Daily Logs

Lexington - Caribbean 1500

Dear Friends and Family,Today is Monday 14th, we are now into our fourth/fifth day of our travels. The Lexington has kept us at a speed of 5.9 knots. We are now at 29.49 latitude and 70.37 longitude .The first three nights we had winds of 20 knots which made it perfect for our Gulf Stream passage. We left Thursday by 2:00 PM and by Friday morning we were entering the Gulf Stream. We were greeted by a pod of dolphins swimming in and out of the water. The waves were perhaps 20 feet high for about 11 hours, fun! . The mainsail and jib were adjusted constantly to make sure we utilize our wind to the maximum capacity. The weaves and the current indicated us that we had finished crossing the Gulf Stream by 6PM.Saturday was a day to repair and replace a few things damage during the GS crossing.. 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...

Maamalni - Leg 4 - #11 Maamalni?s crew expands skills level to include lawn care and swimming pool maintenance.

You never know what new challenge lies ahead and what dormant skill may become useful. We had managed to have a pleasant day of sailing when during the night we hear a “bang-bang” coming from somewhere in the boat. After a thorough inspection it is determined that the new dive tank given to us in the Galapagos is banging around in the swimstep… which must have water filling the compartment. So next morning we “Hove To” so as to keep the swell off the aft section of the boat. First, we must move the lawn that has grown unrestrained for the past 2 weeks. The grass is now nearly a foot long. It seems that any surface that is not treated to an anti-fouling paint attracts growth in these waters. So with the Michael Graves designed spatula in hand we mowed the lawn off the teak. read more...

Seaquest - Weblog 28-01-2012: Panamannen aan boord

Vrijdag 20 januari varen we het laatste stukje over de Atlantische Oceaan naar Shelter Bay Marina, Colon. De Caribische zee stapelt zich hier steeds meer op en dat maakt indruk. Maar nóg meer indruk maken alle vrachtschepen die hier samenkomen, allemaal net vóór of net ná een transit door het Panamakanaal. Wat voelen we ons nietig tussen al die zeereuzen!De marina ligt direct naast de jungle. De biodiversiteit in Panama is enorm, omdat het continent 'slechts' drie miljoen jaar jong is. We zien overal vlinders, groene bomen en planten in alle soorten en maten en (hoogtepuntje) een moeder en kind aap. En dan missen we nog al die andere mooie wezens die er schijnen te wonen. Leuk om te weten: Panama is en oud Indiaans woord voor 'overvloed aan vis en vlinders'.. read more...

Ensemble - Panama City - Repairs, Shopping and Panama Hats

Panama City - Repairs, Shopping and Panama HatsGreetings from yacht Ensemble.We had an early start, with the Rigger (Mike), Volvo (Gerardo) and Cummins (Jim) all showing up in the morning.  It's sort of like 'London buses'.  It was a relief that the support had finally shown up - and a bit ironic that they all showed up at once.  Everyone on the dock seemed to need some work done - so it was good business for all.We got the Volvo port engine charging problem sorted and are coming to service the Volvos next week.  The Marine Air air-conditioning guys seemed to isolate the problem and are ordering another board - and are coming to service the Cummins next week.  The rigger is coming on Monday with a machinist to make up a piece for the Z-spar mast where the Genaker. read more...

Crazy Horse - Sundeer Challenge - Day 6

Apologies to those who spotted my deliberate mistake of yesterdays blog title being the second Day 4, instead of Day 5 - a sure indication that we are settled into a routine, and one day is simply merging into the next! On board Crazy Horse we work standing watches of 4 hours; with three of us on board this means 4 hours on, 8 hours off, at the same time each day. My watch is the 4-8 morning and evening, and I am happily settled into the routine. I prefer this pattern to one with daily changing watch times, as do Bill and Matt. We all have our jobs and these dovetail nicely into the pattern. Some prefer variety in their watch system, but each to their own!By 0500 this morning we had taken 150 miles off the distance to our Hydrographer Passage waypoint. I say taken off the distance. read more...

A Lady - Sailing around the World ( Presently at sea between Vanuatu & Australia . Distance 1150 miles )

Monday, 19th JULY 2010         NIGHT 4  00.00hrs Progress was great as Aileen went on watch. No other yachts in sight. The wind was a solid 25/28 knots SE.   Distance traveled..........................................614 n.milesDistance to go to the Barrier Reef...................364 n.milesDistance traveled in last 24hrs........................214 n.miles 03.00hrs  Aileen went to the large bunk and took the moon with her, now we only had a sky full of twinkling stars. We have still a great breeze and magnificent night sailing.  09.00hrs RADIO  CALL ............  Crazy Horse & Ocean Jasper are still well ahead, even though the distance is reduced to approx 50 miles or so, that means we took back 10. read more...

BRIZO - Week at Shelter Bay

We arrived in Shelter Bay after making our way from Chichime Island with a stop overnight in Portobello.Lew returned to Cleveland for a few days of work. The girls and I remained in Shelter Bay to catch up on school work, complete a few projects on the boat and enjoy Panama! The girls especially enjoyed the pool at the marina!On Tuesday, we toured the Gatun Locks at the Panama Canal to get a preview of what we'd see when we transit. It was fascinating to see the Canal in action!On a couple of mornings we went on a walk through the rain forest to see the wildlife. We saw several types of birds, including a toucan, snakes and the beautiful Morpho butterfly, but no monkeys! We heard the Howler monkey but never got the chance to see it. On our last walk we saw a few different animals - a. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log, 14. June 2010

Liebe Mitsegler und Alle, die gerne mitlesen:Heute waren wir zum Einklarieren an der Queen´s Wharf von LAUTOKA um Customs, Immi und Gesundheit hinter uns zu bringen.Groeßter anzunehmender Fehler-Wir haben an der Pier von Queen ´s Wharf angelegt, hatten noch die Festmacher in der Hand, als ein Fiji im Blaumann, in seiner Pause beim Rauchen gestoert, an die Pier trat und uns sagte, dass, wenn die Festmacher die Pier beruehrten, dies zu einer Strafe von 800,--F-Dollar fuehren wuerde.Wir sollten auf keinen Fall anlegen, sondern noerdlich der s.o. Wharf kreisen oder besser ankern, mit dem Beiboot an der Innenseite der Qu. Wharf anlegen und dann mit allen Papieren (auch mit Wohnort und Postleitzahl der Crew!) zu den Autoritaeten gehen (Inder, sehr freundlich, aber bestehen auf Einhaltung der. read more...

Seaquest - Weblog 20-01-2012: Indianenverhalen

Maandagochtend vroeg, de ochtend na onze aankomst op de San Blas, worden we gewekt door Maren, die door de boot heen en weer rent en enthousiast roept: "Indianen! Ik zag Indianen! In een bootje!" Wij moeten even schakelen; waar zijn we ook al weer? O ja, de San Blas archipel, met haar bewoners: de Kuna Indianen. In Maren haar beleving zijn een paar stripfiguren tot leven gekomen.Een stukje achtergrondinformatie: San Blas is de naam voor een groep van 340 eilandjes langs de kust van Panama. De bewoners, de Kuna Indianen, gebruiken liever de naam Kuna Yala, in hun eigen taal. Hoewel de eilandengroep officieel bij Panama hoort, is Kuna Yala volledig autonoom en ieder eilandje heeft een eigen bestuur. Kokosnoten vormen de belangrijkste inkomstenbron. Het is dan ook officieel verboden. read more...

Kealoha 8 - CRUSING THE SOCITY ISLANDS

Apologies to all for the lack of reports in recent days - we have simply been having too much fun in the South Pacific! Rosie & Nick got engaged on Rosie’s Birthday - he even had a ring! (Been hidden away onboard since St Lucia apparently) – so followed a lovely evening champagne dinner and birthday/engagement cake  - image001  Diana & Rebecca arrived safely without delay and with their all important baggage , containing all sorts of boat goodies ( including new fleet 33 dome J ,and new fruit cake form David’s Mum, just in time as the last one was just been finished  and thus we set off  from Tahiti for what was planned to be some picture book cruising  -  skipping the WARC  rendezvous at the town quay .  image002image003 First Moorea to Opunohu Bay – much nicer then. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log, 2010/07/15

15. July 2010Um 1200 Uhr sind wir in der Bucht von Port Vila nach Westen, nach Australien gestartet. Wir hatten in Port Vila einige Reparaturen auszufuehren, die uns arg behinderten, die Vanuatu-Gruppe naeher kennen zu lernen.Wir hatten auf der Fahrt von Tanna nach Port Vila zuerst die Absicht, und uns auch so mit einigen anderen Schiffen abgesprochen,die Nacht in einer Bucht auf der dazwischen liegenden Insel Eromango zu verbringen. Die Australierin, die das Schulprojekt auf Tanna leitet, hatte uns gesagt, dass der Sohn des Dorf-Chefs dort uns eine Hoehle zeigen koenne, die noch Skelette der ersten Besucher dieser Inseln beinhalte. Darauf waren wir sehr gespannt, jedoch fiel unser Motor, den wir wegen des geringen Windes laufen ließen,ploetzlich auf etwa halbe Leistung bzw. 1200. read more...

Anastasia - Out at anchor

Living in a house you take it for granted that you get electricity whenever you need it.  On a yacht you have to make your own.  There are many ways of generating electricity - solar panels, windvanes, hydrovanes (things you can drag along behind the boat when sailing), alternators on the engines (like cars) - but for living aboard in comfort you are fairly dependent on having a good diesel generator.  So when you flick on the generator switch in the evening and nothing happens then it is a concern.  There is no electricity company that is going to restore the power in a couple of hours.   Our generator failed last night but we were lucky because the World ARC guys found a yacht services company this morning that could fix it.  It only took them an. read more...

Glamorous Galah - The Indian tattoos

We have made it to the Pacific Ocean!Transiting the Panama Canal was an amazing experience. For me it was quite poignant, my late father, Sydney, was born the year the canal was finished, 1914. An officer in the Royal Navy, he transitted it in 1944 aboard the aircraft carrier which I believe was HMS Arbiter.For Dave, Bernie and I it is the beginning of our journey home as we will be leaving the World ARC in Australia. For many other crews it is difficult, as they say goodbye to the Atlantic for almost 12 months.We have anchored a short taxi ride from Panama city which we plan to explore tomorrow.Today we joined fellow ralliers on a tour of a traditional Indian village on the Chagres river. It was a fun day and the picture (photo) shows Bernie, Karson from Winddancer and myself with. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log, 19. July 2010

Lady Ev. VI, besetzt mit Skipper Dieter, Crew Harald, Jochen und Joerg befindet sich auf dem Weg von Port Vila nach Australien, genauer: Port Mackay und ist noch 298,5 sm vom Wegepunkt "Einsteuerung in die Hydrographers Passage" entfernt.Die Angaben unserer anderen Segler der World ARC, die wir taeglich um 0900Uhr per Kurzwelle im Round Call empfangen, verwirren uns eher als dass sie ein realistisches Bild unserer raeumlichen Verteilung auf diesem Wege aufzeichnen: Immer wieder haben wir das bestimmte Gefuehl, dass unsere Mitbewerber sich bei den Positionen irren, die sie durchgeben, sei es, dass nachweisbar langsame Boote ploetzlich nach ihren Angaben ganz vorne liegen, sei es,dass Boote, die wir in geringer Entfernung sehen koennen, nach ihren Angaben weit entfernt ihre bahn ziehen.. read more...

Jus'Do It 3 - nearly 3 weeks log!

st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }Thursday 10th AprilAfter a slow start yesterday we swim off the back of the boat, then go for a lovely lunch ashore before waving our fond farewells to Mr and Mrs Haggarty – Mrs Haggarty looking particularly swell in the Panama hat being sent home for Tommy. Early night for all.We’re up early this morning refreshed. The boat gets a good clean – Ian on the stern , Annie down below , and Stewy repairing the bilge pump – at one point getting stuck under the table ; he (covered in suntan lotion) slides between the table and the seat, and has a heck of a sprachle trying to get back out, not helped by Annie’s hysterical laughter!After we’re finished we’re all getting showered and planning the day when, around mid-day, Annie gets a. read more...

Cleone - En Route to Tahiti

We've arrived, but ........ We arrived in Papeete at 2015 GMT/UTC. It was, in the end, a good trip to Tahiti, but we endured everything from flat calm to a small storm! After nearly a day of motor-sailing, it all changed.  Before we set off from Fakarava, some instinct made the skipper beast the crew into deflating and stowing the dinghy (never a nice task, particuarly when the dinghy is wet) before we set sail, and also made him top-up the fuel tank, which he'd forgotten to do in the calm of the lagoon.  The wind got up yesterday, and soon we were bowling along merrily under full sail.  As we went, we were keeping an eye on the line of little squalls coming in from the north.  Harmonie's all-seeing radar could spot these, and she would tell us when one was headed our way.  These. read more...

Samsara - Thru the Canal - but only 1 Croc!

Jan 28We are in the Pacific now - finished our transit of the Canal yesterday around 3pm. We were all very tired as the first part of the transit on Jan 26 was delayed several hours and we didn't drop anchor and bid our advisor goodnight and go to sleep until 2am. The next morning our second advisor was delivered at 7am or so - and we started motoring through Gatun Lake to the Pacific side to lock down. The lake was really churned up due to the dredging for the new larger locks (they are working 24/7 to finish the larger locks) and so the crocodiles have moved away at least temporarily to clearer water. So we only saw one croc swimming along the banks of the lake.So we dropped anchor at about 5pm last night at La Playita and this morning we set off for a tour of one of the local Indian. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 124 - What is Andrew up to?

17 July 2010As net controller on Crazy Horse, Andrew decided to ask for our engine hours on a daily basis. Normally we give them on our arrival on the leg declaration. He describes it as an experiment! Then last night after the listening watch at 9pm he announced two messages. The first, to sail within one nautical mile of the first waypoint to clear the D'Entredecasteaux reef at the top of the New Caledonia group of islands. We jibed and headed north to do just that and this morning we jibed again to put us on a rhumb line course with that waypoint. Most of the rally yachts are well to the south. We clawed our way to the waypoint and arrived there at 15.35pm with a XTE (cross track error) of 0.347nm. Kalliope and Ciao who we could see in the far distance also achieved the waypoint as. read more...

Crazy Horse - Sundeer Challenge - Day 5

Two hundred and thirteen miles 0500 to 0500, 297 miles to the Hydrographers Passage, and all's well on board Crazy Horse. Yesterday was a little lumpy, but Crazy Horse carried us through the confused seas with ease. Winds increased but our sail plan was perfect; during the night we did slip well south of the rhumb line as we stayed high on course to maintain speed and balance in the confused seas and lightening winds. By dawn the wind was more from the east than we had seen it, and with it forecast to go back to south east later in the day now was a perfect time to gybe and make our way back towards the rhumb line - some 13 miles distant to the north. Our prey (Ocean Jasper) was ahead and south - some 19 miles distant and off the radar, and so tactically we chose to sneak in a gybe to. read more...

Southern Cross - Flamenco Marina

Hi EveryoneWe are establishing the blog email/update/information site. If you don't have a problem reading our blog, you have just become our designated driver. We can not send photos, however, Chris will update photos when we let her. DavidPS This does not represent the views of the entire crew, only me. I'm Just Diff'rent.. read more...

Graptolite - New Crew Sighted

17:32.38S 149:34.16W Pape'ete Yacht Harbour, TahitiColin took all day seeing Belinda off at the airport. I took the rare opportunity of being on the boat by myself to put equipment back into the places where I tend to look for them.New crewperson, Jean Collins from Australia, arrived in Tahiti this evening and was waved at on her hotel balcony overlooking the harbour. We are meeting up for the first time for breakfast in the morning. As a type of dating, crewing and getting crew this way is a bit on the extreme side. Not only do you have to travel big distances from home to have that first shy awkward moment but you are then committed to living together in some squalor for some time thereafter. Now how on earth am I going create a good first impression over breakfast?M. read more...

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

SUNDAY  18th   JULY   2010       Night 3 00.00hrs   John's watch.....We have sailed without motoring 401 miles since we left Port Vila last Thursday at midday,                and we sailed 106  of those miles in the last 12 hours,  thats good going for us. 03.00hrs,  Aileens watch.....Another beautifull starrey night, the wind is 30 knots on the beam and we are scooting along towards the Great barrier Reef in great style,   06.00hrs   Skippers watch.....  Its such a joy to watch the dawn break, and so many people never witness it at all, I remember when we were teenagers, my. read more...

Ensemble - Panama City

Panama City Greetings from yacht Ensemble.We spent Australia Day on a day tour of Panama City, including the old town, the old old town, and the biggest shopping centre in America (guess which one Magali really liked!)When we got back (after a successful shopping adventure) we moved the boat into a berth at the marina (the advantage of being a catamaran with a very shallow draft).  A quiet night with dinner at the local pizza place.Got up early this morning to refuel Ensemble (first time since St Lucia).  We also booked appointments with the Rigger (Mike) and Volvo to do work on the boat tomorrow.Plan is for dinner and drinks with Gumvor tonight.CheersDave IMG_3734. read more...

Cleone - En Route to Tahiti

We are nearly half-way to Tahiti.The sun is up, and if there were any about, no doubt the birds would be singing.  And on this subject, we did notice that the Tuamotus and, especially, the Marquesian cocks start crowing at mid-night and go on till daylight.  Has no one told them to wait until dawn?  But I digress.  Harmonie is in sight; she has her sails up, but she'll also be motoring; there is precious little wind at the moment.We left Fakarava via the South Pass.  There was a big tide running out through it, and the waters were turbulent.  The channel is deep but narrow, and well marked.  At one point we were in as little as four metres of water, but there was no time to wonder whether we had got it right - we were quickly swept into the centre of the current, the leading marks swung. read more...

Cleone - About to leave Fakarava

It's seven thirty, and we are about to leave Fakarava. We spent the night just by the tiny village guarding the South Entrance.  Amazingy, this used to be the capital of the Tuamatos.  Now it has but two families, a pension with a wonderful view, a plain church with a pretty altar piece, a dive shop, a lot of abandoned buildings, no electricity but a solar-powered mobile phone mast giving a wonderful connection as Norfy found when he phoned home this morning.  And as we discovered when we arrived yesterday afternoon, it has wonderful snorkelling in the Pass, where you can drift with the current down the edge of the passage along the coral garden.  And whilst you do this, there is a myriad of fish to marvel at of every colour, shape and size.  To cap it all, three-foot sharks swim lazily. read more...

Lady Ev.VI - Daily Log Lady Ev. VI, 2010/07/15

15. July 2010Um 1200 Uhr sind wir in der Bucht von Port Vila nach Westen, nach Australien gestartet.Wir hatten in Port Vila einige Reparaturen auszufuehren, die uns arg behinderten, die Vanuatu-Gruppe naeher kennen zu lernen.Wir hatten auf der Fahrt von Tanna nach Pport Vila zuerst die Absicht, und uns auch so mit einigen anderen Schiffen abgesprochen,die Nacht in einer Bucht auf der dazwischen liegenden Insel Eromango zu verbringen. Die Australierin, die das Schulprojekt auf Tanna leitet, hatte uns gesagt, dass der Sohn des Dorf-Chefs dort uns eine Hoehle zeigen koenne, die noch Skelette der ersten Besucher dieser Inseln beinhalte.Darauf waren wir sehr gespannt, jedoch fiel unser Motor, den wir wegen des geringen Windes laufen ließen,ploetzlich auf etwa halbe Leistung bzw. 1200. read more...

Sapphire II - Fwd: Days 15, 16 & 17, 24/25/26 Jan, Leaving San Blas Islands

We are due in Shelter Bay marina, at the entrance to the Panama canal on the 26 th. The passage is about 70 miles, so we decided to break it up by stopping off in Portobello, some 50 miles distant. Leaving the beautiful, unspoilt San Blas islands and the charming Kuna inhabitants was not easy. In fact, it appears that many cruisers stay in the islands for extended periods, and why not. The crystal clear waters, waving palm trees and gorgeous white beaches make this area a true, tropical paradise. The World ARC folks did a great job bringing us here and giving us the time we needed to savoir the various anchorages.As we neared Portobello we caught up with "Beatoo". They decided to follow us into the bay and stay the night. The crew of four came over to Sapphire for drinks and stayed for a. read more...

Sapphire II - Days 13 & 14, 22/23 Jan, Another Blur

The 6 am flight to Panama City left me wondering, when it failed to make its appearance in Corazon. Hmmm. Was that because it was Sunday? No, not really. It arrived at 8:30 am and we left for the 30 minute flight over the mountains to the big city.And what a city! Skyscrapers and Freeways to rival Miami and great Pacific views. All arrangements went without a hitch: hotel/ plane arrivals/ taxis and Sapphire shopping. Even got to watch the NY Giants beat San Fran 49 er's in a nail- biter. Not quite the same though with commentary in Spanish. Now I'll have to work out how to watch the Superbowl on Feb 5 th! May have to stay in Panama City after the rest of the boats leave for Las Perlas islands.On Monday the same experience with AirPanama. The 6am flight to Corazon left at 840am. But the. read more...

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