Waiting for wives with Nitidus

Waiting in Polynesia for Ann and Julia


Because we could not make landfall in the Marquesas, as was explained in the posts about the voyage, we arrived in Tahiti 2 or 3 weeks ahead of the time we expected. So we had almost a month to wait before Ann arrived on the 21 January and Julia a few days later. When Ann arrived it had been agreed that I would leave the boat and go on with Ann. The others would spend time on the boat with Julia and when she lef,t take the boat back to Hawaii. Until then however there was the whole of French Polynesia to explore if we wanted to. This post records the time we spent in Tahiti, Moorea, Riatea, and Bora Bora

Christmas Day and Boxing Day
                                             Not a lot happened on Christmas Day, however we found the market which was open,and we bought eggs and fresh bread and fruit and all sorts of goodies for celebratory breakfast. I opened my presents and shared the chocolate which I got from Sierra and Ashbury with everyone else so it was a bit like Christmas.
 I then investigated the bag with my good clothes which had been stored in the forepeak and which I thought had survived the inundations of the voyage. Alas I was wrong and the mould  had started on lots of my clothes so Christmas Day turned into a major dhobi day on the pontoon. I managed to save most things and of course the T-shirts which were completely expendable were untouched whilst the good clothes were affected.
Kosta went off to try to book-in more in hope than expectation, and so it proved .
The harbour area of Papette is lovely, there are moorings and  promenades and gardens and play areas for children and canoe clubs and the whole area is pretty and well maintained. However once you leave the front the rest of the town is decidedly tatty and down at heel.

No-one is doing very much except sorting out their possessions, fiddling with the boat moorings and sitting in cafes drinking the odd beer and last but not least, dodging the rain which comes frequently and heavy.

27 December 2011  Papette
                                          Yesterday I declared my intention to go for a hike to the Tauana waterfall unless there was a job that needed doing. I got 2 jobs but finished them both that evening so after breakfast I left. The guide book said to get an entry permit from the Mayors Office. 'No permits, route closed because of rain', but I decided to have a look anyway. The bus driver assured me that he went to Titioro, the start of the route, but in fact he dropped me at the end of the road to Titioro so I had 4-5 kms to hike before the start. It was not an auspicious beginning. The route starts as a track from Bain Loti, a pool in the river where children swim, though there were none when I went out. It wanders beside the offices and workshops of the municipal water company, and then out through tropical rain forest at the bottom of a steep narrow valley. There were avocados and mangoes growing wild so I picked some to supplement my sandwich and pineapple lunch. The track was easy walking for about an hour, and then it turned into a footpath which got more and more difficult to follow as it progressed deeper into the valley. There were hand ropes on a few exposed sections but the important ones at the numerous river crossings had been removed. Underfoot was slippery and treacherous with smooth basalt, mud and tree roots; and apart from the various exotic flowers the scenery was decidedly green!

This was typical of the path

The drops of water on the Hibiscus were there all day

About 2 hours from the start of the track I got to bottom of the falls which were very impressive. They were a single drop of about 600ft into a cirque of overhanging basalt cliffs and ending in a black, black pool.

A greatly fore-shortened view of the falls

I sat a little way back from the falls to eat my lunch, I basked in the sun and dried myself from the effects of the  mornings' frequent tropical downpours. However the spindrift from the falls would sometimes wash over me in a cooling caress. It was lovely and I was utterly alone and quiet, a joy after the close confines of the boat and the noise of Papette.

 Eventually I stirred myself and retraced the path back to the end of the track, and here a bridge crossed the river and a footpath led up the hill to an old fort above the top of the falls. On the way up I was passed by a couple of young French lads who insisted on shaking my hand as they passed. I caught up with them at a viewpoint where we were joined by a brother of one of the lads and his dishy girlfriend. Whilst we were looking at the waterfall a Tahitian hunter with 5 dogs and a shotgun covered in tattoos/chasing came down the track and passed us without a word! Then it was on and up the path to the fort. At the fort I carried straight on on the path but it eventually got narrower and narrower and more indistinct around the river, so I decided to retrace my steps to the fort.   At the fort I found another path by a wall which teetered over a ravine and then dropped steeply over wet rocks and tree roots, with a fixed rope for security to the river at the top of the falls. Here there were two basalt pools complete with entry water slides. The first was cavernous with a sprinkler tributary from its' roof; and the second ended in what can only be described as an 'infinity pool' at the head  of the waterfall. My 'friends' were already swimming so I stripped down to my knickers and joined them.

The swish down the water-slide and the swim across to the top of the waterfall and the view out into space was FANTASTIC.
  I dried in a patch of sun, ate the last of my pineapple and then headed down. it was an uneventful descent of about  an hour and a half. At Bain Loti the children were in full swim and greatly enjoying themselves. It was 4.55pm and I asked about the bus back to Papette. 'Last bus 5pm, probably gone. But don't worry my son will take you on his scooter' Amazing generosity. On the way we passed the bus on it's way up but 'the son' insisted on continuing. he dropped me at the market and refused any recompense. It was a wonderful end to the excursion.
 Chow Mein and 2 beers for supper and asleep by 2100hrs!

28 December 2011  Papette

A pirogue at Point Venus

         Genady and Kosta decided to do the walk I did yesterday. They declined advice on the route as they wanted to find it for themselves. I was left to sort out how to get gas and buy a padlock as they had failed to complete these tasks yesterday, when they had a frustrating time. By contrast I had a charmed run and completed both jobs by 0930hrs so I wandered back to the boat to be fed an enormous brunch by Sergiy.After this I took off on a local public bus, with much assistance from, and amusement for, the local populus. I headed to Point Venus. This is where Capt Cook was sent to by the Royal Society in order to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun. The timing of which was used to determine the orbital radius of the earth. It was a pleasant enough place with grey sand  and the only lighthouse on Tahiti, and fine views across the lagoon to the reef and motus(little desert islands on the reef).
  I dodged the rain and then walked back to the road and past a fabrication plant making today's sporty version of the traditional outrigger.

I then turned towards the mountains through a village of shacks and bungalows by a river. Kids and dogs and friendliness everywhere. there were bananas and mangoes in all the gardens and flowers in profusion. I was tired after yesterday and the afternoon was hot so I turned back after a couple of miles. At the main road was a bus stop with a seat in the sun and I think I slept though the first bus, but caught the second and got back to the boat just before the hikers.They had had a good day but failed to find the pools at the top of the fall which I considered the highlight of my trip.

29 December 2011  Papette
                                            Sergiy and Kosta found that the housing of the Hydrovane shaft had been bent. How and when this happened we have no idea but it must have been before it was dismantled at the end of day 3 or 4. Emails to Hydrovane were not particularly helpful so we went ahead and mounted the thing anyway! The housing holds bushes top and  bottom to act as bearings for the shaft which turns the rudder to rotate in. The bend in the housing has affected the orientation of the bushes and consequently the shaft is stiff to rotate. Sergiy mounted it 'back to front' saying if it bends again at least it will bend it straight!
I did a bit of shopping and tried to plan out Ann's visit on a calendar. I went looking for a West coast beach to swim from and on the advice of the tourist office ended up outside Sofitel and looked out at 30-40 yachts over-wintering in the bay behind the reef. I swam off the beach and watched a family of Tahitians fishing with as little success as we generally achieve. The view across to Moorea was fine even though the mountains of Moorea, like those of Tahiti, were wreathed in cloud. Today we have had very little rain which is unusual.

30 December 2011  Papette
                                          We awoke to heavy rain and thunderstorms. Kosta went for the weather and says that there should be a break in a couple of days, so we have decided to stay a bit longer. I said I was going to see the Arahoaho Blowhole. Kosta and Genady said they wanted to come too, so I went off to get the info from the tourist office. Eventually the others appeared and we all waited for the bus and watched the people going by. The bus takes the road along the NE coast and passes many surfing beaches all of which were busy. The blowholes were interesting and the force of air driven out and sucked back in was impressive.

We watched the waves breaking and the surfers riding in to the beach, and then we walked up to the triple falls a short distance down the road. The road was lined with the usual mixture of smart bungalows and shacks and exotic vegetation with kids and dogs always in evidence. The falls were impressive but not on the scale of a couple of days ago. They were about 3-400ft of cascades but there were 3 waterfalls around the end of the canyon. The paths had all been prepared and there were warning and prohibition notices in many places. Not at all like the first trip. After buying some papaya we returned to the blowhole to watch the surfers again, to eat our spoils and wait for the bus. Looking in to the interior from the bus  during the ride back to Papette I was impressed by just how thin is the coastal strip of development and how wild the forested canyons and passes actually are.


This was to be our last day in Papette as we sailed the next day. I will continue  that story in another post.

A Personal Assessment of the Voyage

A Personal Assessment of the Voyage

 By any measure the crossing from Hawaii to Tahiti must be considered a great success.

We sailed 2470 miles, calculated on 1000hrs -1000hrs plots, in 19 days. Our highest daily mileage was 158 and the lowest was 98. We used the engine for only 35 hours so the vast majority of the journey was done under sail.
We all arrived in Tahiti without illness or injury and in a boat that was undamaged in any important feature.
We ate well throughout the trip and on arrival were in a physical and mental condition which would have allowed us to continue for much longer had that been neccessary. Moreover we arrived talking to each other and more comfortable in each others' company than when we set out. There were no acrimonious disputes and nobody left precipitously on arrival.
We also had a tremendous range of experiences, some good and some not so good; some tedious and some exciting, and some very exciting!
The weather created many challenges which were met successfully and created a voyage of much more interest than a long, easy, down-wind slide could have provided. It wasn't what we all thought it would be like, but it was no worse for that.
Could it have been better? Of course it could. But that in no way detracts from the achievement. It was a great experience which I will never forget and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of it.

The Voyage: Hawaii to Polynesia Pt 2

There were not meant to be 2 parts to this post but 70 years and modern computers create an uncertain mix!

11 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  It was much the same story as yesterday during the morning. we had a slow start and rolled about a lot but eventually we put up the main with 1 reef and the large jib to make variable headway S and E all day. We managed to dry most things and the boat, until 1600hrs when we were hit by another squall which was exciting. We dropped the main and changed to the small jib with considerable difficulty, and then rolled about going nowhere when the wind dropped. After a while with no obvious squalls around we re-reeved the No1 reefing line to the No3 reef position and flew the main. The boat moved and when the next squall did hit it took off like an express train. We were regularly hitting 9 kts going up wind and the boat was awash with spray and more solid chunks of water. In all this we had a visit from a large pod of dolphins who were all high jump specialists and they put on a magnificent display for about 1/2hr. I think that they were as interested to see us as we were to see them because traffic in this part of the ocean is sparse to say the least.
 The wind continued to build as darkness fell and the boat surged on, no moon, no stars, no horizon no light at all except for the tiny pools shed by the navigation lights and the boat crashing on into the blackness and the ghostly grey of the ever present spray and breakers. It was a ride like no other I have ever experienced and I will never forget it.

12 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  The wind of last night died at about 1100hrs. We then flip flopped about in the residual chop until we dropped the jib and motored. We got the evening meal before the wind arrived again 15-20kts from SE so we ploughed Southish all night. It is very difficult to determine whether or not we are out of the doldrums and last night's steady winds are the SE Trades. It would be nice to think so but I remain to be convinced.

It rained on and off all day so we rinsed various bits of salt impregnated clothing and collected at least the days' supply of water. We could have got a lot more with a funnel and a tube, but a saucepan sufficed. 

13 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  The wind held steady 15-20kts SE and we made reasonable progress South. After the blow the sea was very confused and often stopped us dead but it wasn't bad progress. I would have flown more sail, but Kosta prefers slower progress but less alarms and excursions, and after the experience of the last few days he has a point. We have currently sailed about 1000mls. we have 900 to the Marquesas, 1100 to Rangiroa  and 1400 to Tahiti. More to the point Marquesas are SE, Rangiroa SSE and Tahiti almost due South. We have the SE Trades to experience and my viewing of last years wind maps leads me to believe that the wind will back to the East as we go further South. Whether this will happen we shall see but it is this which will eventually determine our destination. It would be nice to make the Marquesas but I am not putting any money on it and every day it gets less likely.
  We are now at least 30-40% of the way to Tahiti. that alone gives a vivid idea of the size of this ocean where after 8 days we are 1000mls from anywhere!
At this stage a few thoughts on boat and crew would be apposite.
 Boat first.
As a boat to cruise the S Pacific it is largely unsuitable as it is so wet. Without the little doghouse over the companionway it would be a complete disaster. There is limited ventilation apart from the hatches which must be closed in heavy weather, of which we have had lots. The babystay leaks into the forepeak and the cockpit has hardly been dry since we left. The inside of the boat is always hot and humid. The saloon has a large open area of varnished floor at the bottom of a very steep companionway. the saloon is fortunately spannable to grabrails along either side, but at 20 degrees of heel when the floor is wet it needs to be crossed with care, and it needs to be crossed to pass hot drinks from the galley to the cockpit. The 2 quarterberths and the saloon setees and bunks have remained largely dry so although we are wet all day we do have a dry place to sleep.
Topsides the boat is an offshore racer pure and simple. The decks are clear of clutter to the extent that it only has 4 cleats! As an aside my boat had 16 plus 8 to hold the halyard falls and reefing lines and a futher 3 on the mast. So finding places to tie anything off is a challenge and resort must usually be made to quick release thumb knots which are not very satisfactory. it has stoppers and tracks all over the place for sheet and spinnaker controls, but has no stoppers on the reefing lines so they have to stay on the winches which are also used for halyards! And the 3 reef points but 2 reeflines you know about.
However the real difficulties stem from the strange arrangement of controls and rigging. The forestay is foiled so the foresails have to be guided into the groove by someone on the bow, the jib halyard is led back to the cockpit  under the doghouse so it is difficult for both people to communicate and the same is true to a lesser extent about the main and main halyard. Changing any sails is a 3 man job if it is to be carried out with ease. The solid kicker is not strong enough to lift the boom when the main is dropped so as there is no topping lift the main halyard always has to be used. The halyards are wire so they are uncomfortable to handle. The engine can only be started from inside the saloon, and at night from the 'proper' helming position it is difficult to read the compass. and so it goes on, Nitidus is probably the most difficult boat to work that I have ever encountered.
 That said she has some excellent points. SHE SAILS LIKE A WITCH and points higher than any boat I have ever been on. It has a strong hull and a wonderful towering mast which is well secured and it doesn't need a a lot of wind/sail to make her go  so she is inherently safe. She has wonderful emergency and navigation equipment and wind instruments. the Hydrovane is wonderful but going to windward she balances so easily that it is not necessary. She is a joy to handle under sail and I can understand why Kosta loves her so. So she is a good boat to SAIL the S Pacific but a dreadfulone to CRUISE the same!
The Crew
Kosta, owner and captain, knows the boat very well, has long sailing experience and sound judgement. He is careful about checking the boat and sails for faults so they can be corrected before they get serious. If he has a fault it is that he is unwilling to delegate tasks so the learning curve for Genady and myself has been very gentle. He is cautious with sails so the wind we have had has not always been used to best effect but that could also be to minimise the chances of accidental or storm damage. It is only a matter of balance and I have had no serious misgivings about his judgement on this passage.

Sergiy, is Kostas usual sailing partner. He is also a mechanic so he has taken on much of the regular maintenance and projects to uprate the boat for this trip. He would really like to be sailing just with Kosta and finds other people, especially me, quite difficult to work with as he wants to do it all as he does with Kosta. He is very strong, mechanically inventive and a fantastic cook. He has undertaken most of the cooking and produced tasty, sustaining and interesting meals in some dreadful conditions. He is a tower of strength if some times difficult to live with.

Genady is the quietest of the group. He too is an engineer in a company fabricating roof truss joints. He and Kosta have been friends and sailing companions since they were at university together. His experience of both boat and sea is less than anyone else, but he is easy to get on with and keen to co-operate working the boat. I think that the size and violence of some of the seas have shocked him but he has recovered quickly and come back for more.

And then there is me.
They all look after me as they think my age demands and I don't object with any strength!

Life is wonderful: I would not have thought it possible 40-50 years ago when I was sitting  in my tank on the N German Plain looking East, that I would one day be sitting on a small sailing boat in the middle of the Pacific with 3 ex-members of the Red Army speaking Russian to each other. Amazing!

For a few hours in the afternoon we shook out a reef and the boat took off at 7-8 kts. Sergiy was pleased as it was his watch. We prudently went down to 3 reefs at last light and ploughed uneventfully through the night.

14 December 2011 On Passage
                                                   Yesterday Genady and Sergiy fed fishing lures to the predators of the S Pacific, and today is no different. We get lots of hits but the fish break or cut the line very quickly. One bite took all the line off the reel in less than 3 secs and before anyone could get near the rod. It is frustrating for the fishermen but if these monsters are on the end of the line it is probably better that they are in the ocean rather than the cockpit.
This morning was sunny and blue for only the 2nd time this trip so we went off the wind and dried our clothes and mopped the bilges and emptied the forepeak of water and wet sails. It was a very pleasant few hours. I just hope we don't have to pay for it later with interest. It should be OKif the wind backs East. The general feeling is that we will head for Tahiti directly with an ETA about Christmas. It is not certain but is increasingly likely.
We kept the same 3 reefs and small jib all day and through the night. We were a bit under powered but still made 120 miles in 24 hrs. For 15hrs throughout the night the boat plodded dutifully to windward and none of us needed to touch the tiller. It felt like a holiday.
We have lots of flying fish, silvery shoals skittering across the waves in the day and grey shapes disappearing into the night. Last night we had a small sqid on the deck too.

15 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  The weather looks set fair at 10-15 kts SE so we shook out a reef. I think we could carry more sail but it makes for a comfortable ride and we are making 5-6 kts in more or less the right directions. We are losing our hard won easting quite quickly but the promise of East winds for a couple of days and then even 2 days of NE. So if they materialise the eastings will be easy to get back.
It really is an amazing boat to sail. With Spirit of May you felt the power of the boat when she leaned to the wind and shouldered the seas aside. Nitidus doesn't give that impression at all as she seems to slip through the water without effort. Often I think we are hardly moving but when I look at the GPS I see we have a steady 5 kts.
 Today was Sergiy's day for a fish. After yesterdays losses he trippled the leaders and upped the line strength and was rewarded with a 5-6 lb Mahi-Mahi. I look forward to sushi and fish and chips!  Not much sushi and no chips, but the fried fish was delicious.

The wind is steady SE under 20 kts so we can carry the large jib and 2 reefs in the main; and she sails herself going south for hour after hour.

17 December 2011 On Passage
                                                 Today I checked the diary against the ships log and found that I had lost a complete day! When it was I can only guess but I suspect that it was over a week ago when we were having alarms and frustrations in the doldrums. It shows what a different time capsule is a small boat on passage.
 Last night was also the 1st time we had a cloud free sky and no moon. I spent my watch looking for new stars and watching the familiar ones sink low to the North.  This morning we crossed the equator. I made a small libation of my morning coffee to King Neptune and asked that the present benign conditions continue. We go at 6-7 kts without effort.
Today we also abandoned formally any thoughts of making the Marquesas and our intention is now Tahiti. The Marquesas are 600 miles away but directly to windward and if we wanted to go there we would have to sail around 1800 mls to account for tacking and leeway and the set of the equatorial current. Even in a boat that sails as well as Nitidus this is not a trivial undertaking and it makes one appreciate the skills and fortitude of the sailors like Cook who made these passages in square rigged ships without charts or GPS. And even more so for the Polynesian navigators who found their way in catamaran canoes.
Sergiy hooked and lost another big fish. Once it saw the boat it dived , bent the rod double and snapped the line.
There was another star filled night and and the 24 hr run was 158 miles! That is better than 6.5 kts average.
Kosta was playing with the GPS and found a screen with a maximum speed of 15 kts. Unfortunately he reset the field! Even for allowing for the 2 kt variation caused by GPS plot accuracy it is an awesome speed for a 40ft sail boat.

18 December 2011 On Passage
                                                 During the night the wind backed to the East and increased in strength so at 0600 we took in the 3rd reef and paid off to 210 degrees. The motion is much easier and little of our precious Easting is being lost. We are told that as we go further S the wind will back further so it should be easy to lay a course for Papette. However with the reaching the boat will not easily steer herself as she did all day yesterday so we must hand steer. The speed is little if any reduced and I expect a similar daily tally of miles to yesterday. With the firm decision to head for Papette the guide books and pilot books are being studied avidly.
The wind built steadily all day pushing up the swell before it. The boat started surfing across the front of the waves and was increasingly difficult to control. We dropped the main and everything calmed down immediately but the speed stayed at 6-7kts so we decided to stay like this overnight. The days run was 157 mls almost identical to yesterday. The hand steering is tedious after the luxury of the last few days but with 4 fit crew it is not a problem. At this rate we will be in Tahiti in about 6 days. A most attractive proposition.

19 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  We hand steered all night and in the morning the wind abated slightly. the boat was sluggish so we put up the main with 3 reefs and away she went again. The steady trade winds are a joy after the  variables of the doldrums and the Med, just as long as you don't want to go upwind! We rolled along all day and just before we were due to eat Genady caught a 5lb tuna. In the area there were hundreds of terns wheeling and diving so we suppose that the tuna were corraling flying fish or sprats. But how can hundreds of birds arrive at a bait ball? We seldom see more than 1 or 2 at a time so where do they come from and how do they know?
Anyway the tuna was very welcome. Much darker and more meaty in texture than the Mahi-Mahi, and not as sweet. When it came in it was beautiful, silver streaks with a deep green back and an enormous black and silver eye.

20 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  Awoke to find that the wind was backing furthar and we needed to ease the sheets to go south. the boat leveled up and the cockpit was dry for hours at a time! It is a bit rolly in the quartering sea but we are getting on a treat. To celebrate I had a salt water shower at the back of the cockpit, a 1st since Hawaii. The rest of the day was like a holiday, blue sky, blue sea and white caps on the waves and an easy passage towrds our destination. The wind lasted until 2200hrs and then died so everyone else had a frustrating night of calms and wind shifts in a sea left over from the days blow.  

21 December 2011 On Passage
                                                    I woke early for my watch with crashing and banging of halyards and and the slapping of sails, sheets and blocks. We were making very slow progress SE with thunderstorms and squalls all around. Eventually we put the engine on and pressed on but with a similar racket. About an hour into my watch we were hit by a squall which went from 0 to 38 kts in under a minute . There was just time to kill the engine and slacken the sheets to avoid a serious broach. We were only carrying a triple reefed main and the small jib but the boat surged away and laid over at 45 degrees with us spilling wind as best we could. When it was obvious it was not passing we quickly we dropped the main and regained control. The heavens opened and it poured reducing visibility to about 100m.  as usual with heavy rain the sea went oily smooth in spite of 20+kts of wind. Genady and Sergiy took a fresh water shower and I was very little drier in my oilskin jacket . At watch end I made myself breakfast and prepared a vegetable curry for lunch. Kosta and |Genady both had similar blows but we now knew what to look for and we got the main down in good time and so avoided more dramas.
 Around sunset there was a discussion as to what to do with the sails as the wind was very light and we were only making about 2kts at best, and then often in the wrong direction. Kosta was unwilling to use the engine but after an hour of severely slatting sails he relented and we went SSW in the right direction at 4-5 kts all night. Most of the time the wind wasn't strong enough to turn the wind generator so moving a boat downwind would have been impossible. I was also happy about the decision because the sails were taking a beating and we do not have a spare main so this one is precious.

22 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  During the morning the wind veered East and we slowly increased the sail area and avoided obvious squalls and thunderstorms. It finally settled ESE-SE at a steady 15kts so we went up to 2 reefs and made good progress all day. At night there was an active band of electrical storms all across our front so when the wind shifted quickly and increased we dropped the main completely and continued like that through to the next morning.

23 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  Today dawned fair with a steady E-ESE wind of 15kts and fair weather cumulus all around. After some discussion about whether to use more sail and arrive tomorrow night, we decided 'Sod the arrival' and flew the sail. The boat went beautifully and the wind gradually increased in strength so we were surfing across the front of the waves. We ate the last melon sitting in the cockpit with the boat going like a train in a blue and white sunny surround. Just lovely. However all good things come to an end and we shortly afterwards had to reef and then drop the main completely. I had a fairly easy watch but Kosta and Genady had calms and blows and Genady had a 28 kt squall so it was good that the main was down. We are sticking to the jib as we are still making 6-7kts  in the right direction with very little effort.

24 December 2011 On Passage and Arrival

                                                                     The boat continues to plough S at 5-6 kts under the large jib alone. The sea is rough but not unruly except when it decides to dump a wave into the cockpit and on top of whoever is helming. We made steady progress all day and at the end of the evenings pancakes we sighted Tautira, an atoll 30 mls N of Papette. It was the 1st non pelagic thing we had seen since we left Hawaii. There was an accelleration zone just N of Tahiti which bent and brought us on a course for the loom of Papette's lights. It was rough but at this time who cares! We picked up the leading lights a long way out but the channel markers through the reef were heavily disguised in the background glare of the town and a plethora of winking reds and greens. However with the GPS and the leading lights we had no difficulties entering the harbour. We went bows to a floating pontoon and picked up a lazy line. The harbour was unsurprisingly quiet at 0300 on Christmas morning. There was nothing left to do but celebrate our arrival with a drink and then go to bed so that is what we did.

The Voyage: Hawaii to Polynesia

The Voyage: Hawaii to Polynesia
                                                     After the stopover in the US with Don and Kathy, and the preparation of the boat in Hawaii, reported in the 2 previous posts, it was about time to get on with the event which had brought me half way around the world. This post records our adventures, highs and lows on the passage from Hawii to Tahiti.

5 December 2011 Kona and departure
                                                             After an unhurried pack-up we booked out of the resort. We are all anxious to get started, but I feel that Genady and I are still unfamiliar with the boat and could have done with some time spent in instruction and practice. Kosta says not to worry we will pick it up easily enough! On contacting immigration Kosta was told to report to the airport at 1130hrs which gives us a few hours of waiting so we put anti chafe on the spreaders and did last,last, last minute shopping.
 When Kosta got back there was a mini panic about the state of charge in the batteries, but the engine startyed and it was considered to be just that the boat had sat unused for 3months. Serge fitted his new gear change to the outboard and it is a great improvement on the original broken bit that it came with.
 We left at 1345hrs and picked up a NNW wind of 8-9 knots which took us easily down the W coast of Big Island under full main and the large jib.

Leaving Hawaii

We lost the wind about 15-20 miles N of the most Southerly point and proceeded under engine, but not for long. In the area of the Point we moved into an accelleration zone and got East winds of 25-30 knots. Frantic reefing, 1 reef, 2 reefs as the wind built and the light began to fade. We were still over-canvassed so changed the jib for a small one in challenging conditions. the large jib was left secured to the stancions on the foredeck. The boat was still going like a train, or perhaps a submarine would be a better analogy, and it was not easy to handle, so we decide to take in the 3rd reef. We/I then found that although the sail had 3 reef points there were only 2 reef lines and no stoppers on the reef lines so No1 reef line had to be undone and re used as No3. In failing light with high wind and sea conditions it was not the easiest of tasks, but it was done eventually and the boat finally came under control just as it got properly dark. We decided to hand steer through the night, not sure why, but we did. The boat was swept continually by seas, many of them heavy, and everyone was wet. The boat leaked badly under these conditionswhich shocked Kosta who had never experienced anything like this before and had assured me that the inside would be dry.
 Around midnight on Kosta's watch there was a major panic as the large jib had broken loose. Kosta and Genady did some fancy footwork on the fore deck and managed to bundle it and the accompanying waves in through the forehatch.
What a baptism of wind and water!
The boat sails like a witch but is probably the most uncomfortable boat I have ever sailed on. This morning the cabin floor is nearly awash and most of the water that lands on the deck returns to the ocean via the cockpit!

6 December 2011 On Passage
                                                With the morning we took stock. The wind abated slightly to around 15kts and the boat was wallowing as she was undercanvassed. With some trepidation we shook out a reef and she began to fly again. we also set up the Hydrovane which is a wonderful piece of equipment. It is so simple but steers better than any of us can. this means that we can watchkeep from the little companionway shelter instead of being on the windward side of the cockpit which is regularly swept with waves and spray.
 There was another alarm about 1500hrs when we noticed that the Hydrovane had slipped in it's mountings and twisted. Sergiy and Kosta spent a couple of hours hanging over the back and managed to straighten it and tighten the bracket bolts. Lifting will have to wait for calmer conditions. In the attempts to provide easier for Kosta and Sergiy I learnt 2 rather disturbing facts:
1. My crew had no knowledge of heaving-to, with all the implications that that has for MOB drills.
and
2. Nitidus will not heave-to easily anyway as the foresail sheet lead is too far inboard to properly back the sail and stop the boat.
Best not to fall off I guess!!!!!!!!!

Sergiy on watch in relatively easy conditions, note the water running into the cockpit

 The boat continues to sail beautifully at 50 degrees off the wind and 10-15kts gives us 5-7kts in a direction which will allow us to make the Marquesas. What will happen in the Doldrums and then more worryingly, the SE Trades remains to be seen.  'Sufficiant unto the day' and for now we are making 130-140mls/day in the right direction.
  At about midday the choppiness on the top of the swells eased and the boat began, with our help, to dry out. I have 2 sets of clothes that I use, 1 wet, the other damp, and I switch beween them. Goodness knows what my good clotheswillbe like in the bag I stored in the forepeak. The boat is heeled at about 20 degrees and every job is of necessity a one handed job. Unless you are wedged somewhere you have to hang on. Interesting!
 The winds got up again towards evening and I made a chicken curry whilst restrained in a cats cradle of ropes at the stove. There is no bum strap and nothing to wedge against, Sergiy and to a lesser extent Genady manage to work the stove in a chaotic ballet dance but it is beyond me.

Genady cooks. Masterchef eat your heart out!

At the time it was my watch both Kosta and Sergiy were on deck so I went to bed in a quarterberth, first time warm and dry for 2 days. Slept for 12 hours!
Afternote: That last comment shows why soldiering is a young mans' occupation, 50 years ago, 2 days on the go and soaking wet were a fairly unremarkable occurrence.

8 December 2011 On Passage
                                                Somewhere in the chaos of the last few days I have lost.
Woke in time for my watch and things were much quieter. The wind was down below 15kts and the boat was down to 4.5 kts. We really needed more sail to drive the boat as the hydrovane needs speed to recover the course from bumpy waves. However we stayed with small jib and 2 reefs all day to give us a chance to tidy up and clean out the bilges. Everything is much more civilised now with a dry cabin floor.
Yesterday Genady tried his hand at fishing and lost 2 lures in quick succession. The fish must have been big as there was no delay, just bang and gone. Today however was different and after about a hour he hooked a Mahi-Mahi. After about 10 mins we landed this beautiful 15lb fish.

 On the way in it was silver and green and blue by turns and on landing it turned yellow. Kosta played itGenady gaffed and butchered it, and we all had sushi for supper! Delicious.
  Just when you think everything is under control........... the wind got up, and the Hydrovane shifted again and had to be dismantled. by this time it was night with 20+kts of wind. We managed to heave to eventually by dropping the main, but then the boom had to be secured against the roll of the boat and there is very little to tie anything to on this boat. For a while it was a melee of noise and flying ropes and the crashing back and forth of the boom, but eventually everything was tamed and after about 30mins the hydrovane was recovered. Another night of hand steering. it was my watch and the others disappeared below. The watch was a real joy,Nitidus handles like a big dinghy and with the wind below 20 kts the splashing was minimal, there was a beautiful moon to steer by, flying fishes skittering about in the ocean and on deck. It was a lovely 3 hrs.

9 December 2011 On Passage

This is more like it!

                                                I woke to find that Kosta had lashed the tiller and the boat was sailing herself close-hauled. I wasn't sure she would do this, but she does and balances like a dream. the weather looks fair and settled so we mopped upthe bilges again, eased the angle on the wind, flattened the jib, eased the boom out and got the boat sailing flat in roughly the right direction with the cockpit and decks dry for the 1st time since we left.
  The wind dropped to under 10kts so we changed to the larger headsail. We had our 1st uneventful night since leaving but were visited twice by dophins.
  Since leaving we have seen no shipping, no planes and limited birdlife, just a few boobies and albatrosses and a scattering of petrels.
Sergiy found a corroded connection in the charging circuit so now the charging works all the time!

10 December 2011 On Passage
                                                 The wind was again light so after breakfast we put up the full main and had a lovely time sailing gently to windward until 1100hrs when Kosta discovered that about 1/3rd of our fresh water was missing from the Starboard tank. The water in the bilges had disguised its' loss over the last 5 days. We drained what was left into the main tank and took stock. We have about 200litres of water left. The Marquesas are1300mls away and we have sailed 650mls in 5days. We have the doldrums and the SE Trades to contend with but allowing 3 weeks to complete, which we reckon is well within probability, will give us 9 litres a day between the 4 of us. We were frugal on water before, now we must be miserly.
    What caused the leak we have not established. there is no obvious damage to the container so I can only think that one of the inlet/outlet caps was not properly secured. (In Tahiti we found a small slit on the top of the tank which we repaired with sail tape. But what caused the slit is still unknown.) We checked the port tank very carefully and all is well there.
 The wind picked up and the boat took off at a steady 6kts for the Marquesas. At last light we took in a reef and the speed was largely unaffected. At 0300hrs during Genady's watch we were hit by a sustained squall in excess of 25kts from the SSE. We paid off and dropped the main in driving rain and spray. Spent the night going SSW! At about 1100hrs the wind backed 30 degrees and we were able to hold a Southerly course. With the loss of easting, and the S aspect of the winds, plus the SE Trades; the Marquesas becomes problematic. Tahiti is 300 mls furthar at 1000 mls and almost due South, so we are keeping our options open by heading as mujch SE as we can and will reassess in 2-3 days.
Today was a very frustrating day, sails up - too much wind; sails down -wind drops; just one of those days , 0-20 kts and everything in between from most points of the compass!
Engine On,
Engine off again PDQ as we took off on a beat to the SE and the Marquesas; and another midnight main drop in 25+kts.

Kosta at the helm

11 December 2011 On Passage
                                                  For the early morning it was much yesterday so it was a slow uncertain start. Eventually we put up the large jib and the main with 1 reef and we made variable headway S and E throughout the rest of the day. We managed to dry most things and the boat until 1600hrs when we were hit by another squall which was pretty exciting. We dropped the main and exchanged the jibs with some difficulty, only to roll about in the swells when the wind dropped. As there were no other squalls on the way we re-reeved the  

Hawaiian Interlude

HAWAIIAN INTERLUDE

After  staying with Don and Kathy Thayer in Carson City Nevada, which is reported in the previous post, I continued my journey to Hawaii to meet Kosta and the rest of the crew of Nitidus. There was a period when we got to know one-another and prepared the boat for the voyage. This post records that period.

29 November2011 Kona, Big Island,Hawaii
                                                                        The morning after Genady and I arrived in Kona we packed to go again as the flat that Kosta and Julia had used up until then was going to be too small when Sergiy arrived later that morning. Genady and I were dropped at a beach to have time to get to know each other whilst Julia and Kosta went to the airport to collect Sergiy. Kosta and Genady have known one another since they were both students at Kiev university, and Sergiy is Kosta's usual sailing partner in the home waters of Vancouver, and both were strangers to me, so it was important that we got to know each other.

  The beach was fine and Genady and I got on quite well and found that we were both ex-tankers though obviously from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain!
 I was surprised to find myself swimming with a turtle. It was quite tame and seemed to be looking for company.  I found out later that they are very common and everyone was quite blase about them but at the time it was an interesting experience.
 Julia, Kosta and Sergiy arrived from the airport so we shopped for food and changed to the new accommodation which is in a beautiful holiday complex. We then planned the following day. Kosta just wanted Segiy to help him put the boat in the water. so Genady and I were released to go sightseeing.

Our 5* accommodation

We decided to go to look at Volcanoes National Park, found a brilliant $20 a day deal on a car and looked forward to the next day.

30 November 2011 Kona
                                         The $20 deal somehow got to $70 in double quick time when insurance and taxes and.......were added! However it was a very nice car.
 We drove around the island, the road was fringed with lush vegetation, Hibiscus, Daturas, Flame Trees, Poinsettias and lots more even though it was the dry season. The larva flows we crossed were frequent, impressive and depressing in form and colour. A chaotic jumble of black/brown boulders and cinders; but flanked by untouched lush green.

A typical lava flow

 At Volcanoes National Park we browsed the visitors centre and walked the Sulphur Banks Trail which ended on the edge of the main caldera. The eruptions in the main crater were impressive even from the 1-2 miles distance that we were required to view them from.

Genady at the Sulphur Banks

The eruption in the main caldera

The Crater Rim Trail was closed so we returned to the visitors centre through tropical forests and steam vents, both of which were interesting and made for a good walk.

We then moved the car to the head of the small crater and the lava tube. This was a tunnel about 250 m long,but it was lit and paved and full of people so the effect was a bit disappointing. The 'small' crater was enormous, black, and impressive; with steam and gas vents and plant life struggling to take hold. The 'small' crater trail was over 4 miles long and by the end we had had enough of dark desolation.
   We decided to return to Kona via Hilo and the Saddle Road. Hilo was just lovely, a beautiful seafront with wide lawns and Acacia trees, and pleasant well maintained buildings. We stayed for tea and coffee. The drive up to the saddle was interesting in spite of the mist and close to sunset we came out above the cloud at the saddle. Here we decided to attend the impromptu telescope display at the car park of the visitors centre half way up Mauno Lea.

Sunset above the clouds from Mauno Lea

To fill in the time until it was dark I watched a film about the conflict of interests between astronomers and native Hawaiians for the summit of Mauno Lea. It looks like the dispute will run and run in spite of the best efforts on both sides. We then viewed the Moon, Jupiter and a variety of indistinct and unidentified stars/planets/galaxies. Nice to have done it, no need to go again. then it was home for supper. Kosta and Sergiy reported that the launching and engine checks had gone well.

1 December 20011 Kona

     We all went to the boat after breakfast and started a general empty out and clean up. I got the fore peak and found a small but significant leak from one of the transducers. it was one of the oldest so the silicone/epoxy was probably tired and couldn't cope with the flexing of the hull during the lift. Kosta and Sergiy immediately assumed responsibility for curing it so Genady and I continued the cleanup and checking the new dinghy and out board. The dinghy was fine but the out board came with a broken gear change lever. The leak was eventually cured and Sergiy says he can make a new change lever so it was a day of mixed results. At the end of the day we all went for a swim at a beach near the marina and there were turtles everywhere!

Nitidus's cockpit looking aft from the companionway

Looking forward

 This is the first time I have seen Nitidus and she is very, very different to Spirit of |May. No doubt I will get used to the open cockpit and lack of shelter and there does not seem to be anything which is a 'show-stopper', but things are not where I would expect them and I hope that Kosta will take Genady and I through  'the ropes' before we set out.
  Below decks she is also quite strange with a very steep companionway and a large open area with a galley in one corner. She has 2 quarterberths, a forepeak berth, and 2 setteeeand bunk berths on either side of the living area. she has 3 small hatches along either side of the coachroof and a forehatch but no dorades. Whatever she is like to sail comfort is not going to be a feature of this trip.

2 December2011 Kona

                                     We all went for a swim to Coconut Beachand stopped for a side excursion to a lava tube right beside the road. The tube was less intact but more impressive than the sanitised version we saw at Volcanoes. It was about 20ft in diameter and stygian black!

 Coconut Beach was approached over a lava flow about 1mile in length so was not a track for those looking for a smooth ride. The beach itself was beautiful, white coral sand and black rocks fringed with shade giving trees and a rumbustious blue and white ocean.

I tried snorkelling but the swell picked up too much sand and reduced visibility to the extent that it was difficult to maintain orientation so I came out over some rocks and was nibbled by a shoal of fish. It was a lovely morning.

  The afternoon was spent doing a mega($1000) non-perishable shop at Cost Co, a cash and carry US style, and then stowing it on the boat.
 There was considerable relief all round that the leak seems to have been cured.

3 December 2011 Kona
                                      I woke to a developing head cold so decided not to swim and certainly not to snorkel. We all went off to the bay where Capt James Cook was killed. It was a long walk down to the shore, about 1500ft. The path drops through great stands of Elephant Grass and Acacia trees, the inevitable lava flow and finally a small forest by the shoreline. Everyone else went snorkelling as there is no sand and the visibility is excellent. Even from the shore lots of corals and multi coloured fish were visible. There were 2 memorials to Capt Cook, who was born in Whitby not far from where I grew up. He was probably the greatest navigator that Britain has ever produced but both of the memorials record his 'discovery' of the islands! It is easy to see why the Polynesians and Hawaiians get a bit pissed off. I enjoyed the walk back up the hill but was pleased to get back to the house for a shower and lunch.

Nitidus's crew at Captain Cook's Memorial

In the afternoon we had a trip to Walmart for personal purchases. Because of the cold I was glad of the easy day but feel we should all have a bit more time together on the boat.


4 December 2011 Kona
                                       Easy start and moved all gear not likely to be used during the voyage on to the boat and stowed it away. We refolded sails, filled with water and diesel,shopped for perishables and Kosta checked the mast. Kosta is asking to clear out after1200hrs tomorrow so lets hope we get a favourable wind! Genady and Julia went swimming from a beach on the other side of the marina. I still have a cold so just walked around and looked at the boats. There was lovely 36ft Taiwan takeaway for sale which gave me a distinct itch in the wallet, and it would be very suitable for the voyage ahead, but Nitidus will just have to do!.

Round the world with David and Ann

For the last four months I have been going around the world and Ann joined me for the last two. The next series of posts on the blog will report on the stages of our adventure. We enjoyed our travels and we hope you enjoy reading about them.

GALERA TO HAWAII


I started the journey by touching base with Chris(eldest son) and family in Windsor. I continued on by visiting Don and Kathy Thayer in Carson City, Nevada for a few days. Don and I have played backgammon on itsyourturn for many years and this was a wonderful opportunity to meet. I was heading for Hawaii to meet Kosta Yushchenko who Ann and I first met in Greece back in 1993 just after the collapse of the USSR. He subsequently emigrated to Canada and dreamed of taking his yacht to the South Pacific and asked me to be a part of it. At nearly 70 years of age such a chance was unlikely to come again so I accepted so I was heading for Hawaii to help crew Nitidus on the leg South from Hawaii to Tahiti.

18 November 2011  Galera - Windsor
                                                           I left home early in the morning with a harem of girls intent on shopping when they had got rid of me! The queue at the Monach desk was horrendous, they charged a fortune because I was overweight, the queue for the plane was equally desperate and the flight was late anyway. Not an auspicious start.  The girl at the coach desk booked me on the next coach to Heathrow without demur which was helpful, and I finally got to Slough and the train over the river to Windsor. I arrived to find Chris and the girls at home, and Emma in Yorkshire helping her father to move house.

19-21 November 2011  Windsor
                                                   Chris and I played tag team on the girls who were delightful and infuriating by turns. An on loan Labradoodle called Popcorn helped all parties maintain equilibrium and sanity. On Saturday we all went swimming and Ashbury ventured down the long waterslide with me but got dowsed at the end. However all was well, a bit shocked but keen to go again.
Sunday, Sierra and I went for a lovely walk by the river and she got to go into a super-market on her own to buy apple sauce for the evenings' roast pork.She was excited with the milestone in life, and it was lovely to see.
Monday I took the girls to school and  amused myself around the town.

22 November 2011 Windsor to Los Angeles 
                                                                     Took a taxi to T5 for the BA flight to LA. The online check in didn't like my Spanish issued US visa but the girl at the desk cleared whatever the problem was. The flight was long,but smooth, the food was good and the seat comfortable. A coach to the hotel, room fine, US hamburger for supper and an early bed.

23 November 2011  Los Angeles to Carson City

Don and Kathy Thayer with Chelsea and Derby

                                                                                  American fry-up for breakfast. Coach to the airport so not seeing much of LA. Book in and pass security. God knows what the US unemployment figures would be like if they relaxed airport security. It is run by an organisation called Transportation Security Agency TSA alias Thousands Standing Around! Natty little plane to Reno with fine views of the Sierra Nevada. The plane was early but made contact with Don through the offices of a very helpful lady in a tourist office. Then it was on to Don and Kathy's house in Carson City. I was introduced to Chelsea and Derby and ingratiated myself by taking them for a walk with Don on a local golf course. Kathy came home from work and we went out for a Thai meal.

24 November 2011 Thanksgiving in Carson City

Don in front of one of his restaurants at Lake Tahoe

  Don and I were off early to Heidi's at Lake Tahoe for thanksgiving greetings to staff and a very substantial breakfast of omelette, lots of coffee and a biscuit that was more like a bun! Then we were off to Emerald Cove and Eagle Falls. Ice and snow underfoot and small flurries in the wind. Short walks so great for the dogs.

Emerald Basin, Lake Tahoe

 We then drove round Lake Tahoe which was larger than I expected and very pretty in a grand, scenic way. On the way home we stopped to walk around Spooners Lake which was freezing fast and the coots were working hard to keep a bit of open water.

A Thanksgiving dinner with Jim and Rona(?) who are also Ba'hais like Don and Kathy, completed a memorable day.

25 November 2011 Carson City

                                                  Out to breakfast again but this time to Heidi's in Carson City, and an embarrassment with a tap. How many ways can there be to turn a tap on? After breakfast we all went for a drive over the Donner Pass and into California. The Donner party were caught in snow in the1850's trying to get to California, Most of them perished and the survivors resorted to cannibalism. No such problems for us and we dropped down to Auburn for a walk over the American River.

The walk at Auburn

The view downstream from Sutters Mill

Some of the fantastic scenery in the Sierras

From Auburn we went onto the site  which started the 1849 Gold Rush. It is now a Heritage site with lovely walks along the river, very different to what it was then. And then back through the Sierra on a spectacular drive for a supper of cold turkey. 

26 November 2011 Carson City

                                                  A slower start today and then Don and I went to Virginia City in his bright yellow Corvette!

I got to drive

Virginia City, so legend has it, bankrolled the Union in the civil war with silver from the Comstock Lode. In it's  heyday it was a rumbustious mining town of 24,000 inhabitants. It is now down to about 1,500 and makes its' living from fleecing tourists in various saloons, bars and ticky tacky shops. We viewed the Suicide Table which lost it's 4 owners so heavily that they were either lynched or committed suicide. We drank beer, well I did anyway, in the Bucket of Blood Saloon and generally had a good time, then it was home for an afternoons feet up in front of the TV and an evening out at Reds BBQ Restaurant for a Wild West meal. Another very satisfactory day. 

The Bucket of Blood Saloon

Don in Virginia City

27 November 2011 Carson City

                                                                                    This morning we all went North of Reno to Pyramid Lake. The country was dry and bleak, and I was assured, typical of the North and East of Nevada. It was widely separated N-S ranges of mountains and wide sparsely populated valleys of sagebrush and tumbleweed. The area around the lake was a Piute reservation so there were lots of restrictions what could be done where. We walked the dogs by the lake and they enjoyed the outing. The lake is clean and blue but does little to alleviate the general brown starkness of the countryside. We then headed out into the campo between the lake and a salt pan to an area with strange mushroom shaped rock formations. They had concentric rings of different crystal structures in the domes, and brown amorphous stems. I stupidly forgot my camera.

 On the way back we went to sports store in a shopping mall. I got a good deal on some sunglasses and everyone else in the world seemed to be shopping for America.

28 November 2011 Carson City to Kona, Hawai

                                                                            A slow start and a stroll along the Carson River with the dogs. It is a pleasant local amenity with nice views but Don says that the river still has way over safe levels of Mercury which was used to extract gold during Carson City's mining heyday and it is still around. 

Don and Chelsea by the Carson River

Don then took me to the airport in Reno, I headed for the check-in and he went back to work on a problem at one of his restaurants in Reno,

 I thought that it was a great visit with no serious surprises on either side. I hope that they will manage to visit us in Spain so that I can try to repay some of their amazing hospitality.  They say that they will so I look forward to that.

The flights back to LA and onward to Hawaii were without incident or significant memory but the next day AA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection!  After a few anxious moments Kosta appeared in a big SUV and we circled round to pick up Julia and Genady. We then headed back to their flat for supper and collapsed into bed.

Kosta, Genady and me at Kona