Adventures of Orcinius

11 September 2015 | HOME - Vancouver WA
24 August 2015 | 46 11.4'N:123 51.4'W, Port of Astoria Marina
22 August 2015 | 46 42.0'N:132 09,4'W, 330 West of CR Bouy, Astoria
21 August 2015 | 46 41.8'N:136 13.8'W, 500 West of Astoria
20 August 2015 | 46 22.82'N:140 28.00'W, East end of High
20 August 2015 | 46 22.80'N:140 28.32'W, Middle of High Same as Fish
20 August 2015 | 46 22.79'N:140 28.57'W, Middle of High
20 August 2015 | 46 22.7'N:140 30.2'W, 675 Miles West of CR
20 August 2015 | 45 57.6'N:144 54.0'W, East End of the High
18 August 2015 | 44 38.2'N:147 57.0'W, 1000 NM to Astoria
18 August 2015 | 43 31.0'N:150 28.0'W, 1126 NM to Astoria
17 August 2015 | 41 40.1'N:153 00.1'W, 1200 miles West of Astoria
16 August 2015 | 39 30.1'N:154 53.1'W, West end of the North Pacific High
15 August 2015 | 37 34.5'N:156 00.0'W, 1011 North of Oahu
15 August 2015 | 37 04.5'N:156 23.0'W, 983 North of Oahu
14 August 2015 | 34 12.3'N:157 26.1'W, 800 North of Oahu
13 August 2015 | 31 50.0'N:158 06.5'W, 650 North of Oahu
12 August 2015 | 29 02.0'N:158 51.0'W, 330 North of Oahu
11 August 2015 | 26 32.0'N:158 59.0'W, 330 North of Oahu
09 August 2015 | 23 44.1'N:158 49.4'W, 140 N of Oahu

Fantastic Niue

13 September 2012 | 19 03.2'S:169 55.4'W, Niue
John
We have been here on Niue at Alofi warf for right at a week now. It was rather interesting, we arrive around 10 am and shortly after noon The Rose pulled in then just before 3 pm Charisma showed up. We were expecting Charisma but not The Rose for another day. I helped them both get hooked on the moorings and then ferried them to the warf to check in. As it turned out they cleared customs but not Imigration because the attendant had the afternoon off. Lisa and I had already rented a van for the weekend. The Island is quite large to we figured if we wanted to see it, it had to be by car.

We picked up the van on Friday, had some coffee at a local resturaunt, loaded everyone up and headed towards the southern part of the island. It was more of a familiarization ride but did get a short hike into a Chasm. Amazing places. As the day ended we headed back to the warf but stopped for dinner at the local Indian Resturaunt. Pretty good food but a little pricey.

Saturday we packed up a lunch and our snorkel gear and headed to the North end of the Island. We got about 5 miles North when we blew a rear tire. We all unloaded and tore the van apart looking for tire changing tools. Found some but not all so had to call the rental place and have them bring out a tire. Not a tire but a different, replacement van.

While we were waiting for the Van, the ladies decided to do a Geocache which was very close. The trecked off down the road about a quarter mile and started the search. Once the guys exchanged vans we headed to where the ladies were. Across the street from where they were geoing was a bar. It was open and we three guys decided to inbibe in a beer. The ladies came back striking out and helped with our beer and a couple more. The we went over and helped find the cache. However, the truth of the matter was none of us could find it so we solicited the help of the bar owner who happens to know just where it is. Found noted and exchanged trinkets and we were off. We had taken our snorkeling gear with us and stopped at a local swimming hole with all the amenities like water and picknick tables. Snorkeled around the small lagoon then out to the pass. We doug into our picknick lunches then Frollicked around for a couple of hours and headed back to the van. Where we parked the van there was an outdoor fixed potty. They call them long drops here because that is a New Zealand term. Next to them are outdoor showers so we all rinsed off before heading back to the warf.

We arrived at the warf and we all helped each other take turns hoisting the dinghys to the water for the ride back to the boats.

Sunday was the day to travel back south to the Washaway Cafe. Called that because the propietor located it very close to the water and the locals said it would never last. It has. It is only open on Sundays. What a way to run a business, work on sunday and have six days of rest. After having lunch at Washaway, we headed to another Chasm. However on the way we had to stop at several places to find information about another, more lengthy geocache. We chased down several clues then headed for another chasm which was down several steps and at the bottom was a fresh water lagoon. Very dark down there. John, Pat and I decided to swim across it. It was no more than fifteen feet wide, cold, fresh water and the chasm was very deep. So dark we could not see the bottom. Took some pictures and headed back to the warf and had dinner at the Fa La La La Resturaunt. Hamburgers, fish and chips etc. Then back to the boats.

I had arranged to keep the Van for one more day so on Monday we packed another lunch and headed out to solve the geocache. We made two or three trips back and forth, north and south and back again to chase down clues. We think we have it and after having some ice cream on the south end of the island we head back to the north end some 20 miles away looking for the final lat/long locations. We had just two hours of dayligh left. We end up in another very interesting chasm. The clue was "at the end of the day you get that walled in feeling." This was a chasm that was about fifty feet wide and a good eighty feet high. It lead to the ocean with a large rock blocking the entrance from the ocean.

Lisa took another thirty minutes and re-calculated the puzzle letter number clues and came up with a totally different location. It is nearing sunset and will be dark in thirty to fortyfive minutes. We all head back to the van on chase downt he road to the other location. It happened to be at the first chasm we snorkeled at. Looked until it was just about dark then headed back to the warf and our boats feeling like we gave it the old college try but failed. On our boat Lisa send the geocache manager an email asking if the spot was correct. The next day John and I take the car back after filling it up with gas at $2.63 per litre, 75 dollars for a half tank. Talked the manager into giving us a special weekly rate so we still have the car and now start planning on finalizing the geocache.

We spent most of the day working around the boats and scuba diving under them and around 3 pm we all decided we needed some Ice cream. Jump into our dinghys, head to the warf, pile into the van and head for ice cream. During the day another of our friends show up so we take them along on the outing. Can't get ice cream yet because it doesn't open until 5 pm. What else is there to do.... finalize the geocache. Lisa got an email back from the manager and said she was spot on. We head back up north and chase down the geo.... found it. Had looked there the night before but not deep enough into the little coral cave. Feeling good south we head to the other end of the island and get our ice cream.

Here we are today. The van has not left the warf. We scuba dived between our boats and the coral reef ledge. Use up a tank each and get back on our boats to wait for a whale swimming trip at three in the afternoon. Load onto the tour boat and head back to the south end of the island. The operators had four other paying customers so that made 10 total with eight snorkeling. After spotting a couple and re-positioning several times we all finally enter the water. We all swim for about a mile chasing to the location where the whales were last spotted. Do this for about an hour and total exhaustion and finally I said I had enough. Four of us board the boat while the rest continued to hunt the elusive whale. No whale so finally we get everyone on the boat and start to head back up north and call it a day. We had traveled about half mile when a whale was spotted. Four of the customers head back into the water with the guide and off they go chasing the whale. Success. T hey spot the whale, less than 60 feet from them. They saw him and heard him and then he was out of sight. The day was a success and back to the boats we went.

Done for the day.

Hope I have the energy to do this again tomorrow.

All for now.

John
Comments
Vessel Name: ORCINIUS
Vessel Make/Model: Lagoon 440
Hailing Port: Vancouver, Washington
Crew: John LeDoux & Lisa Danger
About:
Sailing since the mid 90's. Prior to this trip, 4 sailing adventures from Vancouver WA to the San Juan and Gulf Islands in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Bought ORCINIUS in West Palm Beach Fl in April 2010. Sailed her South through the Panama Canal and back up the West coast to home port. [...]
Extra: Lisa is the real captain. I have never been at the helm when docking or anchoring, she has a great touch to docking.
Home Page: www.orcinius.com

Who: John LeDoux & Lisa Danger
Port: Vancouver, Washington