SV Panta Rhei Retirement Trip
| Vessel Name: | Panta Rhei |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Able Apogee 50 |
| Hailing Port: | Seattle |
| Crew: | Larry and Karen |
| Social: |
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18 September 2017 | Seattle
We are back in Seattle
It feels like home. Of course we are not in Silshole. Maybe we will be, someday, but there is a list and we are on it. In the meantime we are at Bainbridge Island Marina.
23 August 2017 | Prince Rupert
The dinghy holds air again
It wasn't very nice of the bear to tear the fabric across a seam. We were worried that we couldn't patch it but tried anyway. The glue had a job to do and it did it!
15 August 2017 | Anan Bear Observatory
A Grizzly Bear damaged our dinghy
We were visiting the Anan Bear Observatory south of Wrangell. It is one of the best places to visit in all of SE Alaska BECAUSE it has bears. But (as we learned) there is a dark side to this bear concentration. And of course, there is a story to tell.
19 July 2017 | Petersburg, AK
Moving On
"No matter where you go, there you are" (unknown reference). By now we have been there and done that. Most recently that included Cannery Cove on Admiralty Island. The photo shows the quiet grandeur of the setting with Ron and Suzie's boat SV Tango in the foreground. It has been like that for the last [...]
17 June 2017 | Hoonah, AK
We are in Hoonah, SE Alaska now
We got something resembling a high pressure ridge so we moved expeditously across the Gulf of Alaska. The crossing took three days and weather stayed as forecast. That was a very good thing. The weather changes in the far north far more rapidly and dramatically than we ever experienced in the more southern [...]
03 June 2017 | Seward AK
Crossing the Gulf of Alaska
We are still in Seward, AK. Now that spring has come, why not start south?
Exploring a cave that you swim through
We had dinner last night with Manuel and Va, a Fijian couple who live in the village. Va is a good cook. The dinner was fresh caught Carvelle in coconut milk. It was very tasty. There were sides of soup and vegetables and cassava. We ate it on the floor sitting cross legged. Eventually Va suggested that we could sit on the bed. Sitting cross legged on a concrete floor is not so easy for us. They speak english but with enough of an accent that understanding takes work. They seem happy. We talked a little about life's trajectories. Apparently when Manuel was young (He is 50 now) his friends stowed away on a containership to Australia and now live there. They are apparently happy with their choice. He missed his chance.
They have a computer on the island but with highly irregular power availability, becoming proficient in its use is not practical. There is a TV and DVD player which is very popular, again when power is available. Cell phones do work and are popular, especially with younger villagers. Texting is cheap so it gets the most use.
Manual has a farm plot for growing vegetables. The hurricane storm surge last year flooded the village (and the farm which is not so great). They were advised to move to shelter on high ground. There is high ground just behind the village but no shelter on it. Imagine sitting out a hurricane without shelter? Pipe dream.
The biggest income source is a local cave of brackish water that all the nearby resorts send boatloads of tourists to see. The village charges $10 FJD for a guided tour. It is a fascinating cave that you swim through. The water is clear and there are quite a few branches to explore. Fun. The pictures that show the inside of the cave are in a new album on this blog.
The wind has been blowing hard all night. It was blowing 27 knots when it came time to return to our boat last night. That combined with the dark made the dinghy trip somewhat worrisome. If anything happens to the motor in those conditions you are going to blow downwind fast. Open ocean beckons. Not a fun thought. Fortunately we made it and spent the balance of the windy night aboard.
