Monday, March 3, 2013 9:00am: Wow….we are back and on the water…..seems a bit surreal!!!! As I write this blog update (the first in about 4 months) we are making the 75 nm passage from Marsden Cove to Viaduct Marina in Auckland…..so far it is a trawler like day…winds around 10 kts, seas not much … Read More →
Final Stats on our South Pacific Crossing
Final Stats on our South Pacific Crossing: Just the facts ma’am (John’s): – 285 days; almost 10 months; from January 5th when we transited the Panama Canal to October 18th when we arrived in Marsden Cove New Zealand – traveled 8,366 nm…that’s a lot of miles!!!! – 1214 engine hours; we now have 4400 total … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 6.5
Friday 10/18, Day 6.5 We did it…..we are here tied up to the Customs dock at 8:05!!!!! First passage beer popped at 8:06 and champagne and tequila soon followed!!!! Unfortunately we are locked in on this customs/quarantine dock so we could not go anywhere or meet anyone so we just partied with Mystic!!!! And it … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 6
Friday 10/18, Day 6 Wow o wow…..this incredible South Pacific journey is almost over…..very mixed emotions….on the one hand we are pretty tired, not just from this passage but for the entire past 11 months…..so many new places, cultures, sights, ocean miles, navigation, repairs, new friends et al that comes with cruising new places….not seeing … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 5
Thursday 10/17, Day 5 Whoa….what a ride today. We swore we would never get in a headsea situation like we did from Providencia to Grand Cayman but yet, here we are. Why when a forecast is wrong it is always for the worse???? We knew we had to pass a trough/front when we left last … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 4
Wednesday 10/16, Day 4: The trough hit us around 3:30am. Before that, the winds built from 10-15 to 15-20G22 NNW and increased to 20-25G30 SW for about 30 minutes with some squalls/rain, then reduced to 14-18G24 kts SW. I think the North winds may have knocked down some of the SW swell as the seas … Read More →
Pics from Suwarrow & Niue
We’ve posted a selection of pictures from our most recent travels. Enjoy! Click HERE for Passage to Suwarrow pics. Click HERE for Suwarrow pics. Click HERE for Niue pics.
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 3
Tuesday 10/14, Day 3: Well……from boredom to sheer fright all in a days passage….arghhhhhhh!! The boredom part……just ideal trawler weather….very much welcomed after the 12 hour sporty ride last night. The winds were ENE 8-12 kt behind us and a 3-6′ SSW swell that was no bother…..sunny, but a bit cool……so we just watched and … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 2
Monday 10/14: Today was 3 different conditions. First, in the morning, it was rather calm conditions, 8-12 kt SE winds, 1 meter seas. In the afternoon and last evening, the winds built to 18-22 kts SE with considerable 2-4′ wind chop as well as a 2 meter SSW swell. After dinner the ride was rather … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 1
Sunday, 10/13: We are on our way through some of the most treacherous waters we have ever been in….yikes!!!! Nervous/anxious – you betcha!!! We have both been dreading this passage since we left Panama way back last February but it was always something that was in the future so not too worry….well the future is … Read More →
