18 March 2020 | In Taravai
17 March 2020 | In Taravai
12 March 2020 | In Taravai
08 March 2020 | In Taravai
06 March 2020 | In Taravai
03 March 2020 | Taravai, Gambier
02 March 2020 | In Taravai
01 March 2020 | at the airport in Gambier
28 February 2020 | Ile Taravai , Gambier
21 February 2020 | Gambier
21 February 2020 | Gambier
01 February 2020 | Ile Taravai , Gambier
31 January 2020 | Ile Taravai , Gambier
La Paz and the plague of the million moorings
15 January 2024 | la Paz
Rolf
the last 20 years yachts have become the plague of the world. All hotspots , where everybody wants to be get over crowded. People install their own moorings and often it is next to impossible to find a good spot to
drop your anchor. We are in such a spot now. During hurricane Hillary in 2023, 48, forty eight !! yachts broke loose and ended up on the beach. Most of them did not have a human being on board. We just anchored
here 2 days ago and saw a floating jerry can next to us. Sure enough a yacht showed up and told us that he didn't mind having neighbors. That was very friendly , but we don't like to bump into other boats when the
wind and the tidal current go crazy here in La Paz. Its good to have a 100 meters distance between boats. The problem in the world is that every Tom Dick and Harry install a mooring for his boat. Local authorities
don't really check that they are strong enough in a storm. That's how the local government end up with wrecks on their beautiful beaches with bankrupt owners far away in another country. It might be ok to have a
mooring if you stay long enough , but you should remove it when you leave. This is very tricky to pull up a giant cement block etc . So people just abandon them , leaving a lot of dead moorings in the bay. You get your
anchor stuck on them and many more problems.
I guess the only solution would be that the government in charge regulates those moorings and or builds moorings themselves. That is not done very often . The risk of being sued if the mooring doesn't hold your yacht
is a real danger. Plus it take s money to build them , inspect them regularly and cash in the fee. So , nobody does it and in 50 years, when i am long gone , our grand children have a huge mess to deal with.
Not only the mooring mess but many other disasters we leave it up them them to find solutions
La Paz anchorage
13 January 2024 | La Paz
Rolf | Sunny 26C
we sailed the 7 miles before anybody else got up and got a beautiful sunrise with a pair of whales cruising North. At the entrance to this big bay is a sunken super yacht, with only her bow sticking out . A great place for
a pelican to sit on. Soon we were over taken by two American yachts motoring . Same old story.. why motoring if you can sail? What's the hurry , why burn diesel for no reason?
We anchored near the same spot from last year. Daniela will have to stay here while I fly to Switzerland to apply for that long stay visa that the Swiss need now for French Polynesia. Sometimes it would be better to
have a European passport. The Swiss never wanted to be part of it . Now they struggle with those special contracts they have with Brussels. And every time our very intelligent government negotiates a new and better
contract with them, the very bright Swiss parliament turns it down. And when our elected clowns decide something new for the Europeans , the smart people of Switzerland can easily kill it with a referendum. So
nothing changes with our European friends. As a result of our resourceful behavior with them , they make us get visas for French Polynesia , refrain from sharing research data and student exchange and and and
Switzerland is like that little village in Asterix that is NOT occupied by Europe. They all feel like they are Asterix and Obelix and beat up the nasty Romans.
I like La Paz. Its cruiser friendly. They have many bicycle highways and the people are very friendly...even the Gringos are ok here. The only negative side is : the La Paz Walz and bumpy ride on anchor when the tide
goes against the wind. But if it gets to uncomfortable for Daniela ,she sails the 7 miles back to False Bay and enjoys the sea birds and the whale sharks and a mostly flat calm anchorage.
False Bay , La Paz
10 January 2024 | San Evaristo
Rolf | 16 to 23C sunny
A pleasant and fast run downwind. Surprised to see no boats at all until we got got close to La Paz. Our conclusion was , that most Gringo boats stay in the many marinas. And when there is no wind they all motor to
the next marina or anchorage. We just pick the days with good wind and go. If the wind is no good , we sit tight and work on pearls or boat and Daniela walks a lot.
Happy to see a big whale jumping and a couple of black manta rays made quadruple summer salts in front of us . No fish .
What broke? Still a mysterious level change on the hydraulic reservoir and no visible leak. We are working on it.
The raw water pump on the stb engine is leaking Saltwater. Time to change the oil seals.
San Evaristo
07 January 2024 | San Evaristo
Rolf | 26C sunny
We sailed 4 miles across the channel and nothing broke...although we have to hit the engine starter motor to get it started . Lucky we have two engines. Its only 45 miles to La Paz and we should get decent wind on
Tuesday to do that. Its very peaceful at the Salinas anchorage . Watching the cute birds , the red eyed Grebe, the oystercatchers the pelicans and ospreys..etc its full of birds here and even a fisherman tried to sell
me a lobster for 30 US dollars...i said thank you..then they went down to 20$....muchas gracias. I am sure another gringo will pay the price
Punta Salinas, Isla San Jose
04 January 2024 | Punta Salinas, Isla San Jose
Rolf | Sunny 26C
easy sail with spectacular scenery . Rock formations in all colors. We rounded the lighthouse point with the pelicans sitting in the wind and then dolphins came to check us out. Its very calm and pretty here , only one
other boat and space for 50.
What broke : The port engine has trouble starting and a zipper on the captains seat cushions has been eaten by the sun. That's all and no fish.
Its amazing that other boats pass us by as they motor downwind in perfect sailing conditions...what's the rush? why waste diesel, why the stink? why not think one day about our only planet....just one day. Take a bike
, or walk or sail and show the others : it can be done...just one day. Try it!!
Punta San Telmo
02 January 2024 | Punta San Telmo
Rolf
First time in months we got some drizzle rain, That makes it 4 times we saw rain ever since we arrived a year ago. Not enough to properly wash down the boat. But a few rain bows and a pleasant conversation with my
daughter while we sailed with the help of Starlink makes for a good day. Nothing broke ...
The anchorage is a little roly but the scenery is spectacular. Tomorrow not much wind to sail , so we might stay a day or two. We still have 12 days to sail the remaining 80 miles to La Paz...