Daily Logs

Anastasia - Islas Bayoneta

With an overcast sky, cloudy water and the 5 meter low tide exposing large areas of sand, the anchorages around the southern parts of Las Perlas islands have more of the feel of a UK estuary than a tropical island, aside from the temperature being 26 degrees.    At Isla Bayoneta we took the dinghy along to the southern beach, where there were lots of shells but no large cowries as advertised.  The swell was too much to land on the exposed west side of the island where the best shells were supposed to be.  1F7Andrea picked up an ice cream tub full of shells and then spent a happy hour back on Anastasia washing and sorting through them, occasionally shouting "another one thrown away" so we would know that she is being ruthless about which ones she keeps and. read more...

Jus'Do It 3 - Huahine

st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }Tuesday 6th MayIt’s a motorsail all through the night ,wind 6-7 knots from the NE. No moon so the sky a carpet of stars, a few black clouds and occasional showers. We arrive at Tarerea Pass, Huahine at about 7.30am , with the rest of the convoy ( who left from Moorea) just ahead – Tallulah Ruby, Blue Flier, Kasugi, Lady Kay and Nutella. We anchor up in the lagoon just inside the entrance to Maroe bay in 5m. The lagoon has lovely coral heads, clear water, colourful fish and rays. Breakfast aboard then Stewy and Avril drop Ian and Annie on the shore of the motu by an abandoned house. Murimahore Motu appears to be mostly privately owned;simple houses,many with jettys, dotted along the inside shore with long strips of land stretching from behind. read more...

Wind Dancer - LOG 8: Me Gusta Casco Viejo

A quick taxi ride from the marina is the hidden gem of Panama. The Old Quarter retains the history and tradition of the Panama of yesterday. There has been a push to restore the buildings and district to what it was. Now housing chic and colorful restaurants, apartments and boutiques, the area has a wonderful vibe and is great to spend the day and evening walking through the narrow streets admiring the architecture. Next it was off to the Mercado del Marisco to eat some local seafood. For a dollar (or Balboa, the local currency) you can buy a small cup of ceviche. They had about five different kinds, but we opted for one octopus (pulpo) and one squid (calamari). It was so fresh and full of flavor, we picked up some to share with some of our buddies on Ensemble and Glamourous Gallah.Our. read more...

Ariane - Mackay, Australien

Liebe Segelfreunde Seit einigen Tagen sind wir nun in Mackay, Australien. Alles erwartete Material war pünktlich eingetroffen, vor allem der Ersatz für unsere 6 Solarpanele. Leider ist das Wetter alles andere als angenehm für Arbeiten aussen am Schiff. Lausige 20 ° und immer wieder Regengüsse ziehen die Arbeiten in die Länge. Die alten verrosteten Panele sind bereits demontiert. Jetzt müssen die neuen bei trockenem Wetter aufgeklebt und angeschlossen werden. Wir hoffen, am Wochenende starten zu können, um nordwärts die Wärme wiederzufinden.  Natürlich haben wir auch schon einen Ausflug ins Hinterland unternommen und die Stadt Mackay besichtigt. Von Vanuatu aus gesehen sind wir hier wieder in einer ganz anderen Zivilisation. Gute Strassen, der übliche Luxusstandard,. read more...

Tucanon - Local man in outrider canoe Tanna, Vanuatu

In the morning before we left Port Resolution, Tanna to make passage to Port Vila, Efate, a man in an outrider canoe passed close to us and I asked if I might take a photograph. The man was quite willing. He was about to go fishing in his canoe which was very obviously made from a hollowed log with no varnish or paint to enhance its beauty.We noticed that although the villagers on Tanna are very poor, none of them looked as though they had insufficient to eat. However, obesity was not a problem here. 45% of the population, which is growing at 3% a year, is under 15 years. We saw only one person who looked older than 45, a woman who was present during the gift exchange ceremony but other WARC participants were advised that there are a number of elderly people in the village.We motored. read more...

Serendipity - Losing our virginity

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Cleone - in Tahiti Vol 2

Short Hop to Raiatea.We short hopped to Raiatea. Actually, we did not. As you remember, when I left you, we were motor-sailing towards Raitea to get there in time for the Pearl Regatta. Well, towards ten in the evening, a sailing breeze set in, and for the next 7 hours we managed to do some sailing, at times rather slowly. But the breeze died towards dawn, so on went the Yanmar again. However - what a surprise - an hour later the breeze was back, so no more need for the Yanmar until we approached the wide and well-marked entrance through the reef.On the way, the chit-chat on WARC's VHF net showed us that we were not going to be lonely - Asoloare, Talulah Ruby, Blue Flyer, and twins Storyteller and Southern Princess, were all headed our way for the same purpose. A couple of miles north of. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently in Mackay, Australia)

Monday, 26th July 2010 01.30hrs Scotty left the marina by taxi and headed to the train station and caught the train to Cairns, where he will be joined be "Itti Ollie" later in the week. Later he said the train was not a nice trip, and the train itself was dirty and smelly.Skipper was crashed out in bed at this stage, but did say his goodbye earlier. Scotty, was good company and very handy on the boat, he was also popular with the people on the trip. But all good things have to come to an end, and he has to go home to finish his building project. 07.30hrs Skipper jumped out of the bunk as there was a lot going on today. The mechanic, Mark, was to return and work on the generator. Chris, the electrician and electronic guy, was also to. read more...

Sapphire II - Day 26, Feb 2, Playita Marina

Another busy day (aren't they all?). Shore power is welcome but very variable. However, being able to load the grocery shopping from a fixed pontoon is very welcome. Gavin found a list of bottled water suppliers and we've ordered 1,000 bottles to be picked up tomorrow.Also tomorrow we expect a tech from the UK to come and fix the VHF and the PC, both of which have malfunctioned.So one busy day succeeds another. But hopefully all will be in order by Friday evening, and we can tour the city's sights over the weekend.. read more...

Cleone - ARRIVAL

Cleone arrived in Raiatea at half-past midnight GMT on 8 May 08. All well - off to the Pearl Regatta briefing soon Best wishes,James, Chris, Elixabeth and Will. read more...

Southern Cross - Samantha's Birthday Party

Hi Everyone! Today I had the privilege to attend Sam's birthday party. We sang happy birthday to the nine year old (photo)Happy birthday Sam!. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently in Mackay, Australia)

Sunday, 25th July 2010 God! we were very slow in getting up, but the galley and saloon were shining, not a crumb to be seen, Aileen must have spent hours cleaning up the place when we got back to the boat, great stuff. We, as in Skipper and Aileen, video skyped son Paul, his wife Christine, and our grandchildren Emily, Rachel, and Annabel, who are presently at Merry Meeting lake, New Hampshire, USA. Oh! modern technology is just fantastic! To be able to see the children a couple of thousand miles away in the space of a few seconds is mind boggling stuff, and almost free on WIFI at that.... 11.30hrs Aileen and Skipper got a taxi into Mackay and checked out the Mass times, great stuff, there is a Mass at 18.00hrs this afternoon, we broused around for a. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently in Mackay, Australia)

Saturday, 24th July 2010 07.00hrs We crawl out of the scratchers and already find Scotty is already up rooted to his laptop in the cockpit. We have a light breakfast and tackle the computer with blogs and emails. 09.00hrs Skipper and Aileen go to Josephine's, the hairdresser on the marina, for a hairy appointment. Skippers hair is so long at this stage that it could be platted easily, and Aileen needed a complete makeover.11.30hrs We were finished with the hairdresser, and really happy with what she did. Aileen looked 10 years younger and skipper was very neatly trimmed, looking dapper indeed, and then the hairdresser gave us a loan of her car for a few hours to visit the town of Mackay. She was rather expensive, but well worth the money and we were really happy,. read more...

Sapphire II - Days 23/24/25, Jan 30/31 & Feb 1

We've been at anchor off Playita Marina since arriving here. Conditions are uncomfortable with a big swell rolling the boat. There is also a lot of ferry boat traffic in and out of the marina which creates large crashing wakes against our hull, starting at 6 am.The Marina is quite small and the slips are mostly taken up with sport fishing boats. Apparently Panama has great sport fishing. The World ARC folks have made arrangements for 4-5 Rally boats to spend a couple of nights each in the marina. We are scheduled in Wed/Thur and Friday.Meanwhile provisioning proceeds space, although moving groceries and booze by tender and then transferring the multiple bags onto the deck of the heaving, rolling Sapphire is a pain. We are assuming that we may not have the opportunity to purchase normal. read more...

Talulah Ruby II - Log May 5th.

We all enjoyed the Tuamatos Islands, such light blue water and tall palm trees. Fantastic snorkeling on the reefs with Manta Rays and Black finned Sharks!!!Visiting the Black Pearl Farms on stilts in the Lagoons, where 2 of the crew dived to retrieve broken strings of Oysters. We have just spent a mad 5 days in Tahiti, capital of French Polynesia, what a culture shock.Shops,Bars and 4 lane roads, so have visited 2 small Islands on the way down to Bora Bora to chill out again. Next its on to join the Black Pearl Regatta, to race round 3 more Islands, don't thinkwe will win any prizes as can't afford to damage anything on the boat, plus the skippers twisted his knee and one of the crew has an infected reef cut. We have also said goodbye to Jose and Maria, and pick up 3 new crew from. read more...

Cleone - in Tahiti Vol 2

We've done Moorea, met our friends and moved on. The tour of Tahiti was a memorable and happy day, spent in the company of 120 of our WARC friends.  Three buses, 3 guides - one a native english speaker, educated in New Zealand - meant that it was a well-briefed tour, and we visited the main beauty spots of Tahiti.  These included the landing site of the Bounty mutineers, a famous blow-hole and a waterfall, lots of lush scenery and a delicious meal in a Chinese Restaurant, run, as you would expect for a Chinese Restaurant in French Polynesia, by a Brit.  He'd been shipwrecked in Tahiti in 1963 whilst circumnavigating in a yacht with four equally inexperienced friends.  He had - naturally - taken advantage of a now long recinded law which decreed that shipwrecked mariners were entitled to. read more...

Serendipity - The Pacific Ocean beckons

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Tucanon - Before and after, spot the difference

The crossing from Vanuatu to Queensland was a little like going back to northern Europe, as far as the weather is concerned We have been experiencing cloud, rain, squalls, strong winds with lumpy, moderate seas making it necessary for us to wear not just our wet-weather gear but also a middle layer as well as balaclavas. Day six, the sun shone and made us all feel so much better.One morning I had risen at 5.30 having woken quite naturally. When the sea is big and noisy, its not easy to sleep very well. Also, by the time one has donned all the clothes for the watch, it is almost 6am and time to go on duty. I had hardly managed to get to the flybridge and sit down to discuss the handover when WHOOSH! A huge wave broke over the flybridge and soaked us.We really do miss not using the. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily log 25.7. leg 11

Lady Ev.VI, daily log v.25.7. 2o1o Pazifik- Rückschau- ein Traum- SegelrevierLiebe Leser in Deutschland,Vor wenigen Tagen haben wir Mackay in Australien als Endziel im Pazifik erreicht. In der Ost- West-Ausdehung ist  dieser Ozean etwa doppelt so groß wie der Atlantik: ca. 16000 Km. Die Reise berührte folgende Regionen: Panama- Kanal, Ecuador, Galapagos-Archipel, Franz. Polynesien (Marquesas, Tuamotos, Tahiti, Bora-Bora) Cook- Islands, Niue, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu,Australien. Seglerisch haben wir viel erlebt: tropische Hitze, Flaute, Passatwinde, inzwischen kühlere Nächte,Starkwind, aber bisher kein Sturm. Unsere lady hat gut durchgehalten, alles funktioniert noch und wir schauen zuversichtlich in die Zukunft. Von den ursprünglich 28 gestarteten Schiffen sind noch 18 im Rennen. Bei. read more...

Lady Kay - leaving moorea

Hi allWe toured around the very large unspoilt bay in Moorea and landed the dingy as shown in photo. We were looking for pineapple sellers, but only found bananas on sale. We left Moorea just before sunset that evening and sailed overnight to arrive in Huahine early this morning. Weaving in through the pass and coral heads we are now anchored in a beautiful lagoon with four other ARC boats. This island is even less developed than Moorea and there are interesting archaelogical sites to explore as well as some beautiful snorkeling. We aim to spend a few days exploring this island before moving on.Cheers for nowM, J, R & Vmichael. read more...

Anastasia - Finally in the Las Perlas islands

8:29.50N 79:02.97W  Yesterday we set off for the Las Perlas islands.  These islands are only about 40 miles from Panama, so while our replacement Parasailor has not yet arrived we can go back to collect it when it does.  There was a good wind and we were cruising along at 10 knots when the strap connecting the genoa sheets to the sail broke.  We furled the sail, and returned to Panama to fix it (which was just a case of replacing the braid strap with some strong rope, but involved taking the sail down to tie it on).   Today we set off again for the Las Perlas islands.  This time it was a smooth sail across, marred only at the end by a couple of aborted attempts to sail Anastasia over reefs before we found the right route to the anchorage.  (No. read more...

Graptolite - Sleepy Sunday

17:35.04S 149:37.18W anchored outside Taina Marina, Pape'ete, Tahiti, SundayWe left downtown Pape'ete yesterday and sailed inside the reef to Taina Marina for fuel and provisions. We carelessly fell foul of the local Sunday trading hours and missed collecting some laundry and the morning food shopping window but we did get some diesel. Monday morning we will have another go and then we can leave for Moorea, Raitea etc. Until then we shall just have to bask on the deck or do a little snorkelling on the coral reef nearby.I know it's tough but somebody has to do it.M. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log, 21. July 2010, Mittwoch

Noch 34,7 sm bis zum Wegepunkt "Entrance to Hydrographers Passage"!Dieter, Joerg, Harald und Jochen erwarten den o.a. Wegepunkt gegen Mittag, nicht schlecht fuer einen Eintritt in eine Passage durch das Great Barriere Reef; so kann man wenigstens bei Tage die ersten Eindruecke sammeln und feststellen (hoffentlich!), dass alles kein Problem ist, die Passage breit genug ist, ausreichend befeuert und gut zu segeln ist! Schon mal geirrt! Wind dreht auf Sued, sagt der heutige Wetterbericht ueber KW der WARC, so dass in der Passage, die eine ausgepraegte Nord-Sued-Ausrichtung hat, motoren angesagt sein wird. Auch nicht schlecht!Der heutige Round-Call (made by Jochen) ergibt ein akzeptables Bild der Verteilung der Yachten: Die Schnellsten in der Racer-Division sind schon in der Passage, unser. read more...

Samsara - Panama's El Casco Viejo

Feb 1   We spent a lovely afternoon yesterday wandering around the old section of Panama City - the buildings and streets are so beautiful.  Many are in the process of being restored - but a number already have been restored and it's so nice to see the colors of the buildings with the bouganvilia flowers covering the many balconies.  Lots of wrought iron balconies and lots of mahogany doors.    There are a lot of chic restaurants and wine bars.....so we're heading back for dinner there tonight.   Lest you think it's all fun and games I did do 3 loads of laundry today (smallish loads for a home machine but large loads for my machine) and went to the grocery store to provision for Las Perlas and beyond.  We still need more food though.  Lee's comment. read more...

Glamorous Galah - Anchored by the canal

Anchored by the CanalThis photo shows our budgie dinghy with GG in the background. The pacific entrance to the panama canal is in the distance (photo)Thankfully my crew are recovering from their aliments, so we are taking the opportunity to explore and shop. Yesterday we purchased ukele, Malibu, beer, haircut, harmonica and other assorted stuff!Ted. read more...

Jus'Do It 3 - Papeete,Tahiti and Moorea

st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }Tuesday 29th AprilIt’s an overcast morning – we’re still motoring and arrive in Papeete harbour at mid-day. World Arc control are on the pontoons, some kind people throw us our “lazy lines”, and we’re all tied up, stern to, in no time at all. It looks as if almost all the Arc boats are here now and what a perfect venue, right in the centre of Papeete where we can walk on and off the boat. It’s quite a sight with all the boats dressed over all – and our huge England and Scotland flags! We bag up weeks worth of dirty laundry and hobble along the street with one huge red sack per couple like” Papa Noels” as Hose calls to us as we pass.  Then it’s into the first proper pub we’ve seen in quite a while.. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 127 - A hard day's day and night.....

23 July 2010 Shortly before 11pm on 21 July we crossed the finish line and brought all sail in as our new course to enter the Hydrographers Passage put us directly into the wind. With the Pacific now behind us, all we had to do was transit this 50nm long stretch of water and from there it was just another 70nm to reach our landfall of Mackay in Australia. It would be plain sailing, very straightforward, no problem at all. That was the theory at least. The reality however was very different. Now in shallow water, the seas had built up considerably in steady force six winds gusting seven and Voyageur was nearly laid over on one occasion in the beam on seas. David hand steered to the waves for our safety until within the entrance, as once in behind the reef the seas did flatten out. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 126 - Passage to Oz

21 July 2010Day FiveAt around midnight last night the wind died to nothing. It started drizzling then heavier rain. Skylark were just 5nm ahead of us. In spite of having very good and bright LED navigation lights we could not see them at all except for their blip on the radar. It was two hours before they reappeared from the gloom. At last we were out under the canopy of stars again but the wind did not really fill in until dawn. Today we have made slow painful progress in winds of ten to eleven knots. We will be struggling to reach Mackay by Thursday.Lunch - Cold meat salad/Sticky toffee pudding with crème fraiche. Dinner - Fish Curry / Sticky toffee pudding with crème fraiche.Day SixIt was back to the trades again today and the weather is perfect. Skylark have now forged on ahead but. read more...

Ensemble - Panama - Jungle, Indians and dug out canoes

Panama - Jungle, Indians and dug out canoes Greetings from yacht Ensemble!Yesterday we finally managed to go on the World ARC Indian village tour.  It was really good, with Magali particularly enjoying the ride in the traditional dug out canoe through the jungle (with the traditional 15hp outboard).  It was a bit cold for a swim in the waterfall – but the jungle itself was spectacular.  We then went to the village and were treated to a local version of fish and chips – served in a banana leaf.  There was then the required dance and shopping of traditional arts and crafts...This morning Magali left for her shopping trip to New York – with me ‘holding the fort’ and supervising the repair works over the next few days – and final. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (Presently in Mackay, Australia)

Friday, 23rd July 2010  08.00hrs Another late morning, but who cares, habbeeby. We are here in Australia, and it feels so good. Outside its blowing skittles, but for us its lovely and comforting to hear the wind whistling through the rigging and all the surrounding masts, plus all the flags fluttering away in the extreme breeze, and know that we are safely tied up to the marina. It is bloody freezing cold, but bright and sunny, with a saloon temperature of 17 degrees. Aileen and Scotty took off in the bus to Mackay town, while Skipper tended to the boat and all the bits that need to be done. The Marina has a terrace of workshops, which house all the different services, so this was the first port of call, as they say......... Skip, met Chris from the. read more...

BRIZO - Log Entry 1 Feb 2012

Since completing our transit of the Panama Canal on Sunday we have been at anchor near Panama City. The marina which the Rally boats were to have stayed at made some sort of scheduling error and consequently only a few boats at a time can be accommodated. We expect to move into the marina later today or tomorrow, at which time we have a couple of contractors scheduled to help with completing our INMARSAT antenna installation and rigging our spinnaker pole. We have taken two tours: first a tour of the city itself which was quite interesting; and yesterday we took an excursion to a remote Indian village in one of the national parks. Panama City has over 1.5 million people and is experiencing a construction boom as a result of the foreign investment in the Canal expansion. The country's GDP. read more...

Lady Kay - visits Mo'orea

Mon. 5th MayDay two anchored at the head of Opunohu Bay, the refreshing breeze and photogenic backdrop contrast the hustle of Papeete Port. Some sightseeing today then an overnight sail to Huahine should give the new crew a gentle introduction to Lady Kay.The bay was quite busy when we arrived with ARC boats and even a small cruise ship - there are now just a few boats enjoying the splendour of the mountains and the pristine coral reefs.We are now four again. Jackie's cousin Rob and his wife Virginia joined us in Tahiti and Jackie returned from her mother's funeral. Deborah and Steve have now left Tahiti for England. They are taking a relaxed journey back via Sidney. They were a superb help on the boat, for the leg to Tahiti.Michael, Jackie, Rob and Virginialkmonday. read more...

Southern Cross - Panama Update

.hmmessage P { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } BODY.hmmessage { FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt }Lots of fun and excitement in Panama aboard the Southern Cross.  Chris (Kathy's daughter), Doug and Loren joined the crew in Chichime in the San Blas Islands. And to Steve and Dave's relief, they arrived with Panamanian brew, Atlas.   We spent several days snorkeling in the crystal clear waters, enjoying freshly caught fish, and admiring the Kuna Indian's handicrafts.  Of course, Kathy and Chris could not resist the colorful molas.  We were due at Shelter Bay on the 23rd to prepare for our canal transit so we had a day to enjoy Portobello's historic forts and snorkeling/scuba diving.  Shelter Bay was a. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (Presently in Mackay, Australia)

Thursday, 22nd July 201008.00hrs Bang, the Customs are on the deck, and we are still in the scratchers. Like a shot out of a gun, we spring to life, and meet the guys and dolls, good looking dolls at that. The quarantine block, Rod, was very pleasant, and Aileen did most of the talking with him, while Skipper filled in all the paperwork for Customs and Immigration. The quarantine dept are very concerned that creepy crawlies, such as thermites and the like do not get into Australia, so Rod examined all the timberwork on the boat, including the timber souvenirs that Aileen and Scotty had purchased in other countries. He took up and examined all the floors, the doors, the seats, the hand rails, the tables, and so on...a through examination, plus he photographed everything as well. read more...

Kasuje - Kasuje log Sunday 4th May

Hi,Great news Kasuje is back in the water and we are now underway on our quest around the globe.She is looking great after completion of her 6 month major maintenance, and is now ready to take on the second half of the Pacific and the west coat of Australia. We just have a couple of maintenance issues to complete which should keep me busy and happy over the next few days whilst we make our way slowly north to the island of Raiatea to join in with the Tahiti Pearl Regatta for 5 days at the end of this week. The girls have settled in fine and are already enjoying the life style and certainly making me laugh. They are not so  enthusiastic on my jobs list though !!! (just want to swim and snorkel). I just have to teach them to sail before we take on the racing fleet in the Regatta and all. read more...

Andante of Mersey - Tahiti and Moorea

My apologies for recent lack of news from Andante-all due to boat maintenance and a hectic social routine.  Anyway after six days in Tahiti we have move 10miles west to Moorea for the weekend then back to Tahiti for clearance and final victualling.  Tahiti was better than expected because this time we were on the town quay, in the middle of everything!  Alcohol three times UK prices being the only restriction - you can spend £25 and still be stone cold sober.  Food is about twice the price. I had my first haircut for 4 months (£18).We did a coach tour round the island which took about 7 hours with a long stop for an excellant lunch, provided by the rally organisers.  After the beauty and tranquility of the virtually uninhabited Toumato atolls Tahiti was a change but we were. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (Presently at sea, between Vanuatu and Mackay, Australia)

Wednesday, 21st July 2010        Night 6  00.00hrs Distance traveled.................................920 n milesDistance to Great Barrier Reef................66 n milesWind ..................................................SE 26 knotsSea state............................................ Very bumpyWeather, ............................................Clear starry moonlight night 03.00hrs The wind, now going further behind us, has increased yet again to 30+ knots. The deck is covered with Boobie excrements. Having hitched a free ride, you would think they would respect the boats deck ... little beggers.  We are so excited. Here we are going to go through the Great Barrier reef. We used to hear about these places when we were at school,. read more...

Sapphire II - Day 22, Jan 29, Made it into the Pacific

Before describing the transit to the Pacific, mention must be made of the quiz night which was organized in the marina for the World ARC crews. Sapphire was represented by the formidable duo of Gavin and Miriam. After a mind-bending series of questions over the course of a couple of hours, our team emerged victorious, taking the top prize! We may not win on the water, but we're very competitive when the drinks are flowing.The passage to the Pacific on Sunday had a very relaxed, dream-like quality. There are 2 female pilots in the 300 or so pilots working for the Canal Authority. We were fortunate to have one of the two assigned to us, a delightful pilot who spoke perfect English and had a lovely personality. This was just as well, because the day was very hot and we spent a lot of it. read more...

Lady Kay - marae

Hi allSorry we haven't done a log for some time, but have been busy doing repairs, refueling, re-provisioning and all the other re-s. Most of the fleet, including us went for a round the island tour courtesy of Tahiti tourist office yesterday. Excellent free tour and wonderful free lunch. The picture on the front of the world arc website was taken by Michael (hence he is not in it) at this archaelogical site - a temple where they tatooed and ate humans until the missionaries put a stop to it. Our picture today is of one of the platforms where they performed sacrifices. The previous day we had a welcome party in the evening which included some particularly good Tahitian dancing - unfortunately didn't have a camera with me. Left Tahiti today and traveled across to the nearby island of. read more...

Crazy Horse - Arrival Mackay

Crazy Horse tied up safely on a mega dock pontoon in Mackay Marina close to2200 last night after what was probably the hardest day of the leg from PortVila! After entering the Hydrographers Passage early yesterday morning thewinds freshened out of the south east. The Hydrographers Passage is a saferoute through the Great Barrier Reef for vessels heading to Mackay. Hugebulk carriers use the route, and so there is no problem with navigating thechannel as it is extremely well lit, with large structures perched on unseenreefs guiding seafarers safely through the hidden dangers. On entry wechecked the MaxSea charting software and it appeared to be spot on with nooffset correction, and so it was with confidence that we started the 70 milejourney to safer waters off Mackay. The only problem was. read more...

Glamorous Galah - Panamanian canoes

Panamanian CanoesMade from large trees these canoes are the local Indians, living on the Chagres river, only mode of transport... Most now include a 25hp yammie on the stern! photo We have checked out Panama City which is an elaborate mix of old and new along with an exotic mix of races. Many came to work on the canal and made it their home. We plan to make it our home for the next few days before we head to the nearby las pearlas islands.Ted. read more...

Wind Dancer - BLOG 7: Wild Turkey Village of Flowers

A bus load of the World ARC crew headed out Saturday to take a tour of the Embera Village, located in the Chagres National Park.  We had a very nice narrated tour from a local guide named Daniel who was very informative on Panama's history, as well as the history of the different Indian groups within the region.  My favorite fact was how Panama received its name.  Daniel informed us that when Balboa came over to this new land in 1519 as requested by Spain to make a port on the Pacific, they encountered a group of Indians that called themselves "Panama" which was interpreted as: A Goodness of Fish and a Goodness of Butterflies.There was first a stop of the bus to the supermarket to get some ice to chill the water the tour was providing, then another quick stop at a local. read more...

Graptolite - Still Smiling

17:32.38S 149:34.16W Pape'ete Yacht Harbour, Tahiti, Saturday 3rd May AMAfter seeing a good number of Polynesian song and dance shows, some amateur as in Atuona and some very professional as at Rangiroa and three others here in Pape'ete, I think I can safely say that they are much more watchable than the Caribbean equivalent of limbo dancing, fire eating and steel drums. The combination of grass skirts being wiggled by smiling girls and sticks being shaken by scowling men provides a little something for everybody.It is unfortunate that the cost of being here in Paradise is so high. Most people are eating dinner at the food vans parked on the harbour front rather than taking the pain of restaurant prices. It is very good food though and relatively inexpensive but it lacks ambience and. read more...

Crazy Horse - Sundeer Challenge - Final Day

Yesterday at 0500 we had 147.3 nautical miles to the waypoint at the entrance to the Hydrographers Passage, which we reached at 0502 this morning. Light airs yesterday morning meant for some frustrating hours where not many miles were covered. A radio schedule with Ocean Jasper had been arranged for 1200 to discuss our options as neither yacht wanted to be the first to step down from the challenge by motoring. It had been agreed that the challenge should end at the waypoint, rather than the finish line in Mackay, as the prospect of keeping it up in such light airs was becoming somewhat daunting, especially for Jim who has a haul out booked for Thursday morning! During the radio net it was apparent that a few other boats were beginning to motor as light airs astern affected the remainder. read more...

Sapphire II - Days 18,19 &20, Jan 27/28 & 29, Change of Plans

We had a lively passage to Colon, the Caribbean entrance to the canal. Winds were gusting 45 kts and there was quite a sea running. All of which made threading our way through the shipping traffic either at anchor or under way resemble the dodgers at a fairground. It was a relief to get behind the shelter of the breakwater and then into the marina. Later on, we caught up with the crews who will transit with us. Nine yachts will go through together in three rafts of 3 yachts each.Next day Alex, Patricia and John went to Colon to do some provisioning of non-perishables. We ended up getting so much stuff that the taxi driver had to call a buddy to bring a pickup truck to transport it all back to the boat! Many hands made light work of stowing and then it was time to go to the bar. The. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World (presently at sea between Vanuatu and Mackay, Australia)

Tuesday, 20th July 2010      Night 5 00.00hrs The wind was still holding up nicely, even though the weather forecasters suggested it would get very light perhaps as low as 3/4 knots.......  that's non existent for us, and we are so determined to do this leg without using the engine. 00.30hrs The wind eventually went very slack, as predicted, down to 7 knots, so we sailed just with the blue spinnaker on its own and made 2.5/3 knots over ground with the current against us. At this stage,  Distance traveled...........................804 milesDistance to the Great Barrier Reef...189 miles 06.30hrs The wind had increased to 10 knots and we were making 5.10 knots, again, just with the spinnaker. It was another beautiful. read more...

Cleone - in Tahiti Vol 1

Tahiti buzzes; the rest of French Polynesia slumbers. Days pass quickly in harbour.  There is so much to do to the boat, and on this Rally, so many friends to catch up with.  The Skipper has spent considerable hours wrestling with old and new oil and his best mate the Yanmar and its Gearbox, followed by chasing around Papeete in order to get the Anchor Windlass dismantled.  This last follows a tale of woe.  Since we left the Marquesas, the crew - now with arms like Garth - have been hauling up the heavy anchor chain and anchor by hand.  The cause of this was neglect, which led to the main bearings of the windlass disintegrating.  Huge efforts by Rosie, Veronica North and EC Smith (the Lofrans agent in UK) enabled the spare parts to be FedExed in time for noble Steve Rodwell from Kasuje. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 125 - Passage to Oz - Day Three

19 July 2010A tough night for us last night. The wind was gusting up to 27knots creating a rough sea. Big rollers buffeted us with the occasional one finding its way into the cockpit. Feeling sorry for myself I sat huddled in the corner in fleece pants and fleece top and wrapped in a blanket to keep warm. I have had very little sleep and am still not feeling well. This is hard.....No announcement made on the listening watch again. After the end of the silence period Dick called up in his usual public spirited fashion. I replied along with Eowyn. Three boats out of 19 - a poor return I would have thought.....Day FourA super fast sailing day. Having cleared the reef we are now in the Coral Sea, within the South Pacific Ocean. And so as we approach the Great Barrier Reef that forms a. read more...

Wind Dancer - LOG 6: Pacific Ocean or Bust

The crossing of the Panama Canal can easily be said was a wonderful experience.  The process took about a day and a half total, which is not too bad if you consider what the boats are actually accomplishing by taking the short-cut rather than having to round the horn (though a trip to Ushuaia wouldn't be too bad).  Thursday afternoon, after a short Aussie Day Barbie celebration, the 11 boats for the second transit anchored out in the harbor before receiving the advisor for the evening's transit.  It all was pushed back a little later than planned but this did not damper any spirits as all were still excited for the experience.  Wind Dancer picked up another crew member for the evening and we had the pleasure of having Andrew Bishop of World ARC on board for the trip. read more...

Destiny - Delfine in der Antarktis

Heute ist Dienstag, 20. Juli, sechster Tag auf See von Vanuatu nach Mackay/Australien. Wer annimmt, dass es auf einer Seereise langweilig werden kann, der täuscht sich! Schon der Start in Port Vila am Donnerstag, 15. Juli, ist spektakulär. Vor der Startlinie herrscht ein turbulentes Treiben, die Flotte kreuzt hin und her, wartet ungeduldig auf den Startschuss, sogar eine Karambolage zwischen zwei Amels konnte nur knapp vermieden werden! Um Punkt zwölf gehts los, gute 1200 Seemeilen und acht bis neun Tage nur Wind und Wasser liegen vor uns, wir sind gespannt. Bei 15 Knoten Wind geht es gemächlich voran, sodass wir um halb fünf den Spinnaker setzen. Ein fürstliches Dinner: hervorragende Steaks von glücklichen Vanuatu-Rindern, Kartoffeln mit Sourcreme und frischer Salat wird von unserer. read more...

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