Hawaii

Arrived on "Big Island" 12pm, 30th sept after a 14 day crossing

On arrival, we headed into an empty slip ( med style) in Radio Bay
"Hilo" only to find the US customs had closed ( 2pm) for the day,
despite my contact customs & reporting the date of arrival, so after
registering with the Harbor Master & our one mandatory visit to the
supply shop, we had to wait for clearance the following morning...

Now we're all cleared except "Apple" dog who will be cleared tomorrow
morning by "Rabies Free Hawaii", although i'd already arranged for
Apple to be met by a local Vet, "Rabies Free" had already received
Apple's passport & medical certificates a month prior to our
departure, We really only needed to pay the fee's to the inspector &
she'll be cleared for America & Hawaii..

Radio bay is very rundown- industrial port, so we're looking to head
out on monday for Maui..

ITCZ

current postion: 11 33 243N - 144 41 173W

Broken out of the ITCZ zone at 10N after two days of harsh relentless squall's & heavy rain, now heading 300M straight for Hilo bay on big Island Hawaii, clear blue sky, 17 knots on a beam reach.. perfect sailing conditions.. presently being escorted by a group of dolphins..

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up date

Current postion: 04 54 788N _ 142 20 829W

heading 342M.. amazing cloud formations & the wind has moved round to the south, expecting the wind to fall away around N7 to N10.. still on schedule.

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Equartor

Postion: 02 59 683N 141 23 561W

We crossed the equator at 141 53 209W.. & that make Simon a "Shellback!!" now heading NW & we've covered exactly 715 mile's to date!! Presently to lining up for the ITZ zone (convergence zone) which starts at around N7 to N11 ( which we should hit in 24 hours), unfortunately it's become "active" (that's not very attractive), since our departure on the 16th.. so we're being very cautious in finding the exact entrance to weave through the condensed Low's -(lightning & squall's).. However the weather to date has been amazing - Clear sunny sky's good SE trades, occasional squall at night.. but fast sailing, we've found two other 45' sloop's out ( Soggy Paws & Infini) here both are behind us at around 50 miles & 75 miles but we all speak on the radio every morning & evening checking each other progress & weather..both boats seem incredibility nice company out here & are also heading home to Hawaii from FP..

after crossing the equator the winds have lightened to around 10 knots,from ESE, the pressure is still stable & high

we expect to arrive in Hawaii (big Island) on or around 1st Oct, IF Apple (dog) is cleared, which she should be within the next few days as we've sent all here papers well in advance.. Finally I have my sat phone doing all our e-mails so the SSB has become a back-up which is amazing.. we're all really well, Simon has acclimated into the ocean very well & is now at the helm.. we're all doing 3 hour watches & Veronica has become a fully accomplished sailor who decides the watches & can now run apple (yacht ) single handed!! I think the anti-Cyclone really gave her confidence in her ability to control the whole situation.. we now preparing for the ITZ zone.. weather in the North Pacific after the ITZ looks good, so hopefully make good ground..

not really sure how long it'll be in Hawaii or whether it'll continue through to San Francisco in Oct..

"RICK" LIMERICK..Are you in Hawaii? BIG ISLAND?? if so sat text me !!..

CREW WANTED>>> Anyone want to crew Hawaii to Los Angeles? sat text me.. sat number is this site..

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up date

Finally...... After our most challenging weather to date, we're homeward bound after 2 years out in the pacific, We departed sept 16th from Nuka Hiva-French Polynesia & are heading North towards Hawaii (Current position 02.45 71S 142 02 189W), we're now only 170 miles south of the equator.. planning to ARRIVE AROUND THE lST OCT

Fakarava to Nuka Hiva, WHAT a complete nightmare, we always knew this 700 mile crossing was going to be a challenge, but nothing prepared us for the 5 day battle we unwittingly undertook... I'd checked the weather everyday for two week's in advance, looking for a shift in the SE trade winds, the SE trade winds actually blow from NE which was our heading, however at certain time's the wind shift's East to South east & this would allow us the opportunity to set sail NE for the Marquesas....

finally after 11 days we got the wind shift we'd been waiting for...

so we pulled anchor & set sail... hoping to arrive within 5 days of our departure, unfortunately unbeknown to us, or the local weather reports, an anti-cyclone was developing NE of the Marquesas.. on top of this, our wind shift, flipped back after only 24 hours of our departure, & now this huge high pressure that was heading our way.. on the second day we were literally bashing into 4M waves breaking over our bow... the winds raised from 20 to 33knots NE.. straight on our nose..during the escalating intensity of the situation on day 3 & totally confused with the weather system, I satellite phoned a weather router in Hawaii & it was then we were told what had happened!!

His advise was to run with the waves, which would take us NW literally 100's of miles out of our way.. Veronica & myself were exhausted So I put Apple to heave Too ( stall the yacht beam- on to the breaking waves) a technique that has worked for hundreds of years & allow time to rest during storm situations.. However after 5 hour of heaving too, the waves grew so high that we were in fear of a capsize..& thus Veronica & self began a none stop up mountain battle hand steering every inch for 36 hour with no sleep, no food.. fighting for every inch of ocean up the ever mounting sea's.. Veronica was incredibly brave & took the helm every consecutive 2 hours enabling me to rest from the fatigue...

We finally made in to Nuka Hiva, where we've been resting & preparing for the next leg,,
Simon a close friend has now joined us & we're presently on route to Hawaii, Simon first pacific crossing.. were now preparing to cross the ITZ zone where we might encounter a little thunder..

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going with the flow...

we're now on route for marquesas where we're meeting a friend Simon, before heading off to expolre the Hawaii islands,our expected arrival in NH was due to be 108 hours but unfortunately we're run into a high pressure, & we're now having to head a little further north, away from out expected land fall of Nuka Hiva, simply due to the very high confused sea's, both Veronica, Apple & myself are fine just a little tired as we've had to hand steer 90% of our passage as our auto helm can't handle the wind gust's.. this high WILL pass us completely on Saturday, so till then.... we have to respect the power of nature & not try to fight against it, just simply go with the flow, so to speak... then we're re track our course &head into Nuka Hiva..perhaps one or 2 days late on arrival..

our postion is 10 52'160S 142 41 901W heading true north.

when we cross from Marquesas we thats to simon will be filming the whole crossing north to south pacifics with akite camera..

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August 30th 2010

So finally....it's really time to leave our French Polynesia Paradise, should we wish to spend anymore time here, well...... I'd have to file an import application for "Apple" (our yacht) & that would mean pay import tax... This, combined with the imminent arrival of summer in the south pacific, entails Cyclone season, knowing how very lucky we were last year pulling Apple (yacht) out in Raiatea, & encasing her in a steel frame, saved us the damage that other experienced when it passed through the society islands last Feb..

Also I think it's FINALLY time to head back to CALIFORNIA..& experience a little civilization, one of the most interesting aspect about our adventure, outside the traveling & cultures..ohh & the people we've met, Has been the running & maintenance of our own little self sufficient micro organism,"Apple", she makes her own electricity from solar panels & a wind generator, she makes 150 gallons of fresh drinking water a day, with her 12v spectra osmosis water maker system again powered by solar, 90% of her voyages are powered by the trade wind's.. she a complete self sufficient power station, that can support the 2 of us.... even this e-mail is sent vis her SSB radio, powered by solar, no phone company,no power company..no hassle!!! really free style living & everyday we create our own destiny..getting a sailing boat is i believe the closest thing to pure freedom, at least out here in the south pacific..

next year.... Ummm Maybe a refit for another passage or maybe back to work..?? who knows, everything will be hard after this..

NB: speaking to local fishermen about the cyclone season, they all seem to agree on a common senses, that when the coral reef become exposed, then the next coming season will bring a cyclone...& to be honest, we've never seen so many reef's exposed this year..i guess i should of added that earlier, but I'm still trying to learn this PC .there nothing like a Applemac, but PC are better for getting in weather!!

So we've already sailed back from Bora Bora, via Hauhine to Tahiti, & re stocked for the next 3'000 miles, then we sailed NE, with an eastern wind to Rangoroa, where the wind suddenly changed to NE, so we tacked away & headed east all the way to Fakarava, which took us around 46 hours, with both Veronica & myself at the helm for 3 hour at a time..

So new we resting at Fakarava! it's a beautiful atoll in the Archipel des tuamotu's..we visited it on our way across the south sea's.. we arrived at sunset & just caught the slack water, currents around these passes can run up to 6 knots, so you really wanna catch the slack water!!!! if you can?? next we'll head down through Fakarava to it's Southern pass, 30 miles of amazing protected turquoise inner ocean, before heading back into the pacific & battling for the atoll of Makemo, just 100 miles east of us, from there we head NE leaving the Tuamotus behind, & then really hit the SE trade winds at full force, Unfortunately the SE trade appear to come NE, so it's going to be a tough passage up to the marquesas, where we'll meet a close friend Simon Scott to begin our journey across the equator & to explore the Hawaiian island which we've never seen before.. although my voice & e-mails have spent months there trying to sort out apple (dog) paper to escape quarantine.

after many delays,

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mixed pictures from May-Aug.

.002% living on 90% of the planet... global sailing!!

So... We've we've decided to extend our stay another 4 months, thus enabling us to catch the total solar eclipse which is only visible from a small section of the Tuamotu atoll's on the 11th July..

where are we?

Over- due - date..

Where do i begin.... We've now been in French Polynesia one whole
year, over which period i've accomplished to learn two Polynesian
words, "IAORANA & MAURURU" (Hello & thank-you) ... Joking apart..
We've been extremely grateful for the freedom we've had to travel
extensively through the hundreds islands & atoll, whilst being allowed
to absorb into the many unique culture's within FP which covers some
5'500,000 square kilometers across the South Pacific, roughly covering
an area the size of Europe.

Over the year, We've begun to understand some of the complexities,
fear's & hope's that define the everyday life for the local
Polynesian's, simply by turning up on some remote beach, some tiny
isolated village or some distant atoll, we've always been welcomed &
allowed to immersed ourselves in the spectrum of culture the different
island groups offer, we're forever amazed how giving the polynesian
people really are, especially when you realize how foreign cultures
have abused their openness over recent history, I can honestly say
that I'm going to be very very sad to leave.

That said.... French Polynesia is suffering dramatically under the
world economic depression, tourism appears to of failed & we've
witnessed hotels have been closing at first hand, This along with the
every changing local governments has definitely had an affect on the
pride in it's people's. & simply from speaking to people from island
to island... I can honestly say the Polynesian people have lost a
little faith in a government that they should be looked for guidance,
especially whilst under the foreign rule, So How did this come about &
what is it's affect on the present day economy..

We'll " Apparently" it started when France wanted to test nuclear
bombs out here, the local community was enraged & ( i hear) every-
night the atoll's & islands would burn tires on the beaches & ports in
a desperate attempt to draw attention of the world media, there was an
air of civil unrest... I guess the French, not wishing for any world
attention offered the Polynesian government a deal, a deal that
would hopefully suppress the anger of a nation..... Free Health care,
Free Education, Tax free country, amongst other financial
incentives.. & from what i see & hear... It was accepted .. But i
feel they might of sold a little "pride" too & now its people are in
a state of complacence.. a sort of George Orwell "under the growing
chestnut tree, I sold you & you sold me" .. In order to re coup some
of the expenses France subsides FP each year, there is a 100-percent
tax on alcohol- food, restaurants-hotels .. & thus tourism can't
compete against Hawaii, west indies, Maldives, Seychelles.. & thus the
economy is in trouble.

Hopefully things will change, hopefully there realize that Cosco isn't
the way to market this unique paradise on earth.. who knows..?

So that said... we'd decide to return to to california, the return
trip will take us back through the society islands, then North up
through the Tuamatu's atoll's then back to the Marquesas, some 1'500
miles before crossing the equator at around 140' hoping that the ITZ
zone is at it's thinest, before a further 2000 miles to Hawaii..
crossing at around 140" s should give me enough easting to "reach" up
to Hawaii before heading further north to fins the westerly winds to
take us to canada, then follow the currents down to California.. Why
such a epic return,,simply because of the predominate SE & NE trade
winds that brought us here...

So the last couple of months has been..Ummm difficult, between a
visit from Heather a very close friend of Veronica's (a shining spirit
that has helped us through -out our journey) who's picked up our mail
& parts etc, Heather first 3 days we're adventurous as we sailed with
Bora Bora reef's.. But unfortunately principally due to my bad
judgment & a need to catch the NW that had spun from a passing storm
back to Tahiti... well.. Heather found the journey uncomfortable &
motion sickness took hold of her, So unfortunately she disembarked in
Moorea, literally within a couple of days from Heather parting, Penny
my mother... arrived.. But she'd developed 3x DVT thrombosis during
her 18 hour flight, So rather that our planned crossing with penny to
the Tautotu islands.. we spent the next 2 weeks with various doctors,
specialists, X-rays scan, & Penny required injection daily.. We both
felt incredibly sad that she'd traveled to far, but couldn't enjoy the
islands in her condition, so we anchored up outside her hotel & helped
her best we could..... she appeared very responsive to the daily
injections & blood test's & as such after just two weeks of treatment,
she' thankfully been given the all clear to flight home under the
doctors supervision & continuing the treatment.. so we've now trying
to catch-up & make the safe window of May crossing the equator...
Unfortunately we've hit a big depression & are now anchored up in
Rangaroa.. hoping for it to pass...

Tahiti

With our time rapidly drawing to an end in French Polynesia, We've
arrived back in Moorea after catching a ride on the back of a passing
system which suddenly gave us NE winds to glide back on, Next stop
Tahiti, where i'll re-stock the boat for my passage to Hawaii, The
passage should take around 3-weeks depending on which route i take,
sailing back via the Marquesas would be my first choice, however If
the SE trades are too established, then I'll head north o the doldrums
& motor east to around 140 degree before reaching across the NE trades
to Hawaii... Veronica is flying back to LA with Apple (dog) simply to
avoid any customs & possible quarantine issues, whilst I'll be joined
by two friends Pete & Eric to help with the passage & discover the
Tuomotus on route...

Reflect back over the last year... It's been an incredible learning
experience, Apple the boat has performed with-out floor, I've had
technical issues with the SSB & a few minor things like the oversized
Alternator snapping belts, Toilets blocking, getting the engine re-
aligned correct, after replacing all seals, water-maker membrane
needing replacing, rebuilding the yamaha outboard about 4 times of the
year... unfortunately the Local mechanics seem to prefer the hammer
over using the correct tool, so basically with a little help from the
internet I've learnt to fix things myself..

I never been to Hawaii so looking forward to cruising around before
heading back to CA ,probably around july... Once returned, we'll see
how much we miss this freedom, & i might sell my LA house & purchase a
larger yacht or back into film... who know? things i wish this boat
had is a washing machine & a in board Gen Set & inbuilt internet
system... perhaps a more powerful tender 4 hp isn't really powerful
enough against the very strong currents around the passes here in
FP... It's al in the air..

Bora Bora

Sailing back into paradise..