landfall in retrospect
13 May 2015 | 2,400 miles out of NZ
Scott
My original plan was to sail non-stop to Hawaii unless we had health or equipment problems. I was not interested in following the clipper route and the freezing encounters with full storms in the westerly's of the roaring forties. So I sailed Celestial along 35 south hoping to get 1,000 Nautical miles east and then turn north. Well the weather our fast boat worked the "Get East" plan so well that after sailing 2,400 miles in just 2 weeks we sighed landfall at the beautiful jade green Society Island of Raiatea. We had sailed too well and now the Island was beckoning to us as if it was the fabled Bali Hai. Next there ensued much discussion about the pros and cons of stopping for 2-3 days to get some rest, clean the bottom and dive on the reef. There was even some mention of fresh French baguettes. In the end the thought of all the paper work and money to clear in and out, along with our tight schedule to arrive in Hawaii won the day. So after fighting cold weather, storms, and a water sogged boat, we just took some pictures and turned our transom on the legendary tropical paradise that is French Polynesia. It would have been so much easer if we passed the islands without seeing them. Lesson learned Capt. Scott At 5/13/2015 10:31 (utc) our position was 14°23.91'S 150°19.24'W