SV Panta Rhei Retirement Trip

Vessel Name: Panta Rhei
Vessel Make/Model: Able Apogee 50
Hailing Port: Seattle
Crew: Larry and Karen
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18 September 2017 | Seattle
23 August 2017 | Prince Rupert
15 August 2017 | Anan Bear Observatory
19 July 2017 | Petersburg, AK
17 June 2017 | Hoonah, AK
03 June 2017 | Seward AK
03 June 2017 | Denali
25 April 2017 | Seward AK
23 March 2017 | Seward, AK
11 March 2017 | Seward, AK
23 January 2017 | Seward AK
06 December 2016 | Seward AK
12 November 2016 | Seward Alaska
14 October 2016 | Valdez, AK
21 September 2016
05 August 2016 | Seward, AK
26 July 2016 | Whittier, AK
19 July 2016 | Valdez, Alaska
05 July 2016 | Seward, Alaska
Recent Blog Posts
18 September 2017 | Seattle

We are back in Seattle

It feels like home. Of course we are not in Silshole. Maybe we will be, someday, but there is a list and we are on it. In the meantime we are at Bainbridge Island Marina.

23 August 2017 | Prince Rupert

The dinghy holds air again

It wasn't very nice of the bear to tear the fabric across a seam. We were worried that we couldn't patch it but tried anyway. The glue had a job to do and it did it!

15 August 2017 | Anan Bear Observatory

A Grizzly Bear damaged our dinghy

We were visiting the Anan Bear Observatory south of Wrangell. It is one of the best places to visit in all of SE Alaska BECAUSE it has bears. But (as we learned) there is a dark side to this bear concentration. And of course, there is a story to tell.

19 July 2017 | Petersburg, AK

Moving On

"No matter where you go, there you are" (unknown reference). By now we have been there and done that. Most recently that included Cannery Cove on Admiralty Island. The photo shows the quiet grandeur of the setting with Ron and Suzie's boat SV Tango in the foreground. It has been like that for the last [...]

17 June 2017 | Hoonah, AK

We are in Hoonah, SE Alaska now

We got something resembling a high pressure ridge so we moved expeditously across the Gulf of Alaska. The crossing took three days and weather stayed as forecast. That was a very good thing. The weather changes in the far north far more rapidly and dramatically than we ever experienced in the more southern [...]

03 June 2017 | Seward AK

Crossing the Gulf of Alaska

We are still in Seward, AK. Now that spring has come, why not start south?

Cruiser's Life in Paradise

29 May 2012 | Anchored at Rangiroa, Tuamotos, French Polynesia
Larry Nelson
This is something almost anyone could enjoy. We are anchored where there is good holding for the anchor and protected by the Atol from ocean waves. The water around the boat is crystal clear. There is a 5 star resort just a short dinghy ride from our swim step where we gather at the bar and in the dining area with other cruisers. The food is really really good and beautifully served. We've tried other local restaurants with our cruising group but the Kia Ora stands out as exceptional.

Yesterday we got up early and took our dinghy to the pass. The current was flooding the Atol and we drifted with it while snorkeling. Karen saw a couple of dolphins. There is coral and myriad colorful little fish. Within the coral there are every manner of living stuff tucked into the holes. There are sharks too but no one I know has had any trouble with them. The problem divers have is two fold: (1) the dolphins tend to be deep and they go deeper when you are playing with them (because they stop swimming). [it is easy to end up way deeper than you intended to be] and (2) apparently they like to rub against you and they have some sort of bacteria/growth on their skin that can leave you with a bad infection. Everyone is told to wash their hands carefully after touching a dolphin.

We also drifted through the pass next to the coral island near the inlet. That was crystal clear water with really healthy looking coral.

After the snorkeling we returned to the boat and took a nap and read a book. At night there was a potluck at a cabin that SV Charisma (Chris, Alexis) rented. It was a great meal with lots of good company and also a little alcohol.

Tomorrow we are doing a trip in a local powerboat to the "blue lagoon". We'll do it in a day and be back aboard at night. The difficulty is if the wind comes up and we are anchored there in our own boat, the waves can get very large and there is no where to go to get protection. The atol is so large that the fetch within the atol is something to be concerned about. This way our boat is safe while we are away and we still get to see the lagoon.

Karen has been smothered in Leis while here. She was the "featured guest" at the local church service (which meant she got everyone's leis when they greeted her after the service) and also the Polynesian dance troupe leader at the Kia Ora Sunday night gave his lei to Karen. These are really nice Leis. They are almost too nice....the fragrance overpowers Karen. She sure looks nice though.

Day before yesterday we were visited by a cruise ship. The cruise ship passengers were taken to the public dock and presumably given a chance to "see the atol". From our perpective this opportunity would be completely sterile and uninteresting. The community involvement that comes from our friends all interacting with the atol community and then sharing it with us gives a much broader experience. Where to go and what to do are questions cruisers get really good at answering.
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