Keeping an Eye Out for Anna

Day 3, 0400 UTC. Niue to Tonga, Position 18 33.371s;, 173 34.339w
On Saturday night when we were enjoying a jolly good time at the Niue Yacht Club, an un-Godly storm blew through from the east.
The local constabulary came by and we heard that an EPIRB had been activated so he was calling out an Orion from New Zealand to search for a yacht in distress between Niue and Tonga. The much awaited supply ship was diverted to join in the search. After a while we braved the elements to get back in our dinghy to return to Bristol Rose. It was an uncomfortable night but we were confident that the excellent moorings maintained by the Niue Yacht Club would hold.
On Monday morning the 2 crew members of Anna arrived on the supply ship with only the clothes they were wearing. Their 57ft catamaran had flipped over when the wind suddenly blew up from 18 knots to over 60. It only took an instant. One crew member ended up in the water and managed to get into the dinghy. The other acted on his first instinct to get to the EPIRB quickly to activate it. He remained inside the upturned catamaran until they were rescued, about 18 hours later.
We were at the Yacht Club when they came ashore. They were full of praise for their rescuers and spoke about how well the crew looked after them. They were very lucky sailors. Anna's position when they were rescued was 19 degrees 32.305s, 172 degrees 14.60w.
Since we left Niue on Monday we've been on the look out for the upturned cat. It won't be easy to see in daylight and impossible to see at night. The last thing we want to do is hit it. Trying to calculate it's position as it drifts is difficult. The owner expects it to slowly drift in a northerly direction and is hoping to salvage the vessel.
We have the Kingdom of Tonga in our sights and are about 20 miles from our waypoint on the east coast of Vava'u. Bristol Rose is just drifting along comfortably at 3.3 knots speed over ground with spinnaker flying and 7 knots of wind out of the east (a far cry from the conditions of Saturday night). We will take the spinnaker down when night falls and may then have to motor the remaining miles. We'll arrive in darkness but should be able to navigate to safe anchorage.

Are We Ahead or Behind?

Day 3, Niue to Tonga, August 4, 2010
Position at 1837UTC 18 46.791S, 172 49.791W
I've been thinking. I've been wasting a lot of time just thinking about time.
If we gained a day when we crossed the International Date Line on our move to the US from Australia, then technically now that we are making our return journey across the Pacific, we're not losing or even misplacing a day. We're just returning what we had borrowed 14 years ago!
When we arrive in Tonga in a couple of days the time of day will be the same, but the date will jump ahead one day to the next. It doesn't seem fair.
So what then of the journeys to and fro through the years? Each time we flew west to Australia, we lost a day, then returning east to the US we gained another. Nice! That still makes us even.
On the occasion that we purchased around the world tickets we flew west to Sydney and lost a day (or gave back the one we had originally borrowed). We returned to the USA in a westerly direction via Bangkok and Paris, neither of which are anywhere near the International Date Line, longitude 180 degrees. So that still makes us even.
Wait.... when we arrived in the USA on the around the world tickets the time in the US was about 14 hours behind Sydney time, so we still gained. So are we ahead or behind or just even? I can't waste any more time thinking about this.
I want to ask the King what he is doing with all those lost days that arrive on his doorstep, and can we borrow a couple to go on with.
Posted at sea by SSB radio.

Pirates Invade Bora Bora Banana Race on Bastille Day

French, Bora Bora and French Polynesian flags Bastille Day, July 14, 2010

We celebrated Bastille Day on Bora Bora.  The yachties disguised as pirates participated in the parade.

The athletes line up for the start of the Banana Race.  Those wooden poles with bunches of bananas and coconuts at each end are heavy.

The crowd gathers to cheer on the participants.

On your marks.....

Go!

What's this, a late entrant in the race?

The winner

The pirates put in a solid performance, challenging the second place runner.

Good'on'ya Joe!

Is that a pirate trying to get in on the offical race photographs?

Everyone in the islands has a relaxed attitude to participation.

Even the Chief of Police wants his picture taken with the pirates.

Thanks to Alex and the crew of Bubbles for added fun wherever they go.

Anchorages... Fakarava, Tuamotus. June 1, 20

In the lagoon of a Tuamotus atoll you might be anchored in a small patche of sand under perhaps 40 feet of water, surrounded by coral heads. Wind shifts can have your anchor chain tangled and it takes some smart manoeuvring or a dive to get free.

*Part of a series of images highlighting our favourite anchorages.

The Kingdom of Lost Days

Day 2, Niue to Tonga, August 3, 2010
Position at 02.07 UTC 18 54.333S 171 35.436W
How many countless days have been carelessly lost? Will the lost days ever be recovered? And if found, who will come to claim them?
These questions weigh heavy on our minds as we make our way from the magical island state of Niue to the Kingdom of Lost Days, Tonga. Who knew that a passage across the South Pacific could present such puzzles.
I'd like to think that we won't really, entirely lose a day on arrival in the Kingdom of Tonga. I'd rather think we might only be guilty of misplacing it, reserving the right to pick it back up again some time in the future.

Tahiti Looks Nice!

June 13, 2010    Still playing catch-up on blog posts long waiting for reliable wifi connection...

If you’re as old as I am, you might remember the catch phrase from a TV advertisement in Australia about 30+ years ago for ... I don’t remember what, Palmolive soap or something... a wealthy woman is reclining in the tub aboard her private jet while perusing a travel brochure. “Tahiti looks nice”, she says understatedly to her manservant, and the jet immediately changes course for Tahiti.

French Polynesia, in particular, Tahiti et ses Iles, maintains the reputation; exotic and expensive travel destination. The black pearls are exquisite, the snorkeling in the atoll lagoons incredible, the people beautiful and friendly, the coconut palms plentiful, the baguettes warm and crusty. It’s true, whether on the US dime or Aussie dough, everything but the baguettes looks horribly overpriced.

Moorea from the anchorage in Papeete

Swimming with the stingrays and sharks in Moorea.  Photo credit Elliot.

So here we are in Paradise where the world finally catches up with us. As with every major port en route, we sailed in with a hefty list of “gotta do’s” before we can safely head out again. Nothing too drastic mind you, just maintenance and keeping BR in good condition.

Our top priorities this time are to resolve our computer problems, i.e. get the navigation and communication computer repaired or replaced, attend to some wear and tear on sails (they’re really in pretty good condition) and organize Daisie’s travel to Australia. Then there’s some serious 21st birthday shopping with Elliot. Also laundry and re-provisioning of food, water and fuel to be done. The fun never stops.

Wait, hold everything, I think I’ll go shopping in Papeete. I need something new to wear with my stunning Tuamotu pearl. I wonder, is there anything wrong with a complete wardrobe of pareos, long and short, in assorted colors and designs? Like “she” said, “Tahiti looks nice”.

Miss Bora Bora and dancer

Fast forward four weeks and we can’t believe we’ve hung about Papeete for so long. It’s been worth it to get everything in order. (And I love my new Polynesian wardrobe). We were even able to put in an order with our good mate Jack of Anthem, who slipped back to the States for a week. Jack generously added to his excess baggage to help us out with a headsail furler and Elliot’s birthday present.

A couple of likely-looking lads

What is it with the French.. and English!  Food package info in four different (& obscure?) languages but no English!  

I think I reported in another post that the nav/communications computer replacement will have to wait until we are in an English speaking area of the world. Using a mouse instead of the mousepad helps bypass some of the problems. We might have to put Dell on our wall of shame, along with Honda, Walker Bay, cheap safety equipment and Yamaha... but that can wait for another day when we’re really feeling the need for some self-indulgent, wallowing down in Complaintsville. No room for complaints when surrounded by such natural beauty as in Tahiti and her islands.  We got to celebrate Bastille Day in Bora Bora and to see the gorgeous Polynesian dance competition for Heiva.

Farewell friends on Anthem, Inspiration Lady and Jackster.  We'll see you in a year or so when you get to Australia.

One last look at those fabulous Heiva dancers

Underwater, Mysterious

Can you guess what this is? I can't!

Underwater photographs by Elliot.

Unique Niue

If you have the chance to visit the island of Niue, just do it!  There's nowhere else quite like Niue and there can't possibly be more friendly, happy and fun loving people on the planet. 

Limu Pools snorkeling

Talava Arches

Matapa Chasm

Green algae on large coral chunks at Matapa Chasm

Canoes stored in the cave at Uluvehi

Niue cliffs are dotted with hundreds of caves

So many caves to explore

Togo Chasm

So many abandoned homes.  All gone to New Zealand or Australia

There is no cemetery on Niue.  Graves are prominent in front of homes and along the roadside.

Chickens roam free.  There's a future here for you Blake.

Owen swims through a cave at Limu Pools