Bound for Australia

Vessel Name: Sirius
30 November 2013
30 November 2013 | Coffs Harbour
30 November 2013 | On route New Cal to Oz
30 November 2013 | Noumea
23 November 2013
19 November 2013 | Vanuatu
28 October 2013 | Erromango, Vanuatu
28 October 2013 | Port Resolution, Tanna, Vanuatu
17 October 2013 | Mt Yasur, Tanna, Vanuatu
16 October 2013 | Port Resolution, Tanna, Vanuatu
16 October 2013 | Vanuatu Group
16 October 2013 | Fiji
01 October 2013
23 September 2013 | Tonga
23 September 2013 | Tonga
23 September 2013 | Tonga
18 September 2013 | Tonga
09 September 2013 | Nuie a very small country
09 September 2013 | Suwarrow
09 September 2013 | Suwarrow Atoll Cook Is
Recent Blog Posts
30 November 2013

The Last Leg to Bundabah

Anchored off our land in Bundabah November 21 - to be concluded

30 November 2013 | Coffs Harbour

Arrived Australia Sunday 10th November 2013

It's good to be home at last

30 November 2013 | On route New Cal to Oz

The Last Passage

With winds coming from the south southeast it made heading south quite difficult and not particularly pleasant but we continued staying as close to our desired course as possible. Once again it took a couple of days for most of us to find our sea legs, though Andrew never seems to loose his. Having Scott [...]

30 November 2013 | Noumea

New Caledonia

After spending the Friday night at anchor in the main Noumea bay we were lucky enough to secure a pontoon in the marina and were nicely tied up just in time for Scott, Mark and Jayden's arrival. Scott is my brother, Jayden is his son and Mark is my sister Patricia's youngest son. They joined us to do [...]

23 November 2013

On the way to New Caledonia

On to New Caledonia – the last stop before Australian waters: We waited about 5 days for a weather opportunity to move on to New Caledonia, along with a dozen or so boats heading South, almost all to New Zealand, but a few going our way. By late November, the Summer cyclone/typhoon season comes to the tropics including Vanuatu and New Caledonia, so by late October, all the cruising boats get ready to move on, most South to New Zealand, or some Australia, but a few also head North back across the Equator to Indonesia or the Philippines. We left on Tuesday 22nd October, which would get us into Noumea, Capital of New Caledonia, and the only port of entry by Friday with any luck, in time to meet 3 more family guests there on Saturday 26th. We had been more or less heading West since Panama with the prevailing winds, but now had to make 340 miles to the South West. For a while it looked like we would not be able to sail this way at all, and would have to make the long journey around the top of New Caledonia adding 200 miles to the trip and lots of motoring, but finally the wind had just enough East in it to let us sail to Noumea direct, although this was our first passage sailing into the wind since Belize back in March. We made good enough time to come through the outer islands of New Caledonia on Friday morning and get into Noumea Harbour by sunset. The Harbour was to our surprise packed with hundreds of sailing boats, most at anchor as the two small marinas were overflowing. Who they all were and where they were all going we never really found out. We worried that arriving after hours on a Friday would cause all the usual problems with officials, but not here – this is part of France and the EU, so everything is helpful, easy going and free. The photo is our Halloween party onboard - explanation in the next blog from Noumea.

19 November 2013 | Vanuatu

Port Vila

Just 20 minutes out of Port Vila we had drawn a complete blank on the fishing. This was a big disappointment to Margaret, who was very keen to catch just something ahead of brother Mark and uncle Scott coming onboard in Noumea. Then fish on and the reel buzzed. Margaret hauled it in, Warren gaffed [...]

Amazing Dolphin Experience

04 February 2013 | The Dominican Republic
Mainly sunny high 20's
After leaving Nanny Cay we spent the night in a nearby bay where we did some more snorkelling then had a early morning dive at The Indians before going to Tortola for immigration checkout. We then left early on 29th January for the 350 mile leg to the Dominican Republic. We made good time arriving at Ocean World Marina late afternoon on 31st.
To the children's delight we found the marina was attached to Ocean World Marine Park. We spent the following day at the park and the children and I did the Royal Dolphin Swim which gave us an hour in the water with the trained dolphins, it was amazing. There were two dolphins in the water with us and at the trainers instruction a dolphin would come up and kiss you and let you cuddle it. They also pushed us around the pool you start off floating on your tummy legs straight and slightly apart then 2 dolphins come along and put their snout on the ball of your foot then push you along and up into the air. We also had a tow where we had to tread water with our arms out and then the two dolphins come on either side of you and you grab their fins and they tow you along. They also pushed us along on a boogie board. Another was a tummy pull where they would come along in front of you on their back and you grab hold of both side fins and they pulled you along. A very funny thing was that you wave your hands in front of them and they sing then if you tickle them under their snout they start splashing you. It was a fabulous experience and we all felt very privileged to be so close to the beautiful creatures. Something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Then in the afternoon we went to watch the dolphin show and they asked Cameron if he would like to volunteer, he jumped at the chance. One of the things he did was to be held up in the air by one of the trainers as he was balancing on the snouts of two dolphins and being pushed around the pool at quite a speed. The dolphins can swim at 35knot an hour. I think Cameron quite enjoyed the limelight.
The following day we spent at a lovely Lifestyle Resort where they tried to sell us timeshare type package. Yesterday we got a hire car and went up into the hills to a river with many waterfalls where we were taken by guides up the river, Andrew and Sophia then climbed various stairs and ropes and were sometimes pulled up waterfalls by the guides only to turn around and come back down by either sliding down the waterfall or jumping off into the pool, they did 6 waterfalls ranging from 6 to 20 feet drops. They both really enjoyed it, I did 3 and found them a little scary, Cameron was'nt allowed to do it as he didn't meet the height regulations.
We have enjoyed our time here, there are quite a few tourist in certain areas but the country is still quite undeveloped the main industry is agriculture and an average wage is apparently about $US2000 per year. The people here are very friendly and welcoming. There was quite a bit of security around the marina and other tourist hotels.
Tomorrow 5th February we head to the Southern Bahamas.
This marina is on the Atlantic Coast it is not in a harbour or river, it was made by putting in a very big circular break wall and there is a canal to the north to enter, as I sit on the boat typing this update I can hear the waves crashing on the break wall and nearby beach.
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