Off On A Lark!

Ia ora na

We've been here in Taiahoe Bay for a week now. The passage from Monterey was 26 days. Not bad for almost 3000 miles. We had the wind on our aft quarter most of the way to the equator. We found the main and headsail to be our best power on a port tack. Only one stretch with the wind on our nose, then once we picked up the SE trades, Kattywompus was like a horse headed for the barn! Every day was 150 miles plus with a double reefed main and a partially furled headsail. I can't say enough about 'Milly' the Monitor self steering vane. If you ever go cruising, don't leave home without one.

The sailing was excellent and the weather very accommodating. 3000 miles is a long way. I don't know how to describe what it was like. 2 hr. watches from 8pm-8 am. The stars were amazing! During the day we were all like lazy slugs, napping, reading, cooking, eating, watching the ocean roll by and looking at porpoise, whales, flying fish, birds or most of the time, nothing. The color change in the water as we came south was noticeably beautiful and the water temperature went from about10c in Port Townsend, to 32.6c here.

Most of the time the swells were about 8'-10' but widely spaced so it was a good ride. Now you see the horizon...now you don't. Josh, Kelsey and Brad each had bouts of seasickness but nothing much. Meclazine (chewable) seemed to take care of the problem.

We ate very well, baked bread, cinammon rolls, pizza, brownies, cookies and spice cake with cream cheese frosting for our 7am equatorial crossing . Kelsey made us grocery bag hats and we all got out of bed for the ocassion. Just in case you've wondered, the South Pacific looks just like the north.

Josh and Kelsey were great crew. How lucky can you be to have a rigger and sailmaker on board? They flew home yesterday so now we're on our own. We have as few projects to finish up and a bit more clean up from the passage, then we plan to head out on Monday to explore more of Nuku Hiva and visit some of the other more remote bays on the island. Then on to Ua Pou and Tahuata before heading to the Tuamotus.

There's a nice little farmer's market near the dinghy dock where we can by fruit every day. The Papaya, Bananas and Pamplemousse (grapefruit) are incredible! Freshly baked baguettes are about 65 cents but everything else is really expensive. A quart of coconut ice cream is about $10.00. Poisson cru is the local specialty and boy is it good served with a big serving of rice.

We've met a lot of other cruisers here. US, Swiss, French, Italian, Australian, British. Monohulls, Cats, quite a few Aluminum cruisers and some others that don't look like they should still be floating. It's quite a cast of characters.

This morning our breakfast entertainment was a large group of Mantas (each about 6' wide) cruising around the boat. Tonight we're going out for pizza (we hear they have a strong internet connection) and good pizza too. Then to see a Marquesan dance competition. It's dark here from 6pm to 6 am so we're trying to adjust to that schedule. I miss those long Summer days in Seattle, but I guess we'll enjoy the same in New Zealand this coming March/April.

In closing, let me say that it's beautiful (and darn hot and humid) here, my French est tres mauvais, daily we sit and wonder if this is all real and how we got here and lastly we hope you're all well and enjoying the summer.

We'll post more next time we have internet access. Haven't been able to get sailmail up and running yet. Damn Microsoft Vista!