Tag: adventure

  • Solomons: A Rough Passage & Wonderful Ugi Island

    Squall line passed through us in the morning and, as the skies lightened, we departed for what ended up being a very sporty 283-mile passage. We knew the seas were going to be large initially, but were forecast to be decreasing throughout our passage, along with decreasing winds, and low thunderstorms. We weren’t alone in…

  • Still Sitting in the Solomons

    Woke up to a bell from shore at 5:30am and decided to embrace the non-rainy morning, as I sat on deck outside watching the sunrise, as the sound of musical pipes played from the beach. It is taking us a bit to acclimate to the heat and humidity, as we sit and sweat while doing…

  • The Solomon Islands: Passage & Arrival

    The passage from Vanuatu to Lata, Solomons, where we check-in is about 300 miles and should take us from 40-48 hours depending on conditions. We are racing a storm, which is not our favorite thing to do. Our first night out we flew our main and Code Zero. We usually don’t fly this large sail…

  • Goodbye Vanuatu: Numbaone!

    We enjoyed a lovely sail (as opposed to the bash we would have had the prior day) up to Peterson Bay, where we anchored in the outer lagoon, waiting for high tide to enter the very shallow winding reef entrance into inner Oyster Lagoon. With waypoints entered on our GPS, Calder and I on bow…

  • Vanuatu: Aore Island & Luganville Adventures

    Had a long daysail across to an anchorage between Aore and Ratua Islands. I had gone down for a nap and felt the motion of the boat change, waking me up. It felt like we were surfing…fast. I got out of bed and found that the wind and standing waves had built in Malo Channel,…

  • Vanuatu: Maskelyne Dugongs & Pentecost Land-Diving

    Up just before sunrise and under way, downwind spinnaker sailing for 57 miles, flying fish all around. I said to Chris, “Look at that volcano!” to which he answered, “Which one?” as we were surrounded by a trail of volcanic islands. Caught a micro-skipjack tuna and let him go, otherwise no fish. Into Foreland Bay…

  • Vanuatu: Efate Island

    Into Mele Bay, we were met by the local crew of Yachting World Marina in their 14-foot yellow aluminum skiff at our mooring ball to greet us with smiles, waves, and to help us tie up to our home for 4 nights. Port Vila, the capital and largest city of Vanuatu at 53,000 people, is…

  • Tanna Island, Vanuatu

    Waking up at anchor in Port Resolution, Tanna Island in Vanuatu, my senses were filled with the sounds and sights of this jungle landscape. I heard children’s laughter, a cow mooing, roosters crowing. The shorelines were bustling with the activity of the morning. Around our boat, the local fishermen in their handmade dugout outrigger canoes…

  • Arrival: Vanuatu!

    As we sail along with our Code Zero and main, we notice something about the waves…hmmm, they look familiar. Have we been here before? Actually, we have – our current route to Vanuatu is now crossing our route last year from Fiji to New Caledonia. We know the winds are going to drop and feel…

  • Passage: NZ to Vanuatu Day 6: Happy Father’s Day!

    Happy Father’s Day! What a glorious way to start this 24 hours; winds and seas have built to 15-24 knots, seas 1-2 meters, perfect angle – we are flying! And it is SO comfortable. We all fully have our sealegs, to the point where I’m down in the galley making meals for everyone like a…