17/05/12, 16 3.52'S:145 37.34'W, Fakarava Atoll
Woohoo another passage done - 550 nm in 3 days 7 hours average speed 7 ts .
We sailed for about 30 hours and motorsailed the other 49 hrs . We probably could have sailed the whole way and averaged about 5 kts which would have added and extra day and 1/2 to the travelling time and saved about 200ltrs of fuel but we are all a bit over the passages and wanted to get it over with.
The passages are particulary tiring for me as I am constantly listening to Red Sky "talk" . A new squeak , creak or groan is usually a warning that something is begining to wear out and needs to be investigated . Usually the new squeaks , groans and creaks are nothing more than something needing an adjustment but I have learned the hard way that if I ignore it when the boat "talks" I will pay the price later and usually at the most incovieniant time ,, like in the middle of a squall or rough sea or when we tring to navigate a tricky area . Once again we had no problems I just added a few more jobs to the list which as usual I will take care of before the next passage which reminds me of something I was once told ;
The definition of cruising ? Boat matainance in exotic locations !
Anyway we arrived at the lagoon entrance at 2.00pm yesterday and anchored in the lagoon off the settlement of Rotoava at 4.00pm . 4 other boats here. Our first flat calm anchorage without any swell since we left Panama , nice to be totally still . We had an early dinner and were all in bed by 7.00pm and looking forward to not having to be woken up to stand our watch. We slept great.
We had intended to go o a different atoll called Kauehi which was before this one by about 40 miles but wouldn't you know it a sqaull came along when we were just 20 miles from the entrance and after it passed the wind had increased to 25 kts and changed direction a bit meaning that the sea became choppy and we would have been motoring into the wind and the sea so we decided to continue on , a bit frustrating at the time but thats the way it goes.
Looking forward to finally actually experiancing the Tuamoto's first hand ,, so many cruisers we have met have raved about them and now we are here. It makes the passages and the matainance all worthwile !
Bye for now
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Comments [0]
16/05/12, 15 19.11'S:145 6.74'W, Marquesas to Tuamoto Archipelago
Greetings all ,
It is 6.00am and we are 55nm from our first Attoll " Fakarava " we hope to arrive there around 2.00pm today. Uneventful evening , some squalls and a little rain . Looking forward to the lagoons.
Bye for now
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Stay safe & Enjoy,
Cam "H"
15/05/12, 13 5.84'S:143 20.23'W, Marquesas to Tuamoto Archipelago
Day 2 . All good . Calm Seas , Motorsailing at 7.0 kts
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14/05/12, 11 8.18'S:141 43.25'W, Marquesas to Tuamoto Archipelago
Hi all,
All good here. Squally day yesterday , 25-30kts with some showers. Lat night cleared and this morning blue skys and 15kts . Sailing at 6-7 kts.375nm to go
John, Leanne & Matt
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13/05/12, Nuku-Hiva - The Marquesus
Hard to believe we have been in French Polynesia for a month already !
Last night as a fitting end to our stay here the locals put on a concert and we enjoyed a display of traditional dance. There is a new album in the photo gallery with more pics. The Marquesas have been beautiful and now we are looking forward to our next stop the Tuamotu Archipelago where we expect to hang out for 10 days or so before moving onto Tahiti.
We will be departing here in about an hour to begin the 550nm passage which should take about 4 days.( Now that we have done the 21 day passage from Galapagos to here 4 days doesn `t seem like much at all ! Hanna has left us as she needed to be in Tahiti by the 28th to fly home and we were not sure we would be there by then . She went with Shweetie who left a few days ago.
Hope you are all happy and healthy.
J,L & M
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08/05/12, Nuku-Hiva - The Marquesus
New Photos in the Photo gallery.
Hi all,
Just a quick post to let you all know we are good and enjoying the islands and the people here. We are doing boat jobs and provisioning again in preparation for our passage to the Tuamotu's . Will update you again before we leave . It the mean time check out the new album in the gallery "Island Hopping" . It is difficult to capture the beauty of these island with a photo but hopefully the photos give you an idea ! Also there are more photos of our latest catches - Another Sailfish and a Dorado ,,, both over 5 feet long and both were excellent fighters !
Bye for now
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Stay Safe,
Cam "H"
25/04/12, 9 54.44'S:139 6.26'W, Tahuata Island - The Marquesas
Hi all,
We finished stocking up in Hiva Oa . The range of food items availible for provisioning was a pleasant suprise however the prices were not ,,, very expensive by comparision to Central America ! We transfered 200ltrs of fuel from the supply ship to Red Sky in our jerry jugs at a cost of about $1.85 US per ltr ($7.00 gallon) !
We left Hiva Oa on Monday afternoon and after just 2 hours we anchored in Baie Hanamoenoa on the island of Tahuata in a sheltered cove with white sandy beach and water so clear that you can see the sandy bottom from the surface in 10m of depth. Ahhhhh this is more like it !
We have caught several nice reef fish right off the back of the boat which we had to compete with a 5 ft shark for as he attempted to chomp them whilst we reeled them in . We have seen the shark several times since we have been here and whilst he hasn't stopped us from swimming in the warm clear water we are aware that we are probaly being watched ! What do they say ? Its the shark that you don't see that will get you !
The cliffs that surround the anchorage have blow holes that gush when the ocean surge rushes in to the them making the anchorage all that more interesting . The girls have been kayaking and today we hope to snorkle a bit.
Tomorrow we will head off to Fatu Hiva Island about 40nm mile south of here where there is an anchorage that is reported to be stunning and has been pictured in many books and blogs.
We are back to posting the blog via the sat phone as no internet is availible whilst we explore.
Hope you are all happy and healthy.
Bye for now
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You lot sound like your having a great time, It must be a relief to have some real short hops between anchorages compared with the passage from Galapagos to Marquises, Fatu Hiva looks great on Google Earth, and don’t pat the sharks, a mate of mine managed to get bitten by a 5ft Bronze Whaler a couple of weeks ago while fishing, a couple of stitches and he was back amongst them the next day. We have just over one week to go and we will be in the Med and about three to four weeks latter we should have our yacht.
Stay safe
Cam “H”
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/eauvivecrossing/
