Bora Bora to Niue

Echo crossed 1100 nautical miles of deep blue sea to arrive in her current port of call, Niue. Again, the voyage was refreshing and relaxing, a chance to escape from it all, a chance to drop off the face of the earth for 11 days and enjoy simply being at sea. Sailing, for me, is like many things in life. Joy is found in the journey as much as the destination.

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Tuamotus: the dangerous Archipelago

I nearly lost the ship on a Tuamotu reef.

After a 500 nautical mile crossing from Nuku Hiva we sighted Takaroa. This gorgeous atoll in the middle of nowhere is unseen by most. The pass to get into the inner lagoon is far too dangerous for most cruisers, as currents in the narrow pass can get up to ten knots.

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Gathering fruit and friends in Taipivai

Yesterday I had an experience that has altered the way I view the world. There are few events that I can recall that have changed me in such a way, but I know that this is one that I will remember for a lifetime.

Echo in Comptroller Bay

With plans to sail for Ua Huka from Nuku Hiva, Echo raised anchor for a new shore.

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Mexico to Marquesas

31 days at sea. That is how long it took to sail Echo from Mexico to the Marquesas. Most would count the days, one by one, dreaming of the time when they could finally get a freshwater shower and an iced drink. To most, it would seem an arduous voyage laced with sacrifices of the most basic conveniences available in the 'civilized' world. To me, it was a liberating time that allowed me to leave behind the responsibilities of land to focus simply on sailing.

On the 22nd of March, 2012 the sailing yacht Echo set sail from Ensenada, Mexico bound for Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas. She was well stocked for the voyage, her lockers stuffed with food, tanks full to the brim, and all the perceptibly necessary spares were loaded on. Her bootstripe was no longer gingerly kissing the ripples of water as they lapped on her sides but now plunging deeply into the surface, only coming up for air when she rolled. Echo was ready, and so was her crew. We had never been to our destination, had never set out on such a small boat for longer than a week, and Echo herself had never sailed so many miles at once. We were setting off into the unknown. The feeling was exhilarating, but also one of great respect for our situation. Anything could happen out there, and there was nobody to rely upon but ourselves and our 55 year old wooden boat.

canned tuna!

On the evening of day one we landed a skipjack tuna, a welcome supplement to both our stores and our bellies that night. We ate half the fish over the next two days and used the pressure cooker to can the other half, a skill that I had become interested in and taught myself because of my grandmother's delicious homemade strawberry jam. Without refrigeration, canning the fish was a great way to preserve it, and it was eaten weeks later for a special treat during our crossing of the equator.

Damage from the jib boom

It was still cold, the sea was rough and as I was being tossed around Echo's small cabin I imagined us as two yachtzee dice being shaken in a wooden cup. At least, that's what I felt like. I awoke on day two to find that sometime in the night the jib boom's gooseneck had sheared a bolt, forcing the boom forward and tearing a chunk of mahogany with it. This was bad, and I needed to repair the damage that had been done. Just to the south was a little known island, a Mexican nature preserve, called Guadelupe. I planned to anchor the vessel off Guadelupe for a day while I made repairs. Unfortunately the nature of rocky seabed and the lack of a good protected anchorage in the area kept me sailing on, only being there long enough to trade a bottle of wine for some fish with a couple of local fishermen.

just before her swim across the equator

The temperature was beginning to warm. With every degree of latitude that we moved south it was noticeably warmer, and in a few days we caught the tradewinds, putting a fresh breeze behind Echo's sail all the way to the equator. We had somehow missed the inter-tropical convergence zone. Better known as the doldrums it is an area famous for it's light winds and frequent heavy squalls. For centuries the doldrums have plagued sailors, sometimes becalming them for weeks at a time, with winds only coming in the form of strong thunderstorms. At that time of year the doldrums were meant to be between 2 and 9 degrees north, but we had seen none of it. The wind only ceased long enough for Tine to accomplish her goal of swimming across the equator. At 8:14pm on the 10th of April we crossed over the center of the earth at latitude zero and longitude 129° 45.88' West.

Securing a flogging kite in the doldrums

Soon after our equator crossing however, our good luck with the winds had run out. We had found the doldrums, though not in their expected position, they were there. The sea flattened, and the wind died. I've seen ponds that had more ripples on their surface, and been inside buildings that had a stronger breeeze. Echo was completely becalmed for days. The hot and sweaty weather was no longer augmented by a temperate breeze, and sweating in place was all that we could do. I could have easily fired up Echo's diesel motor and powered our way south of this area, but it was against my principles. Captain Cook didn't crank a diesel to get him around an area of rotten wind, and neither would I. So we sat, and we sweat. On Friday the 13th of April we went backwards 2.6 miles, rolling our way further from our destination. The winds were taking back our hard earned miles and chipping away at our resolve. It's difficult to describe the feelings of a sailor caught in the doldrums, but the best I can come up with is something in between frustration and helplessness. However we took advantage of the storms when they came, and eventually drifted our way to four degrees south where we picked up the trades again. Immediately our spirits were lifted, and we had just over 500 miles to go.

The last 500 miles were the home stretch, and Echo dashed through them with amazing speeds. With only the spinnaker up, we made just over 160 miles in one day. Echo was ready to get there, but her crew was somewhat apprehensive. We had seen the great open ocean. We had crossed thousands of miles, and seen the endless starry nights. We had traveled for weeks on merely wind and solar power, self sufficient in our ways. We had gotten so good at saving fresh water that we only used 190 liters (45 US gallons) between the two of us. The constant rolling of the boat that had once been a nuisance was now just normal. We slept well, ate well, and got into a rhythm with the sea. We had left behind all that we knew and immersed ourselves so well in this new world that it was now our new 'normal'. I wasn't sure if I wanted the voyage to end. I was simply enjoying seafaring and didn't much care about cold drinks ashore, such luxuries seemed trivial and unecessary. I wanted to get to the destination because that is what I had set out to do, but rather than looking forward to our arrival I began to see it as an end to a glorious voyage.

at our anchorage off Nuku Hiva

On the morning of April 21st our destination was in sight. The huge mountains of Nuku Hiva were in the distance. The familiar smell of the sea was replaced by one of vegetation and cooking fires. It was almost surreal to see land again. Just before noon we anchored in Taiohe bay, suddenly in the presence of other people and land. There was a great sense of accomplishment, having spent 31 days at sea braving both squalls and calms over the course of 2990 nautical miles. At first it seemed to be the end of a great voyage, but in reality it is the beginning. It is the beginning of our inter-island exploration, for from here we will be jumping from one tropical paradise to the next and getting to know the people and customs of largely forgotten and unknown areas of the world. For me, substance is found mostly in the voyage, not the destination. However the voyage hasn't ended, it is simply a different one. One that will be supplemented by fresh mangoes!

Unfortunately I will be unable to add more photos or posts until I can secure a reliable internet connection.

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San Francisco to Ensenada

After six and a half days at sea we have arrived in beautiful Ensenada. Our first big voyage went extremely well and it bolstered confidence in both ourselves and our yacht. Left is a photo of our actual track on the chartplotter, and below is a breakdown of each day. Click on any photo on the page to enlarge.





March 3rd, Day 1
We were well prepared the night before and all that needed to be done was to top up the fresh water reserves for the last time and cast away the lines. We left Alameda Marina with calm winds and a clear sky at 0855. It was a great feeling, and Tine and I had wide smiles across our faces. The anticipation was over and the journey had begun. Winds in San Francisco Bay were inconsistent at best, and we had to leave our motor on until we had passed Alcatraz Island. Finally, the sails were hoisted and under full sail we left the bay, leaving the Golden Gate Bridge behind us and putting out into seemingly endless blue. We had picked a great day to leave, considering the good weather, but it was almost too calm. Four knot breezes struggled to push us along at a satisfying speed but they later picked up and by 1630 Echo was sailing at a graceful 6.5 knots. It was a cold clear night. At ten degrees celsius with a fresh breeze over the decks it was good to have invested in some decent foul weather gear.

March 4th, Day 2
The day began with a flat sea and light winds, only managing to give us a maximum of 5 knots. With such light winds I poled out our gennaker and dragged the boat by the forestay. She performed well this way, giving her less weather helm and really giving the tiller pilot an easier task. Again, we were cold at night but still too excited to notice much or care. Each night we were doing a watch schedule of 4 hours on then 4 hours off, and a good watch was particularly important on the second night as the fog was so dense it reduced visibility to less than ten meters at times.

March 5th, Day 3
The breeze had really freshened up, and the entire day we made over six knots under a sunny sky. It was a great day for sailing. It wasn't really blowing the direction I wanted, but we managed just fine once we got the proper sails up. The atmospheric pressure was falling rapidly, and I was keeping a close eye on the barometer because the forecast for the next day was looking a bit grim. Of course I had checked the weather before leaving, but as everyone knows extended forecasts are unreliable on a good day. NOAA weather radio had predicted 20 knot winds on the 6th of March, but now NOAA issued a gale warning, predicting winds in excess of 45 knots for the 6th.

March 6th, Day 4
Every sailor has stories about big storms and heavy seas. I won't be telling any long yarns with unrealistic exaggerations, but this was a big storm that lasted all throughout the day and night of the 6th. Knowing that it was coming, I woke Tine up early in the morning to drop the main and set the storm jib. Then it came just as expected. The winds easily reached the 45 knot mark, getting over 50 during gusts. Echo pounced over five meter seas doing 5-8 knots under the storm jib alone. I considered turning her to windward to ease the motion of her, but since she was holding together well I kept her on a broad reach and we carried on. King Neptune was showing his might, testing our little yacht and her crew, but we managed quite well. Every time we opened up the hatch to get on deck water would pour in. Waves constantly crashed over the decks, the wind was whistling through the rigging, and the creaks and groans of her wooden hull could constantly be heard. Every time she reached the peak of a big wave and plunged back down to a trough there was a huge banging sound, and even standing on two feet was a difficult task that could only be accomplished with two hands for bracing. There were lots of little leaks that we found during the storm, but one porthole in particular was leaking badly. We tried to replace the seal as fast as possible, but before we could secure the hatch a big wave gushed in and soaked both of us and the interior of the boat. We were in a proper storm, but the more we endured the more my confidence in this great little vessel grew. Echo was loving it.

March 7th, Day 5
What a contrast to the day before. On the morning of the fifth it was almost as if Neptune was apologizing for his tantrum and giving us a rest. The seas were flat calm. We hoisted the main, put up the genoa, and made 7 knots on a calm sea. It was a beautiful day to be out sailing, and we appreciated it even more after the storm.

March 8th, Day 6
It was another great day to be at sea, and Ensenada was nearing. It was an uneventful day of making 3-5 knots, and we were still catching up on re-arranging the boat after all our belongings had been tossed from one side of the vessel to the other. At night we were getting quite close, and I didn't want to arrive in Ensenada at 4am, so we circled around for a while to postpone our arrival until daybreak. The lighthouse at the entrance of Bahia de Todos Santos was in sight all night, our arrival was nearing.

March 9th, Day 7
What a glorious day! The only thing that could have improved our day was a bit more wind, as we only had a one knot breeze and had to motor into port at daybreak. Just upon entering the bay, a humpback whale breached just ten meters off the bow of our boat, coming up for air several times and giving us a good look at his awesome proportions. Playful seals came alongside, and an entire pod of dolphins came to play in the waves off our bow. A warm front had just moved in, and we changed into our shorts and t-shirts to bathe in the sun and take in all the wildlife in the bay. Rather than go directly to the marina, we circled the bay several times to watch dolphins and look for more whales. Around noon we tied up at Marina Coral. We had arrived and had the most remarkable day. After all that sailing, 665 nautical miles, we had reached our destination and we were beaming with happiness even if a bit exhausted and landsick.

Look for the next update on our time in Ensenada. If you're enjoying the posts and want to continue to follow Echo's voyage across the Pacific Ocean then I encourage you to sign up to be a follower of the blog. You'll get an e-mail every time I make an update, and won't be subjected to any spam. If you already are a follower and aren't seeing any e-mails then make sure to check your spam filter and flag the messages as not spam. I've heard that not everyone is getting the e-mails and it seems that certain spam filters want to weed them out.

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Setting sail tomorrow morning

After all of our preparations, Echo is finally setting off to sea. I have found a great weather window and we'll be setting sail this Saturday morning on the 3rd of March. It's time to get out there and start betting it all on my last couple months of preparing day and night.

Tomorrow's wind is shifting to the Northwest, calming, and the air is warming up. A nice little high pressure system is meant to follow me south. Coming out of San Francisco Bay, after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, we will reach sixty miles Westward before gybing south in order to avoid heavy traffic around the traffic separation schemes. From there we will attempt to hug the coastline, staying eighty or so miles off the coast while on a broad reach, later changing to downwind sailing.

Our next port of call is Ensenada in Mexico. We'll be stopping for any necessary repairs. However, if all goes well and no immediate repairs are necessary we'll skip Ensenada altogether and head Southwest directly towards the Marquesas.

Echo is ready to go, and so is her crew. We can't wait to get out there. Look for an update from Ensenada or Hiva Oa.

I've also added a new photo album of Echo's varnishing job finished. Tine and I worked hard on her and all the work really shows.

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Preparations

Just over a week ago Echo's first crew member arrived from Denmark. I knew that I would not want to be at sea all alone for weeks on end, and also knew that experiences are never quite the same unless you have someone to share them with. I met Tine, my new crewmember, on a website for sailors seeking crew; FindaCrew.net. All of our numerous e-mails and exchanges paid off. It turns out that we get along really well and she has been a great help in getting Echo ready for her voyage across the South Pacific.

A few days ago I had Echo pulled from the water and put on the hard to get some much needed work done. Tine and I have stripped off all the old varnish, sanded her, and just today been able to put on the first of 10-12 coats of fresh varnish. Through hull fittings have been added and checked, some minor caulking has been done, Echo has a new set of zincs and soon a fresh new coat of bottom paint.

I have put together a photo album of the preparations aboard Echo, click here to view it.

Since having her up on the hard, Echo has drawn an extremely large amount of attention from passers-by. Sometimes it's difficult to get work done because so many people stop to admire her and ask questions. She really is the star of the show around here, the entire Marina is interested in the boat, the upcoming voyage, and in hearing about my constant preparations. Every day several people tell me how beautiful she is, or how good of condition she is in. She really is a beautiful old classic, and this new varnish will really bring out the best in her.

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Gone Cruising

I've made a bold decision to take a hiatus from the life of big money, big boats, and many crew. I've signed off as bosun from S/Y Athena, and signed on as captain of a 38' yacht named Echo. I've saved up enough money to finally go out and live one of my dreams, to sail my own yacht across the  vast Pacific Ocean.

I bought Echo, a 1957 38' Stephens Brothers Farallon Clipper. She's an absolute classic, one of 19 ever built, with a strong pedigree in both racing and bluewater crossings. She's mahogany planking on oak frames, and a real testament to her builders. Her varnished topsides and fine lines make her a nice piece of eye candy for any discriminating yacht enthusiast. Just have a look, she's absolutely gorgeous.

While she is more than capable of tackling the oceans ahead of her, she is not set up for bluewater cruising. She needs lots of gear to make the trip, and I am in the process of outfitting her now in San Francisco. Solar panels, autopilots, storm sails, new standing rigging, lots of electrical, carpentry work, and a whole lot of varnish are in my near future. I got what I wanted, a beautiful classic, and up ahead comes all of the work associated with owning and sailing one. It's all worth it though. An old captain of mine once said to me, "Life is too short for ugly boats." Then again, when I told him I wanted to buy a wooden boat he said to me, "My best advice? Lie down until the feeling goes away." Fred always has a way with words.

The itinerary is a very loose one, but I have a rough idea. Over the course of 10-12 months I'll be taking her across the Pacific Ocean, starting in San Francisco and ending on the coast of Australia. It will be a voyage of adventure, discovery, and of course, yacht maintenance. I plan to visit the places that are only accesible by boat, the types of places with no airports, no supply ships, and no tourists venture. Every little island along the way is a potential stop. I only know what countries and island groups I wish to visit, otherwise I'll just be going where the wind takes me.

First I need to sand, paint, wire up, and seal up Echo, then it's off to sea.

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French Polynesia to Australia

It has been ages since last writing this blog and many things have happened since then. I have sailed from the island of Tahiti, to the Eastern shores of Australia, and sailed back Eastward to Auckland, New Zealand. I've had a great number of experiences, and will try to catch everyone up to where I sit now, which is in Durban, South Africa.

While the boat was in French Polynesia I managed to have a great time. I had time docked in Tahiti, and anchored off of lots of different Polynesian islands. Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Fakarava, Rangiroa, and a many others make the list.One of the best things to do in French Polynesia is to go diving. I've developed quite the passion for diving, and I think that being at some of the best dive sites in the world has certainly been a catalyst for this passion. One of the dives I had in Rangiroa is still my absolute favorite. Rangiroa is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu group of French Polynesia. An atoll is a coral island whose coral forms an inland lagoon. Look it up on google images by clicking here and you'll see what I am talking about. On Rangiroa there are two major passes where the sea flows in and out with the tides. Us divers are dropped out at sea on an incoming tide, and drift along at 3-4 knots as the underwater world passes us by. The passes into the atoll hold a huge variety of sealife. Curious and playful dolphins were sometimes a nice surprise, they would swim along with us, and come very close just to hover and stare. Massive schools of fish would sometimes surround me, and the variety of life amongst the coral was astonishing. Drifting along, the current whisking me away from each underwater spectacle, only to show me another one. Diving in Rangrioa was not the only thing I did in French Polynesia, but it was certainly one of my favorite. I haggled with local pearl farmers in Fakarava to trade a bottle of Mount Gay Rum for a couple of nice black pearls. The Rum in that part of the world is barely tolerable, and a nice bottle of Mount Gay was just what they needed! Not to mention the fact that I bought it for eight bucks in Antigua and traded it for pearls worth hundreds! I dove on wrecked airplanes and sunken vessels off the coast of Tahiti, not far from where our boat was docked in the big town of Papeete. I took the ferry from Papeete to a little island off the coast of Tahiti called Moorea. Moorea was heaps of fun. The crew and I rented a bunch of motor scooters and dune buggies and tore around the island. We drove to the highest point to stand and lookout, stopped for some local food, but mostly just enjoyed riding on the winding roads in our chinese import motor scooters. When anchored off Bora Bora I celebrated our arrival in the traditional way. They laid out a massive feast, all cooked by burying hot stones in the ground with your food. We watched fireworks on America's independence day with a group of friendly natives ashore on some island whose name I have since forgotten. They were quite amused by our spectacle. French Polynesia was wonderful, and after a couple of months we set sail for Fiji.

The trip to Fiji was fairly uneventful. Rough quartering seas made the journey quite rolly, which for me is great. I sleep extremely well when the ship is rolling from side to side. Upon arriving, we cleared into customs, fueled up the ship, and set sail to our captain’s favorite island in the Mamanuca group, Malolo LaiLai. We had a beautiful anchorage amongst coral reefs, which meant scuba diving right off of Athena was easy. I joined the Musket Cove Yacht Club, rented a little sailing boat on the weekend, but mostly just sat out in the sun with a book and a cocktail. Apparently joining the yacht club at Musket Cove is a bit of a sailing accolade since you have to have sailed in from a foreign port of call in order to join. There is a great article about it that can be read by clicking here. We visited several other small Fijian islands whose names seem to have escaped me. We found uninhabited beaches, local tribes, and untouched wilderness in Fiji. The local culture is definitely an interesting one. Fiji is dotted with small islands, and on many there are small villages, which we were able to visit on several occasions. The villagers wear a minimum of clothing, and lead a very simple but beautiful lifestyle. Only the chief of the village was able to wear sunglasses and a hat for some reason. The chief was often the only person in the village that was able to speak English, and in order to use the water around the village (for anchoring our boat usually) we had to go to a sevusevu ceremony. At the ceremony we would bring the chief a bundle of kava root as it is their custom. Kava root is milled then made into a sort of tea that has mild to strong effects of a sedative. At first only numbing your mouth, but then a feeling of relaxation sets in after a couple of coconut shells full of kava. Too much and you begin to drool, which is never a good look. The villagers survived mostly on fishing and selling handicrafts, but they didn’t need much. There was no electricity or running water in any of the villages. Chickens, goats, and pigs would run around the village, and a citrus fruit trees were always amongst the huts. The villagers wanted for nothing, and had such a nice, simple life. The local culture was definitely the most interesting thing I experienced in the Fijian island group. Fiji is somewhere that I am definitely going back to. After several months it was time to set sail again, this time for Australia.
The first stop for Athena was Newcastle for maintenance. Newcastle is an old coal mining town around 100 nautical miles north of the more famous Sydney. While Athena was in for repairs, myself and the crew reveled in our newfound civilization! After being away from all the niceties of a western lifestyle for so long, we were happy to be able to have the ship on a dock, enjoy the local pubs and the local wineries in the nearby Hunter Valley. The girls did a bit of shopping, and I even had time for a week long holiday in Arrawarra. Arrawarra is a sleepy little beach town north of Newcastle. Every day I would sit on the porch, listen to the waves crashing on the beach, and read my book. It was wonderful to not have to stand an anchor watch at two o-clock in the morning, and sleep in a big bed! I did a few diving trips while I was there as well. Arrawarra is a short boat ride to the Solitary Islands, and the diving there is awesome. But even after all that relaxing and recreation, I couldn't wait to get back on Athena and get moving. Forget the big bed and the cocktails on the beach, I was ready to go sailing again.

After Newcastle we headed south to Sydney for their epic New Year's Eve celebration. We arrived in early December, and had a good amount of time to have a look around the city. It's a beautiful city, really clean, well organized, and plenty to do. I did the things I always do when I get to a new big city, see the aquarium, see the maritime museum, and find the best pub! I can't even count how many maritime museums I have been to, but I know it's still less than the number of pubs! Sydney harbor is amazing in that it is still a true working harbor. Leisure boaters share the water with big commercial freighters and cruise ships. Water taxis zip people from peninsula to peninsula. Big ferries take commuters back and forth to work every day. The city's harbor is truly alive. The sailing culture is big in Sydney, and I got the opportunity to see it first hand. On the weekend there would be countless little sailboats tacking back and forth in the harbor. The amount of boating activity was astounding, it was like seeing a bee hive that been shaken and all the little bees had come out to buzz around! however, one of the best things I was able to see in Sydney was the start of the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Spectators lined the harbor in the thousands to watch the beginning of the race, and I had a bird's eye view from the foremast of Athena. Even after all that I have seen and done on sailing boats, I am still amazed by the power of the wind and man's ability to harness it. Watching these boats leave Sydney yet again, to battle the notorious Tasman Sea, I couldn't help but be awestuck. But I digress, we were there for th New Year's eve celebration. Athena was docked in the heart of Sydney, with a view of the opera house off the stern, the harbor bridge on the starboard side, and the city skyline to port (in between the bridge and the opera house in the photo to the right). We had an awesome view of the fireworks, and it was by far the best fireworks show I have ever seen. Even better than the Independance Day fireworks I had seen in New York two years prior. Once again, the harbor was filled with boats, the streets were lined with people all looking up, and the atmosphere was vibrant. Athena was an un-designated star of the show, and thousands of photographs with her in the foreground came out the next day. But there I was, sitting on Athena's boom looking up at the sky, truly appreciating where I was and how I got there. Knowing that it doesn't get much better, and the grass was not at all greener on the other side. But it was almost time to set sail again, destination; New Zealand.

Our first port of call was a small town in Northland New Zealand by the name of Russel. Russel has a rich history. It was the first European settlement and port in New Zealand, and had a major role in European relations with the local Maori tribes. Now, it is a small village with restaurants and cafes dotting the streets, but Maori culture is still strong in the area. Strong enough, in fact, that I was able to have a traditional hāngi meal while I was there. A hāngi is just like the tradtional meals that were cooked for me in French Polynesia. It involves heated rocks tossed into a pit, followed by the meal, followed by burying it all and letting it sit for several hours. These slow cooked meals always have the most tender meat, and one day when I have a place of my own to dig a hole I'm going to have to give it a try!

But onwards, onwards to Auckland. Athena was due in Auckland for a major refit, and we had to get moving and get started as soon as possible. On the way out of Russel we hit some heavy seas, and she was bashed around quite well, but like the good ship she is, Athena took it and wanted more. After the sail south we arrived in the largest city in New Zealand and got to work. Athena was to be completely disassembled, revamped, restored, repainted, and put back together again. No small task on a 90 meter schooner. We pulled out the masts, coiled up the lines, put a big tent over her, and weren't planning on sailing again until she looked like new. Work aside, I have gotten to know the city of Auckland quite well. Auckland also has a rich maritime history, something that I am interested in wherever I go. There are lots of things to do there as well, and so much to see in the surrounding areas. New Zealand is a magnificent country. The rolling paddocks, picturesque mountains, outdoor lifestyle, and friendly people make it a place that is definitely worth going. I drove up and down the north island, taking it all in on the winding roads. As a matter of fact, driving is one of the things that I liek to do best in New Zealand. Almost all the roads are well maintained two lane roads that wind around the mountains in a fashion that would excite any driving or outdoors enthusiast. It seems as if they are put in some places just to flaunt the beauty of it all, almost as if the civil engineers planned it, "Like the view around this corner? Well check out this next one!"

As of writing this long overdue update Athena is still in Auckland, putting on the finishing touches. I however, am in South Africa getting some maritime certifications. In order to move ahead in the sailing industry I need to get some qualifcations through the MCA, and one of the schools to get those qualifications is located in Durban, South Africa. I figured I'd never been to Africa before, so why not eh?

See some photos of my past travels by clicking here.

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Caribbean to Galapagos

After visiting various islands in the Caribbean Athena is back on the move, and headed West. Many things have happened since my last post, and there is nearly too much to write. I've sailed in St. Barth's, lunched on St. Maarten, drank in St. Thomas, and snorkeled in St. John. Sure, lots of saints have been involved, but trust me when I say I haven't exactly been reciting hail Marys. After hopping around and doing the "Saint Tour" we headed to Antigua for re-fueling and provisioning before our 6000 nautical mile trip to Tahiti.

Our trip took us through the infamous Panama Canal. The canal is an awesome experience for any mariner, and I am glad to have been able to go through the locks. I would much rather have taken the route around Cape Horn, but seeing as though they dug that massive trench through a country I guess it only made sense to use it. Going through the canal is a quintessential experience for a mariner, and I got to check it off my list. I'll soon be uploading a video of Athena and her journey through the Panama Canal.

After the canal we sailed for a few more days before refueling in the Galapagos Islands. However, before we reached the Galapagos, I ticked another quintessential sailor experience off my list, crossing the equator. Navies of the world, merchant marines, and sailors from all over participate in line-crossing ceremonies as they reach zero degrees latitude. The ceremonies are meant to honor Neptune, but really they are just a way of hazing those who have never crossed. A form of entertainment during a long sea voyage. It's good to know I will never have the slops bucket dumped on me ever again, and am now a "Son of Neptune."

We arrived in the Galapagos at night, and anchored in the bay to wait for fueling the next day. Immediately I could see why Darwin was in awe of the amount of life here. All night long we had sharks, turtles, stingrays, and seals encircling our boat. Never before have I seen that much life around us. For the first time I saw seals in their natural habitat, playful and swift. If I learned anything that night it was that seals don't swim through the water. They fly.

Our Captain saw the looks of awe on our faces as we watched the seals and sharks for hours on end, and gave us an unscheduled day off on Santa Cruz to explore. We booked a walking tour for the day and got to see lots of the endemic species of the area. Marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, giant land tortoises, and much more. We walked through ancient lava flows, and ate the local Ecuadorian food. For having only one day ashore, we made the most of it and saw the best parts of the Galapagos.

Since then we have been sailing. Days of endless sea, no other vessels have been sighted since we left land. The Pacific is huge, we are right in the middle, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Most everyone aboard Athena wants to get back to land, back to the bars, nightclubs, restaurants and shopping. Back to civilization. Not me. I just want to sail. Even though we are headed for Tahiti I wish we would never get there. For me, the fun is the journey, not the destination. I'd rather be out here with the flying fish and the whales. I quite like this feeling of isolation, and love the motion of the seas. But it has to end, we have to go somewhere. Next stop, Tahiti. Check out photos of my latest travels by clicking HERE.

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Christmas at Sea

I need to make this posting short and sweet, but plans have taken a 360 degree turn and I want to keep everyone updated. We're back on the hard, and have pulled out both 30 meter long prop shafts. Unfortunately, they are in less than stellar condition. To make a long story short, we are shipping them back to Europe to be re-machined, and no prop shafts on the boat. We don't know exactly when we can have them back, but it will be at least until late January, maybe longer. So for Christmas and New Year's the Athena crew will be in Freeport, Bahamas. Not exactly a pleasant thought.

Just as Athena was breaking down, her owner's other boat was having trouble with a crossing from Florida to St. Bart's. This boat is a J-Class racing machine. She is a replica of Endeavour II, a famous America's Cup racing boat. Beautiful and perfect in every way. However, due to her unforseen circumstances she was forced to stop in Freeport as well. Now, ready to make the trip again, she is headed down to St. Bart's. Fortunately for me, they needed some delivery crew! As it turns out, three lucky crew from Athena have jumped ship, and are headed south with Hanuman. After five day sail we will arrive in St. Bart's, and then race in the Around the Island regatta, an annual regatta for superyachts.

Christmas at sea, and I couldn't be happier. So to all my friends and family, Merry Christmas! I hope yours will be as good as mine.

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In Purgatory

I know that it has been three weeks since my last posting, but I have had absolutely nothing to report. Athena has been berthed in West Palm Beach, Florida, just waiting for something exciting to happen. Well... Something has happened, but exciting is probably not the best adjective to describe it.

Before I get on with the most current events let me get up to date. The boat sat in West Palm Beach for a few weeks, with a bored crew. Once again, we drew too much water to dock at the nice marina, and had to sit in the commercial docks. Right across the channel from a 24 hour container loading operation. I haven't taken a single picture. There is nothing to take a photo of. Nothing but soulless high rises, and six lane thoroughfares. Typical Florida.

However, Athena did get a chance to sail on the day after Thanksgiving, and it was absolutely beautiful. When her massive sails fill with air, and the Captain gives the order to shut down the engines, I just can't help but grin from ear to ear. She sailed like a dream that day, all 1100 tons of her cutting through the seas ahead. The crew hanging from various parts of the rig, signaling to the officers her reactions to their control. Sailing this ship is truly an awe inspiring experience, and makes every previous day of work well worth it.

Provisioning the vessel for several months in the Caribbean is also certainly worth a mention. Imagine trying to get ready for such a trip. Imagine trying to feed 20 crew and an uncertain number of guests for months. We have walk in refrigerators and freezers stacked to the brim. Several large trucks dropped off food for three days straight. Three days of taking on food. Three trucks with diesel fuel also stopped by. Seventy-six tons of diesel she took. Spare parts for the engineers, enough boat soap to suds a small lake, and enough metal polish to shine the Statue of Liberty. We sit a bit lower in the water now, that is for sure.

This morning, with all of our provisions aboard, we set out on a course for St. Vincent in the Grenadines. We expected a six or seven day long voyage, with rough but manageable seas. However, I regret to inform you that I am not sailing right now. I am not on my way to St. Vincent, and I am not exactly happy about where I am.

To make a long story short, we have some bad bearings on our port prop shaft. Bad enough that we can't even engage the port side shaft. We could never spend an entire season in the Caribbean with only one prop, and the problem needs to be fixed. To make matters worse, the only way to change the bad bearings is to pull the entire prop shaft out of the boat. In order to do so, we will need to be on the hard. Again. So we stopped in Freeport, Bahamas... Again. Back up on the drydock for Athena.

So with a disappointed crew and a crippled boat we will sit in the Bahamas for an undetermined amount of time. Nobody knows how long it will even be before they have room for us on the drydock. Rather than being underway to a beautiful island, I'll be waiting out this purgatory while I try not to pickle my liver with beer.

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