After some shopping and buying gas at Taiohae we lose no time to return to the north side of Nuku Hiva with its protected bays and to find Marina and Germain... Read More »
Terre des hommes… and animals!
Meet and share
We leave to the discovery of Nuku Hiva with several stops around the island... most of the bays West and North are wild, rarely inhabited but sometimes in the heart of the Valley a Fare popped up in the middle of coconut trees.
Reunion at Nuku-Hiva
After 4000 miles driven in 23 days we land at the marquee on the island of Nuku Hiva. We find our friends with whom we had spent good times three years ago...
"Bungee” boom
Coming from the unibody I had kept the habit of putting, on Tao, a hoist used boom by wind. It was struck between the central cleat and a bridge to the 2/3 the back of the boom... until the day when the cleat pulled out... and a buddy has folded its boom with the same technical!!! As you learn by mistakes and especially what they cost us, this to triggered a reflection on the adaptation of this technique for a catamaran... which does not cash the oversales and other gitant errors! So here is 6 months I'm sailing downwind with a "Bungee" boom...
Everything's fine!
Since 2 days the current is with us, the wind had subsided, but thanks to the gennaker our speed is maintained between 8 and 9 nodes. The crazy-gannets and the flying fish are our companions of sea, These latest hunts by other predators under water, make the treat of the crazy-of-gannets who catch them in flight and who let us through the fragrant registration on the bridge. A few swallows accompany us surprising when we know that we are to 600 miles from the coast.
The days are peaceful between sail trim , daily weather loading in order to optimize our road, stretching sessions…Finally when it's not moving too, DIY, kitchen or update of the blog…We didn't see a fishing boat to 200 miles of the Galapagos , Radar and AIS alarms stay silent.
Finally the trade winds of the South is
That's 6 days we left the Panama. Them 3 first days at the engine to leave the Bay of Panama and find wind… then since 3 days we sail to the near slot of low clouds with waves passing above the roof. We had a current node contrary!
We are North of the Galapagos and aim a path along the latitude 1,5 deg Northern or equatorial current should be the strongest – a little more than 2 nodes! So we will cross the Equator as late as possible.
Since this morning the trade winds are at the make you to 15-20 knots abeam. The sky is pale blue with lots of small cumulus white/grey. We are even getting a current very slightly carrier. Our speed oscillates between 8 and 8.5 nodes. Tomorrow the equatorial current should be at the appointment you …Finally, we hope if weather forecasts are correct.
For us all is well and take full advantage of all the living space of the catamaran. Our pace of life is organized around regular activities… including session of “steps “on the steps of the cockpit, tracking of ABS and stretching. Given the heat and humidity and vegetables keep evil and we we in”aggrandize” before it's too late.
Cap on the Marquesas
We are ready! a last swim in the company of a pelican not shy at all and tomorrow we set sail for 3 to 4 weeks at sea. Our progress is visible in the right column of the Blog and we remain reachable by e-mail and satellite...
Panama Express!
We beat our record from the Panama canal to 2 days... too strong Tao! Read More »
Grand Cayman: A dear paradise!
On the road to Panama we make a quick stop in the realm of finance... where everything is overpriced, except the entry formalities!. Read More »
Largo Campos
Exceptional home by the guardians of the Cayo Campos reserve where a colony of crab-eating Macaque monkeys is established.
