Rupe started the engine to motor out from our Isabela anchorage - and none of the navigation instruments were working. No chart plotter, wind data, speed, depth, etc. A significant problem at the starting gate of a 3000 mile voyage.
Our friends on Freja and on Due West rallied to help. After several hours of investigation Anders found that the maxi view mast instruments were damaged - and with the Seatalk system, if one part is broken, the whole thing fails. So, the very easy decision was made to unplug the mast instruments and thus restore function in all the rest. We were good to go.
Luckily, this inauspicious start was the worst moment of the voyage. After a few quiet days, we had solid-to-vigorous trade winds driving us across the eastern Pacific to the beautiful Marquesas islands. Up to the half way point we accompanied Freja, with a Danish family of 5 on board.
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| our companion boat Freja |
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| Anna, Ludvig, Merete, Anders and Victor from Freja |
It was a great comfort to be able to call them on the VHF to compare notes about navigation, sail plans and life on board. We sailed very slowly and conservatively for the first few days and we were blessed with great weather; only a couple of bumpy days and nights. We were conscious that our crew, Katya and Nicolas, were complete novice sailors and that the limitations of our power system obliged us to actively helm almost all the time, rather than relying on the autopilot. This constrained our sail choice, but the strategy paid off.
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| Different helming styles.....Nico |
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| Kristin |
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| Katya |
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| Rupe |
Facts, figures and findings from our passage:
Duration: 18 days and nights, arriving in the Marquesas on 4 July.
Most miles in 24 hours: 182
Number of fish caught: 3 tuna, 1 wahoo, 6 mahimahi, untold suicidal squid and flying fish
maximum number of reefs in mainsail: 3
delicious lunches made by Katya: many
bread loaves baked by Kristin: 8
Visits from dolphins: 6
Whale sightings by Katya: 2
watermaker sessions: 4
yoga sessions on board: many
breakages: one or two, nothing major
time zones: 4 - Ecuador, then Los Angeles, then Anchorage - finally Marquesas time.
moon: waning from half moon
stars: trillions
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| Mahimahimahimahi! |
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| For the full story of Flash the flying fish and his friend Squishy the squid, see next post (recommended reading age: 5) |
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| Experimenting with a new sail plan. Certainly added some colour! |
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| Freya in the sunset |
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| Slowing down to stay in pace with Freya |
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| one of our delicious lunches |
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| yoga in the companionway. This 'bind' is probably the only pose possible in this spot. |
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| Katya watching the dolphins at sunset - half way! |
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| Celebrating at the half way point |
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| The very welcome sight and smells of land - Hiva Oa, Marquesas |
