Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Nuku Hiva, Marquesas
The main bay and village are called Taiahoe. The anchorage is lovely, easy to enter, fairly comfortable with lots of swinging room. The bay is surrounded by the rim of a large volcano on three sides, so it is very sheltered. Ashore, there are 3 shops, all quite well stocked, but prices are high compared to Panama and the Galapagos, especially for beer; a small can costs 261 francs in a shop or 540 francs ($5 approx.) in a hotel. There is a well stocked hardware store, but they didn’t have brass or stainless steel prop shaft nuts. Jeremy had to improvise. He used our old, stripped, brass nut and fixed it onto the prop shaft with a split pin through it. This was held in place with a locking nut. It was another underwater job for Jeremy, but this time we were in a sheltered bay. We hope the job lasts until New Zealand. We had no problems checking in at the gendarmerie and the only cost there was the price of a stamp to send our document to Tahiti. Vive la France!
It was my turn to see a dentist. We walked about a mile to a house built on a hillside and we were shown into an ultra modern, hi-tech surgery. I had a broken tooth and needed 3 injections and 2 x-rays. There was a cavity above the tooth and I had to have root canal treatment and a temporary filling for 5 days. Now, the proper filling has been done and I have to return later today to have a copper band removed. I have not been able to eat on that tooth for 2 weeks.
Our only trip has been to nearby Daniel’s Bay for water. We had to anchor in the bay, take the dinghy filled with containers into the next bay, cross a sand bar with breaking waves into a lagoon, tie the dinghy to a palm tree and walk a short distance to a shed where there was an oil drum sink and 2 taps. Two local guys watched us fill up or containers. There was no charge and the water was fine.
The next day we hiked for 2 hours or more, crossing the river several times, to the third highest waterfall (single drop) in the world. There is still a village next to the river near the sea, where there is evidence of a much older civilisation. We were reminded of the Highland clearances but some buildings must have been on a grand scale. Most of the trail we walked was built from large blocks of stone. We swam in the double pool of the waterfall and looked up to the top, looming cathedral like above us. Only a trickle of water was coming over but it was still an awesome sight. We were almost back at the dinghy when a villager offered us a grapefruit. It is polite to accept a gift and give something in return. We had no money so I gave a box of coloured pencils for the children.
Soon we are going to Oa Pou, about 20 miles away. Then it’s a 4 or 5 day passage to the Tuamotus Archipelago, where most of the 76 islands are atolls. We do not know if the Internet has reached them yet so it might be a few weeks before you hear from us. “Au revoir” or as the Polynesians say “a pae.”
PS Sorry there's no photos, but the WiFi connection is verrrrry slow.
It was my turn to see a dentist. We walked about a mile to a house built on a hillside and we were shown into an ultra modern, hi-tech surgery. I had a broken tooth and needed 3 injections and 2 x-rays. There was a cavity above the tooth and I had to have root canal treatment and a temporary filling for 5 days. Now, the proper filling has been done and I have to return later today to have a copper band removed. I have not been able to eat on that tooth for 2 weeks.
Our only trip has been to nearby Daniel’s Bay for water. We had to anchor in the bay, take the dinghy filled with containers into the next bay, cross a sand bar with breaking waves into a lagoon, tie the dinghy to a palm tree and walk a short distance to a shed where there was an oil drum sink and 2 taps. Two local guys watched us fill up or containers. There was no charge and the water was fine.
The next day we hiked for 2 hours or more, crossing the river several times, to the third highest waterfall (single drop) in the world. There is still a village next to the river near the sea, where there is evidence of a much older civilisation. We were reminded of the Highland clearances but some buildings must have been on a grand scale. Most of the trail we walked was built from large blocks of stone. We swam in the double pool of the waterfall and looked up to the top, looming cathedral like above us. Only a trickle of water was coming over but it was still an awesome sight. We were almost back at the dinghy when a villager offered us a grapefruit. It is polite to accept a gift and give something in return. We had no money so I gave a box of coloured pencils for the children.
Soon we are going to Oa Pou, about 20 miles away. Then it’s a 4 or 5 day passage to the Tuamotus Archipelago, where most of the 76 islands are atolls. We do not know if the Internet has reached them yet so it might be a few weeks before you hear from us. “Au revoir” or as the Polynesians say “a pae.”
PS Sorry there's no photos, but the WiFi connection is verrrrry slow.
Friday, 18 June 2010
Galapagos to Marquesas
We left San Cristobal in the Galapagos Islands on Tuesday 25th May. Soon we were sailing a gentle beam reach but the wind died at night and we motored for the first three nights. Slowly, we returned to the cycle of eating, sleeping and being on watch 24/7. We had some great sailing once we picked up the trade winds and a current of one and a half knots going with us. Mostly, the wind was on or just behind the beam, the swell was long and easy to ride, the moon shone at night and the sun shone by day. That was all we saw for 2 weeks: sun, moon, stars, sky – no ships, no yachts, no planes. We felt very small in a huge ocean.
Then the weather changed. It became squally, the winds were stronger, the swell was bigger and irregular and breaking waves began hitting the boat. Our fresh meat ran out and we had to start making bread, eating bean stew/soup and either tinned or dried fruit. Now, should dried apricots from a sealed pack be black? We didn’t think so, either. We hope the fish liked them.
We were 600 miles from the Marquesas when the propeller started making a loud, vibrating noise when the engine was put in neutral. We hove to and Jeremy leaned over the stern, wearing a harness and attached to a line which I had wrapped round a winch. He tried to take photographs of the prop with my underwater camera, but we couldn’t see anything in detail. The only option left was to go into the water. Just before Jeremy went in I noticed a number of dark fins – cue “Jaws” theme tune. Fortunately, they were dol - fins, a whole pod of them and they remained stationary in groups watching, all the time Jeremy was in the water. Almost immediately after going into the sea, he came up the back steps and said, “I’ve been stung. Get the vinegar.” A bluebottle jellyfish had got him on the arm. He went into the sea again, reeking of vinegar, and found that the nut holding the propeller on the shaft had corroded almost all the way through. The prop was being held on by a split pin and a small nut at the end of the shaft. We got underway again with the engine in gear to stop the prop shaft turning and discussed what to do. The dolphins swam alongside for a while and played in the bow wave. It was agreed that Jeremy would try to fit a shackle or a Jubilee clip behind the prop as doing nothing meant risking losing the propeller at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The next day he wore a long sleeved shirt and put on the harness attached to a long line. Wearing a snorkel mask, he worked underwater and managed to fix a Jubilee clip in place, tightening it with a screwdriver; all this in a two to three metre swell with breaking waves. We didn’t run the engine again until we’d taken the sails down in Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands.
There were a few other repairs along the way. The mast started to creak and groan as it moved on its big metal plate on the roof. Jeremy made some small wooden wedges and fixed them under the base of the mast. He’d already tightened the rigging screws. Then the sacrificial strip ripped about a third of the way along the foot of the genoa. Jeremy sewed this with his hands above his head standing on the bows as they moved up and down in the swell. He broke two needles.
After 21 days 4 hours and 45 minutes, we anchored in Taiohae Bay. We’d averaged 6 knots and covered 3,068 miles. Overall, the trip was much better than the Atlantic crossing which took 23 days for 2,800c. It was good to see land again and be able to sleep through the night for the first time in three weeks.
Then the weather changed. It became squally, the winds were stronger, the swell was bigger and irregular and breaking waves began hitting the boat. Our fresh meat ran out and we had to start making bread, eating bean stew/soup and either tinned or dried fruit. Now, should dried apricots from a sealed pack be black? We didn’t think so, either. We hope the fish liked them.
We were 600 miles from the Marquesas when the propeller started making a loud, vibrating noise when the engine was put in neutral. We hove to and Jeremy leaned over the stern, wearing a harness and attached to a line which I had wrapped round a winch. He tried to take photographs of the prop with my underwater camera, but we couldn’t see anything in detail. The only option left was to go into the water. Just before Jeremy went in I noticed a number of dark fins – cue “Jaws” theme tune. Fortunately, they were dol - fins, a whole pod of them and they remained stationary in groups watching, all the time Jeremy was in the water. Almost immediately after going into the sea, he came up the back steps and said, “I’ve been stung. Get the vinegar.” A bluebottle jellyfish had got him on the arm. He went into the sea again, reeking of vinegar, and found that the nut holding the propeller on the shaft had corroded almost all the way through. The prop was being held on by a split pin and a small nut at the end of the shaft. We got underway again with the engine in gear to stop the prop shaft turning and discussed what to do. The dolphins swam alongside for a while and played in the bow wave. It was agreed that Jeremy would try to fit a shackle or a Jubilee clip behind the prop as doing nothing meant risking losing the propeller at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The next day he wore a long sleeved shirt and put on the harness attached to a long line. Wearing a snorkel mask, he worked underwater and managed to fix a Jubilee clip in place, tightening it with a screwdriver; all this in a two to three metre swell with breaking waves. We didn’t run the engine again until we’d taken the sails down in Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands.
There were a few other repairs along the way. The mast started to creak and groan as it moved on its big metal plate on the roof. Jeremy made some small wooden wedges and fixed them under the base of the mast. He’d already tightened the rigging screws. Then the sacrificial strip ripped about a third of the way along the foot of the genoa. Jeremy sewed this with his hands above his head standing on the bows as they moved up and down in the swell. He broke two needles.
After 21 days 4 hours and 45 minutes, we anchored in Taiohae Bay. We’d averaged 6 knots and covered 3,068 miles. Overall, the trip was much better than the Atlantic crossing which took 23 days for 2,800c. It was good to see land again and be able to sleep through the night for the first time in three weeks.
Saturday, 22 May 2010
Panama to Galapagos
We left Panama on 4th May with a good sailing wind and considered taking out the reef in the main sail. One hour later, we were recording 28-33 knots of wind and putting a second reef in the main. I regretted not having taken Stugeron and had some with the little bit of lunch I could force down. Once the squall passed and the sea slowly calmed down, that was the last of any wind for 3 whole days. We were in the ITCZ or the doldrums. We realised first hand how crews of the old sailing ships could die of thirst as they waited a month or more for wind. We put our engine on and motored.
Jeremy checked the new prop shaft at regular intervals. It did get hot, but soon it settled down after numerous adjustments, and gave us no further trouble. It was very pleasant even though it was noisy motoring along in calm seas. Dolphins came to ride the bow wave in the evening, the stars were beautiful at night and distant lightning flashes lit up the sky.
There always seems to be lightning around in the ITCZ.
For the first time since we set out in July 2008, Jeremy managed to get our radio to receive Single Side Band (SSB) transmissions and we picked up the daily Pan Pacific Net and learned that 6 or 7 other boats were sailing to the Galapagos. There was wind further south, we heard, so we headed south for a day and found wind along with tropical rain, which hammered down. At least we could sail and conserve our dwindling supplies of diesel.
Jeremy had mentioned a “funny smell” and I occasionally was aware of it but we couldn’t find out what it was, until he opened the veg locker. All the carrots had gone bad and some had turned to liquid and they were only 4 days old. Over the side they went and our bad smell went with them.
Once again it rained heavily while Jeremy was asleep below. I considered getting my coat and collecting our full water bottles from the roof and decks, when naked Jeremy appeared straight out of bed, collected and changed the bottles, had a shower and shaved. We collected enough water to fill our tanks and we were able to do some washing of clothes with the excess. Many yachts have water makers, but ours comes from the sky.
I had a practice one day using the sextant to plot the meridian passage of the sun. We’d learnt this on a course and I’d just about forgotten how to do it. I was 10 minutes late taking the sights and the sun was bouncing along the horizon in the swell, but I was only 27 miles out working out our latitude, which is quite close in a journey of 1000 miles. I think my teacher, Alan, would be pleased with that.
Soon all time for hobbies came to an end as Sal Darago sprang a leak. The bilge alarm went off after we had tacked one day and there was far too much water in the bilge for comfort. The bilge pumps soon cleared it but where was it coming in? Not through the prop shaft of stuffing box or anywhere obvious, but it was definitely sea water and we were 300 miles from land. Jeremy emptied the bilges of all our stores and after much tearing out of his hair (he’s bald now!) he found a crack in the pipe which takes the bilge water out. As we heeled, the exit hole was going under water, the sea was pouring in and our bilges were filling. Once this was repaired we still had sea water coming in the same way as the non-return valve wasn’t working. Then Jeremy found the anchor locker was awash as the rust from the chain had blocked up the drain hole. Once that was unblocked dirty, rusty, gungy water flowed into the bilges. Jeremy’s been finding leaks ever since but we now have a sea cock on the bilge pipe so we can’t have a repeat performance on our next passage.
We made it to the Galapagos safely and anchored in Wreck Bay, San Cristobal at night on 13th May. We had crossed the Equator at 0024, shared brandy, biscuits and nuts with Neptune, thanked the God of all things and entered the southern hemisphere for the first time. Wow! The next day was my birthday and I was treated to lunch ashore.
Since then we’ve explored San Cristobal and seen giant tortoises and marine iguanas. We’ve had a day trip by fast boat to the island of Santa Cruz, seen the Charles Darwin Foundation and visited the giant tortoise called Lonesome George, because he is the last of his species. He looked fit and well and he’s only about 250 years old. We would have liked to have seen the island of Isabela but it’s too far away for one day and we’re only allowed to anchor here in San Cristobal.
In a few days we should be on our way to the Marquesas in French Polynesia, a passage of 3000 miles. It will probably take us a month, but this time we should have the trade winds and the current going with us.
Jeremy checked the new prop shaft at regular intervals. It did get hot, but soon it settled down after numerous adjustments, and gave us no further trouble. It was very pleasant even though it was noisy motoring along in calm seas. Dolphins came to ride the bow wave in the evening, the stars were beautiful at night and distant lightning flashes lit up the sky.
There always seems to be lightning around in the ITCZ.
For the first time since we set out in July 2008, Jeremy managed to get our radio to receive Single Side Band (SSB) transmissions and we picked up the daily Pan Pacific Net and learned that 6 or 7 other boats were sailing to the Galapagos. There was wind further south, we heard, so we headed south for a day and found wind along with tropical rain, which hammered down. At least we could sail and conserve our dwindling supplies of diesel.
Jeremy had mentioned a “funny smell” and I occasionally was aware of it but we couldn’t find out what it was, until he opened the veg locker. All the carrots had gone bad and some had turned to liquid and they were only 4 days old. Over the side they went and our bad smell went with them.
Once again it rained heavily while Jeremy was asleep below. I considered getting my coat and collecting our full water bottles from the roof and decks, when naked Jeremy appeared straight out of bed, collected and changed the bottles, had a shower and shaved. We collected enough water to fill our tanks and we were able to do some washing of clothes with the excess. Many yachts have water makers, but ours comes from the sky.
I had a practice one day using the sextant to plot the meridian passage of the sun. We’d learnt this on a course and I’d just about forgotten how to do it. I was 10 minutes late taking the sights and the sun was bouncing along the horizon in the swell, but I was only 27 miles out working out our latitude, which is quite close in a journey of 1000 miles. I think my teacher, Alan, would be pleased with that.
Soon all time for hobbies came to an end as Sal Darago sprang a leak. The bilge alarm went off after we had tacked one day and there was far too much water in the bilge for comfort. The bilge pumps soon cleared it but where was it coming in? Not through the prop shaft of stuffing box or anywhere obvious, but it was definitely sea water and we were 300 miles from land. Jeremy emptied the bilges of all our stores and after much tearing out of his hair (he’s bald now!) he found a crack in the pipe which takes the bilge water out. As we heeled, the exit hole was going under water, the sea was pouring in and our bilges were filling. Once this was repaired we still had sea water coming in the same way as the non-return valve wasn’t working. Then Jeremy found the anchor locker was awash as the rust from the chain had blocked up the drain hole. Once that was unblocked dirty, rusty, gungy water flowed into the bilges. Jeremy’s been finding leaks ever since but we now have a sea cock on the bilge pipe so we can’t have a repeat performance on our next passage.
We made it to the Galapagos safely and anchored in Wreck Bay, San Cristobal at night on 13th May. We had crossed the Equator at 0024, shared brandy, biscuits and nuts with Neptune, thanked the God of all things and entered the southern hemisphere for the first time. Wow! The next day was my birthday and I was treated to lunch ashore.
Since then we’ve explored San Cristobal and seen giant tortoises and marine iguanas. We’ve had a day trip by fast boat to the island of Santa Cruz, seen the Charles Darwin Foundation and visited the giant tortoise called Lonesome George, because he is the last of his species. He looked fit and well and he’s only about 250 years old. We would have liked to have seen the island of Isabela but it’s too far away for one day and we’re only allowed to anchor here in San Cristobal.
In a few days we should be on our way to the Marquesas in French Polynesia, a passage of 3000 miles. It will probably take us a month, but this time we should have the trade winds and the current going with us.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Still Afloat
Sal Darago was launched down the railway slip at Balboa Yacht Club on Saturday evening. This morning, Sunday, we are still afloat! The gearbox is working, but the prop shaft is getting hot at the stuffing box and there are vibrations above 2500 revs. We are hoping to do some sea trials this afternoon. If all goes well, tomorrow should see us buying fresh food for ten days. On Tuesday we hope to set out on the 960 miles to the Galapagos.
Fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed.
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