0430 zulu
lat 14 deg 05S
long 168 deg 16 W
course 250 mag
speed 6-7 kts single reef main and staysail
wind SE @ 15-20
seas 1-2 meters SE choppy
partly cloudy - no rain since sunrise
Well I knew i was jinxing myself by raving about the conditions on Sun and Mon. The winds shifted and the seas got choppy so the spinnaker came down around 2200. Then it was hang on for the ride. Dennis had some rain, but no wind so the full jib was up when I came on. About an hour later in the rain, Dennis came out and helped me reef it in (think we were doing 8-9 kts at the time). I finally brought it all the way and used the stay, wind died, so put the big jib back out part way, then the wind and sea and rain picked up. it was a pretty bouncy night. I stayed on watch until it was getting light, then got Josh up. We reefed in the jib a little more. I was exhuasted! Dennis was in the salon - our bed took some water in the transition from flat to bumpy, so I took Josh's bed - slept hard. By the time I got up things had smoothed out some - at least to a tolerable level. I guess during his watch Josh took a wave that covered the whole boat, the salon hatch was not latched all the way, and Dennis took wave to his chest. So a little bit of drying out again today.
Spoke with Moondance on the radio, they are a day behind us on their way to Western Samoa (technically just Samoa, but I added the W. for clarity). They have had a lot of rain and not much wind and bouncy seas.
We expect to make Pago Pago (pongo pongo) tomorrow mid afternoon - if the sailing conditions remain the same. Josh and I are dreaming of cheeseburgers and frenchfries.
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Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Suwarrow to Am Samoa Day 2
0400 zulu
lat 13 deg 41 S
long 165 deg 49 W
course 251 Mag
speed 5-6 knots (spinnaker and single reefed main)
wind 10 kts SE
seas calm
sunny and hot
Amazing!! Day 2 under spinnaker. I am probably going to jinx us. But yeah, this is what cruising is supposed to be like. i had an awesome sail on my watch last night. Winds were 9-13 with occasional 15 kts and our speed averaged over 6 knots and had some 8 & 9 in there when the wind crept up to 15. There were dark clouds all around, but never showed up on radar or put out much wind. I am sure the boys were happy that i didn't have to wake them up for a sail change.
We hardly know what to do with ourselves. Sleeping was good, cooking and eating is easy, poor Josh even had to do school today - no excuse not to. The generator ran with no problems and we caught a dorado/Mahi Mahi. Funny how that can happen if you actually have a line out.
So another great day. Hard to believe we have been out 52 days - and even longer than that since we have had access to a real grocery store. Down to the last 2 cans of corn, then that is it for veggies. Will be quite the shopping trip in Am. Samoa.
Just got called on deck to see a couple of small humpbacks!!! Cool!
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lat 13 deg 41 S
long 165 deg 49 W
course 251 Mag
speed 5-6 knots (spinnaker and single reefed main)
wind 10 kts SE
seas calm
sunny and hot
Amazing!! Day 2 under spinnaker. I am probably going to jinx us. But yeah, this is what cruising is supposed to be like. i had an awesome sail on my watch last night. Winds were 9-13 with occasional 15 kts and our speed averaged over 6 knots and had some 8 & 9 in there when the wind crept up to 15. There were dark clouds all around, but never showed up on radar or put out much wind. I am sure the boys were happy that i didn't have to wake them up for a sail change.
We hardly know what to do with ourselves. Sleeping was good, cooking and eating is easy, poor Josh even had to do school today - no excuse not to. The generator ran with no problems and we caught a dorado/Mahi Mahi. Funny how that can happen if you actually have a line out.
So another great day. Hard to believe we have been out 52 days - and even longer than that since we have had access to a real grocery store. Down to the last 2 cans of corn, then that is it for veggies. Will be quite the shopping trip in Am. Samoa.
Just got called on deck to see a couple of small humpbacks!!! Cool!
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Monday, August 5, 2013
Suwarrow To American Samoa
0430 zulu
lat - 13 deg 18 S
long 163 deg 42 W
course 245 M
speed 4kts
wind 8-10 east southeast
seas flat (yay!!!!)
sailing - spinnaker (poled out), and single reef main.
So today was the day you all think we have every day. It has been sunny and hot, seas flat, winds calm. We have the spinnaker up and all the hatches open, in your honor we even had a beer at 1800. Sorry, no ice for umbrella drinks. Boring - absolutely perfect!
We left Suwarrow this morning around 930 - made 5-6 knots initially, but have settled into 4ish. Even have the current going with us. Somebody pinch me I am dreaming! Dennis says we are back on the milk run, so this is how it will be. I don't know, but i will take what I can get right now.
I made fish chowder yesterday, and we had it for lunch today. Thank you Crystal for the Thrive diced potatoes - worked great!. We are having chilli and corn bread for dinner.
We have voted and will leave the spinnaker up tonight. All have agreed it is okay to wake each other up if need be.
Wish you all were here to enjoy the beautiful sail!
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lat - 13 deg 18 S
long 163 deg 42 W
course 245 M
speed 4kts
wind 8-10 east southeast
seas flat (yay!!!!)
sailing - spinnaker (poled out), and single reef main.
So today was the day you all think we have every day. It has been sunny and hot, seas flat, winds calm. We have the spinnaker up and all the hatches open, in your honor we even had a beer at 1800. Sorry, no ice for umbrella drinks. Boring - absolutely perfect!
We left Suwarrow this morning around 930 - made 5-6 knots initially, but have settled into 4ish. Even have the current going with us. Somebody pinch me I am dreaming! Dennis says we are back on the milk run, so this is how it will be. I don't know, but i will take what I can get right now.
I made fish chowder yesterday, and we had it for lunch today. Thank you Crystal for the Thrive diced potatoes - worked great!. We are having chilli and corn bread for dinner.
We have voted and will leave the spinnaker up tonight. All have agreed it is okay to wake each other up if need be.
Wish you all were here to enjoy the beautiful sail!
----------
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Suwarrow - Saturday
Beautiful day today.
Today was one of those days that we cruise for. Blue, blue skies, blue green water, flat calm lagoon. Only thing missing was the boat boy with my umbrella drink!
Poor Dennis had to work on the dinghy engine again - I think it has a thing for Dennis. I don't know, but it is fixed again. I made a ginormous breakfast, I wasn't sure Josh was ever going to get full. All that spearfishing uses a bunch of calories. Homework got done, I finished a book, made fish chowder all very laid back. Went in after the dinghy engine was working again to check out - Only three forms this time (not including the 3 I had already prepared for checking out).
Josh did a little skurfing with Sam - the lagoon was like glass, perfect for skurfing. Big dinner and early bed.
Current plan is we will leave for American Samoa tomorrow morning. Winds will be pretty light, but that is okay as long as there is some. Will take around four days. I will post the blog and a position report, but may not do the net. Looking forward to internet and fresh food! The cupboards are looking a little bare, so and infusion of provisions will be good. Charlie wants us to have a burger for him. Josh said he would have at least two. There is supposed to be a Carl's Jr that is better than any in the US. I guess we will see. Also looking forward to being able to laundry in a real machine. Lord knows we have some that is ready to walk on its own....
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Today was one of those days that we cruise for. Blue, blue skies, blue green water, flat calm lagoon. Only thing missing was the boat boy with my umbrella drink!
Poor Dennis had to work on the dinghy engine again - I think it has a thing for Dennis. I don't know, but it is fixed again. I made a ginormous breakfast, I wasn't sure Josh was ever going to get full. All that spearfishing uses a bunch of calories. Homework got done, I finished a book, made fish chowder all very laid back. Went in after the dinghy engine was working again to check out - Only three forms this time (not including the 3 I had already prepared for checking out).
Josh did a little skurfing with Sam - the lagoon was like glass, perfect for skurfing. Big dinner and early bed.
Current plan is we will leave for American Samoa tomorrow morning. Winds will be pretty light, but that is okay as long as there is some. Will take around four days. I will post the blog and a position report, but may not do the net. Looking forward to internet and fresh food! The cupboards are looking a little bare, so and infusion of provisions will be good. Charlie wants us to have a burger for him. Josh said he would have at least two. There is supposed to be a Carl's Jr that is better than any in the US. I guess we will see. Also looking forward to being able to laundry in a real machine. Lord knows we have some that is ready to walk on its own....
----------
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Suwarrow - Saturday
Beautiful day today.
Today was one of those days that we cruise for. Blue, blue skies, blue green water, flat calm lagoon. Only thing missing was the boat boy with my umbrella drink!
Poor Dennis had to work on the dinghy engine again - I think it has a thing for Dennis. I don't know, but it is fixed again. I made a ginormous breakfast, I wasn't sure Josh was ever going to get full. All that spearfishing uses a bunch of calories. Homework got done, I finished a book, made fish chowder all very laid back. Went in after the dinghy engine was working again to check out - Only three forms this time (not including the 3 I had already prepared for checking out).
Josh did a little skurfing with Sam - the lagoon was like glass, perfect for skurfing. Big dinner and early bed.
Current plan is we will leave for American Samoa tomorrow morning. Winds will be pretty light, but that is okay as long as there is some. Will take around four days. I will post the blog and a position report, but may not do the net. Looking forward to internet and fresh food! The cupboards are looking a little bare, so and infusion of provisions will be good. Charlie wants us to have a burger for him. Josh said he would have at least two. There is supposed to be a Carl's Jr that is better than any in the US. I guess we will see. Also looking forward to being able to laundry in a real machine. Lord knows we have some that is ready to walk on its own....
----------
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Today was one of those days that we cruise for. Blue, blue skies, blue green water, flat calm lagoon. Only thing missing was the boat boy with my umbrella drink!
Poor Dennis had to work on the dinghy engine again - I think it has a thing for Dennis. I don't know, but it is fixed again. I made a ginormous breakfast, I wasn't sure Josh was ever going to get full. All that spearfishing uses a bunch of calories. Homework got done, I finished a book, made fish chowder all very laid back. Went in after the dinghy engine was working again to check out - Only three forms this time (not including the 3 I had already prepared for checking out).
Josh did a little skurfing with Sam - the lagoon was like glass, perfect for skurfing. Big dinner and early bed.
Current plan is we will leave for American Samoa tomorrow morning. Winds will be pretty light, but that is okay as long as there is some. Will take around four days. I will post the blog and a position report, but may not do the net. Looking forward to internet and fresh food! The cupboards are looking a little bare, so and infusion of provisions will be good. Charlie wants us to have a burger for him. Josh said he would have at least two. There is supposed to be a Carl's Jr that is better than any in the US. I guess we will see. Also looking forward to being able to laundry in a real machine. Lord knows we have some that is ready to walk on its own....
----------
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Saturday, August 3, 2013
Suwarrow - friday
Busy day. We were all up early to get the boys off for their fishing expedition. Sadly Charlie forgot them, so an anticlimactic wake up call. Dennis and I went back to bed, but Josh couldn't go back to sleep so did homework for awhile. Not sure why it seemed so busy today? What all got done? I made tortillas and a peach crisp for the potluck, lunch, started the water maker, did
dishes galore (I think they just multiply in the sink, tried to clean the stains off the side of the boat - by then it was 1500 -time for the bbq. Josh and Dennis did geometry, then Josh went spear fishing. Dennis cleaned the bottom of the boat.
Dennis and Josh also did a dinghy rescue - luckily hadn't gotten far. The anchorage remains at 21 boats (1 left today and one came). Josh spent the afternoon spear fishing with Sam from My Muse. He was unlucky, came home frustrated but ready to go again tomorrow.
The bbq was good. Yummy tuna and lots of good side dishes. Carla made killer peanut butter chocolate chip cake - can you say reeses? Ranger Charlie was on a roll. He really did not like Tom Neal. Cracks me up to hear him say his (Tom Neal's) book is booshit (that's right no l's in bullshit on Suwarrow). He and Harry also sang some Maori songs for us. It was very nice. The kids even did crab races. Josh and Sam never did make it to the bbq (the great hunters), lucky for Josh I brought him some tuna and Carla sent the rest of the cake!
Looking at leaving on Sunday, Monday at the latest. Finally managed to get the stupid gribs to download. My bad, i asked for too big of an area and the time kept running out on the download and sailmail would boot me off. oh well live and learn. We have sailmail on two computers now - so there is no fighting over the one computer. Trouble is that it gets hard to keep track of what got down loaded where. Looks like there are several boats on the same track as us, and My Muse will go to Am. Samoa next as well. That will keep Josh happy. So tomorrow we will start reassembling the boat for travel, and check out with the rangers as Sunday is a rest day for them (Pretty civilized huh?).
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dishes galore (I think they just multiply in the sink, tried to clean the stains off the side of the boat - by then it was 1500 -time for the bbq. Josh and Dennis did geometry, then Josh went spear fishing. Dennis cleaned the bottom of the boat.
Dennis and Josh also did a dinghy rescue - luckily hadn't gotten far. The anchorage remains at 21 boats (1 left today and one came). Josh spent the afternoon spear fishing with Sam from My Muse. He was unlucky, came home frustrated but ready to go again tomorrow.
The bbq was good. Yummy tuna and lots of good side dishes. Carla made killer peanut butter chocolate chip cake - can you say reeses? Ranger Charlie was on a roll. He really did not like Tom Neal. Cracks me up to hear him say his (Tom Neal's) book is booshit (that's right no l's in bullshit on Suwarrow). He and Harry also sang some Maori songs for us. It was very nice. The kids even did crab races. Josh and Sam never did make it to the bbq (the great hunters), lucky for Josh I brought him some tuna and Carla sent the rest of the cake!
Looking at leaving on Sunday, Monday at the latest. Finally managed to get the stupid gribs to download. My bad, i asked for too big of an area and the time kept running out on the download and sailmail would boot me off. oh well live and learn. We have sailmail on two computers now - so there is no fighting over the one computer. Trouble is that it gets hard to keep track of what got down loaded where. Looks like there are several boats on the same track as us, and My Muse will go to Am. Samoa next as well. That will keep Josh happy. So tomorrow we will start reassembling the boat for travel, and check out with the rangers as Sunday is a rest day for them (Pretty civilized huh?).
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Friday, August 2, 2013
Fanning tues-thurs
Tuesday - total rain day.
Wednesday - woke up to sun and excess energy - add coffee, and i hardly knew what to do with myself! so, I went for a swim. Went to Moondance and My Muse and back. Finally mid morning went to shore to rinse out the spinnaker and do a little laundry. Got back to the boat in time for the boys to head out fishing. So you know how the trades always blow from ne/e/se? Well, not so much yesterday - got the whole compass out of it. Sadly that put our stern in 8 feet of water (not at low tide). so I spent a couple hours with an eye on the depth gauge waiting for the great white hunters to return. when they did (with a small something or other we can't name) we then spent a couple hours repositioning ourselves. during which time we figured out that at some point during the last 5 days the valve for the hydraulic steering fluid got messed up or messed with and we had no steering. Total cluster! But all turned out well and we repositioned ourselves far enough away from the reef and other boats to be comfortable. It is pretty tight in here right now. At last count there are 21 boats in the anchorage - beginning to feel like downtown San Francisco (kidding!). After we settled the whole anchoring thing, I went to put my lasagna together for dinner and found that all the fast cooking pasta (lasagna noodles and cannoloni) were infested with bugs - YUCK!!! new packages from HI too. good thing happy hour was scheduled for 1700 - lord knows that by then I totally needed it. Lots of nice new people to meet. Josh even has someone close to his age to talk to (20 yr old Sam from My Muse). So, all in all an okay day mostly.
today we got up fairly early to go do the manta ray snorkel - I guess they didn't get the memo, cuz they didn't show up. Maybe tomorrow. The rest of the day was spent doing a little of this and a little of that. Josh did homework, I bled the hydraulic steering, Dennis wired the stupid valves closed. After that Josh took me to get the laundry from the line on shore, but we got sidetracked at My Muse with an invite for Josh to go spearfishing. So, back to the boat to gather up all his gear and send him off. Dennis and I then went in for the laundry. Met some Ozzies of of Wendy Ellen. Nice folks with a small child named Ronan. I can only remember his name because of Ronan from Stargate Atlantis. cute kid, nice parents. Charlie of course had to give us fresh coconuts to drink the water from. is good, refreshing even warm. My brain should be all sharpened up after this stop (one can dream right???).
Josh brought home a medium parrot fish and had quite the story about the grouper that got away. There is talk of a fishing expedition in the morning with Charlie. Hope it comes together, freezer needs food.
Had our new very close to us neighbors over for happy hour tonight. they are from Seattle - Brett and Stacy - sv Bella Vita. That was fun and nice.
So, are thinking about when to leave. Have to look at weather etc, but is looking like we will leave by Monday. Tomorrow is another BBQ on the beach. With 21 or more boats, it ought to be quite the shindig. i am hoping that Harry plays his guitar. He was telling me that in Rarotonga, he plays regularly at different hotels and restaurants. Multi talented guy. Probably has carpal tunnel from checking everyone in over the last few days. No computerization here - no sirreee, it is all by hand.
going after weather now.....
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Wednesday - woke up to sun and excess energy - add coffee, and i hardly knew what to do with myself! so, I went for a swim. Went to Moondance and My Muse and back. Finally mid morning went to shore to rinse out the spinnaker and do a little laundry. Got back to the boat in time for the boys to head out fishing. So you know how the trades always blow from ne/e/se? Well, not so much yesterday - got the whole compass out of it. Sadly that put our stern in 8 feet of water (not at low tide). so I spent a couple hours with an eye on the depth gauge waiting for the great white hunters to return. when they did (with a small something or other we can't name) we then spent a couple hours repositioning ourselves. during which time we figured out that at some point during the last 5 days the valve for the hydraulic steering fluid got messed up or messed with and we had no steering. Total cluster! But all turned out well and we repositioned ourselves far enough away from the reef and other boats to be comfortable. It is pretty tight in here right now. At last count there are 21 boats in the anchorage - beginning to feel like downtown San Francisco (kidding!). After we settled the whole anchoring thing, I went to put my lasagna together for dinner and found that all the fast cooking pasta (lasagna noodles and cannoloni) were infested with bugs - YUCK!!! new packages from HI too. good thing happy hour was scheduled for 1700 - lord knows that by then I totally needed it. Lots of nice new people to meet. Josh even has someone close to his age to talk to (20 yr old Sam from My Muse). So, all in all an okay day mostly.
today we got up fairly early to go do the manta ray snorkel - I guess they didn't get the memo, cuz they didn't show up. Maybe tomorrow. The rest of the day was spent doing a little of this and a little of that. Josh did homework, I bled the hydraulic steering, Dennis wired the stupid valves closed. After that Josh took me to get the laundry from the line on shore, but we got sidetracked at My Muse with an invite for Josh to go spearfishing. So, back to the boat to gather up all his gear and send him off. Dennis and I then went in for the laundry. Met some Ozzies of of Wendy Ellen. Nice folks with a small child named Ronan. I can only remember his name because of Ronan from Stargate Atlantis. cute kid, nice parents. Charlie of course had to give us fresh coconuts to drink the water from. is good, refreshing even warm. My brain should be all sharpened up after this stop (one can dream right???).
Josh brought home a medium parrot fish and had quite the story about the grouper that got away. There is talk of a fishing expedition in the morning with Charlie. Hope it comes together, freezer needs food.
Had our new very close to us neighbors over for happy hour tonight. they are from Seattle - Brett and Stacy - sv Bella Vita. That was fun and nice.
So, are thinking about when to leave. Have to look at weather etc, but is looking like we will leave by Monday. Tomorrow is another BBQ on the beach. With 21 or more boats, it ought to be quite the shindig. i am hoping that Harry plays his guitar. He was telling me that in Rarotonga, he plays regularly at different hotels and restaurants. Multi talented guy. Probably has carpal tunnel from checking everyone in over the last few days. No computerization here - no sirreee, it is all by hand.
going after weather now.....
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