|
Friday,
February, 09, 2001, 13:09 UTC
Kralendijk, Bonaire, NA Dutch Caribbean
Friday afternoon, February 9, 2001
Hello to all y'all,
By now, you're thinking, "Gee, Valerie and Doug must just about be
getting to
Panama." Not! Forgetting, as we often do, about island time and
Murphy's
Law, we are just now in receipt of the (correct) water filters we ordered
from Pennsylvania two weeks ago, and readying "satori" for our
departure from
Kralendijk this afternoon. (If you're wondering how that's pronounced,
it's
Krrrra, with a rolled r, len, and dike, with the accent on the first
syllable.
We have really enjoyed lovely, quiet Bonaire and can recommend it as a
great
getaway. But it's past time to be moving on.
Our passage to Colon, in Panama, will take us about a week. We'll be
sailing
downwind, which is somewhat new to us. The sensation is similar to
being in
a hot air balloon...because you're moving with the wind, you don't feel it
as
much. And instead of pitching into the wind, you sort of roll along
with the
sea.
We'll try to keep in touch via SSB radio e-mails, if possible.
Love to you all.
Valerie and Doug
Tuesday,
February, 13, 2001, 11:05 UTC
10.17 North 77.43 West (Caribbean Sea)
Tuesday Feb 13, 2001
11AM
Hi everyone!
As we're underway in the fifth day of our passage from Bonaire to Panama,
this will be an understandably brief message.
We are just about 140 miles from Colon, Panama, and expect to arrive late
tomorrow morning. We have had very strong winds, so we have been
FLYING...averaging 6.3 knots with "satori" setting a new high
speed record of
11 knots!!!
All goes well...today we'll be making water, reading up on Panama, and
playing with dolphins! That's right...very much like our experience
with
Kerry and Moni in Tobago, some visited us this morning and we hope they'll
be
back. We had a similar adventure on the way to Bonaire. What
fun!
Gotta go...hope you're all well.
We love you and miss you all.
Doug and Valerie
Saturday,
February, 24, 2001, 17:57 UTC
Balboa Yacht Club, Balboa, Panama
Saturday February 24, 2001
Hi Gang,
We had a terrific transit through the Panama Canal on Thursday. The
Canal
took us fifty miles, across the Isthmus of Panama, from the Atlantic Ocean
to
the Pacific. We traveled through three locks. The first, the
Gatun Locks
lifted us 85 feet, in three chambers, to the level of Gatun Lake. In the
chambers, satori and our Ukrainian friends aboard "Olka" were
tied along
opposite sides of a large motoryacht. Our "nested"
group of three was in
the chambers behind "Saga Spray", a huge freighter out of Hong
Kong.
The only real drama of the day occurred in the very first chamber when a
cleat aboard the motoryacht was pulled right out of her deck. During
the two
minutes it took to secure another line, lock turbulence
was pushing our
nested group closer and closer to the lock wall on satori's side.
The extra
money we spent for professional line handlers was nothing compared to the
damage that satori could have sustained without the instantaneous
reactions of
our crew. They did a great job and we will always be grateful.
Once through the last chamber, we separated our nested group and raced 23
miles across the lake at full throttle to arrive at the first of the
downlocks before Saga Spray. You see, small vessels like ours are
not
allowed to transit alone. We have to accompany a freighter in the
locks to
make the economics work for the Panamanians. If we couldn't keep up,
we
would be forced to anchor overnight on Gatun Lake, wait for another
freighter
the next day, and of course, incur a second day's pay for the line handlers.
Little satori gave it all she had but fell behind in the Galliard Cut, a
narrow nine-mile ditch cutting through the continental divide and ending
at
the Pedro Miguel Locks.
Just as all looked lost, our pilot, George (or Jorge, if you prefer),
called
the pilot on Saga Spray and somehow convinced him to hold-up Saga Spray
just
for us. You should have seen satori sashay past "that nasty old
rustbucket",
as she referred to the freighter, to take her position beside Olka to
start
the trip back down to sea level. We cleared the single chamber at
Pedro
Miguel Locks, crossed the mile-wide Miraflores Lake, and downlocked the
last
two chambers at the Miraflores Locks without additional incident.
Satori and
Olka were on their own in the downlocks as the motorcruiser left us in her
wake in Gatun Lake.
In the Miraflores Locks, we waved furiously at the internet cameras,
hoping
Ross and Holly were watching back home. Apparently, they missed us,
but not
to worry. We took lots of pictures.
We finally arrived in Balboa on the Pacific side just before 4:00PM.
The
plan was to celebrate with the crew from Olka that night, but both crews
went
down in flames. We had all suffered twelve hours of pure stress
after a
restless night before. What a great trip it was, though; an
experience we
will never forget. We'll always remember the beauty of Gatun Lake,
the
linehandlers who saved our boat, and our pilot, George, who got us through
in
one day, the same day he became a dad for the second time! His
daughter,
Jennifer, was born at 4:30 the morning of our transit and he was only 30
minutes late for his appointment with satori. Now there's a guy with
a
mortgage payment to make!
Well, where from here? Our plan is to depart Balboa, weather
permitting, on
March 1. Our first leg into the Pacific will take us across the
equator to
the Galapagos. We decided to see Costa Rica the next time around
since it's
the perfect time now to head south. We hope to spend a week or two
playing
with iguanas in the Galapagos and then begin the long passage to the
Marquesas in French Polynesia, about 3,000 nautical miles. We can't
wait to
get started.
Enough for now, but remember, we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday,
March, 02, 2001, 21:32 UTC
Balboa Yacht Club, Balboa, Panama
Friday March 2, 2001
Hi Gang,
Holly, our communications officer in Atlanta, tells us a couple of our
e-mails got lost in the ozone. I won't rehash old news, but next
time we're
in town, remind us to tell you about the trip from Bonaire to
Panama. We
enjoyed our fastest passage yet (800 miles in 5 days flat); got boarded in
the wee hours by the Aruba Coast Guard; and, one night, we were literally
surrounded by an assortment of huge freighters. Our new radar really
came in
handy. Oh, and remind me to tell you about the gale...it's a cute
story ,
too.
Well, our time in Panama is about up. We've really enjoyed it
here. You've
gotta love a country where you can fly coast to coast for ten bucks.
And if
you're a little strapped for cash, you can take the bus for two dollars,
and
see a full length movie during the two-hour ride. All the locals
we've met
have been outgoing and gracious to us, and very patient with our
Spanish. I
think most Panamanians really miss the Americans and the jobs they took
home
with them when they relinquished control of the Canal. Oh well,
growing up
is very hard to do.
Tomorrow morning, we are leaving for the Galapagos. Boats en route
now tell
us they're having good winds and smooth seas. The passage will
probably be
about 900 miles for us, due south out of Panama until we get below
the
equator, and then west to Darwin's old hangout. We're looking
forward to
swimming with sea lions and seeing all the fabulous wildlife there.
We are
also very relieved to hear that the fuel spill there was not the catastrophe
it could have been.
We will try to keep you posted as we make progress south. In the
mean time,
remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Sunday,
April, 01, 2001, 07:55 UTC
Academy Bay, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Sunday April 1, 2001
Hi Gang,
We returned to satori last Sunday after our 3-day excursion aboard the
motor
yacht "Guantanamero". We visited several islands of the Archipelago,
each
different and fascinating in its own way. Every new island and
specie of
wildlife we found there became our favorite. I've searched for days
for
words to describe our experience, but they're just not there. If you
scuba
dive or if you love nature, the Galapagos is a must-see. The animal
life is
unusual, beautiful, and exhibits no fear of humans. The Ecuadorians
are
doing a terrific job of protecting this remarkable resource but, I
fear the
increased tourism will have a negative impact eventually, so see it sooner
rather than later. I'm sure there are internet sites galore so check
them
for details. We LOVED this place!
We're leaving today for the Marquesas. It's about a 3,000 nautical
mile
trip, and we can't wait to get started. Propagation has been
terrible but
we'll do our best to keep you updated on our progress, at least every few
days. The trip will take 3-4 weeks, so just sit back and
relax. We'll be
there before you know it. Pretty exciting, huh!
More later. Until then, remember we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Wednesday,
April, 04, 2001, 06:32 UTC
En route: Galapagos to Marquesas
Wednesday April 4, 2001
Lat 03 deg 50 min S
Lon 95 deg 01 min W
Hi Gang,
Just a quick note to let you know we are well underway and doing fine.
We
have found, at last, the southern trade winds and are having a blast.
We
love the Pacific for its calm waters and steady breezes.
We'll be in touch. Until then, remember, we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Note: On this passage, we cross three time zones.
Friday,
April, 20, 2001, 04:30 UTC
En route: Galapagos to Marquesas
08 deg 54 min South
130 deg 59 min West
Friday, April 20, 2001
Hi gang!
We are just about to begin our 20th day at sea, with the end of our voyage
clearly in sight: only 462 miles to go to Hiva Oa, the largest island of
the
Marquesas Archipelago. This is where we'll officially clear into
"French
Polynesia".
The weather en route has been lovely...one heavy rain that cleaned the
boat
off, a few showers, and the rest beautiful days in the low 80s with low
humidity. We DID run across a "perturbation" at the
"zero vorticity line"
that Ross Hays warned us about...we saw a day of showery weather with a
few
wind gusts to 25 knots. Mostly, winds have been east to southeast at
a Force
4...11-16 knots. Perfect for little "satori" to move right
out. We've been
averaging 150 miles a day lately!
The captain says "keep it short"...so I'll say we love you and
miss you.
Valerie and Doug
Monday,
April, 23, 2001, 01:20 UTC
En route: Galapagos to Marquesas
Monday April 23, 2001 1:05 AM
Lat 9 deg 41 min S
Lon 138 deg 17 min W
Hi Gang,
Well, after 22 days at sea, Valerie and I expect to find Hiva Oa on our
bow
later this morning. As matter of fact, I'm now slowing the boat down
to time
our arrival with the rising sun. We should be safely anchored before
noon.
More later. Until then, remember we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Wednesday,
April, 25, 2001, 00:10 UTC
Atuona, Hiva Oa, Isles Marquises
Monday, April 23, 2001
Land ho!!!
Actually, we sort of snuck up on Hiva Oa in the middle of the night, but
late
enough that the sun was coming up in time for us to sail right into the
anchorage. IT IS PARADISE! Despite an anchorage crowded with
at least
twenty boats, every view is breathtaking. The Marquesas (Marquises,
en
francais) are high, rugged islands, very lush, with rain clouds hugging
the
highest peaks on the windward side.
Doug
has been disappointed that no topless women have paddled out to say
"bonjour"...but several men have paddled by in outrigger canoes.
There's not
too much more to report on, since we haven't left the boat yet! In
the
morning, we'll go get "legal" with the local gendarmerie, and
start
sightseeing in earnest.
All said and done, we and "satori" took a very respectable 22
days to go
about 3000 miles (statistics we've read say 2/3 of the boats making the
trip
do it in 20 to 30 days). We saw only about three fishing boats, one
freighter, and two other sailboats along the way. The only
excitement
occurred a few days ago, when our main halyard chafed through up at the
top
of the mast...Doug went up to the top (with a hand from Valerie and her
very
favorite equipment...the windlass) and turned it end-for-end until we can
get
a better fix, maybe in Papeete.
Another surprise
we just got: We were so happy as we cruised along, figuring our hull
was
getting washed clean by all the miles we put under her...well, the BOTTOM
of
the boat IS clean...but the parts of the "topsides"...sides of
the boat, for
you landlubbers...that were underwater as we "heeled" underway
for 22 days,
have sprouted!
d algae and barnacles that we'd normally just see below the waterline!
A job
for the captain of the vessel, wouldn't you say?
That's all the news from French Polynesia, so far. We'll be here
pretty
close to six months, so y'all come and see us, ya hear?
We miss you and love you all.
Valerie and Doug
P.S. We're in a very peculiar time zone here...it's 5 and a half (!)
hours
earlier than the time on the east coast of the U.S. right now!
Wednesday,
May, 02, 2001, 18:32 UTC
Hanatefau Bay, Tahuata Island in the Marquesas, Fr. Polynesia
Tuesday May 1, 2001 (My Sweetheart's birthday)
Hi Gang,
Can you believe it? It was a year and a half ago today that Valerie
and I
moved aboard satori and began this adventure. In that time, we've
put a lot
of miles under our keel, seen lots of beautiful places, and met lots of
delightful people. And, we're just getting started!
We love the Marquesas. These volcanically formed islands are high
and rugged
with dramatic, sheer black cliffs and coasts indented by spectacular
valleys. Navigation here is very straightforward since there are few
reefs
and the islands are clearly visible from 20 miles out.
We did a tour of Hiva Oa last week conducted by Peperu and his lovely
wife,
Sabrina. Both are native Marquesan and while they were as kind,
generous,
and open as you've heard about Polynesian people, they were also very
proud
of their independent Marquesan heritage. On the tour, we saw the
rock from
which virgins were tossed to shark gods and heard tales of cannibalism
that
continued here until the late 1800's. We also toured a remarkable
archaeological site where we saw "Takaii", the world's largest
tiki.
We're anchored tonight off Tahuata, an island just south of Hiva Oa.
You
just can't imagine how beautiful it is. The water is crystal clear,
the
vegetation is lush and green, and tropic birds are soaring along the
3,000'
cliff off our stern. In the afternoon sun, it's like being in a
piece of
art. Surely, this must be paradise.
Well enough for now. But remember, we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Wednesday,
June, 06, 2001, 21:56 UTC
Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia
June 6, 2001
Hi Gang,
Well, another carefully nurtured fantasy became a reality for me last
weekend. Valerie and I anchored in Hakatea Bay on the SW corner of
Nuka
Hiva: undoubtedly, the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Since
1973,
Hakatea has been known as "Daniel's Bay", in honor of the
special friendship
cruisers have enjoyed for decades with Daniel and his wife, a delightful
couple who live there on the beach. Daniel is now 78, and I feel
honored to
have met him and Antoinette after reading about them for so many years and
dreaming of sailing here one day. Satori now has a page in the log
book
Daniel keeps of the boats that anchor in his bay. And we have the
memories
of spending a little time with folks who have set the standard for
Polynesian
grace and hospitality for years.
Daniel's Bay is not only beautiful, it's also teaming with life. We
saw sea
turtles and fish galore in the clear water around our boat, and one night,
a
25 lb Tuna (much like the one in residence under satori) actually jumped
out
of the water just before dinner time and landed itself right on another
boat's deck! Surely...this must be Paradise.
Lest I leave the impression that we've become completely sedentary, I
should
tell you about our hike to the waterfall. Crews from "Cap
d'Or" and "Elana"
joined us for the 2 hour walk up the valley out of Daniel's Bay to the
Vaipo
Waterfall, the world's third highest. Not only was the 2,000 foot
waterfall
spectacular, we were fascinated by the ancient Polynesian ruins all along
the
trail: evidence of the 100,000 Marquesans that once inhabited these
islands.
Today's population is about 6,000. Enough said. Let European
influence speak
for itself.
Sadly, our time here in the Marquesas is at an end. We would be
downright
depressed if not for the fact that we're leaving tomorrow for Tahiti.
We'll
probably stop briefly en route in the Tuomotus, probably at Ahe and then
at
Rangiroa. This is the area in the Pacific that supplies the world
with black
pearls. There are those of you who are still wondering why a
perfectly sane,
highly intelligent college graduate would move aboard a 37 foot sailboat
and
sail off to the ends of the Earth with a guy like me. Well, wonder
no more.
It's all about the black pearls. Now, you know.
We should be in Ahe in about 4 days. Until then, remember that we
love and
miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
June
13, 2001
(sent
by a US based friend of Satori)
Hello
Everyone!
I spoke to Valerie last evening.
They arrived in Ahe, Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia Tuesday morning
after
a 4 day sail. They are both well and say they are truly in paradise!
They
describe the environment as breathtaking and the people and culture as
charming.
They will be in Tahiti until the end of August when they will sail to New
Zealand and are looking for visitors!
Both Doug and Val send their love to all and are looking forward to a
return
trip to the United States for the holidays.
Monday,
June, 18, 2001, 19:05 UTC
Ahe, Tuamotus, French Polynesia
Monday, June 18, 2001
Hi Gang!
Our apologies for the period of silence. "Satori" did
indeed arrive
in Ahe a week ago. But we have been very busy...I have been studying
the black pearl business in general, and black pearls in close detail
for the last week. I now consider myself an expert!
As you may recall, we agreed to deliver some mail here for a young
woman we met in the Galapagos. She had worked at the Kamoka Pearl
Farm
briefly, but left many friends behind. Well, when we leave tomorrow, we
will be leaving the same friends behind. We have been overwhelmed at
the friendliness of these people...no strings attached.
At the invitation of "Mama Rose", the owner, we spent one
evening and the
next whole day on the Ahe Maru Pearl Farm. We saw them retrieve the
oysters,
clean them, harvest and re-seed the pearls, and return the oysters to the
sea. They do that with about 2000 oysters a day. The farm, which is
a small
one, has over 100,000 oysters in production at any one time. And,
for every
100 oysters, they harvest an average of 53 pearls! All different
shapes, sizes, colors, quality. It's been heaven! At one
point, Mama Rose
poured thousands of pearls onto her bed for us to look at! Think
about
it, ladies...
Sadly, it's time for us to move on. We'll leave tomorrow afternoon
for a
short overnight sail (about 65 miles) to Rangiroa, another atoll in the
Tuamotus Archipelago. After a few days there, we'll be off to
Papeete,
the "big city", in Tahiti.
Remember, we love you and miss you.
Valerie and Doug
Wednesday,
July, 04, 2001, 19:47 UTC
Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands (French Polynesia)
Wednesday, July 4, 2001 Happy Independence Day!!
Hi Gang,
I saw Tahiti for the first time at 3 o'clock this morning from 30 miles
offshore. The island was bathed in the light of a full moon and
resting
comfortably under the Southern Cross. Over the next few hours the island's
details were illuminated slowly by a spectacular sunrise, complete with
Valerie's pink and purple tropical clouds. On his best day,
Spielburg
couldn't have done better. Valerie was here on vacation twelve years
ago.
But, for my money, she didn't arrive until this morning.
We plan to spend the next two months here in the Society Islands, of which
there are 12, including Tahiti, Moorea, Bora-Bora, Raiatea, and Huahine.
One
of them, Tetiaroa, you may have heard, belongs to Marlon Brando! While
Tahiti
was known in the early 1700's, it was Captain Cook's visit in 1769 that
"put
it on the charts", so to speak. The Society Islands have been
French since
1880, although they are somewhat self-governing. Papeete is by far
the
largest city in Polynesia with over 40,000 inhabitants.
Tomorrow we'll check in with the port director to get "legal"
and then
start exploring. More to follow!
Remember, we love and mss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday,
August, 03, 2001, 02:19 UTC
Paopao (Cook's) Bay, Moorea, Society Islands (French Polynesia
Friday August 3, 2001
Hi Gang,
We're up in the wee hours to get an e-mail off to let you all know we're
not
lost, just very far away from our closest e-mail land stations (Florida
and
New Zealand). Conditions have to be perfect to get through.
We arrived in Moorea yesterday after a short sail from Tahiti. The
mental
image most people have of Polynesia probably looks a lot like the view
from
our cockpit. Moorea's Mounts Tohieva and Mouaroa, for example,
provided the
backdrop for the film version of "South Pacific", and the famous
Bali Hai
Hotel is here in Cook's Bay. We're surrounded by mountains, lush and
green
up to about 2,500 feet where rugged, volcanic peaks pierce the clouds.
Surely, this must be Paradise.
Valerie's fascination (obsession?) with pearls continues. Moorea has
provided little relief for our budget inasmuch as her primary supplier has
relocated from the Komoko pearl farm in Ahe to a small village just south
of
here. I wish you could see Valerie (the connoisseur) when Thierry
(the
artisan) pulls out his big "Bag-o-Pearls". It's not
pretty, but it's fun to
watch. At least the college education of Thierry and Caroline's son,
little
"Titi", has been assured.
Saturday, we plan to sail overnight to Huahine, then on to Raitea/Tahaa,
and
eventually to Bora-Bora for the last week, or so, in August. Early
in
September, we'll leave the Societys for the Kingdom of Tonga with a brief
stop en route at Raratonga, one of the Cook Islands. We plan to be
in New
Zealand by mid-November for cyclone season, saving Fiji, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia, and Australia for next year. After Australia,
Middle East
politics will determine our route either through the Red Sea to the
Mediterranean or across the Indian Ocean to South Africa. I can't
wait to
see how this turns out! In the mean time, remember that we love and
miss you
all.
Valerie and Doug.
Monday,
August, 20, 2001, 22:30 UTC
Village of Fare, Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Monday August 20, 2001
Hi Gang,
We anticipated visiting the island of Huahine for two or three days.
We've
been here for almost two weeks, enjoying the island with some of our
favorite
cruising friends.
Like most of the Societies, Huahine is a high volcanic island completely
encircled by an offshore coral reef. There are occasional passes
through the
reef which allow entrance to the island's lagoon, the area between the
beach
and the reef. The passes are only a few yards long but sailing
through them
takes you instantly from the high seas to water usually as calm as an
inland
lake. Motus are small, low islets scattered along the reef. If
motus are
inhabited at all, it's usually by only a family or two.
Last week we were anchored on the SE side of Huahine, snuggled up behind
Motu
Murimahora. There was great snorkeling in the lagoon. I got to
spend a
little quality time with an enormous moray eel, a small black-tip shark,
and
a very inquisitive eagle ray. We were several miles from the nearest
village
so our only source of provisions was the grocery supply truck which
traveled
the road along the beach. The trick was to be beside the road when
he drove
past so you could flag him down. Valerie usually waited by the handy
self-service Laundromat, just across the lagoon. Actually, the Laundromat
consisted of two spigots beside the roadway, including one that actually
produced water. Self-service means you bring your own bucket.
This week has been a bit more civilized. We're now anchored off the
village
of Fare on the NW side of the island. We stopped just long enough to
provision at the local grocery store, but we decided to stay for the
party.
It seems that Frederika on the German boat "Momo" turned forty
over the
weekend; and the crew on "Nichole of Spain" had just landed a
huge wahoo that
needed eating; and the musicians in the fleet were already looking for an
opportunity to play again, so I guess a party was inevitable. What
made the
party special, though, was the dozen or so local villagers who came to
celebrate with us. After dinner they played and sang fabulous
Tahitian songs
alternating with our Spanish guitarist and Irish fiddler who treated us
with
everything from ballads to Spanish flamenco music. I didn't hear
anything
Percy Sledge ever sang but we had a great time anyway.
Tomorrow, we're off to Raiatea and the nearby island of Tahaa (Pronounced:
Ta-Ha-Ah). Then on to Bora-Bora: an island so pretty they named it
twice.
More about our adventures later. Until then, remember that we love
and miss
you all.
Valerie and Doug
Saturday,
September, 15, 2001, 08:46 UTC
Povai Bay, Bora-Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Saturday September 15, 2001
Hi Gang,
It's early morning here and we're busy getting satori ready for the
passage to Tonga. It seems the sun rose this morning on our last day
in French Polynesia. There's so much we want to share with you about
our time here but it's going to have to wait a few days. As I'm sure
you are, we are still in shock over the events back home. We
happened to be anchored near one of the hotels the day of the attack so we
had access to a TV. Days later, I don't think we've been able to
mentally process the images we saw. The Polynesians are reaching out to
Americans here by observing moments of silence and we've heard that
members of the local Coast Guard have called on American boats at anchor
to personally extend condolences. It's all just so sad. I'll
stop here. After sadness, anger dominates the next rush of emotions
I usually suffer and I'm sure there's more than enough of that to go
around.
Our passage plans are a little open at this point. We're headed for
Tonga but, depending on the weather we get, we may stop some place in the
Cooks (maybe Palmerston) or in Niue. In any event, we'll send
regular position reports. Remember that we love and miss you all.
Try to find someone to hug today. They probably need it as much as
you do.
Valerie and Doug
Tuesday,
September, 18, 2001, 05:58 UTC
En route: Bora-Bora, French Polynesia to Tonga
Tuesday September 18, 2001
Lat: 17 deg 07 min S
Lon: 158 deg 08 min W
Hi Gang,
At 6AM, local time, we are approximately 375 miles WSW of Bora-Bora.
We are on course and making good speed toward Tonga. We have approximately
925 miles to go. We're working our way through some weather which
has provided us with southerly winds of 20 to 25 knots and moderate seas.
All is well aboard, and Valerie and I are just about back into our passage making
routine. We just love it out here.
You should be aware that we are in regular radio contact with a number of
other boats on passage. Help is available should we or others need
it, so will someone please tell my mother to stop worrying.
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday,
September, 21, 2001, 06:26 UTC
En route: Bora-Bora, French Polynesia to Tonga
Friday, September 21, 2001
Latitude: 17 degrees 50 minutes south
Longitude: 165 degrees 59 minutes west
Hi gang!
We continue to make good progress toward Tonga. This early Friday
morning, we are only 458 miles from Neiafu. We expect to arrive on
Monday or Tuesday.
All's well aboard "satori". Winds are still strong...in
the 20 to 30 knot range, with moderate seas. It's been rather
cloudy, but we have only gotten a couple of light rain showers.
We're thinking of you.
Love you and miss you!
Doug and Valerie
Tuesday,
September, 25, 2001, 09:27 UTC
Island of Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga
Wednesday (our best guess) September 26 (give or take), 2001
Hi Gang,
We arrived safely in Tonga yesterday afternoon. With an hour of
daylight to spare, we anchored off the main village of Neiafu and, after a
quick bite, got our first real sleep in over a week.
Just before arriving at Vava'u, we crossed the International Date Line.
My advice to you is not to wait until the end of a nine-day, six-hour,
1300 nautical mile passage to try to ponder the concept of this astro-geo-political
boundary. When my head hit the pillow last night, I wasn't sure if
it was today, yesterday or tomorrow...I wasn't even sure what time it was.
The good news is that it hardly mattered. What was important was
that we had arrived safely, we didn't break the boat, and that a good
night's sleep was at hand.
Well, once again, it's off to customs and immigration to get more stamps
in our passports. Then, maybe a nap.
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday
November 12, 2001
Position: 24 deg 09 min S 179 deg 19 min W
Hi Gang,
Just a quick note to let you know we're on the move again. We are
currently just over 400 nautical miles SW of Tonga with about 750 miles to
our landfall in New Zealand at Opua. We stopped at N Minerva Reef
for two days to stage for our last major passage of this cruising season.
Getting into NZ is a little problematic in that our arrival must be timed
to avoid the business end of the major weather features that parade across
our course along the way. I am currently the envy of all my cruising
buddies 'cause I've got my very own meteorologist on board. I think
Valerie is really in her element on this passage.
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Wednesday
January 30, 2002
Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Hi Gang,
Yeah, I know. It's been too long since we've written. But it's
been really hard to write these silly little pieces while all the trauma
has been going on back home. In any event, I'll try to get back in
the swing of things.
First of all, you
should know that our e-mail address has changed. And forget that
business about putting our FCC Call Sign on the subject line. Our
new service doesn't require it. ( I can almost hear the shouts of
joy from Subject Lines around the world: "Free at last..free at
last!") We're now using a service called "SailMail".
With a lot more stations and frequencies available around the world, we
hope to have a much more reliable system.
Well, what can I
tell you about New Zealand? Although we've made a couple of day
trips to Auckland, we haven't done any serious touring here
yet. We were back in the States for most of December and have
been busy with projects since we got back. Nonetheless, a few things
are apparent about this place.
First of all, the
Kiwis speak English, at least their version of it. And for a fella
whose just spent a year struggling with Spanish and French, that's
huge! I'm sure you remember my favorite description of the close
relationship between Americans and the British: "One people
separated by a common language". The same description applies
to the Kiwis. Fortunately, we'll be here long enough to pick up the
accent and nuances.
I've heard New
Zealand described as America in the 1950's. Now that we're here, I
can see the resemblance. There's a "sweetness" about the
place, an innocence, that I miss back home.
If you stop for
gas here, an attendant runs out to fill your tank.
There are three
TV stations, and no cable.
One of our
sailing buddies went to Whangarei to pick up a new fan belt. He
didn't have a part number and couldn't decide which one would fit.
The parts store owner solved the problem by insisting that he take a
selection of five belts back to the boat, keep the one that fit and return
the rest. "We'll settle up when you get back", he said.
There are no
interstate highways. The only limousine I've seen was a Stretch
Honda.
I could go on and
on, but you get the idea. As for the weather, it's a lot like San
Francisco: Warm, but never hot...Cool, but never cold. It's
been a lot wetter than we enjoy, but I hear from some that December had
record breaking rainfall. The last two weeks have been perfect with
lots of sunshine and only a few brief showers.
I guess that's
enough for now. We'll be doing a road trip soon in our new
car(!). More later, but until then remember that we love and miss
you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday,
May 13, 2002
New Zealand
Hi Gang,
I know, I know. It's been way too long since we've sent you greetings from Paradise. But, you must understand: Being shiftless is really a full-time job. Since we moved aboard, Valerie's and my most often posed question is: "Where does the time go?"
We arrived in NZ with a relatively short list of things to do to the boat. This is, however, a very fertile country and, along with everything else, our list grew. With all the trades people right here at the marina and with a very strong US dollar, we just couldn't pass-up the opportunity to fix everything we could find that needed attention. Consequently, satori is in great shape for the trip back to the tropics.
We have just loved New Zealand. Valerie and I bought a used Toyota and toured from the top of North Island to the bottom of South Island, down the west coasts and back up the east coasts. We toured for four weeks and saw a fair representation of the country but, by no means did we see it all. Highlights of our trip included a hike through a rain forest to the base of the Franz Joseph Glacier where we strapped spikes onto our shoes and climbed the sheer walls of ice...all in a torrential downpour. I should also mention that our guide was at least eight feet tall and we had to literally run to keep up with him. If nothing else, the experience was breathtaking. We were rewarded soon after when a dusting of snow covered the Southern Alps the night before we drove by on our way to Milford Sound and its deep, rugged fiords. Out on the Sound we were even lucky enough to see a Yellow-eyed Penguin and several fur seals, all basking in their natural glory. Later, we saw a penguin colony on the Otago Peninsula, several Kiwi birds on display, and Valerie even got to swim with some dolphins down in Napier. We particularly enjoyed the vineyards around Gisborne where we had some of our most memorable meals, not to mention some really sassy Chardonney.
We've made several trips to Auckland, including a weekend trip to celebrate Valerie's birthday, stay in a fancy hotel, and see a Gene Pitney concert. You remember Gene from the 60's..."It Hurts to be in Love", "24 Hours from Tulsa", "Only Love Can Break a Heart". He's no Percy Sledge, but he was pretty good. We also had lunch with the crew from "Silverfin". They're staying in Auckland for another year to work and to take a break from cruising. We're really going to miss Carl and Kathleen, like we miss all the other cruisers we've watched go over the horizon, and those who have watched us. Just like we miss all our friends and family back home. There's a hard part to the cruising life. It's having to say "goodbye" so much. If we weren't having the time of our lives, it would hardly be worth it.
By the way, after driving it for 4 months and 10,000 kilometers, I sold The Toyota for what we paid for it.
As we speak, satori is fueled, provisioned and waiting patiently for a weather window to begin the next leg of our journey. In a few days, we will set sail for Fiji to begin our next season back in the tropics. Valerie says "Yeah!!!" After Fiji, we plan to visit Vanuatu, New Caledonia and then sit out the next cyclone season on the east coast of Australia. This time next year, we will be preparing to island hop across the Indian Ocean, headed not for the Red Sea as we've always planned, but for South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. The trip up the Red Sea is just too dicey for US flagged vessels and there's really no relief in sight. Rounding South Africa would have us back in the Atlantic headed for either the Caribbean or the Strait of Gibraltar and the western Mediterranean. I can't wait to see how this turns out.
More later. In the mean time, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Sunday May 19, 2002
Position: 28 deg 22 min S 175 deg 45 min E
Hi Gang,
All's well aboard satori as we continue to make steady progress toward Fiji The wind is a little too light & variable for my taste, but we work with what we have.
We're trying to eat some room in the freezer so I can put out a lure on my new fishing rod. If reality meets expectations, there's going be a lot less Mahi Mahi in this world. This will be a
better place for my efforts.
We'll stay in touch so you don't have to worry so much about us. From our perspective, this is about he safest place on the planet. I know my Mom, for example, takes exception to our analysis, so we invest heavily in things like onboard e-mail and an Iridium phone. Valerie and I also just passed our Ham radio tests so we an access the ham bands on our HF Radio. Valerie is busy shopping all our catalogs for designer pocket protectors as we inch closer and closer to geekdom. (Just kidding, my fellow hamsters!)
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday, May 24,
2002
18deg 56min South, 177deg 57min East
Hi gang,
You can stop worrying now, we made landfall at Fiji at about noon today, and are continuing now to Suva, one of the ports of entry, to check in. We expect to arrive there very early in the morning.
No impressions yet...we're not allowed to go ashore until we're "legal". More soon.
Wish you were here. We love and miss you all.
Doug and Valerie
Saturday June 1, 2002
Suva Harbour, Viti Levu, Fiji
Hi Gang,
We dropped anchor just off the Royal Suva Yacht Club early last Saturday morning, the beginning of a 3-day holiday weekend. We were allowed to clear into the country that morning, but since we had no Fijian currency, we had to go back to all the same offices yesterday (our Tuesday) to pay our fees. Today, we're going back downtown to get our "Cruising Permit" which allows us to visit the out lying islands. There's a lot more bureaucracy here than we've seen, but it's administered with such a warm smile that it's hard to
get frustrated.
We plan to spend this weekend snorkeling along the Astrolabe Reef which extends from the NNE end of Kadavu. Kadavu is one of the larger islands in the group, lying just south of Suva. We'll be hanging out there with the crew from "Capaz", from Boulder, Colorado: two physicians and their three preteen sons. They've offered to teach me how to spear fish. I've decided that my success rate to date against the illusive Mahi Mahi is not acceptable. It will apparently be necessary, therefore, to go in after them.
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday, June 14, 2002
Nabouwalu Bay, Ono Island, Fiji
Hi Gang,
We're anchored in a lovely horseshoe-shaped bay just off the village of Manuku. The trades are blowing with gusto but, because we're on the leeward side of this tiny island, actually located inside the Great Astrolabe Reef, we are enjoying a warm tropical breeze in a perfectly calm anchorage. We had the bay to ourselves for a couple of days but have now been joined by two boats from New Zealand and Denmark.
Manuku is a typical, small Fijian village of about 125 people. Theirs is a subsistence
lifestyle, dependant on fishing, gardening, and keeping the occasional pig or chicken. Their housing consists of the most basic shelter and there is no electricity. When the sun goes down, it gets dark. Their only modern conveniences are outboard motors on the village boats and a lawn
mower. The villagers we've met appear to be as happy and content as anyone I know.
The ladies in the village invited us and the other crews to a dinner to benefit the local school children. The dinner, actually a feast, was served on the floor with the most basic of place settings. We were served fresh fish from the bay, prawns caught from the river running through the village, and a wonderful assortment of vegetables none of us recognized. A hot lemon-leaf tea was served with cake for dessert. We ate by the glow of a Coleman lantern. The meal was wonderful and our hosts were charming.
There's an interesting custom here in Fiji called "sevu-sevu". It's an ancient ritual still observed in the outlying villages today. Upon arrival, visitors (us included) present themselves to the village "Headman" and request to see the village "Chief" for a sevu-sevu. The visitors are escorted to the Chief's quarters where they place, on the floor, a bundle of Kava. Kava is the root of a plant which is ground into a powder, mixed with water, and drunk by the men in the village in the evenings. The Chief, having been presented with the Kava, has two choices. If he picks up the Kava, he accepts the visitors into the village and assumes, on behalf of all
the villagers, the total responsibility for the protection and needs of the guests for the extent of their stay. If he refuses the Kava, he is effectively declaring war on the visitors who would presumably make a quick getaway. Given that cannibalism was reported in Fiji as late as 1937, I am happy to report that our Kava was accepted graciously.
More later. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Friday,
July 12, 2002
Hello
friends & family of Doug & Valerie!
I received a phone call from Satori Friday July 12th. They are currently
in a very remote village on the northernmost island of Fiji. They
met friends who spent the last hurrican season there, and have been
"adopted" by the locals. The tribal chief was taking Doug,
and fellow sailor Jim spear fishing today. Doug reports he caught a
20lb mahi mahi a few days ago. Further news flash ~ Val has been
doing laundry in a bucket in the river. Seems as if this village has NO
electricity, NO phones, only 3 kerosene lanterns... I asked Doug if he has
a picture of this momentous occasion!
They send their greetings to all and say they are doing well, enjoying
life and are heading to New Caledonia by the mid part of August to have
some repairs done on the boat.
Email is currently a problem.... so they will communicate once it is
repaired!
Thanks!
Holly
Friday,
September 13, 2002
Musket Cove Yacht
Club
Malolo Lailai, Fiji
Hi Gang,
Our onboard e-mail system continues to befuddle the experts, the latest
having tested our SSB radio and tuner to find nothing wrong. We've now
tested or replaced each component of our system without finding the
problem. I saw an ad for a fellow up in Calcutta who claims to rid your
life of evil spirits. He may be our only hope. In any event, I'll keep
trying to get
through to you.
We've really enjoyed our time here in Fiji. Undoubtedly, the highlight of
our visit was the two weeks we spent in Cawaro (pronounced Thawaro), a
small, remote village on the northeastern coast of Vanua Levu. Our
friends, Jim and Kioko on "Also II" anchored there almost a year
ago and invited us to visit them and the village. They were the first boat
in Cawaro 4 years.
"Satori" was the second in almost five years. We can readily see
why Jim and Kioko have become so attached to the village. There are about
125 men, women, and children in Cawaro, all subsisting on what they can
harvest or catch. Only a few in the village have ever been to Labasa, the
nearest town about 40 miles away. Some have never been outside the reef.
There is no road into Cawaro, so the open boat trip to Labasa is an
overnight affair. The village has no electricity. Running water came to
Cawaro last year in the form of a few communal spigots and showers around
the village. The water is piped untreated from a river in the adjacent
highlands. Housing varies. Although one family still lives in a beautiful
traditionally thatched bure, most of the houses are constructed from some
combination of thatch, tin, and planking. Meals are prepared over an open
fire in separate buildings and served on a woven mat on the floor.
Furniture is practically nonexistant, although some bedding is to be
found. A nurse in the next village provides the only medical care this
side of Labasa. Emergency care is only available if you can make it to
Lambasa. These are among the least advantaged people on Earth. They are
also among the loveliest. Despite the hardships, every person in the
village can melt your heart with their smile. The children's smiles will
melt all your internal organs. We were constantly surrounded by children
who competed to hold our hands or sit in our laps. The people of Cawaro
have very little. But they are the most generous people we've ever met.
We've never been made to feel more welcome anywhere. The latest from
Cawaro is that the village has given Jim and Kioko an island to live on
and have broken ground on their bure. The Chief has named it Also Island.
And, we hear that Jim and Kioko are trying to adopt a village child. It
appears that our friend's anchor is sinking deeper every day. The
"Also II" may be here the next time we visit Fiji.
Right now, we're tied to the quay at Musket Cove Marina, located in the
western region of Fiji. This is the annual Regatta Week at Musket Cove.
It's kind of like camp for cruisers...lots of boat racing mixed with
outrageous events. Generally, the more arrested your adolescence, the more
fun you have. You won't be surprised to hear that Valerie and I are having
a ball.
On Sunday, "satori" and 40 other boats are racing to Vanuatu,
the next island group located about 500 nautical miles west of here. It's
just a short hop, really. We hope to arrive in about 4 days. I'm really
excited about the trip. We crewed for "Capaz" in the Around
Malolo Race on
Wednesday and we learned a lot about using asymmetrical spinnakers. We
haven't used our spinnaker very often because it's huge and a little
tricky to handle. But, with our new found confidence, we can't wait to get
ours flying again. If the winds aren't too heavy, we should have lots of
opportunities.
We'll let you know when we've arrived in Vanuatu. In the mean time,
remember, we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Port
Vila, Vanuatu
Friday October 11, 2002
Hi Gang,
Valerie and I are preparing to depart Vanuatu in the morning for New
Caledonia. Another short hop of 300 miles or so...about 2 days for us. We
feel like we've hardly seen Vanuatu because our time here has been so
short. But, cyclone season cometh and we must goeth. New Cal will be a
short stop too, just a month or so. Then we cross the last of the Pacific
to Australia.
We'll share more about Vanuatu as soon as I can get Sailmail working.
In the mean time, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
November
6, 2002
Noumea, New Caledonia
Hi Gang,
Valerie and I are at the Yacht Club
tonight for a BBQ and farewell dinner with several crews who are going
back to New Zealand instead of going on to Australia with us. It's another
of those bitter sweet occasions we've talked about before.
We cleared out of New Caledonia
today and will leave for Australia early tomorrow morning. Our destination
is Bundaberg, on the east coast, fairly far south in Queensland. It's
another short hop (only about 800 miles) so we should arrive in about six
days. The weather looks great so we're expecting a fabulous last passage
of the 2002 cruising season.
Our onboard e-mail system has
apparently died completly so we won't be able to send progress reports as
we usually do. Not to worry, though. We're making the passage with
two other boats and will be in close contact with them.
We'll let you know when we arrive
in Oz. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
November 11, 2002
I received a phone call from Doug
and Val last evening . They made it successfully from Noumea,New Caledonia
to Australia in a 6 day, easy, comfortable sail. They have now completely
crossed the Pacific! I didn't write down the name of the area they are
docked, but believe it was Maryborough, north of Brisbane in Queens. They
have web access at the dock, so will be able to email us soon!
Thanks!
Holly Lundberg for Doug and Val aboard s/v Satori
Monday
December 23, 2002
Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Hi Gang,
We have wonderful news. We finally got our onboard e-mail system
fixed!! After months of frustration, an ICOM dealer up in Bundaberg
found some corrosion in the back of our SSB radio. It somehow
interfered with our data transmissions but strangely had no effect on voice
communications. What a relief to be back in touch. We've really
missed you all.
To catch you up on our cruising season, we did indeed leave Fiji from Musket
Cove with 40 other boats "racing" to Port Vila, Vanuatu. Because
the boats were so varied in size and design, it was really more of a rally
than a race. But the start looked just like a race, with little "satori"
right in the thick of it. The start should have been just a lot of
high-tension excitement. As it turned out, the wind was blowing 30
knots, and no matter how hard I tried to slow "satori" down and
keep out of the way, we just couldn't seem to hold her back. We
crossed the start line about number 5 with eighty-footers and
catamarans climbing up our back. I felt like I had the pole position
at Talledaga with a Toyota strapped to my tush. The first 10 miles of
the race was in a narrow channel actually inside the reef at Musket Cove.
The channel left none of us room to pass safely or to maneuver individually.
A course adjustment by any skipper immediately affected all the other boats
around him. It was two hours of pandemonium, but we finally made it to
the pass through the reef and into open water. After that we only had
to contend with the gale that blew for the next two days. Will we ever
do another "race/rally"? Never...done that, got the T-shirt.
Did we learn anything? Lots. Primarily, "satori"
performed like a champ. She gave us a relatively fast, safe, and
stable ride while some other boats were reporting knock-downs and blown-out
sails. Just another day at the office for our little girl.
We stayed so long in Fiji, we couldn't spend nearly enough time in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu would require several sailing seasons to gain just a basic
appreciation of the culture. Given that the last "reported"
act of cannibalism in Vanuatu was in the mid-1960's, it was undoubtedly the
most primitive country we've visited so far. For example, pigs play a
huge role in Vanuatu. Historically, and in remote areas even today,
pigs hold a position culturally superior to even that of women. A
successfully raised pig clearly reflects a man's favor with the spirit
world. A highly favored man can keep the animal alive so long that
it's tusks grow into a complete
circle, perfect for hanging around one's neck on a string. Eventually,
the ritualistic slaughter and sharing of the meat with the village
establishes a man's position within the community. Ownership of
"stuff" means little in this culture. Historically, and to a
large degree today, an asset's only value comes from the opportunity to give
it away. Sadly, this remarkable culture is being slowly eroded by the
encroachment of "civilization".
The country has a number of active volcanoes whose rumblings are still
treated in remote villages as messages from the spirit world. And
there's a fascinating creature in Vanuatu called a Dugong. It's
similar to Florida's Manatee except it has a tail like a whale.
Vanuatu served as a major staging area during World War II. We
anchored in Havannah Bay which was filled with Allied warships. The
older men still remember seeing the armada and are eager to share their
memories. There was such an influx of war materials into Vanuatu that
there is today a religious cult whose followers await the second coming of
the Americans and all their stuff. Apparently, the Americans are
expected to free Vanuatu from European
dependence. Go figure.
Well, I'd better end this now. Valerie and I begin our trip back to
the States today to visit friends and family while satori sits out cyclone
season here in Mooloolaba. More later on our trip to New Caledonia and
Australia. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Thursday March 27, 2003
Mooloobaba, Queensland, Australia
Hi Gang,
Valerie and I are delighted to report that we are back in Australia having
successfully evaded the war protestors and the new and improved Asian
flu-bug. We arrived at the Maroochydore Airport in a torrential
downpour. I'm not sure which got more soaked, us or our voluminous luggage.
Please understand. We're certainly not complaining. We spent the
last half of February in England and Scotland and hardly saw a drop of rain.
Miraculous!
London was truly awe-inspiring with its history and its dedication of such
massive resources to pomp. The highlight of our visit, certainly, was
attending services at Westminster Abby where they've been held without
interruption for a thousand years.
Before you could say "jet-lag" we were off to Scotland. We
flew to Edinborough, rented a car, and drove a big circuit up through the
Highlands. MLK's got nothing on us any more. We too have been to the
mountain-top; and we too have seen the promised land! We smelled the
Heather and tasted a wee dram or two. It was just heaven.
The trip from Edinborough, back through London, and then to Hong Kong was
brutal. The trip crosses eight time zones and, at one point, we were
just south of Moscow. My, but how the world has changed. Our
time in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore were a blur of retail
opportunities and temples. We spent several days touring northern
Thailand. For me, the Bridge over the River Kwai was most memorable
and emotionally charged. I think Valerie
enjoyed the elephant ride and the jewelry stores best. Go figure.
I remember feeling very strange on the trip from Bangkok to Singapore when
we flew over Viet Nam. I spent much of my youth avoiding the place.
Then, finding myself looking down at "bush" and then the Mekong
River felt really strange. We met some folks in Bangkok who had just
done a tour in Viet Nam. "It was interesting", they said,
"but not for the faint of heart".
Personally, I'm still avoiding the place.
Well, it's good to be home. We've got a few boat projects, but we hope
to be ready to head north in the next few weeks. We're looking forward
to seeing more of Australia. The weather seems to be settling a bit so
it shouldn't be long before we can head for the Whitsundays and points
north. We'll keep you posted. In the mean time, remember: We love and
miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Tuesday May 6,
2003
Garrys Anchorage, Great Sandy
Straight, Queensland, Australia
Hi Gang,
Our 2003-2004 cruising season has
begun. We departed Mooloolaba last Thursday, working our way up the
Queensland coast, and are currently holed-up in a small anchorage in the lee
of Fraser Island. We had a delightful run up to Double Island Point our
first day out and decided to anchor there "just for the night". I
know well the signs of a migraine coming on and I recognized them that
night. But, denial is a powerful thing and I apparently tried to wish it
away. I should have taken medicine right then, but I didn't. I felt so bad
the next morning that it was really easy to sit tight for another day, just
'til I felt better. Unfortunately, that one day was all the "BFH"
down in the Great Australian Bight needed to really get control of our
weather. A "BFH" is a weather feature down here (short for
"Big Fat High"), and what it does best is blow like stink. Well,
the Big Fat High blew and when the weather guys started talking about Big
Fat Gales, we started looking for a place to hide. Solution: Garrys
Anchorage. We've spent two migraine-free days here and, if we had the time,
could easily stay a week. Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the
world, very rustic, and deserving of much more time for exploration than we
have to spend. We've marveled at a pair of sea eagles snatching their dinner
out of the water around us. And late yesterday afternoon, two dingos came
down to the beach to give us a quick sniff, but little more. They were
handsome animals and appeared to be from the same litter. Pretty neat.
The latest forecast has the winds
easing on Thursday. Tomorrow, we're going to move on up the Straight to
stage for our sail across Hervey Bay, a large open bay behind the northern
half of Fraser Island. If the forecast holds true, we'll be on the move
again early Thursday morning. Our next stop will be about 350 miles north of
here in the Whitsunday group of islands. The Whitsundays are a major tourist
destination and, we hope, far enough north to get out of the pesky weather
pattern we've suffered at this latitude. Valerie is also excited that it
should be a little warmer up there. (Although it's been pretty nice for
early winter: about 80 daytime, upper 60s at night.) In this next leg of our
trip we will also begin our navigation inside Australia's famous Great
Barrier Reef. This marvel of nature extends north for a thousand miles, all
the way to Papua New Guinea, and we're almost going to sail its entire
length. I wish I could snorkel the whole way...maybe take my spear gun.
(Valerie HAS graciously offered to tow me behind the boat.)
Once we reach the tip of the York
Peninsula, we can finally head west again. We'll head for Darwin and stop
along the Northern Territory coast if time permits, but we need to leave
Darwin by mid-July for the trip across the Indian Ocean. Most of you are
aware by now that we have changed our plans of going up the Red Sea to the
Mediterranean. Given the hostilities in the Middle East, we've decided to
sail to South Africa and up the South Atlantic instead. When we get back to
the Caribbean, we'll look at things again and decide if we want to enter the
Med from the west or return to the eastern seaboard of the US for a while.
We've really enjoyed Australia. The
US dollar hasn't been as strong here as it was in New Zealand last year, but
I would still classify the country as a tourist bargain. The bargain,
though, comes after you've bitten the airfare bullet. Of course, as we've
clearly proven, you don't have to fly here.
The Aussies are a hearty breed,
cultured, but a little rough and tumble. They're hard workers, but also
really enjoy their time off. For reasons I'll never understand, they love
Cricket...almost as much as their beer. They're hard-wired into the British
culture so don't say nothin' about the Queen And the Aussies have a
wonderful sense of humor. I usually don't get their jokes but I loved a
poster I saw on the wall of a pretty-nice restaurant down in Sydney. It was
huge close-up of a big, frosty mug of beer. The inscription below read:
"Beer...Helping white guys dance for over forty years". Why do I
find that so funny?
Sydney is one of the most beautiful
cities in the world and quite livable. We could easily find a home in
Brisbane. Brisbane is "just big enough". We loved Mooloolaba, a
kind of Ft. Lauderdale of the 40's. We can't wait to see more of this
country.
We hope you're happy and well. We'll
be in touch soon. Until then, remember: We love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
May 12, 2003
Pioneer Bay, off Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Hi Gang,
We timed our departure from Garrys
Anchorage perfectly. We had great wind all the way to the Whitsunday Group
of Islands and arrived off Airlie Beach in three days flat. We spent Sunday
afternoon sorting out the boat, had a quick meal, and got a really good
night's sleep. The good night's sleep was one of the best parts. Another
really good part was the fresh bread I baked the day before we left. Ask
Valerie about it next time you see her. I just love to hear her brag on me.
The navigation into the Islands over
Saturday night was a little tedious with shipping and a few unlighted rocks
and other obstructions. Most of our sailing for years now has been open
ocean passage-making. Coastal cruising, as you might suspect, requires
substantially more attention to detail and constant monitoring of our course
and position. The good news is that our little boat performs like a champ.
She holds her course well at all points of sail and, most importantly, gives
us a great ride in the process. A comfortable ride means a well-rested
crew...a crew that makes a minimum of navigational errors. Unfortunately,
sailing in general and coastal cruising in particular have a "ZERO
tolerance" for navigational errors. So, how do we get from a few errors
down to the required number of zero? Well, actually, we don't. What we do is
develop an approach to navigation which recognizes our fallibility and
ASSUMES that human errors will occur. Then, we build enough redundancy into
the system that, when the inevitable errors do occur, they are caught in
ample time for us to take corrective action. First of all, we have a very
high tech, electronic navigation system, based primarily on GPS, a global
satellite positioning system. This system is backed up by tried and true
paper charts and nav tools like compasses, dividers, and other plotting
tools. Finally, and most importantly, we have able crew on watch every
minute, constantly asking questions like: Do I KNOW where we are? Are we on
course? Do I recognize the things I can see around me? Are we about to hit
anything? Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? It really is. One of our
greatest advantages is that, because of our speed, or rather our lack of it,
everything happens very slowly. Generally, as long as we keep a good watch,
we have lots of time to catch our occasional mistakes, make the needed
adjustment, and continue on unfrazzled. All in a day's work.
I really hadn't planned to do a
treatise on marine navigation today. But, sometimes I suspect that some of
you, my Mother being a prime example, may be a little concerned about us out
here. I guess I want to reassure you all that, although our lifestyle isn't
totally without risk, our risk is generally quite manageable. The truth be
known, we feel safer living aboard than we did living in Atlanta. That's
partly a reflection on our former home, but mostly a testament to the
cruising lifestyle. There is no question that we feel much more in control
of our risks here than when living ashore.
We'll be in the Whitsundays for
several days. We noticed a Mexican restaurant on main street yesterday so
I'm sure we'll give it a try before we leave. Probably, we'll be
disappointed yet again. If you want a good Mexican restaurant, you pretty
much need to find one with some Mexicans in the kitchen. As far as I can
tell, there aren't any Mexicans on the Australian continent.
We also hope to do some excursions
out to the Great Barrier Reef from here. I'm sure we won't be disappointed
on that score. We'll give you a report on both counts. Until then, don't
fret about us and remember always: we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday, June 23,
2003
En route: Torres Strait to Darwin
Hi Gang,
We are delighted to report that we
have completed the 1300 nautical mile run up the eastern seaboard of
Australia. We have rounded Cape York and are currently headed due-west for
Darwin. This leg is about 850 nautical miles and should take about five to
six days. Our plan is to catch our breath in Darwin for a couple of weeks
before we head out across the Indian Ocean on or about the 15th of July. By
December 1st, we should be in South Africa.
The trip north to Cape York was
tough. Because the Great Barrier Reef is so close to the coast of the
mainland, we had to make most of our way in the commercial shipping
channels, along with all the commercial shipping. On one occasion, we were
in sight of five ships simultaneously. We did day-hops, overnighters, and
2-3 day passages, all depending on how tired we were and what anchorages
were available. All told, it took us 50 days to reach the Torres Strait. It
wasn't exactly a champagne cruise, but the sense of accomplishment alone
made it worth the effort.
One highlight of our trip was our
stop in Cooktown, the last coastal town on the mainland as you proceed north
along the York Peninsula. The town is named for the famous explorer, Capt.
James Cook, who in 1770 managed to run his barque "Endeavour"
aground on a reef at, aptly named, Cape Tribulation. After freeing his
vessel, Cook and his men spent 48 days ashore repairing and refitting the
vessel, marking the first time Englishmen had spent more than a day or two
ashore in Australia. It was during this time that the first kangaroo was
sighted and the first meaningful contact with the Aborigines also took place
after Cook convinced the Native Australians of his peaceful intent. A gold
rush a hundred years later ballooned the population of Cooktown to over
30,000. This was apparently just the number needed to support the town's 94
licensed taverns and 163 brothels. Alas, the boom times are over. Today,
Cooktown claims a Saturday-night population of only around 1,300, but
they're hearty souls, one and all.
More later on our journeys. Until
then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Tuesday July 1,
2003
Fannie Bay, Darwin, Australia
Hi Gang,
We've just got a minute for a quick
note to let you know that we arrived safely in Darwin yesterday. We hardly
got the anchor down when the bureaucracy latched onto us with all it's might
and we've been filling out forms ever since. I'll catch you up on our trip
"across the top" in a day or so. Just didn't want you to think we
got lost.
More later.
Valerie and Doug
Indian Ocean
Saturday, August 2, 2003
Hi Gang,
We had a really nice sail "across the top" from the Torres Strait
to Darwin.
It was particularly relaxing to be offshore again without the stress of
obstructions to port and starboard and shipping seeming to come at us from
all directions. We moved with dispatch across the Gulf of Carpentaria
in
front of a fresh southeasterly. The Gulf is not a place to dawdle.
The
wind moderated after a couple of days but didn't let us down until the night
before our arrival in Darwin. Others in the fleet had no wind at all
and
motored the 800 miles. We were lucky. Maybe it was that herd of
dugongs
that saw us off from Thursday Island that brought us the fair winds.
Or
maybe Valerie just has her act together.
Our budgeted two weeks in Darwin stretched into three when we decided to do
a little last minute touring with friends. We went deep into the
outback to
see Alice Springs, climb Ayers Rock (or Urulu, if you're PC), and hike in
several National Parks in the area. We did a second trip, again with
friends, to Katherine Gorge to do some canoeing. The scenery was
fabulous
but, once again, my Sweetie and I tried to keep up with folks much younger
than us and almost had matching coronaries for the effort. Venues like
climbing Ayers Rock or the Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand would not
exist in the States. They're just too dangerous.
We returned to Darwin to do all the things one does to prepare for a
four-month Indian Ocean crossing that includes extended visits in some of
the most remote places in the world. The to-do list was long but
nothing
had higher priority than getting our e-mail working again. Long story
short, we threw an obscene amount of money at the problem and got the system
working again but never found the definitive problem for our difficulties.
Oh well, at least it's working.
The last week in Darwin was frantic but we think we left in good shape.
Our
first destination is Cocos/Keeling, a small coral atoll about 2,000 miles
due west from Darwin. In the cruising community, Cocos ranks up there
with
Bora Bora as a must-see. We'll tell you all about it when we get there
in
about a week.
Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday, August 11, 2003
Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia
Hi Gang,
Now, this is what I've been talkin' about! If you're looking for palm
trees, white sand beaches, and crystal clear, azure water, all bathed
in
tropical sunshine and warm breezes, this is the place. It just doesn't
get
any better than this, with the possible exception of North Keeling Island,
about 15 miles downwind from here. It has all of the above plus it's
untouched, uninhabited, and pristine, except perhaps for the wreckage of the
German cruiser "Emden" now resting peacefully on the outer reef.
The
"Emden" was sent to it's reward by the Australian Warship HMAS
"Sydney" in
WWI. There's a rich history associated with this island group. I
understand there's a website that's probably worth a look at
WWW.cocos-tourism.cc. Check
it out.
We arrived at 3AM yesterday morning but cautiously waited offshore until
daylight to make our entry into the lagoon. After anchoring securely,
we
shared a little quality time with a few black-tips that swam by. They
were
obviously a committee from the shark community sent to welcome Valerie to
Cocos (Keeling). After clearing customs on the beach, we had a bite of
lunch, and immediately passed out. Our adrenalin rush from making
landfall
had subsided and our bodies reminded us that we had just completed a
3-month, 4,000-nautical mile passage from Mooloolaba to Cocos (Keeling)
Islands. I think it surprised even us how tired we were. The
good news is:
we're here, we're happy, and we now have three weeks to relax, catch our
breaths, and have some fun with our cruising buddies. Today, I think
I'll
go snorkeling or maybe I'll just take a nap. Surely, this must be
paradise.
We love and miss you all,
Valerie and Doug
Monday August 18, 2003
Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia
Hi Gang,
It's been a quiet week here in the lagoon. Half of the boats have
departed
for points west and the rest of us are still considering our options.
There
are several possible routes to Capetown from here, each with its own set of
advantages and challenges. As we speak, there are 4 boats left here
with
three different proposed routes among them. Our route has changed at
least
twice since we arrived a week ago. We plan to leave later this week so
we'll have to settle on something pretty soon.
We've quickly fallen into a routine here at DI. We get up early and
immediately pinch ourselves to confirm that it's not all just a dream.
With
our first cup of coffee, we then share the duty of hosting the
"Gannet" with
our friends on "Four Winds". The "Gannet" is our
safety and security net
which monitors our progress along with that of six other boats crossing the
Indian Ocean. After the net, we have a bite and plan our boat projects
for
the day. Today, for example, Valerie's doing a little laundry in
buckets on
the beach while I rebalance the blades on the wind generator. It's a
grueling schedule, I know, but we're never too busy to make time for our
friends. Yesterday, for example, we hosted Sunday brunch on satori.
We
served Mozart with Mimosas and a fabulous, fluffy frittata on Valerie's fine
china. My contribution to the meal was, of course, a big pot of grits,
perhaps the only grits consumed yesterday in the Southern hemisphere.
At
this juncture, the affection I feel towards these people should be readily
apparent. I do not share my grits with just anyone.
There's great snorkeling just a short swim off our bow. This whole
area is
a national park and the marine life is both abundant and fearless.
Each
excursion, it seems, brings new discoveries, like the enormous moray eel we
found last Saturday hiding in a patch of coral. The experience was
very
reminiscent of that old movie "The Deep". You remember the
one. It's where
the T-shirted Suzanne Plechette develops an attachment to a huge moray eel
in the wreck of a sunken treasure ship. My arrested adolescence will
never
allow me to forget that scene.
Nor will I ever forget the pod of dolphins that came by the day before.
It's unusual for dolphins to swim into shallow water like here in the
anchorage but, sure enough, there they were just lazily swimming by.
Valerie was in the middle of a pretty productive nap and, time being of the
essence, I jumped alone into our trusty dinghy and sped off, hoping to get a
closer look. Our buddy, Ken on "Topaz", caught up with the
group just ahead
of me and for the next hour we invested a lot of fuel entertaining the
dolphins and ourselves. As you know, dolphins love to play in the bow
wave
of passing boats, even small dinghys. Eventually, we found that one of
us
could race around in our dinghy, gathering up the playful mammals, and then
guide the pod right up to the other dinghy and stop. Both of us would
then
jump into the water and swim around while a dozen of the curious animals
milled about us, chirping indecipherable secrets into our ears. As
soon as
they grew bored, we'd repeat the whole process. We were just beside
ourselves.
I know many of you wonder why anyone would leave their comfortable homes to
live aboard a cramped boat in conditions and places that, occasionally, can
only be described as miserable. It's true. Although we seldom
dwell on it
in our "Greetings from Paradise", it can, at times, be extremely
uncomfortable for us. So, why then do we live aboard? Steve
Colgate, I
think, explained it best in the forward to one of his books. He wrote,
"We
do it for the moments". He was writing about moments just
like the one I
described with the dolphins. These moments don't come along every day,
or
even every month. But when they do come along, they're sometimes so
profound that the hardships we suffer pale in comparison.
Occasionally,
they're moments that can leave you with a lump in your throat and barely
able to utter a feeble "Oh, my". But, they're always moments
that say:
"Hey!! You're alive, and you're a part of all this...Isn't it
grand?".
That's why Valerie is out there doing our laundry in a bucket.
Until your next moment comes along, remember: We love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday, August 25, 2003
En route: Cocos (Keeling) to Chagos
Hi Gang,
Our last week in Cocos included a full social calendar. Ken on
"Topaz" and
I went spear fishing for an hour or so and fed half the anchorage that
night. And with the arrival of three new boats and the planned
departures
of "satori" and others, we made new friends and renewed old
friendships at a
"Hail and Farewell" gathering on the beach last night.
But, with so many miles ahead of us, and with a picture-perfect weather
window available to us, we decided to get under way this morning. The
final decision to finish our Indian Ocean crossing will carry us to the
extremely remote Soloman Island atoll in the Chagos Archipelago. It's
a
little over 1,500 nautical miles to Chagos so we expect to be there in 11
days, or so. After about a week, we'll push on to Madagascar, on
across to
Mayotte, and then down the Mozambique Channel to S. Africa. We need to
be
in S. Africa by Nov. 1st if possible, but by the 15th for sure. We
have
plenty of time to get there but none to waste.
We'll keep you posted on our progress. Until then, remember: we love
and
miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Saturday,
September 6, 2003
Salomon Islands, Chagos Archipelago,
Indian Ocean
Hi Gang,
We have just arrived safely at Chagos.
We're actually anchored in the pass, just outside the lagoon. It had just
gotten dark when we made landfall and we decided to take advantage of this
anchorage rather than lay offshore all night. It's much too dangerous to
navigate inside the reef after dark but, with radar, we were able to find
this shallow spot to drop the anchor.
This was certainly one of our most
challenging passages. No drama was involved, just a long, hard trip. After
we rest up a bit, we'll tell you all about it and give a report on our
discoveries here. In the mean time, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie & Doug
Monday, September 29, 2003
Island of Dzaoudzi, Mayotte, Indian
Ocean Territory of France
Hi Gang,
We've been woefully delinquent in our
"Greetings from Paradise" of late, but for good cause. Our
10-minute per day limit of connect time to the Sailmail system has been more
than exhausted by our downloads of daily weather charts and forecasts. The
Indian Ocean has proven to be quite a challenge for us and the rest of our
little fleet so weather information has been vital the last few weeks.
The 1,500 mile trip to Chagos will
probably be remembered as our least favorite in four years. We had days with
no wind but extremely confused seas that drove us to distraction with the
boat's uncomfortable motion and lack of progress. Then we had days with near
gale force conditions interspersed with lighter winds which made the proper
sail selection an impossibility. We were perpetually either under or over
canvassed no matter what sail set we used. Add to this mix torrential
downpours the likes of which no son of the Old South has ever imagined
outside the scriptures. And through it all, either Valerie or I was on
watch, in the cockpit, twenty-four hours a day for 12 days. Our conditions
were never dangerous. But it was hard and the frustration level at times was
excruciating.
You will remember that our last
"Greetings" came upon our arrival in Chagos, a British Territory
consisting of several uninhabited atolls and Diego Garcia, an atoll leased
to the American military. Cruisers are begrudgingly allowed to stop only at
the Salomon Island atoll, primarily because there are no alternative
anchorages within a thousand miles. And with the stresses our boats and
crews have endured crossing the Indian Ocean, we need intermediate stops
along the way to affect repairs and rest tired crews before the next leg is
begun. In no small part, the established tradition of mariners stopping at
Salomon over the last century or two makes our complete exclusion an
impossibility. It's fortunate for us because these may be the last of the
unspoiled bits of paradise left in the world and we're among a select few
that get to experience them.
Imagine small islands covered with
coconut palms so thick that they are completely impenetrable in most places.
And in the few places where you can get a few feet inland, you find a canopy
overhead that completely encloses the interior, blocking out most of the
sunlight. It's inside this natural enclosure that we found snow-white tropic
birds, with their long ribbon-like tail feathers, fluttering gently from
palm to palm. It was like a Spielburg movie set.
Imagine water so clear and still that
your eyes find difficulty focusing on the surface. Imagine that water,
filled with the most colorful fish, lobsters, octopus, and sea turtles, each
fearless because of so little human contact. Chagos is truly a special
place, available only to a handful of cruisers willing to endure the
hardships of sailing there. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
After we recovered a bit from our
trip to Chagos, we decided the best way to get over a rough passage was to
get right back out to sea. It worked. We arrived in the French Indian Ocean
Territory of Mayotte last Saturday after another 12-day passage, this one
putting over 1,700 miles under our keel. The trip was letter-perfect: fast
and comfortable, with hardly a shower along the entire journey. And, we were
treated to another of those special moments we wrote about that make
cruising worth enduring all the hardships.
The navigation issues related to the
trip to Mayotte are all about getting around Madagascar and dealing with the
exaggerated winds and treacherous currents surrounding this large island. We
decided conditions were acceptable for us to perform a popular local
maneuver whereby we first approached the east coast of Madagascar at about
10 miles south of Cap d'Ambre, the northern tip of the island. About a mile
offshore, we started turning to the north, and continued to sail closer and
closer to the shore. Our goal was to position ourselves to round the last
point of land, right off the beach, in it's wind-sheltered lee. With the
rapid acceleration of the winds at the point, if conditions aren't just
right, this maneuver can be a disaster. We had to get it right the first
time so we had stressed for days as we slowly approached the coast.
Fortunately, our luck and Valerie's
forecast held and, as we were completing the maneuver, we were told
"well done" as only Mother Nature can say it. Just under the Cap
d'Ambre lighthouse, out of the depths, an enormous whale began to leap for
joy and pound the ocean's surface into a froth with his gigantic flukes.
Again and again, the whale found ways to create small tidal waves solely for
our amusement and his. To us, the message was infinitely clear. Exuberance
of this magnitude could only be in celebration of our successful
rounding...a job well planned and executed. The experience for me was that
of a lifetime. As for Valerie, for the first time in our life together, she
was utterly speechless.
At this point, we're about 275 miles
off the east coast of Africa. Not surprisingly, the African influence is
readily apparent in the local culture. We haven't gotten very far afield as
of yet but we can share one very distinct first impression. While the land
here is fairly arid and maybe not as interesting as Chagos, the people are
lovely. The women, particularly, are beautiful and have an air of pride
about them that is almost regal. This is a culture very different from any
we've visited thus far and we believe it will be fascinating.
We'll share our observations of
Mayotte soon. Until then, remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday,
October 27, 2003
Off Maputo, Mozambique, East coast of
Africa
Hi Gang,
We spent two weeks in Mayotte but
unfortunately saw very little of the country. Most of our time was spent
repairing the equipment needing attention after the Indian Ocean crossing.
Both our refrigeration and our propane systems had failed during the trip.
Fortunately, I was able to jury-rig the gally stove at sea but we had no
refrigeration for over a month. Both are repaired now but it was at the
expense of free time in Mayotte.
Mayotte is a French territory and,
therefore, there's a lot of French infrastructure around. The French Foreign
Legion is there along with lots of French bureaucrats. There is, however,
very little obvious interaction between the locals and the
"Europeans". I suspect the locals love the French Francs that flow
into Mayotte, but they do not love the French. In any event, we look
"European" so there was likewise very little interaction with us.
And it didn't help that very little English is spoken in Mayotte. Even if
folks learned that we were American, there was still the language barrier.
From a distance, the culture was fascinating though, and we really wanted to
know more about this part of the world. For example, we want to know why
many of the Mayotte women wear what appears to be a thick layer of mud on
their faces. It's usually beige in color, and apparently worn all day just
as makeup is worn in western cultures. We asked several people but didn't
get very definitive answers. We suspect the substance is applied both as a
cultural adornment and for protection, like a sun screen. Maybe we'll have
more time to learn about this culture on our next time around.
Eventually, a particularly attractive
weather window presented itself and we took off from Mayotte with several
other boats headed south. In the last two weeks, we've traveled 1,100
nautical miles down the Mozambique Channel bound for Richards Bay, South
Africa. We are now anchored behind an island off the coastal city of Maputo
in southern Mozambique. We don't have a visa for Mozambique so we won't be
going ashore. Technically, I suppose, we're illegal aliens, so sshhhhhhh.
We're only here long enough to sit out a cold front that came up the coast
from Cape Town and passed over us yesterday. After the wind shifts to the
east, we'll quietly be on our way again. There's a strong current flowing
south from here so the remaining 200 miles to Richards Bay should be covered
quickly, say in about 30 hours. Richards Bay will be our home for a couple
of months and we're anxious to get there and rest up. We've been sailing
hard for the last six months and, not surprisingly, we're getting a little
tired.
We told you about our excitement at
seeing the whale under Madagascar's Cape d'Ambre light house. What we didn't
know then was that he was but one of dozens of whales we were going to see
on our trip down the Mozambique Channel. Apparently, there is a major whale
migration up the Channel this time of the year and we have been thrilled
time and again as these massive animals passed by. On two occasions we've
actually found whales under the boat checking US out. The last such
encounter was yesterday morning while we were hove-to about 12 miles north
of here. That's kind of like being parked out at sea. While we were waiting
patiently for a wind shift so we could come into this anchorage, whales were
so close that we could actually hear their whale songs reverberating through
our hull. It was a few minutes later that I found one of the big guys under
the boat, apparently trying to decide if he should ask "satori"
out. Like most young men, he decided it was time to leave when I showed up.
Naturally, I was OK with that, too.
We had one really weird sighting. We
were sailing quietly along when we saw a whale's tail sticking up out of the
water. It was like the whale was standing on his head with only his tail
above the surface. Eventually, we passed within 25 feet of the whale and we
noticed there was no sign of movement. We watched for another 10 minutes,
eventually through the binoculars, hoping to see some sign of life. As the
motionless tail was going out of sight, we were totally convinced that the
whale was dead and we started feeling really bad for him. Just as depression
was taking hold, the whale let loose a great geyser of spray and with a big
flap of his tail he went happily on his way. Whale humor, I think, takes
some getting used to.
So, even though we're a little tired,
we're still being energized. Everyday brings new challenges but also new
sources of excitement. No doubt about it...we're living the time of our
lives.
We'll let you know when we arrive in
South Africa. Until then remember that we love and miss you all.
Valerie and Doug
Monday
November 3, 2003
Richards Bay, South Africa
Hi Gang,
The top 5 reasons we know we're in
South Africa:
No. 5: Our home for the next 2 months
is the Zululand Yacht Club. No. 4: There are monkeys on the shore...real,
live, wild monkeys. No. 3: There's a "Caution: Hippo Crossing"
sign between here and town. No. 2: It's hot. It's like Africa hot.
And the No. 1 reason we know we're in
South Africa: The salt water rash on my tush is finally getting better.
We are delighted to be here! In the
last 6 months, we've sailed almost 9,000 nautical miles. I can't say it's
|
