4 July 2009, Vuda Point, Fiji
04/07/2009 0514UTC 17 40.828S 177 23.159E Day 754 Up at 0645, 24C, Clear, Wind Calm.
[Our book, Family Voyaging - Ak to nZ, is now available! To access it, go to the Family Voyaging.com website at www.familyvoyaging.com]
Today's blog entry has arrived on your desktop via single sideband radio. That's because Fiji's commercial Internet service, 'Connect,' isn't. The system has been down nationwide for abut 36 hours now and we don't know when it'll be back up. It's easy to forget, when everything is working, that you're in a third-world country. Though Fiji is inherently more sophisticated and prosperous than most of its South Pacific neighbors, there are times when the infrastructure shows signs of age or lack of maintenance.
Back in the States, we'd have thrown a fit if the Net was broken for this long. But since we've been cruising the crew has learned to accept conditions the way there are. Water and power are sometimes off, too. No worries, they'll return eventually. The Fijians (and Tongans, Samoas, French Polynesians, etc.) don't seem to get upset. Infrastructure is more of a bonus that a necessity. Sure, it's nice to have all the bells and whistles of first-world life, but when they don't work it isn't any big deal.
Police, hospitals, fire departments and emergency services have their own utilities. I expect the government probably has Internet right now, too. At least when it gets down to life and death, we're covered.
1st Mate has been a champion of the concept that all families ought to live like this for a while so they'll truly appreciate what they have. Spit out that silver spoon, mate, and head for a country south of North America or Europe. You'll discover a new kind of thrill -- the one that comes when the Internet returns after a two-day absence.
As she says... "It is what it is."
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3 July 2009, Vuda Point, Fiji
03/07/2009 0901UTC 17 40.828S 177 23.159E Day 753 Up at 0620, 24C, Partly Cloudy, Wind Calm.
[Our book, Family Voyaging - Ak to nZ, is now available! To access it, go to the Family Voyaging.com website at www.familyvoyaging.com]
The bulk of the cruising people we know left North American two to five years ago with a dream, a plan and a goal. For some, it was the lure of the South Pacific, for others Australia or New Zealand, and a few hoped to circumnavigate the globe. But the realities of long-distance voyaging and the unforgiving nature of the sea have inexorably altered those plans for most voyagers.
Mexico collects the first drop-outs. When we were in La Paz on the lower Baja, we met many people who'd sailed from their home ports in the States or Canada, arrived in Mexico and never left. Some didn't even have boats anymore; they lived ashore but continued to call into the morning cruisers' radio net nonetheless, only vicariously living their dream.
When we dropped anchor in the Marquesas Islands after crossing the Eastern Pacific and Equator, there were additional boats and crews joining the 'never again' club. They quit right there; a month-long ocean crossing did not agree with their pre-passage vision of what it would be like. At other island ports in the South Pacific, attrition collected more of the vessels.
By the time we and others made it to New Zealand, there was a prearranged pause in everyone's cruise, ostensibly to wait out the hurricane season. But by late fall, hard and fast decisions had to be made for the next cruising season, which was rapidly approaching. More boats gave up the ghost.
The survivors, including Wind Dancer, made their decison to press on, with many heading to Fiji or returning to Tonga with plans to go back to New Zealand in the southern spring. Now, though, many crews are realizing that choices for the future are limited. Here they are: yes, one option is to return to NZ and cruise the tropics again next year. Another is to quit, sell the boat and go home. It is possible to sail to the US or Mexico, but it's a hard upwind bash or a long voyage around the Pacific. Some people are shipping their boats back to the States, Mexico or Canada via cargo vessel. And a handful still hopes to 'go on around' by completing a circumnavigation.
For us, the goal was New Zealand. We made it, and continued on with the passage to Fiji. A season of cruising here is icing on the cake. Plans 'A' through 'Z' are still on the drawing board and we have made no final decision. Financial resources coupled with wear and tear on the boat and crew will enter into the direction we take. Getting the book published and sharing this adventure with others has been part of our objective since the beginning. Slowing down for a spell to accomplish that is, we believe, worthwhile.
One of the magnificent aspects of this lifestyle is that we are never forced to answer the question, "What's next?"
"Crew Quarters"
1st Mate: Yesterday we had the thrill of our friends on s/v Meridian coming into Vuda Point Marina. Cabin Girl was so excited and she introduced her new friend Poppy to the other girls and off they went to run around the grass at the yacht club. 2nd Mate worked hard at catching up on school so that when s/v Tin Solider arrives he can run off with Jaryd. Kids love other kids and have an exclusive club built in its own right.
Today Cabin Girl waved goodbye to Poppy, one of the hardships of life as a cruiser. We will see them again along the way and that day will be honored. It becomes a lot like seeing relatives on holidays.
I have been working hard at organizing the last few school lessons so that Cabin Girl can get them done in an orderly fashion. There have been a lot of big projects to complete but we are almost there. It has been awhile since we have had a few months off to just read or play games and not have to get stuff mailed in.
I took the kids to the pool this afternoon and read a bit as well as caught up with Nancy and John from Meridian. John needs to fly home for family health stuff and Nancy plans to watch the boat and the kids in the interim. It is always hard watching the stress and struggle to stop this mode of life to join the real world. I miss my mother so much but am thankful I was home when she passed away and not out here.
Well, it is pizza night and it is cheaper than anything I can cook aboard so I guess we will enjoy ourselves and some company of others and eat inexpensive pizza at the First Landing resort next door. I was told today the dancers would be back and perhaps we can catch them, as last time the show started much too late because the charter boat of guests ended up sitting on the reef, then a mud flat, and finally made it in for the dinner and a show.
2nd Mate: Wildlife seen yesterday and today: sergeant major, Polynesian halfbeak, brushtail surgeonfish, crowned urchin, convict fish.
For the last few days, we've been playing with the kids from Bob after school. As we mentioned on Wednesday, we all went to the pool. That night, Grace and I played a game of Monopoly with Poppy and Ella. Yesterday, we did more school and read a bunch. I've been trying to get my book done as soon as possible because I need to write about it tomorrow.
Today, I woke up around 0600. I attempted to play Runescape, but the stupid Internet was down again. So, I just read until breakfast. Then, we got the table up and started school. I finished my Social Studies lesson on nuclear energy, and my Science lesson on how Earth can be compared with a living organism. I'm now done with Lesson 34.
Then, we got suited up and went to the pool nearby. After about half an hour, the girls from Meridian came by and we swam around. We came back and I did my Math lesson for Lesson 35. It was on geometric solids and how to find the volume of cylinders and rectangular prisms. We're now resting and enjoying the fact that the air temperature has cooled down. We plan to watch 'The Abyss' as our family movie.
Today's Fijian word: rara = ceremonial ground.
Cabin Girl: The weather today: partly cloudy, light wind, the high was 29C, the barometer is 1009 and steady, the moon is waxing towards full.
In the last couple of days, the Meridian girls (Maddie and Sophie) came to the marina and Poppy has left. We got all of our new boat parts that we ordered. I am almost done with school ... yeah!
Yesterday, I went to the yacht club with the Meridian girls and Poppy. We played nature girls, animals, and survival. It was fun and mom even came by to buy us an ice cream.
Today, I woke up and had cereal with fresh sliced banana on it. I did school with a short break to play with Poppy before she left. I did social studies, which was about the United States government and the Constitution. I had two science lessons to finish. One was about vertebrates and invertebrates. The other was about plants with stems and plants without. I chose moss and algae and mushrooms and ferns. It was really interesting and I got to draw lots of pictures. I had a short English lesson also.
I went swimming with Maddie and Sophie and Grant. Mom came but didn't swim, and dad joined us later in the pool. Later we are going to have pizza with our friends. I am reading a 'Goosebumps' book and am almost finished. It is really good.
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2 July 2009, Vuda Point, Fiji
02/07/2009 0708UTC 17 40.828S 177 23.159E Day 752 Up at 0605, 24C, Partly Cloudy, Wind SSW 5-10 Knots.
[Above, the local FedEx guy (left) and the Fijian Customs agent who arrived with our package this morning.]
[Our book, Family Voyaging - Ak to nZ, is now available! To access it, go to the Family Voyaging.com website at www.familyvoyaging.com]
The response to our new book and the Family Voyaging.com website has been fantastic. Our thanks to everyone who has taken the time to sign on and start reading. We sincerely appreciate your interest.
As a follow-up to yesterday's blog post, the bicolor navigation light was brought to Wind Dancer before noon today. Here's the last of the shipping trail:
Delivered Vuda Point Marina LAUTOKA FJ
Signed for by: CHRIS BURNS
Shipment Dates:
Ship date - Jun 24, 2009
Delivery date - Jul 2, 2009 11:15 AM
Destination: LAUTOKA FJ
Jul 2, 2009 11:15 AM Delivered LAUTOKA FJ
Jul 2, 2009 8:45 AM Int'l shipment released NADI FJ
Jul 2, 2009 8:30 AM Int'l shipment released NADI FJ
Jul 2, 2009 8:00 AM Clearance in progress NADI FJ
Jul 2, 2009 8:00 AM In transit NADI FJ Package available for clearance
We've had the choice between FedEx, DHL and USPS International Mail for getting parts shipped to us here. But, with Castaway Island, where the movie 'Cast Away' was filmed, just a handful of miles from Vuda Point Marina, we can't resist going the FedEx route. In the film, Tom Hanks plays a gung-ho FedEx exec who ends up on the island after a plane crash. The proximity and irony were just too good to pass up. And, if the parcel got lost, it would almost certainly wash up on the beach.
Navigation light in hand, I stepped away from the laptop for the afternoon to install it. Boat projects always take twice as long, use twice as many tools and cost twice as much than anticipated to complete. This project was no exception. Yesterday I discussed the price, today I got out the two screwdrivers I figured I'd need to hook up the new fixture. It went smoothly, and was on the bow pulpit rail in a matter of minutes. "2nd Mate," I yelled, "turn on the running lights!" He flicked the switch and to my feigned surprise, the light did not illuminate.
So, I started tracing the wires. I'd replaced everything but the last metre of DC twin-lead wire to that light in Whangarei. Sure enough, the connection to that last length of wire was bad. But, of course, it broke off short inside a stanchion tube. Before the light sprang to life four hours later I'd cut, stripped, soldered and sealed four different connections and replaced the bad wires. Tools covered the foredeck, I had a band-aid over the bleeding gash on my starboard wrist and I'd used up today's cussin' quota.
But, the one thing I never lose sight of is that this life is still inherently better than working for a living.
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