. Soon we will see new signs of life as we approach the islands. I expect we will both relish our last days of this passage, even as we become more excited with anticipation of making landfall. In some respects, it's mentally like painting a room. You start out all excited, highly motivated and focused for the first half of the project. Then the reality of how long it will take to paint the room kicks in, and it kinda sucks. Then excitement builds again as you can't wait to see the finished product. At least that's what goes on in *my* head.. Also, I know we must be getting close. I'm polishing stainless again! -allan
Oh yea, the end is near..the anticipation of island arrivals.just can't wait. Donna you're right, we were excited in the beginning, then it hits you ..just how far it is! And, yes Allan, there's only soooo much stainless on the boat.ha ha. I'm sure that I'll reflect on this adventure once I'm land bound again, it has really been a great time and working together as a crew and a family. Well, back to a swim & shower in salt water ;-) -Rina
You know what Donna? We are so spoiled! BUT there are other aspects to consider. Let me tell you I had a hard time explaining to my friends that traveling isn't a endless holiday, but hard work as well. Same here you know, How about Allan saying here is the plan!!! How about being the only Dutchman around for miles Woe that culture gap is deep. The freaking ice cube discussions. (allan - Don't get me started Jan! LOL) But then I think about the sailors on the tall ships who didn't have a clue where they were going. Who didn't have an engine and hear me complaining about this noise maker, but luckily we are running out of diesel. So with some luck we will be drifting out here for another week. Even more challenges to get over. -Jan
What can I say? I'm a social person! Lol. I've loved every minute out here as well; it is quite a different lifestyle being able to read all day. I highly suggest the novel Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. I'm a little more than half way through it and I can't put it down! It "weaves together three stories of human love.celebrating the prodigal spirit of human nature, and of nature itself." I love the writing and how it explains every detail of the mountains and farms of southern Appalachia as well as debates the ongoing issue of man vs. nature. Call me a hippie, but I'd rather the coyotes kill a sheep once a year than kill off all the coyotes. Then again, I'm not a rancher. I'm very happy to be a part of the "two-percenter" population as dad calls it, when only two percent of the population buys a boat or crosses an ocean. So, I'm very lucky to lather, rinse and repeat again today ;-}. Love always. -Alyssa
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04/10/2009, 05 34.31'S:132 25.91'W, 459 Miles to Hiva Hoa
Since the wind died early yesterday we have had a steady diet of diesel. The drone is never far away. During a squall last night Jan brought out the sails for 10-15 minutes, only to have the wind die quickly after they had dissipated. The same happened today with me. Our sailing hopes and dreams, dashed! All around us there were squalls; bringing us 10-15 knots for a short period, only to have them die again. The thing that brings the most grief is that we can't seem to get a squall to dump any meaningful rain on us. To our windward, puffy little clouds, to our Leeward, rain and squalls..and when we do get a little rain, it quickly dissipates, leaving hot and shitty weather in its wake. (hot/shitty>90% humidity, 96F, No apparent wind) Quick, name that movie reference.
We are currently 459 miles from Hiva Oa, and as we get closer, I am getting the sailors version of "are we there yet?" They ask, "so, how many more waypoints? At our current speed and current, what's our estimate time of arrival? Very much to be expected. Given our water shortage and our complete lack of rain catching acumen, we will motor through the next 24 hours until the winds pick up again. Then hopefully it's a sleigh ride into paradise!
Oh yea, we gotta get there soon as the creative blog ideas are getting far and few between, as I'm sure you have noticed. And you chronic blog watchers? Get ready, because when we get to Hiva Oa, we're gonna have a life again, which means blog entries every 3-4 days. -allan
Rina said it rightly this morning everybody is getting a bit edgy. Making everybody aware of it helps. Today we are three full weeks out on the water. As I wrote in my diary: We saw one fishing boat, a few dolphins and endless bleu skies and oceans. Most irritating fact for me is as I mentioned before no wind. I don't think we sailed once for 24 hours. It also makes me laugh inside because I noticed grumpy Jan is peeping around the corner and I haven't been grumpy for a long time. I am reading in my book about the journey of souls, which is quite something in this environment a bit creepy if you think it through during the night. I am also finishing my Mexican novel. No more depressing Newsweek or Time magazines. Here in our own little world, the worrying world is far away. It is even hard to think what to expect at the islands. Priorities: Lots of cold drinking water, shower and laundry. Well friends and family we are hanging into it. How will we look back at our trip in five years time? -Jan
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komt me wel heel bekend voor!
jan doe er wat aan, laat het niet zover komen!
je hebt niet zoveel gereisd om zo benoemd te worden hoor!
Geniet en beleef elke dag opnieuw alsof het je eerste en laatste dag is
Veel liefs
Inanna
drew
getlostonpurpose.com
