Rapturous!

Vessel Name: Rapture
Vessel Make/Model: Caliber 40 LRC
Hailing Port: Berkeley, CA
Crew: Greg Newman, Susan Wells
Social:
07 March 2024 | Tasmania
27 January 2024 | Manley Beach
03 December 2023 | The Gold Coast, Jumpinpin
22 November 2023 | The Boatworks, QLD
15 November 2023 | Morton Bay
27 October 2023 | Bundaberg marina
15 October 2023 | Townsville Marina
04 October 2023 | Townsville, Queensland, Australia
28 July 2023
08 July 2023 | Keppel Bay Marina
30 June 2023 | Gladstone Marina
20 May 2023 | Bundaberg, Australia
23 March 2023 | Antarctic peninsula
10 March 2023 | Calafate and El Chaitén
21 February 2023 | Puerto Varas, Chiloe and Cochrane
05 February 2023 | Santiago, Chile
21 January 2023 | Santiago
12 January 2023 | USA
Recent Blog Posts
07 March 2024 | Tasmania

Tasmania

A misty, high alpine scene

27 January 2024 | Manley Beach

Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge

08 January 2024

Southport to Coff’s Harbour

Coffs Harbor from Muttonbird Island

03 December 2023 | The Gold Coast, Jumpinpin

The Gold Coast and Southport

Walking the beach at Southport

22 November 2023 | The Boatworks, QLD

Boatwork

The reason for stopping in the Brisbane area was to get a few boat projects done. Greg had been talking to contractors for weeks and more recently he has been calling suppliers to make sure that parts would be available. Our first stop was Scarborough Marina where Greg and I started with giving Rapture [...]

15 November 2023 | Morton Bay

Bundaberg to Morton Bay

The next part of our journey down to Brisbane lay to the inside of Frazier Island. This area, called the Great Sandy Strait is a vast network of channels and shoals that have to be navigated carefully. The navigation channel is clearly marked but there are areas where it can only be navigated at [...]

South Yasawa Islands group

28 September 2020 | Yasawas Islands
Susan Wells

Monoriki Island - set for the movie Castaway

Much has happened since last I posted. After almost two weeks in the marina at Point Vuda, we motor sailed over to Musket Cove where we enjoyed the Colonial style resort, with broad verandahs, a swimming pool and very few tourists. The food at the restaurant was ample and excellent. The majority of the clientele were local so we knew this was the place to be. A few weeks ago the government slashed the price of alcohol in an effort to equalize supply and demand and upscale hotels are offering accommodation at local prices. I'm sure we would not be offered the local prices if we booked into a hotel, but that's okay. We're happy to support the local economy and keep these places in business. The Musket Cove Regatta is in a few weeks and we'll be back for that.


Charismatic sunset in Musket Cove


Our next destination was Monoriki Island where the Tom Hanks movie, Castaway, was filmed. We had the island to ourselves which gave us a more authentic feeling than if there had been hoards of tourists. The anchorage is in a strait between two islands. It has poor holding 50 yards from the shore in 60 feet of water, not where we would want to spend the night. We swam over to that famous beach while keeping a sharp eye on Rapture in case she swung around in the tide. The tide line is covered with pumice pebbles probably washed here from the nearest active volcanoes in Tonga. Sadly, there was also lots of plastic on the shore that Chuck Noland could have used, also probably washed here.


View towards Monoriki Island and Rapture in the background

We moved on further North to Navadra in the Yasawa Islands group. Within five minutes of dropping hook in a lovely uninhabited cove, we were visited by a full size black-tip reef shark. First one, then three and eventually five sharks circled our boat for several hours. This is most unusual behavior for a reef shark. They were obviously looking for hand-outs. Perhaps the locals often come here to clean their catch or dive companies feed them to entertain their clients. Whatever, we were very reluctant to dive into the crystal clear waters. But it was hot and sticky and the sea looked delicious. They totally ignored us when we took a quick dip within reach of the swim ladder.


Navarda Island Beach


Navadra Island in the Yasawas


More wildlife revealed itself the next day. Late in the afternoon we went for a walk on the beach. In the coral of the tidal zone we found large purple seastars and baby moray eels.




Some of the marine life revealed at low tide - Navadra Island

Among the coco-palms at the top of the beach, I saw a weird shaped bird that I didn't recognize. I watched it until it perched and saw it flip upside-down. It was a fruit bat about a foot long with about an 18 inch wingspan. Greg approached to take a photo and suddenly the tree exploded in a flock of bats wheeling against the sinking sun.



Fruit Bats - Navadra Island


Our final stop before returning to the marina was Waya island in the Yasawas group. Again, we were the only boat and the Octopus resort where we anchored was closed. A pristine beach stretched around the bay. The few structures behind the trees seemed to be deserted so we dinghied over for a walk. As we heaved Velocirapture out of the water a man walked out of the bushes with two ripe papayas and helped us pull her up the beach. "Yes," he said handing over the papayas, "this was my land and my bay but you are welcome to anchor here and walk the beach." Such generosity is an inspiration especially now when the pandemic has made strangers suspect. We feel so fortunate to be here.


Comments
Rapture's Photos - Main
166 Photos
Created 16 March 2024
75 Photos
Created 26 January 2024
51 Photos
Created 6 December 2023
17 Photos
Created 17 August 2023
57 Photos
Created 20 July 2023
41 Photos
Created 24 May 2023
34 Photos
Created 2 May 2023
76 Photos
Created 6 April 2023
119 Photos
Created 26 February 2023
39 Photos
Created 28 January 2023
Nov 2022 to Jan 2023
20 Photos
Created 14 January 2023
68 Photos
Created 15 October 2022
81 Photos
Created 7 September 2022
146 Photos
Created 13 June 2022
21 Photos
Created 31 May 2022
16 Photos
Created 17 April 2022
21 Photos
Created 7 April 2022
74 Photos
Created 22 March 2022
32 Photos
Created 24 January 2022
61 Photos
Created 5 January 2022
80 Photos
Created 31 December 2021
26 Photos
Created 6 December 2021
89 Photos
Created 11 November 2021
7 Photos
Created 15 July 2021
187 Photos
Created 26 March 2021
80 Photos
Created 25 February 2021
8 Photos
Created 27 January 2021
8 Photos
Created 13 January 2021
66 Photos
Created 18 December 2020
39 Photos
Created 30 October 2020
29 Photos
Created 12 October 2020
15 Photos
Created 11 October 2020
54 Photos
Created 23 September 2020
18 Photos
Created 10 September 2020
56 Photos
Created 11 August 2020
40 Photos
Created 11 July 2020
11 Photos
Created 14 June 2020
6 Photos
Created 8 June 2020
21 Photos
Created 23 May 2020
12 Photos
Created 8 March 2020
33 Photos
Created 8 March 2020
57 Photos
Created 22 February 2020
58 Photos
Created 21 January 2020
19 Photos
Created 21 January 2020
34 Photos
Created 30 December 2019
Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora
83 Photos
Created 9 June 2019
14 Photos
Created 23 May 2019
15 Photos
Created 15 April 2019
7 Photos
Created 15 April 2019
2 Photos
Created 24 November 2018
50 Photos | 2 Sub-Albums
Created 30 May 2018
9 Photos
Created 8 August 2017
Photos of the boat, people and places in the Bay.
3 Photos
Created 24 June 2017
Memorial Weekend 2017 Greg, Susan, Mike and Toni Spicer, Nick Spycher
11 Photos
Created 23 June 2017
29 Photos
Created 21 May 2016
July 25 to August 15 San Franciso, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, Morro Bay, Cojo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara Island, Catalina.
15 Photos
Created 23 August 2015
The Food Saver vacuum sealer is a really useful device. The aluminum packs contain a 2 person serving. They just need to be defrosted and thrown in the oven - no prep work required. We could bake all 3 at once, or the crew that is sleeping can bake theirs when they wake up.
6 Photos
Created 24 June 2014
Memorial day cruise from San Fran down to Monterey, but we turned West at Santa Cruz for about 50 miles before tacking North for a direct beam reach back to San Fran.
12 Photos
Created 18 June 2014
The second overnight cruise. San Fran North West to Pt. Reyes, then south cutting east to Pillar Point and back to San Fran.
21 Photos
Created 18 June 2014
2 Photos
Created 6 May 2014

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Photo Albums
16 March 2024
166 Photos
26 January 2024
75 Photos