MESSAGE 6 MAY 16
LATITUDE 32 DEGREES 21 MINUTES SOUTH: LONGITUDE 149 DEGREES 30 MINUTES WEST MATAURA, TUBUAI
BONJOUR,
WE MADE IT!! DROPPED ANCHOR IN THIS LOVELY HARBOR IN FRONT OF THE SMALL TOWN MATAURA ON THE ISLAND OF TUBUAI AT 2130 HRS. (NEW ZEALAND
TIME) MAY 14 (TUBUAI DATE). IT TOOK US 18 DAYS 8 HOURS TO COMPLETE THE TRIP.
FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS AT SEA WE HAD VERY LIGHT WINDS RESULTING IN MOTORING VERY SLOWLY TO CONSERVE FUEL FOR ABOUT 30 HOURS. THE LAST DAY WE WERE ABLE TO FLY THE SPINNAKER IN 5-8 KNOTS OF WIND DOING 4-5 KNOTS OF SPEED.
WE ARRIVE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR AFTER DARK AND MADE THE DECISION TO ENTER INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR DAYLIGHT. THE ENTRANCE IS EXTREMELY WELL LIGHTED WITH FLASHING GREEN AND RED MARKERS ALONG THE ROUTE AND WE HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING TO THIS ANCHORAGE.
WE CELEBRATED OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH COCKTAILS, WINE AND A LATE DINNER OF BUTTERED CHICKEN.
TUBIA IS ONE OF SEVEN ISLANDS FIVE OF WHICH ARE INHABITED IN HE AUSTRAL ISLANDS WHICH ARE A PART OF FRENCH POLYNESIA. IT IS A HIGH VOLCANIC ISLAND ABOUT 5 MILES LONG AND 3 MILES WIDE AND IS SURROUNDED BY A BARRIER REEF MEASURING 9 MILES BY 6 MILES. IT HAS A POPULATION OF ABOUT 2000 AND HAS 6 SMALL TOWNS/VILLAGES THE PRINCIPLE ONE BEING MATAURA. THE TOWN HAS A COUPLE OF GROCERY STORES, ONE GAS STATION, BANK, POST OFFICE AND A RESTAURANT.
CAPTAIN COOK DISCOVERED THIS ISLAND IN 1777. IN 1789 THE MUTINEERS FROM THE HMS BOUNTY LANDED HERE AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SETTLEMENT.
THE LOCALS REJECTED THIS INVASION AND VIOLENCE BROKE OUT RESULTING IN
66 NATIVES BEING KILLED. THE MUTINEERS EVENTUALLY LEFT TUBUAI AND ENDED UP SETTLING ON PITCAIRN ISLAND 1060 MILES TO THE EAST.
ON OUR FIRST DAY HERE DAN CHECKED US IN WITH THE LOCAL GENDARMES, AFTER WHICH WE DID A LITTLE GROCERY SHOPPING AND EXPERIENCED STICKER SHOCK. EXAMPLE: $12.00 U.S. FOR A FEW LEAVES OF LETTUCE! LATER WE JERRY CANNED ABOUT 40 GALLONS OF DIESEL FUEL FROM THE GAS STATION TO THE BOAT.
OUR PLANS ARE TO STAY HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND WHEN WE HAVE A FAVORABLE WEATHER WINDOW, HEAD TO PAPEETE, TAHITI ABOUT 350 MILES DUE NORTH.
TILL NEXT TIME TAKE CARE
TED
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Captain's Log Stardate May 15, 2008
We made landfall tonight (May 14th) at 830. After threading our way into the harbor at Tubuai at night, we had a cocktail and are congratulating each other on the trip.
Cheers,
Caprice and great crew,
Cheers,
Caprice and great crew,
Captain's Log Stardate May 14, 2008
Exotic Islands of the South Pacific: Tubuai, Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Minihi, Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva. Most of these islands many of us have never heard of. Or they were just names in novels or a movie. Most of us have never dreamed we would actually visit, let alone on our own sailboat. But dreams change and suddenly we realized that this adventure of a lifetime could actually happen. Here we are, about 3 days southwest of a small island in the South Pacific. Tubuai, in the Australes, is our first stop mainly because it is the southern most island on our approach to Tahiti. The Australes are a group of islands spreading over 800 miles across the Tropic of Capricorn. It includes the islands of Maria, Rimatora, Rurutu, Tubuai and Raivavae. The islands are high, volcanic islands, surrounded by fringing coral reefs close to the islands. They are part of French Polynesia and are more humid than Tahiti. The islands are fertile and support coffee and orange plantations. The history of the Austales show that they once supported warlike villages, but the population was decimated by disease. Tubuai once violently rejected the HMS Bounty’s mutineers.
We have been at sea for 15 days after leaving Bay of Islands, New Zealand. We have experienced everything from almost calm seas to 47 knot winds and 15 foot seas. However, sailing in our Seawind 1160 has been a dream. We can average about 6 to 7 knots in a 12 knot beam reach. Our fastest day on this leg of our journey was 178 nautical miles, where we sailed all day and night with spinnaker. Our average distance is 125 miles per day. The comfort supplied by the 38’ catamaran "Caprice" is marvelous. We can cook, shower and read comfortably on the level without having to hang on . We celebrated our half-way point with our cook, Admiral Carol", supplying the chef’s skills to a tee by fixing filet mignon. With "boat made" ice cream dessert We have been enjoying the mahi mahi which we caught a few days ago. Our crew consists of Dan and Carol Seifers, owners, , and able bodied crew of Tom Hanson and Ted Stuart. We have been relatively free of equipment failures outside of replacing chafed lines and a few broken blocks. Our Spectra watermaker still makes water, but I had to disable a feature which diverts water overboard if the salinity is too, high. I hope to get this fixed in Tahiti.
I have always advocated that ocean crossings are not "fun", but adventues that makes one glad to have accomplished. Sort of like, " I am glad I done it, but not sure I would do it again". This trip is different. I think everyone on board is truly enjoying this crossing. In fact Ted lamented today when we were talking about making land fall in a few days. He said, "Life is beautiful, it can’t get any better than this. I don’t want to land yet". This is on a sunny day where the temperature is about 85 degrees, winds are 12 knots from the northeast and we are on a rhumb line headed for Tubuai. Life is good!!
After a few days in Tubuai to stock up on vegetables, fruits, bread (although we have been making our own bread), and some fuel, we will take the hop up to Tahiti 350 miles to the North about May 20. After a few days in Papeete, we want to visit the Society Islands of Moorea, Raiatea and Bora Bora before heading North to the Tuamoto Islands.
Cheers for now.
Caprice and crew.
We have been at sea for 15 days after leaving Bay of Islands, New Zealand. We have experienced everything from almost calm seas to 47 knot winds and 15 foot seas. However, sailing in our Seawind 1160 has been a dream. We can average about 6 to 7 knots in a 12 knot beam reach. Our fastest day on this leg of our journey was 178 nautical miles, where we sailed all day and night with spinnaker. Our average distance is 125 miles per day. The comfort supplied by the 38’ catamaran "Caprice" is marvelous. We can cook, shower and read comfortably on the level without having to hang on . We celebrated our half-way point with our cook, Admiral Carol", supplying the chef’s skills to a tee by fixing filet mignon. With "boat made" ice cream dessert We have been enjoying the mahi mahi which we caught a few days ago. Our crew consists of Dan and Carol Seifers, owners, , and able bodied crew of Tom Hanson and Ted Stuart. We have been relatively free of equipment failures outside of replacing chafed lines and a few broken blocks. Our Spectra watermaker still makes water, but I had to disable a feature which diverts water overboard if the salinity is too, high. I hope to get this fixed in Tahiti.
I have always advocated that ocean crossings are not "fun", but adventues that makes one glad to have accomplished. Sort of like, " I am glad I done it, but not sure I would do it again". This trip is different. I think everyone on board is truly enjoying this crossing. In fact Ted lamented today when we were talking about making land fall in a few days. He said, "Life is beautiful, it can’t get any better than this. I don’t want to land yet". This is on a sunny day where the temperature is about 85 degrees, winds are 12 knots from the northeast and we are on a rhumb line headed for Tubuai. Life is good!!
After a few days in Tubuai to stock up on vegetables, fruits, bread (although we have been making our own bread), and some fuel, we will take the hop up to Tahiti 350 miles to the North about May 20. After a few days in Papeete, we want to visit the Society Islands of Moorea, Raiatea and Bora Bora before heading North to the Tuamoto Islands.
Cheers for now.
Caprice and crew.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Ted's Log Stardate May 11, 2008
MESSAGE 5: DAY 15, LATITUDE 24 DEGREES SOUTH, LONGITUDE 156 DEGREES WEST
HI ALL
WE ARE JUST A FEW DAYS FROM LANDFALL. SO FAR WE HAVE HAD VERY FAVORABLE WINDS FOR THE MOST PART. HOWEVER, WE DO HIT ONE OR MORE SQUALLS EACH DAY. THEY COME ON FAST AND RESULT IN MIXED WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS.
OUR ORIGINAL PLAN FOR THIS TRIP WAS TO SAIL DIRECTLY EAST IN THE AREA WHERE THE WINDS USUALLY COME FROM THE WEST AND BELOW THE TRADE WINDS WHICH ARE FROM THE EAST. WE WOULD CONTINUE IN THIS DIRECTION UNTIL REACHING THE LONGITUDE (SOUTH) OF OUR PLANNED DESTINATION AND THEN TURN NORTH IN THE TRADE WINDS (OUR DESTINATION IS NORTHEAST OF OUR START POINT). HOWEVER, DURING THIS TRIP THE TRADE WINDS HAVE REMAINED FURTHER NORTH THEN USUAL AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAIL IN A MORE DIRECT NORTHEASTERLY COURSE, SAVING A MANY MILES.
WE HAVE BEEN AVERAGING ABOUT 125 MILES A DAY ON OUR COURSE. AS WE DON'T SAIL IN A STRAIGHT LINE WE ACTUALLY SAIL MORE MILES IN DAY. WE HAVE SAILED OVER 160 MILES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD ON 4 OCCASIONS.
CAPRICE CAN REALLY SCOOT UNDER CERTAIN WIND AND WAVE CONDITIONS.
YESTERDAY WE WERE BROAD REACHING (WINDS PERPENDICULAR TO THE BOAT) WITH 10 T0 12 KNOT WINDS AND DOING 6-8 KNOTS.
SO FAR WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BOAT, A FEW BROKEN BLOCKS (PULLEYS), HAD TO REPLACE SOME FRAYED LINES, AND UNTANGLED SOME HALYARDS AND REEFING LINES. TODAY THE WATER MAKER WENT DOWN, HOWEVER DAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO GETTING IT WORKING AGAIN.
IN DESCRIBING CAPRICE IN MY LAST MESSAGE, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT SHE IS 21.5 FEET WIDE AND CARRIES THIS WIDTH FROM BOW TO STERN.
FISHERMAN DAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO CATCH FISH SINCE WE LEFT NEW ZEALAND. FOUR DAYS AGO HE HOOKED A MARLIN WITH HIS $100 LURE. THE FISH DID A FEW TAIL-WALKS AND BROKE THE LINE. LAST SEEN THE MARLIN WAS TAIL-WALKING WITH DAN'S $100 LURE IN ITS MOUTH. DAN CONTINUED HIS QUEST AND TWO DAYS LATER HOOKED AND LANDED A 40 INCH, 30 POUND DORADO/ MAHI MAHI WITH A LURE GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS FRIEND ROY HENRICSON. CAROL FIXED THE FISH FOR DINNERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS - BAKED WITH AN ASIAN SAUCE, BEER BATTERED, AND SMOKED. EXCELLENT!
HOPEFULLY MY NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE AFTER LANDFALL
TILL THEN, TAKE CARE
HI ALL
WE ARE JUST A FEW DAYS FROM LANDFALL. SO FAR WE HAVE HAD VERY FAVORABLE WINDS FOR THE MOST PART. HOWEVER, WE DO HIT ONE OR MORE SQUALLS EACH DAY. THEY COME ON FAST AND RESULT IN MIXED WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS.
OUR ORIGINAL PLAN FOR THIS TRIP WAS TO SAIL DIRECTLY EAST IN THE AREA WHERE THE WINDS USUALLY COME FROM THE WEST AND BELOW THE TRADE WINDS WHICH ARE FROM THE EAST. WE WOULD CONTINUE IN THIS DIRECTION UNTIL REACHING THE LONGITUDE (SOUTH) OF OUR PLANNED DESTINATION AND THEN TURN NORTH IN THE TRADE WINDS (OUR DESTINATION IS NORTHEAST OF OUR START POINT). HOWEVER, DURING THIS TRIP THE TRADE WINDS HAVE REMAINED FURTHER NORTH THEN USUAL AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAIL IN A MORE DIRECT NORTHEASTERLY COURSE, SAVING A MANY MILES.
WE HAVE BEEN AVERAGING ABOUT 125 MILES A DAY ON OUR COURSE. AS WE DON'T SAIL IN A STRAIGHT LINE WE ACTUALLY SAIL MORE MILES IN DAY. WE HAVE SAILED OVER 160 MILES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD ON 4 OCCASIONS.
CAPRICE CAN REALLY SCOOT UNDER CERTAIN WIND AND WAVE CONDITIONS.
YESTERDAY WE WERE BROAD REACHING (WINDS PERPENDICULAR TO THE BOAT) WITH 10 T0 12 KNOT WINDS AND DOING 6-8 KNOTS.
SO FAR WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BOAT, A FEW BROKEN BLOCKS (PULLEYS), HAD TO REPLACE SOME FRAYED LINES, AND UNTANGLED SOME HALYARDS AND REEFING LINES. TODAY THE WATER MAKER WENT DOWN, HOWEVER DAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO GETTING IT WORKING AGAIN.
IN DESCRIBING CAPRICE IN MY LAST MESSAGE, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT SHE IS 21.5 FEET WIDE AND CARRIES THIS WIDTH FROM BOW TO STERN.
FISHERMAN DAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO CATCH FISH SINCE WE LEFT NEW ZEALAND. FOUR DAYS AGO HE HOOKED A MARLIN WITH HIS $100 LURE. THE FISH DID A FEW TAIL-WALKS AND BROKE THE LINE. LAST SEEN THE MARLIN WAS TAIL-WALKING WITH DAN'S $100 LURE IN ITS MOUTH. DAN CONTINUED HIS QUEST AND TWO DAYS LATER HOOKED AND LANDED A 40 INCH, 30 POUND DORADO/ MAHI MAHI WITH A LURE GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS FRIEND ROY HENRICSON. CAROL FIXED THE FISH FOR DINNERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS - BAKED WITH AN ASIAN SAUCE, BEER BATTERED, AND SMOKED. EXCELLENT!
HOPEFULLY MY NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE AFTER LANDFALL
TILL THEN, TAKE CARE
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