1) YACHTING WORLD - PORT VILA ย ๐ป๐บ ย VANUATU ย ย SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
The
Vanuatu Tourism Office ย is excited to announce that Vanuatu will
open its borders to fully-vaccinated international travelers from 1
July, 2022 with no quarantine or arrival caps.
Yachting
Worldโs staff is happy to assist you with the same warm friendliness
that we have been offering cruising yachts for more than 25 years.
Port Vila - Efate -Vanuatu
Yachting World Marina will - hopefully - open
on August 1st -
ย
Best regards - Elsie - YW
Phone + 678 23273
(if a phone call, ask for Lemara, the office manager)
VHF Ch. 16
email: welcome@yachtingworld-vanuatu.com
2) ย AMERICAN SAMOA ๐ฆ๐ธ OPENS UPย
American Samoa - Pago Pago Harbor
Talofa lava South Pacific Posse,
ย
Please,
note that American Samoa is currently under a Declaration of Public
Health Emergency for COVID-19 and strict travel restrictions have been
implemented. You can find more information on this website:
www.legalaffairs.as.gov, under "Travel Restrictions" for further
information.
ย
In
addition, we will need detailed information regarding the vessel and
crew, and the nature of the vessel's request to enter American Samoa.
Please provide the following information:
ย ย Where was the vessel scheduled to go upon departing the last port?
ย ย Cargo Manifest
ย
Kindly
submit this information for review. ย Understand that this request
for additional information IS NOT an authorization to enter American
Samoa. ย The vessel is to remain outside of Territorial waters until
further instructions are given. ย As soon as I receive this
information, I will send the request up to the proper authorities for
approval.
ย
Let me know if you should have further questions in regard to this matter.
ย
Respectfully,
Chester Manaea
chester.manaea@pa.as.gov
3) SOLOMON ISLANDS ๐ธ๐ง OPENINGย
Honoria Harbour - Solomon Islandsย
The information on this page is applicable to people who are fully vaccinated and traveling from Fiji to Solomon Islands.
ย Travel is allowed with restrictions for vaccinated travelers
ย Fully
vaccinated travelers aged 18 years and older are allowed to enter the
Solomon Islands under the tourism bubble. Travelers must contact
jremobatu@pmc.gov.sb or Cornelius.Walegerea@mfaet.gov.sb to get approval
from Oversight Committee to enter the country.
Please check the documentation, quarantine, and/or testing requirements before traveling.
Unvaccinated
travelers under the age of 18 who are eligible to take their
vaccination can enter Solomon Island; however, they will need to take
vaccination after arrival.
4) ENTRY INTO BOAT YOGA AWARD
More boat chores in exotic places. Cleaning the barnacles off the dinghy at 7 knots.
SY ย RHAPSODY ย ๐ฆ๐บ ย Sarah & Bob
- Jeanneau 49โฒ
After the Tuamotus, Papeete market is a fruit & vegetable paradise ๐
Marchรฉ Papeete ("municipal market") or Papeete Market is an extensive market place in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti.
The market sells fruit, vegetables, fish, oils, handicrafts and various souvenir items.ย
We took the cross island 4WD track today
It
runs N to S through the center of the islands, can be done by 4WD
rental or joining a tour, we enjoyed standing on the benches on the back
of a pick up and taking in the amazing views (rather than driving
ourselves, as it is steep, windy, pumpy, muddyโฆ) lots of stops incl one
up in the mountains at a lunch place.
Lake Vaihiria
Rather
than driving ourselves, as it is steep, windy, pumpy, muddyโฆ ย lots
of stops incl one up in the mountains at a lunch place.
Waterfalls along the road from Mont Orohen.
Mont
Orohena, an extinct volcano, with ย an elevation of 2,241 metres
(7,352 ft) it is the highest point of French Polynesia.ย
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐นย Florian & Vicky- Sunbeam 42โฒ
6) FUEL DOCK & HAUL OUT ADVENTURESย
NUKU HIVA ๐ต๐ซ ย FRENCH POLYNESIAย
We
successfully filled up with diesel in Nuku Hiva ๐ Interesting
arrangement not made for cruisers. No drama for us though. We were lucky
with calm seas.
Horizon is now on the hard in Hiva Oa.tight fit, but they are very professional here
Tight fit, but they are very professional here
SY HORIZON ๐บ๐ธ Anders & Anette - Outbound 46โฒ
7) PICTURE OF THE WEEKย
Dreamer at anchor in Huahine with double rainbow
ย SY DREAMER ๐บ๐ธ David & Gerne - Caliber 40lrvโ
8) SY ACUSHNET ARRIVES IN ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย ย
We named our boat after the whaling ship that Herman Melville sailed around the world on.ย
He
set sail in 1839 and in the summer of 1842, Melville and his shipmate
Richard Tobias Greene ("Toby") jumped ship at Nuku Hiva Bayโฆ the very
bay we are now anchored in!ย
Nuku Hiva: ย mission accomplished - South Pacific Posse Burgeeย
Since
the rules for checking into French Polynesia have changed while they've
been at sea, they are now going to check into Hiva-Oa โ an island
thatโs a little closer than Nuku Hiva so theyโve changed course and are
heading there. Watch this space!
We love how we can simply haul anchor and move whenever we feel like it, and am so excited to explore this new spot.
Last
night we intended to go to a completely different island but diverted
as we heard the main anchorage was full. Going with the flow is what
sailing is all about I guess. Anyone else like this approach to
traveling?
The bay here in Nuku Hiva is large so we have lots of roomย
Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia ย as seen from the Tehaatiki viewpoint
SY ACUSHNET ๐บ๐ธย Ross & Saskia ย - Lagoon 46ย
9) UNEXPECTED EXPENSE ALERT ย
motivation for locals to work on your laundry comes at a ย costย
After two weeks in Fakarava, Gargoyle is making her way 240nm west to the poster-child for paradise, Tahiti.
Timing
the tides to allow us to slip through Fakaravaโs narrow southern pass,
we departed at 8:00 AM yesterday. The exit proved easier than
anticipated though the appearance of a free diver suddenly surfacing
five feet off our bow added a touch of excitement. I didnโt have the
heart to yell over and startle them as they only had eyes for the mass
of sharks hovering below them however a visible float would perhaps be a
good idea when diving a navigational channel. Sharks or gargoyles
though, pick your fate.
Then
we were out and a turn to starboard put us on course for Tahitiโs main
port, Papeete. Wondering how to pronounce that? Just sing the line from
Southern Cross โon the downhill run to Papeete โ. Unfortunately we had
zero wind and we motored under a clear blue sky and over a glassy calm
sea with just the eternal swell for company.
Last
night continued calm and we motored slowly towards our destination,
hoping for the gods to show us favor and deliver a bit of wind. Finally,
as dawn lit the eastern sky the winds settled in enough to allow us to
set a sail and make our way, slowly, in the right direction.
So
as I write this we sail towards towering clouds lit cotton candy pink
by another beautiful French Polynesia sunrise. We still have 24 hours to
go on our downhill run but journey and destination are in such perfect
harmony that we could this run forever.
When
was the last time you had so much fun shopping for groceries that you
took a picture? We had a great time stocking up on fresh produce and
fish at the local market, which is literally across the street from our
marina. As with all of Papeete, it's also filled with amazing people.
What a great location!
Beautiful day for a sail from Tahiti to Mo'orea.
SY GARGOLYE ๐จ๐ฆ Kevin & Carla ย - C.M.P.F. โBeneteau 50โฒ
10) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSEย AWARDS CATEGORIESย
ย
HERE ARE THE ย CATEGORIESย
ย ย BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT* โย
ย ย PICTURE OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย SPEEDY AWARD โ SEVENSTAR AWARD โ ย
ย ย THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD โย
ย ย MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD โย
ย ย HIGHEST WIND RECORDED โย
ย ย SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION โย
ย ย GALLEY GOD(ESS) โย
ย ย GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย NEWLY ADDED โ BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR โ
*no bill-fish
Bora Bora awaitsย
11) THE DANGEROUS MIDDLEย ๐จ๐ฐ COOK ISLANDS
The Cook Islands
are in the South Pacific Ocean, north-east of New Zealand, between
French Polynesia and Fiji. There are fifteen major islands, spread over
2.2 million square kilometers of ocean, divided into two distinct
groups: the Southern Cook Islands, and the Northern Cook Islands of coral atolls.
The
islands were formed by volcanic activity; the northern group is older
and consists of six atolls (sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth).
Three options for travelling through the Cook Islands:
Northern Cook Islands only,
approaching from (for example) Bora Bora. Possible stops in order along
the route would be Penrhyn, Manihiki, Suwarrow and then perhaps
Pukapuka.
Southern Cook Islands only, possible stops would be Rarotonga and perhaps either or both of Aitutaki and Palmerston.
Both northern and southern Cooks, starting in Rarotonga, and continuing to Palmerston, Suwarrow and perhaps Pukapuka.
Rarotonga
is a useful first stop because it is the main center for the Cook
Islands, and provisions can be hard to find in the outer islands.
Whether you stop at the outer islands, in particular Palmerston and
Aitutaki can depend on wind direction and draft -- see the notes on the
pages for those islands.
Rarotonga
is a useful first stop because it is the main centre for the Cook
Islands, and provisions can be hard to find in the outer islands.
Whether you stop at the outer islands, in particular Palmerston and
Aitutaki can depend on wind direction and draft -- see the notes on the
pages for those islands.
July Pilot Charts Cook Islands
Currents Cook Islands
Weather systems moving west to east through the dangerous middleย
John Martin principal
of Ocean Tactics has been assisting skippers with weather and passage
planning in the Pacific ย for many years is now an official sponsor
of the South Pacific Posse.
12) FIJI DISCOVERIES ย ๐ซ๐ฏ ย ANCHORAGES
Superyachts in Port Denarau
Yadua Anchorage photo
ย Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji Anchorage
ย Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fijiย
SY SEAGLUB ๐บ๐ธ Chris - Hylas 46โฒ
13) COPRA SHED MARINA ๐ซ๐ฏ ย FIJI SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
15% Discount South Pacific Posse
Copra Shed Marina Savusavu Fijiย
BULA !!!
We are excited to welcome the South Pacific Posse to the Copra Shed Marina in Savusavu
As a special recognition we offer a % discount to all participants of the ย South Pacific Posse vessels
Geoff ย GMย and Dolly
14) ย MARINA SPONSORS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC ย POSSEย
๐บ๐ธ ย Safe Harbor South Bay โ Chula Vista - USA
๐ฒ๐ฝ ย Marina Chiapas โ Mexico ย ย
๐จ๐ท ย Marina Papagayo โ Costa Rica ย ย
๐ต๐ฆ ย Shelter Bay Marina โ Panama ย
๐ช๐จ ย Marina Puerto Amistad โ Ecuador ย
๐ซ๐ฏ ย ย Vuda Point Marina - Fijiย
๐ป๐บ ย Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
Sevenstar
is the worldโs leading provider of yacht shipping services on a
lift-on, lift-off basis. Sevenstar has access to the Spliethoff fleet of
over 120 company owned vessels. With an impressive 1,500+ transports
per year, they are calling over 100 ports in more than 40 countries
worldwide.
For a quote with the Panama Posse discount please contactย Kris Caren
email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
18) PANAMA ๐ต๐ฆ CANAL AGENTย CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
1) ROYAL SUVA YACHT CLUB ๐ซ๐ฏ ย FIJIย 2) SY LEEANNE RUDDER FAILUREย ย ย
1) ROYAL SUVA YACHT CLUB ๐ซ๐ฏ FIJI ย ย SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
ย FREE 1 MONTH Honorary Membership for South ย Pacific Posseย
If
any members of the Pacific Posse arrive at Suva I am happy to inform
you that the RSYC will recognize them as a bonafide member of a club and
grant them the privileges as if they were members of a Yacht/Marine
Club!
Patrick Todd ย
RโขSโขYโขC
ย http://www.rsyc.org.fj/
+679 992 2921
gm@rsyc.org.fj
Suva Harbor, Fiji ย on the other side of the Datelineย
2) ย SY LEEANN RUDDER FAILUREย
The Story:
You
may have noticed we are back in Mexico and not in our original
destination, French Polynesia. As it is a bummer we didnโt make it, we
are so happy to be back with ourselves and the boat in one piece! Long
story short, we were about 500 miles out and found our rudder tube was
cracked and leaking seawater. The fiberglass tube was delaminating from
the hull of the boat. Not good. Trip over. Luckily we noticed the
problem right before we made it to Clarion island which is the last
possible place to stop for another 2000 miles so we pulled over to get a
good look. It was determined by our shoreside support network of expert
sailors that our only course of action was to drop our rudder, epoxy
the leaks, fiberglass some wood gussets around the tube for support, and
sail 550 nautical miles home with no rudder. And thatโs what we did.
Luckily we have a @hydrovane that has its own little rudder that we
could use to help get us home. We could not get it to self steer without
the input of a main rudder so Carson and I had to hand steer the little
windvane rudder two hours on, and two hours off, for 5 days and 550
miles under constant threat of the tube breaking and sinking us the
whole way. This is the very very short version of the story, we will
eventually do a full write up of the whole thing soon. We have a lot of
people to tag and thank for helping us through this which will come with
a full write up. We just wanted to get a short explanation out to all
our friends on here who are wondering whatโs going on with us! We are
safe, the boat is safe, and most importantly we are happy as ever!ย
ย We
have spent the last few days doing repairs so that we can safely sail
back the 550 nautical miles.it will take us roughly 5-6 days and we will
continue to update daily. We thank you all for your support through
this journey.
We are docked! After 17 days we have arrived safely back in La Cruz, MX .
Yes,
we did have issues with our rudder. We started to hear โknockingโ from
our rudder post near the top bearing about a day and a half from clarion
island so we stopped there to wait for better wind and do some
inspections. When we took a look down at our rudder post we found that
the fiberglass tube was delaminating and was seeping seawater. So, with
our team of experts we all agreed that the rudder had to come out. With
the help of the Mexican navy, we were able to successfully drop the
rudder in the water at clarion island. Then we built gussets to
stabilize the tube and fiberglassed all around the tube. Once that was
set and the tube was more stable, we got towed out to sea, set the
sails, and sails back to PV using only our Hydrovane rudder. We had to
had steer 2 hours on 2 hours off for 5 days. The seas were big and we
fought the boat rounding up every few minutes. We used dragging devices
and had the sails reefed the entire time. We are now resting in a hotel
in PV getting some much needed sleep!
We
are now headed to London!! A big pivot from our South Pacific plans but
we are determined to make the best of it! Getting in a lil belated
honeymoon trip exploring Europe over the next few weeks ๐ฅณ SV LeeAnn
will be hauled out next week, repairs done, put back in the water and we
will return to her whole again!ย We canโt wait to explore a new place!ย
With love,ย
With love,ย
SY LEEANN ๐บ๐ธย Jamie & Carson - Beneteau Oceanis 46โฒ
3) ENTRY INTO GALLEY GOD(DESS ) AWARD
Thought Iโd send through some pics for Galley Goddess Award.
Below is Pizza cooked on the Cobb at Punaruku, Makemo, and above Fried Chicken on the Cobb, Fakarava.
Vessel
leaving Passe Tiputa at Rangiroa one hour before high tide. Increased
swell in region causing strong outflow. ย The guy on the bow is
having fun!
Passe Hiria de Tiputa - Rangiroaย
SY ย BLUE HEELER ๐ฆ๐บ ย Ally & Wayne - Hallberg Rassy 39โ
4) SUPPLY CHAIN 101 ย FAKARAVA, TUAMOTUS ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย
This
is the Tumoana magasin in Fakarava on Wednesday morning when the supply
ship arrives. ย Thirty three boats are in the anchorage are vying
for the limited fruits and veggies at this small table as each box of
items is set out. ย Nearly all the fruit/veggies were gone in two
hours. ย Same thing happened at the boulangerie south of town at
15:00. ย Plan your arrival the evening prior to get into town early.
Inside
the atoll is a lagoon. ย The atoll is comprised of coral reefs
called motus. ย Between these motus are small channels that are
created by seawater coming through the atoll from the ocean. ย Carl
and I spend hours snorkeling and floating from the edge of the atoll
into the lagoon. ย The channels can be shallow or very deep. This
one was about 200 meters long and 30 feet deep. ย Loaded with bright
coral (purple, pink, yellow) and school of brightly colored fish.
Floating with the inbound tide current over these wonders is like
flying in your dreams. ย After painting from my paddle board, I dove
in.
SY SKY POND ย ๐จ๐ฐ ย ย Carl & Roxy - Seawind 1160 38โฒ
Fakarava, Tuamotus, French Polynesia is in Good Nautical
5) PICTURES OF THE WEEKย
ย
The Ibex ย Sunset Series
Tuamotus ย Sunset ย 1ย
Tuamotus ย Sunset ย 2ย
Tuamotus ย Sunset 3ย
Ibex and the Coconut Oil Factoryย
Classic Rotosieve add coconut meat on top oil comes out of the frontย
End product once packaged
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐นย Florian & Waltraud - Sunbeam 42โฒ
6) SY RHAPSODYARRIVES IN ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย ย
ย About
3:00 am. Morning of day 20, graveyard watch as usual. Sarah mentioned
seeing skimming birds feeding at dusk last night when we were just under
100 nm. from land. Birds are always our last send off and first
greeters on passage. Also, as is usual since leaving Panama, a red
footed booby has chosen our bow rail to rest for the night. We marvel at
the flexibility and unwavering tenacity their webbed feet display in
gripping slimy, salted 1โ stainless steel pipe bouncing about for hour
upon hour.
4:00
am. The chart plotter shows we are nearing our first possible glimpse
of terra firma since leaving views of San Cristobal, the western most
volcanic landscape of the Galรกpagos Islands, in our wake almost 3 weeks
ago. UO-HUKA, at the eastern edge of French Polynesia, is for now just a
lurking, dark, blurry shape resting nebulous on the southern horizon
under overcast and moody skies. The waxing half moon set 2 hours ago.
Weโve been getting scattered spit, drizzle, and mini squalls since
sunset causing the need to put away cushions and pillows to dry corners
only to return them minutes later.After 20 days at sea,
Over 3000 nautical miles,
5 trips by Bob into the back lazerette to fix the autopilot
In
finishing up our passage from the Galapagos Islands to French Polynesia
I asked my family if they had any questions for us. They came up with
some great ones. My answers are in blue, and Bob's are italicized .ย
ย
What
was something that you loved that you didnโt foresee and what was
something you were worried about that you didnโt need to be?ย
Although
it was not technically on this section of the passage, I loved the
Doldrums. Admittedly we had a motor and so we were not relying on the
wind to get us through, but I loved the stillness of the ocean. The
absolute glassiness of it. The things that I worried about I am not sure
that I didnโt need to concerned about. We worried about them so that we
would do everything we could to stop them from happening.ย
Better
than I thought was how fast the time passed, with special thanks to
reading. ย I worried that sleep loss could become a cumulative
problem, but that wasn't really the case.
ย
How
was your experience extending a strange alternating sleep schedule over
the long time period? Did you ever fall asleep on watch?ย
Our
watch schedule is a natural extension of our typical habits. Bob tends
to fall asleep earlier than I do, and thus wake up earlier. We just push
this schedule to its limits and it works well. Bob falls asleep as
early as he can, sometimes as early as 7, then wakes up at 1 or 2 and
takes over from me. I like to stay up reading, so I just push that to
staying up later and later, then I get to sleep in the morning. There
were certainly days that our rhythms were interrupted by weather or
equipment breakage, but then we just take turns napping during the day.
My
experiences on previous passages prepared me well mentally, however on
this passage the motion of the boat was a greater challenge to both
getting and staying asleep.
What would you do differently if you did it again?
I
would download more podcasts, they are great company on nightwatch. I
thought I had done so, but most of them were gone by the time I wanted
to listen to them.
I agree with more podcasts, but if we could find the right person, another crew member would be worthwhile.
What food that you provisioned did you wish you had more of and which food did you never actually eat?
We
would have liked to have more non dairy ice cream but the freezer just
couldn't hold any more. Also more lettuce would have been nice, but it
is difficult to get it to last.
I
agree with the lettuce and ice cream, and would add more hummus. We did
not use many canned goods, but those are really provisioned for our
remaining months before large groceries in Papeete.
Did
you think about people who had made this crossing before access to
technologies you have? Anyone in particular? Did you feel connected to
past explorers and sailors in some way out in the vast open blue?ย
Thank
goodness for technology! To do this without GPS, our chartplotter and
our Sat phone would have been a totally different experience, ย and
not something that I believe it would have enjoyed. I did think about
those who came before us and how their experiences differed from ours.
Certainly
one cannot discount the advantages of GPS and the security that
knowledge feeds you every day you are out of sight of land. When I think
of the Polynesians, that for thousands of years, explored these same
waters by reading the waves, the wind, and determining their location by
holding their hand up to the stars, I am humbled.ย
All
who have gone to sea before us, and all our fellow cruisers today
readily share information. Technology and information properly applied
keeps us safe, and allows us to continue following in the path of the
real explorers.
ย
At what point in your crossing did you feel most isolated?
For
a while our text messaging app was not working. ย When I wasn't
getting any messages from the outside world I definitely felt isolated.
When
the autopilot had troubles twice in one day, along with battery
charging issues, I felt we could be out there days longer with constant
handsteering and maybe a loss of refrigeration. But isolation is
relative when you know you just have to fix things the best you can and
keep going.
ย
What was the most: Fun? Rewarding? Emotionally moving? Boring? Challenging? Unexpected?
Wow,
that's a lot! Boring is easy - the lack of being able to do many things
I love to do, go for a walk, make art, make music. There was just too
much motion of the boat to feel comfortable enough to do the last two.
Unexpected
would be the number of small (4-5 inches) squid that would be found on
deck in the morning at the beginning of the passage. At night I could
shine a bright light into the water and see the light reflecting in the
red eyes of the squid. They disappeared about halfway through the
passage, but on our list of things yet to do is to clean up the squid
ink on deck.
Most
fun was ten minutes with dolphins swimming along in our bow wake. Most
rewarding was finally getting to prove we could do it. Getting the
battery charger and autopilot to work again, thus avoiding minor
calamities was a real emotional lift. Most boring was the first third of
a book by William F. Buckley I gave up on. Most challenging was
remaining able bodied and more or less upright for 20 days straight on a
broken carnival ride. Unexpected, was how quickly the time passed.
Were there times when you were nervous or scared?ย
We
have made enough smaller passages that I wasn't really nervous or
scared, but as is often the case, the most nerve-wracking is usually at
the end. In this case in the last 24 hours we had winds up to 25 knots
and 3 meter seas. We have had continuing issues with our bio growth in
our fuel and clogging the filters. We (and by we, I mean Bob) changed
the filters for safety reasons for the last hour before entering the
harbor at Nuku Hiva. The winds we gusting up to 22 knots and the waves
were 3 meters and coming at us from the side. We were motoring at this
point to get into the harbor. At the mouth of the harbor are two very
large rocks they call sentinels that we had to pass between. We were
making plans as to what to do if the engine failed at that point (pull
out the sails and turn back out to sea). For me this was definitely the
hairiest part of the passage. All ended well, the engine didn't die, we
made it past the sentinels, into the harbor and safely set anchor.ย
Sometimes the way Sarah looks at me when she's handing me the hammer is pretty scary.
Favorite constellations as viewed mid-ocean?ย
Transit of Venus and Jupiter every morning just before first light.
I
loved watching the Milky Way and seeing the Southern Cross, but I have
to admit that for all the hype that the Southern Cross gets, it is
pretty small in comparison to Northern Hemisphere constellations like
the Big Dipper or Orion. I think that the Souuthern Cross must have a
pretty good agent promoting it.
How did the food provisioning work out?
Our freezer is not big enough for everything that we would like to bring, otherwise excellent.
Our
chocolate stash of artesian chocolate from Chocolopagos lasted until
the very last days, then we knew it was time for landfall. We still had
some carrots, cabbage and potatoes left at the end, we did not have to
resort to a totally canned meal.
How do you navigate? Do you shoot the sun just for fun?
We
have no sextant aboard. We rely on satellite GPS, either through our
chartplotter or our handheld radios. GPS is worldwide accurate. Besides,
too many billion cell phone users, militaries, and Uber drivers need it
for it to fail. If by the strangest twist of fate GPS failed we would
fall back to our compass, paper charts, the position of stars and
planets if visible, and dead reckoning. You adapt.
We
plot a course on the chartplotter before we depart and then over the
length of this long passage we attempted to stay on course, often
correcting for the wind and the currents which seemed to want to take us
further south than we wanted to go.
What is the deepest part of the Pacific that you have crossed?
I think about 19,000 ft.
When
we are sailing over the top we can't really tell if the water is
several hundred feet deep or several thousand, ย it all looks the
same. And once the numbers go over several hundred feet our depth
monitor just says: depth - - -
SY RHAPSODY๐บ๐ธ Sarah & Bob ย - Jeanneau 49โฒ
7) MEET THE FLEETย
Retired medical doctor sailing ย with my wife Guylรจne from Marseille to New Zealand with our ย 42' aluminum sloop.
SY KAWAINE II ย ๐จ๐ญ Guylรจne & Jean-Dominique - C.M.P.F. โ Fecamp 42โฒ
8) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSEย AWARDS CATEGORIESย
ย
HERE ARE THE ย CATEGORIESย
ย ย BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT* โย
ย ย PICTURE OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย SPEEDY AWARD โ SEVENSTAR AWARD โ ย
ย ย THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD โย
ย ย MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD โย
ย ย HIGHEST WIND RECORDED โย
ย ย SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION โย
ย ย GALLEY GOD(ESS) โย
ย ย GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย NEWLY ADDED โ BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR โ
*no bill-fish
50 feet visibility at anchor in Kandavu ๐ซ๐ฏ ย Fijiย
9) OHANA ๐ต๐ซ THE OTOGI PASSย TOAU, TUAMOTUS FRENCH POLYNESIAย
Video of ย Passe Otugi slack tide Toauย Tuamotus, French Polynesia
Anchored at Anse Amyot Toau, French Polynesia 15ยฐ48'10.5"S 146ยฐ09'07.7"W ย TOAU
SY OHANA ๐ฎ๐ฒ ย Aisling & Darryl - Lagoon 46โฒ
10) CHRIS ย SCOUTN SYDNEY ๐ฆ๐บ ย AUSTRALIA
Meet
Chris on SeaGlub - Lead Vessel of this season's South Pacific Posse
currently scouting the Australia Routes at select whiskey bars in
Sydneyย
11) MO'OREA ย ๐ต๐ซ WINDWARD ISLANDSย FRENCH POLYNESIA
Cooks Bay, ย Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesiaย
Mo'orea history
According to recent archaeological evidence, the Society Islands were settled from Samoa and Tonga around 200 AD.ย
Nine
tribal principalities emerged in the enclosed valleys, which in turn
were subdivided into individual clans. The stratified society was
characterized by a hierarchical leadership whose elite combined both
political and religious power. The leading families of Mo'orea remained
linked by marriage and kinship for centuries with those of the
neighboring island of Tahiti. These connections led to important
alliances, but at other times were also the source of bloody
conflicts.ย
The
marae, a stone platform, was where the gods communicated with the
Polynesians and political, social and religious decisions were made. The
marae was tapuโsacrosanct. To violate it was to call down the godsโ
wrath.
On
Moโorea ย the largest collection of maraes is in the Opunohu
Valley. More than 550 structures have been uncovered, including more
than 100 maraes.ย
SY ย GARGOLYE๐จ๐ฆย Kevin & Carlaย - Beneteau 50โฒ
12) ย MARINA SPONSORS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC ย POSSEย
๐บ๐ธ ย Safe Harbor South Bay โ Chula Vista - USA
๐ฒ๐ฝ ย Marina Chiapas โ Mexico ย ย
๐จ๐ท ย Marina Papagayo โ Costa Rica ย ย
๐ต๐ฆ ย Shelter Bay Marina โ Panama ย
๐ช๐จ ย Marina Puerto Amistad โ Ecuador ย
๐ซ๐ฏ ย Vuda Point Marina - Fijiย
๐ป๐บ ย Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
The ancient art of fire (sword) dancing originated ย in Polynesia Taking
his inspiration from the Samoan warrior, a ย fire knife dancer
takes center stage twirling, tossing, catching and throwing a flaming
machete at high speeds.ย
Taking
his inspiration from the Samoan warrior, a ย fire knife dancer
takes center stage twirling, tossing, catching and throwing a flaming
machete at high speeds.
The
fire knife itself, called โnifo oti," is an ancient Samoan weapon that
features a 14-inch blade with a hook on the end. ย Before the
addition of fire, the traditional Samoan knife dancer portrayed the
movements of the warrior at battle. The custom eventually evolved into
performance art, with the dancer slicing objects in mid-air.
Human migration ย from Indonesia into Micronesia, Melanesia and ย Polynesiaย
During
Colonial times Samoa consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i,
Apolima and Manono ย was a German protectorate from 1900 until the
takeover by New Zealand forces during World War 1
The
takeover of Samoa was New Zealand's first military action in World War
I. In late August 1914 with landings by the Samoa Expeditionary Force
from New Zealand on behalf of King George V. The Samoa Expeditionary
Force remained in the country until 1915.ย
Vailima,
a German-style lager brewed in Samoa here are two versions to choose
from, the normal 4.9% strength and the the export-only 6.7%.
14) HOW WE FLOAT OUR ANCHOR CHAINย
Where and why we float the chain:ย At
anchorages with (lots of) coral heads to avoid the chain tangling on
those coral heads. If the chain would tangle on the coral heads it would
have a couple of adverse effects: the catenary effect of the chain is
reduced (or even eliminated if tangled very close to the bow of the
yacht), lifting the anchor might be difficult or even impossible without
diving, the galvanization of the anchor chain chafes off faster, more
coral gets destroyed. The adverse effect of floating the chain is
obviously to loose the friction of the part of the chain which is
floating. The way we position / deploy the buoys we end up with some 10m
chain on the seabed. There is obviously a residual risk of even that
chain tangling, but less likely given of the length of the chain
thereafter and rather stable wind direction of the trade winds.
Which buoyancy devices we use:ย When
we arrived in the Tuamotus we started off with fenders as we did not
carry anything else. The disadvantage of fenders is that they compress
if they submerse, one gets growth on them, etc. Those hard plastique
pearl farm buoys are much better. Some people say, they are washed
ashore everywhere in the Tuamotus. Well that was not our experience.
Kauehi was our first atoll and in any reasonable distance from the
village the shore line was cleaned by the locals. Nevertheless, many
villagers have their stash of pearl farm buoys in their gardens. So we
simply walked to one obviously very friendly fellow and asked whether we
could have four of them. He actually picked the four nicest he had, of
the same color, including lines attached to them and did not even want
to have anything in return. We put on clips/little carabines to the ends
of the lines for fast attachment / detachment to/from the anchor chain
and were ready to go.
ย
What kind of clips we use:ย We
use little stainless steel carabiners, the size is basically driven by
the diameter to fit through a chain link, i.e. it needs to be
sufficiently thin (we have a 10mm DIN chain, so carabiners end up being
like 4-5cm in length), we use different sorts, i.e. whatever we found in
our related spare part bag
ย
Where we position the buoys:ย Our
approach is to put the first buoy typically / normal conditions at 10m
plus water depth from the anchor, then a buoy every 5m of chain, after
the fourth we let out another 7-8m of chain and then hook the bridle.
There are other recommendations which take a multiplier to water depth
(like 1.5x or 2x water depth), but we just find that not suitable to
accommodate for all ranges of water depths. The 10m basically decides
how much chain ends up on the seabed, one could do less if the sandy
patch is really small or more if there is a larger sandy patch to anchor
(in case one sees that at all).
With
this approach we end up with a few meters more chain out than based on
our non-floating chain length rule under normal conditions (we apply
waterdepth plus 30m) โ in bad conditions we obviously deploy more in
both cases (non-floating and floating).
ย
How we deploy the buoys:ย First
we explore to find the spot we want to anchor as usual. If possible we
would look for a sandy patch for the anchor itself, but despite the
clear water, when anchoring in deeper water we are not able to see for
good and/or be able to drop the anchor that accurately. We put out as
much chain as we feel comfortable to โdrive inโ the anchor. Then we pull
up the chain again to the first spot for the first buoy (the 10m +
water depth), then put out 5m chain, attach a buoy, etc. (lifting the
anchor is as usual, just stopping at every buoy and unclipping it, it
does not really delay the process once one gets the hang of it).
ย
How we clip on the clips:ย For
us it is exactly the same as putting the chain hook / bridle on. So in
our case we have to bend over the pull pit and downward to clip them on,
but as said, thatโs the same as we do with the bridle as well and
โnormal procedureโ for us. If we had a set-up where the chain hook would
come through the bow roller, the clips could go through as well as they
are way smaller than our chain hook and in our case it would be easy to
get a clip and line from the front through the bowroller back on deck.
Difficulties I could only see arising if it was โ due to bow design /
set-up โ tricky to get to the chain outside of the bow or the clip from
the front through the bowroller back on deck or into the chain locker,
but thatโs set-up specific, hard to comment in general (in the worst
case I would deploy by dinghy).
ย
General experience: ย In
general, the boat swings easier than with a non-floating chain, due to
the missing friction of the chain length towards the yacht. In places
where the wind is dominant anyways and is stable trade wind from the
same sector all the time, thatโs no issue at all. In places, where
swinging is dominated rather by current or tide, one obviously has to
check for the space.
In
our case only the buoy closest to the yacht is floating on water level
in a low wind situation, the others are submersed. We actually measured
in one instance the depths of the clips on the anchor chain on an
anchorage where the anchor was at 11.5m depths: the clips of the buoys
were at 7m, 4m, 2m and 0m water depth respectively (starting from the
anchor) at low wind.
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐น ย Florian & Waltraud - Sunbeam 42โฒ
15) TRACKING THE 22' PACIFIC POSSE ย FLEETย BROUGHT TO YOU BY PREDICT WIND
Sevenstar
is the worldโs leading provider of yacht shipping services on a
lift-on, lift-off basis. Sevenstar has access to the Spliethoff fleet of
over 120 company owned vessels. With an impressive 1,500+ transports
per year, they are calling over 100 ports in more than 40 countries
worldwide.
For a quote with the Panama Posse discount please contactย Kris Caren
email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
18) PANAMA ๐ต๐ฆ CANAL AGENTย CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
I
have just recveid an email from the DPAM showing that the requirement
to request permission to enter has been lifted according an order from
the High commissionerโs office.
The
DPAM no longer requires nor will they treat any requests to enter
French Polynesia. ย Below is the translated text from the DPAM.
This
also means and I have a confirmation that the restriction on entry
ports has been lifted. ย It will take a week or more for the other
islands to be aware of this change.
ย
I hope you all are as happy about this news as we are.
ย
Cheers, Kevin.
ย
Yacht Services Nuku Hiva ย Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
Hello,
You will find attached the order HC 917 CAB of May 9, 2022 amending the
order HC 7934 CAB of November 15, 2021. This order deletes IV of
article 36 relating to reporting obligations and authorizations prior to
the arrival of pleasure boats. As a result, entry clearance requests
put in place for the COVID crisis are no longer required and will no
longer be processed. Cordially,
From
31 July 2022, New Zealandโs maritime border will reopen to currently
prohibited foreign flagged vessels including cruise ships, recreational
craft, and specialist vessels.
Further information about arriving in New Zealand via sea from 31 July will become available on the Ministry of Health website.
COVID-19 update for Private Yachts on C4G/Temporary Import entry (TIE)
In
January 2022 Customs sent out a reminder notice that the COVID-19
extension for vessels in New Zealand on C4G/Temporary Import Entry
concludes on 30 June 2022. ย Customs accepts that under the current
environment there have been some that are unable to comply.
Customs has taken this into consideration and the date has now
been extended for a further 12 months.
OPUA PORT OF ENTRY NEW ZEALAND
RESTRICTIONS ย WHAT YOU CAN NOT BRING INTO NEW ZEALAND
"Our
extremely high vaccination rate has given us a very high level of
protection against Covid, with an incredible 98% of our eligible
population aged 12 and over having had at least two vaccine doses as of
this week, along with 80% of our 5-11 year-old population."ย
A beautiful sunset on our light-wind and no-waves sail to the Tuamotus ibex
The Spires of Ua Pou
In
1791, American Joseph Ingraham passed through the northwest group of
the Marquesas on his way to China,[ ย but without setting foot
there. He gave the island of Ua Pou, visible in the distance, the name
"Adam" or "Adams Island" after Vice President John Adams.
It
was also formerly known as Trevenen Island. The name Ua Pou means "two
pillars" and perfectly reflects its orography. It has also been written
as Ua Pu, Hua Pu and Ropo.
It
is considered that the real European explorer was the French
circumnavigator รtienne Marchand (1755-1793), who arrived shortly after,
on June 20, 1791, anchored with his ship Solide first in Vaiehu Bay, on
the west coast, and then off Hakahau. He remained off the island for a
total of three days, but contacts with the inhabitants during the brief
excursions ashore were limited. Marchand named the island "รle
Marchand," after his own surname.
The
arrival of the U.S. whaling ship Tuscan from Nantucket on March 4,
1835, was a prelude to other encounters with whalers, adventurers, and
someewhat shady traders in the following years, who brought firearms and
alcohol to the tribes.ย
The
year of Ua Pou's final submission to French rule is considered to be
1880, when Rear Admiral Abel Bergasse Dupetit-Thouars ย forcibly
removed the last resistance. The Marquesas then became a French colony.
ย
It
is located about 28nm ย south of Nuku Hiva, Marquesas. The island
is characterized by four high basalt pillars ย the tallest Mount
Oave rises 1,230 m (4,040 ft) above sea level and is the highest
elevation in the Marquesas.ย
When you are the only tourists in a 100 people village, everyone knows you after 1-2 days ๐
(Kauehi Atoll / Tuamotus)
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐นย Florian & Waltraud - Sunbeam 42โฒ
6) SY VA ARRIVES IN ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย ย
WE
officially made it! After 34 days, 2400 miles, 80 eggs, 30 avocado, 50
tomatoes, 10 banana breads, 4 soaking squalls, 8 rolls of toilet paper,
and 2 bags of rice. We caught 11 fish and successfully brought on board
3.5 and possibly had the shortest record setting doldrums crossing (that
we know of)
WE have made it to The Marquesas.
Our
Pacific Ocean passage was unlike anything else. We had a solid crew and
spirits were high every step of the way. We hope you were able to
follow along on our tracker with daily blogs of our time at sea.
We have so much to catch up but for now we are eager to get our feet on some terra firma.
WE SAIL aka "SY VA" with their South Pacific Burgee
There
is very little that could compare with the feeling of sailing across
the worlds largest OCEAN under your own skills and canvas, being at sea
and then having these islands be the first place you see.ย
Arrival in the Marquesas
LOG ENTRYย Day 36 Tue Apr 19 2022 ย 04:30 GMT 10ยบ 30.721 S ย 138ยบ 41.362 W Course: 243ยฐ true, 0.0 ktsย
LAND HO
Today
I complete something that I have worked towards for several years, and
dreamed about for many, many more. I have had the pleasure of sailing
across the worlds largest expanse of open ocean, aboard a sound and
solid vessel with able crew that took on each day and every obstacle
with grace and courage, not a complaint or doubt among us. The lessons
have been numerous, only outnumbered by the moments of wonder and awe,
with mother nature and the gods of the ocean coming together to grant us
pass, and to shine on us with not just good fortune, but the best of
fortunes during this, the largest of undertakingsโฆ I wonโt be the first
to write this and itโs no secret to explorers, but its clear that the
more that one is willing to put on the line and risk in his endeavors,
the more he stands to gain, and looking back I suppose we definitely put
a lot on the line and went out on a few branches, but itโs equally true
that weโve always been paid back in spades and this experience has been
no different. Itโs been WAY more than I could have ever asked for, and
Iโm honored to have followed in the footsteps of the great explorers who
risked way more than we ever did. My final parting thought is this: now
that we donโt risk jinxing things by mentioning them I can say this -
OK first the doldrums: itโs unbelievable that we got through them in the
lightning speed that we did, thanks Aelous & Neptune/Possidon, much
appreciated and we wonโt forget it. Secondly, the boat and her hardware
weathered every and all storms with only a few small items to address
and no major failures or losses, thanks VA and the Universal magic that
clearly watches over us all! Lastly thanks to the sea for sharing a few
of her ancient secrets, the ones that cannot be told, sold, or traded,
but must be claimed in person, I will keep them close to heart for the
rest of my life.
SY VA๐ต๐ฆ Erica Thomas ย - Fountaine Pajot 44โฒ
7) GOOD NAUTICAL NEEDS YOU ย
Over the last 12 years we have added over 7,000
anchorages into Good Nautical - and ย are looking to enhance this
information with first hand accounts from you - please add pictures,
details and updates as you see them.ย
The iconic Minerva Reef Yacht Club Anchorage
MINERVA
REEF - ย Please email us your anchorages and tracks to safeguard
them for those who will attempt them after you please email your tracks (
any format ) ย to registration@pacificposse.comย
ย The
Minerva Reefs (Tongan: Ongo Teleki) are a group of two submerged atolls
located in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji and Tonga. The islands are
the subject of a territorial dispute between both nations, and in
addition were briefly claimed by American Libertarians as the centre of a
micronation, the Republic of Minerva.ย
The
reefs were named after the whaleship Minerva, wrecked on what became
known as South Minerva after setting out from Sydney in 1829. Many other
ships would follow, for example Strathcona, which was sailing north
soon after completion in Auckland in 1914. In both cases most of the
crew saved themselves in whaleboats or rafts and reached the Lau Islands
in Fiji.ย
The
reefs were first known to Europeans by the crew of the brig Rosalia,
commanded by Lieutenant John Garland, which was shipwrecked there in
1807. The Oriental Navigator for 1816 recorded Garlandโs discovery under
the name Rosaretta Shoal, warning that it was โa dangerous shoal, on
which the Rosaretta, a prize belonging to his Majesty's ship Cornwallis,
was wrecked on her passage from Pisco, in Peru, to Port Jackson, in
1807โ. It noted that it was โcomposed of hard coarse sand and coralโ, a
description that must have come from Garlandโs report. It also said that
โfrom the distressed situation of the prize-master, Mr. Garlandโ, the
shoalโs extent could not be ascertained, and concluded: โThe situation
is not to be considered as finally determinedโ. It cited different
coordinates from those given by Garland: 30ยฐ10 South, longitude 173ยฐ45'
East. ย The reefs were put on the charts by Captain John Nicholson
of LMS Haweis in December 1818 as reported in The Sydney Gazette 30
January 1819.[3] Captain H. M. Denham of HMS Herald surveyed the reefs
in 1854 and renamed them after the Australian whaler Minerva which ran
aground on South Minerva Reef on 9 September 1829.ย
A wreck inside the Minerva Reefs
8) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSEย AWARDS CATEGORIESย
ย
HERE ARE THE ย CATEGORIESย
ย ย BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT* โย
ย ย PICTURE OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย SPEEDY AWARD โ SEVENSTAR AWARD โ ย
ย ย THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD โย
ย ย MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD โย
ย ย HIGHEST WIND RECORDED โย
ย ย SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION โย
ย ย GALLEY GOD(ESS) โย
ย ย GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย NEWLY ADDED โ BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR โ
*no bill-fish
9) MEET THE FLEETย SEA PEARL
Hello South Pacific-Posse,ย
We are Luisa and Matthias sailing on our 2008 Dufour 455 GL.ย
We
started our present journey in August 2021. Since then we traveled the
Mediterranean westwards and hopped over Madeira, some of the Canarian
Islands and Cape Verde to the southern Caribbean Islands. Since then our
course was northwards with a touring point in Eleuthera/Bahamas. We are
now on our way back south to Panama and are planning the canal crossing
mid of June to sail on-wards into the big Pacific.ย
We are looking forward to meet you guys and share our experiences along the way.ย
Personal
facts: we are 28 (Luisa) and 34 (Matthias) and have been dinghy-sailing
since our childhood on Bavarian inshore lakes. We are both German and
our journey shall last a total of two years, so we are planning to
return to our normal lives by end of August 2023.
Meet
Chris on SeaGlub - Lead Vessel of this season's South Pacific Posse
currently scouting the Fiji - New Caledonia - Australia Routeย
11) LANDFALL IN ๐ต๐ณ PITCAIRN ย
Pitcairn
is the least populous national jurisdiction in the world. The Pitcairn
Islanders are a biracial ethnic group descended mostly from nine Bounty
mutineers and a handful of Tahitian consorts โ as is still apparent from
the surnames of many of the islanders. The mutiny and its aftermath
have been the subject of many books and films. As of January 2020, the
territory had only 47 permanent inhabitants.ย
Horizon landed in Pitcairn today. 2700nm in 17 days from the Galapagos. We felt
like we were on the ย "Cream Run". Beam Reach all the way. We were a
little worried that the engine would not start after 14 days (but it
did :-) . Life is good and Pitcairn and the people here are amazing.
SY ย HORIZON ๐บ๐ธย Anders & Anette - Outbound 46โฒ
12) ย MARINA SPONSORS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC ย POSSEย
๐บ๐ธ ย Safe Harbor South Bay โ Chula Vista - USA
๐ฒ๐ฝ ย Marina Chiapas โ Mexico ย ย
๐จ๐ท ย Marina Papagayo โ Costa Rica ย ย
๐ต๐ฆ ย Shelter Bay Marina โ Panama ย
๐ช๐จ ย Marina Puerto Amistad โ Ecuador ย
๐ซ๐ฏ ย Vuda Point Marina - Fijiย
๐ป๐บ ย Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
Roasted pigs of Wallis and Futuna on St. Chanel Day
Festivals and dance Wallis and Futuna
Numerous
festivals are celebrated in Wallis and Futuna throughout the year; on
St Chanel Day, pigs are roasted and placed in the sun, and dancing
performances are held. The Wallis and Futuna Festival is put on in
Noumea annually. Flae fones are community feasting and meeting
structures.ย
There
are at least 16 types of dances (faive), their differences based upon
location, occasion, number of dancers, gender, accompanying instruments,
and other modifiers. Most dances are accompanied by singing and some
type of percussion instruments as dancing without drumming is considered
unusual. The kailao (paddle-club dance), however, has no song and only
includes percussion. ย Wallis and Futuna dancers perform across the
Oceania region at festivals.ย
ย There
is not much tourism in the two islands. The natural heritage of the
territory is largely preserved; there are not many recreational sites in
Wallis and Futuna.ย
M/V
Aranui 5 is a dual passenger/cargo vessel that entered service 12
December 2015 between Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands. With a homeport
of Papeete, French Polynesia, the Aranui 5 replaced the Aranui 3 which
entered service in 2003.
Like
its predecessor, is registered as a passenger ship under the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), for
international operation.
Apart
from supplying cargo to the six ports in the Marquesas Islands, Aranui 5
also operates a passenger service and tourist cruise as part of its
14-day itinerary. It also stops at the islands of Rangiroa and Fakarava
in the Tuamotu Islands before returning on its 13th day to Bora Bora in
the Society Islands.ย
Sevenstar
is the worldโs leading provider of yacht shipping services on a
lift-on, lift-off basis. Sevenstar has access to the Spliethoff fleet of
over 120 company owned vessels. With an impressive 1,500+ transports
per year, they are calling over 100 ports in more than 40 countries
worldwide.
For a quote with the Panama Posse discount please contactย Kris Caren
email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
18) PANAMA CANAL AGENTย CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To
arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
UA
HUKA is one of the smallest islands of the Marquesas French Polynesia.
Home of the โgreat houseโ of gods overlooking the ocean, this wild and
deep universe offers a preserved nature with steep slopes and desert
plateaus.
The
population lives mainly horse breeding in the highlands, because there
are more horses on the island than people, fishing and coprahculture.
They live around Vaipaee, capital of the island which has an archaeological museum located in the local authority.
Ua
Huka is also the place whre the Marquesasโ most ancient archeological
sites can be found. The preservation of cultural heritage and
environmental protection are very important for the local population.
You can visit the site Meiaute with red stone tikis, the cave โPasโ, the
birdโs island, petroglyphs of vaikiki and many others.
Traditional
arts, seen in โtapaโ factories or monoi fabrication places โKumu Heiโ
are also preponderent in wood or stone carving.
south pacific posse communicationsย ย @ 9811 w charleston blvd 2262 89117 Summerlin USA
3) MARINA DENARAU SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
1) SY BLUE BERYL MMSI 244021961 DISMASTED ย ETA 20 DAYS TO MARQUESASย
Flying the international maritime signal flags NC ICS November Charlieย
SY BLUE BERYL MMSI 244021961 DISMASTED
Alex and Yvette are safe and well, however their 44ft sloop is dismasted and sailing under jury rig using a spinnaker pole.
Blue Beryl is on passage between Galapagos and Marquesas and SOG 3.3 knots
ย SY BLUE BERYL is not part ย of the SPP but as many of vessels are along the route we are able to assist if need be.
from blueberylย 4/26/2022, 16:51 UTC
"Many
thanks for your quick professional response. I've just got an e-mail
from KAWAINE II ย (SPP#23) . That they heard about a Pan Pan
... Nevertheless I wanna thank you to be so professional and look
after other people on the sea.
You
did a good job and I'm really thankful. After we where dismasted a
couple of days ago it's nice to know that people are close. Everything
well on board Blue Beryl. We do a good speed with a jury rig. And will
arrive in Nuka Hiva in 3 weeks.
29 April 2022: Effective 1 May 2022, fully vaccinated visitors to Fiji
will no longer be required to produce a pre-arrival negative COVID-19
test prior to entry, a move that reduces costs and lends greater
convenience to those traveling to the country.ย
ย
The change applies to all visitors entering Fiji by air or sea who were
previously required to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or
rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to their arrival to Fiji.
ย
This step is in line with best practice for entry requirements among highly
vaccinated societies and follows countries such as Australia and
Singapore who have also removed COVID-19 testing as an entry
prerequisite.ย
ย
The current requirement to book an in-country pre-COVID RAT test, prior to
departing for Fiji, remains. The test must be done within 48 - 72 hours
of arrival. In-country tests must be booked prior to arrival to Fiji on
https://entrytestfiji.com/.ย
ย
Commencing 1 May 2022, the vaccination requirement for entry into Fiji has also
been widened. All visitors above the age of 16 years must now display
proof of full COVID-19 vaccination prior to entering the country.ย
ย
The lowering of the age requirement for the vaccine prerequisite comes as
more children globally are granted access to vaccines. Fijiโs key
visitor markets have considerably high coverage of vaccination amongst
those below the 18-year age threshold.ย
ย ย
All other existing conditions for entry remain applicable and can be reviewed at https://www.mcttt.gov.fj/.
ย
These moves follow Fijiโs continued effort to strengthen its in-country
testing programme and wider community surveillance efforts designed to
ensure the safety of visitors and Fijians alike.ย
ย
The COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce will continue to review Fijiโs entry
requirements and COVID safe measures, with a focus on strengthening
community surveillance and the robustness of the in-country testing
digital platform, supplemented by the already high vaccination
rates.ย
3) MARINA DENARAU FIJI ๐ซ๐ฏ SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
We knew it would be an adventure, and we were not disappointed. So we
lifted our anchor in Taiohaโe bay and made the short distance towards
the cargo = fuel dock. For a yacht to fuel up there, the mooring is med
style, or roman catholic as we also say in Europe, which is also called
โvaticanoโ for short. Dropping bow anchor, going stern to with two sternlines
to the dock. While we are used to the maneuver coming from the meds, it
is still interesting with swell and wind on the beam and and a high
concrete dock. Hence we need help from the dock, which is simply not
there. Thatโs due to dock hand equal the petrol pump attendant and
currently fueling cars.ย
So we go in circles in front of the dock for like 15 minutes, then a small
power boat comes, which obviously gets fuel before us, as it would be
faster. Then the guy explains us what to do, we ask whether he would
help with the lines, yes of course. We start the maneuver, drop the bow
anchor, go stern to, the only one missing at this moment is the guy on
the dock, he went back to fueling cars. So we try to keep the stern
close to the dock, despite swell and wind from the side for another 15
minutes, yell for the guy, and nothing happens โฆ until the guy comes
back. Throwing lines, one and two, great, we are tied up. Then throwing a
third line, for the guy to tie to the nozzle to be pulled over to the
yacht, ideally without lowering the nozzle into the water. We keep like
~3-5m distance to the dock to avoid damage on the yacht. The good news:
the throughput of the pump provides 100l/minutes, way too much for our
little boat and thin hoses. The flow can be regulated to some extent at
the nozzle, but if the flow gets too low, the pump on land switches off
by itself. While trying to keep some flow, while not overdoing it for
our hoses and spilling the lot, we notice that our anchor is not holding
anymore. ย After the first tank is filled, a quick discussion
whether we should hand back the nozzle, untie and re-anchor or go ahead,
while stabilizing the boat with the engine, we just think: the guy
probably never comes back again. ย
So we divide and conquer: Vicky tries to keep the boat from damaging the
concrete dock, while Florian fuels the second tank of IBEX. While this
should be quick with 100l/min, there it happens, regulated to low at the
nozzle, the pump switches off. Where was the pump attendant again?
Well, not here. Once, IBEX is at an angle of like 45ยฐ to the dock, the
anchor seems to hold again. Hence this entire scene looks really
awkward, but it works after all. We hand back the nozzle via the extra
line, untie the sternlines, lift anchor and make a run. Payment is a
different story, we first joined the Posse line call, before going back
by dinghy, it would have been impossible to pay while there.
ย
Cheers
Vicky & Florian from IBEX
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐นย Florian & Waltraud - Sunbeam 42โฒ
5) SY DREAMER ARRIVES IN ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย ย
South Pacific Burgee - French Flag - Marquesas Flag & French Polynesia Flagย
Dreamers looong track to FP
SY DREAMER ๐บ๐ธ David & Gerne ย - Caliber 40lrvโ
6) GOOD NAUTICAL NEEDS YOU ย
Over the last 12 years we have added over 7,000
anchorages into Good Nautical - and ย are looking to enhance this
information with first hand accounts from you - please add pictures,
details and updates as you see them.ย
The
iconic Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Noumรฉa, an art center, ย museum,
performance space, ย library and a landscaped parkย
NEW CALEDONIA ๐ณ๐จ ย Please email us your anchorages and tracks to
safeguard them for those who will attempt them after you please email
your tracks ( any format ) ย to registration@pacificposse.comย
ย It is home to the largest lagoon in the world. It is registered since 2008
on the World Heritage list of Unesco. The lagoon of New Caledonia has
the second largest barrier in the world after the great barrier reef of
Australia, and its marine biodiversity is exceptional.
The lagoon, ย with varied landscapes of dense green forests to red-earthed mountains.
New Caledonia staunchly defends it's maritime borders from Chinese longline Fishing vesselsย
"Maritime border dispute flares up again
Sea border dispute between Vanuatu and New Caledonia has resulted in the
arrest and conviction of a Chinese boat captain and members of his crew.
New Caledonian maritime surveillance authorities claimed the long line
vessel was fishing inside its territorial waters and slapped it with a
US$5.5m fine. Hugues Gossvin of Navimon Fishing Company said the Hu Yu
911 ship was seized by the French Navy in December last year. He told
reporters who attended an European Union funded Tuna workshop in Noumea
that although the longliner was licensed to fish in Vanuatu waters, it
was found fishing however within New Caledonian waters, a claim denied
by the boat captain and the Government of Vanuatu.
โThe catch and the ship has been confiscated and the crew are still
negotiating their fate with the authorities,โ said Gossvin. Crew members
of Hu Yu 911 were still on the boat in Noumea when Islands Business
toured the Navimon operation last February. Gossvin said New Caledonian
authorities had considered selling the vessel. However the state of the
vessel might not meet the high phytosanitary standards that the French
demands of New Caledonian vessels. The fishing industry in this French
territory only had long line fishing vessels and all are locally owned.
โWe do not have any distant water fishing nationsโ boats fishing in our
waters,โ he said. It is understood the captain of the fishing boat was
prosecuted in a Noumea court, found guilty of fishing illegally and
fined."
With 40 tonnes of tuna and 4 tonnes of shark fins in its holds, the Hu Yu
911 was boarded and detained ย between Belep and Vanuatu in the
north of Grande Terre.ย
7) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSEย AWARDS CATEGORIESย
ย
HERE ARE THE ย CATEGORIESย
ย ย BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT* โย
ย ย PICTURE OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย SPEEDY AWARD โ SEVENSTAR AWARD โ ย
ย ย THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD โย
ย ย MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD โย
ย ย HIGHEST WIND RECORDED โย
ย ย SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION โย
ย ย GALLEY GOD(ESS) โย
ย ย GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR โ ย
ย ย NEWLY ADDED โ BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR โ
8) THE BAYS OF NUKU HIVA ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIAย
Taioha'e Bay
Gargoyle in Comptroller ย Bay Nuku Hiva French Polynesiaย
ย Hakatea Bay - Nuku Hiva
Comptroller ย Bay Nuku Hiva French Polynesiaย
Amazing anchorages await in Nuku Hivaย
Some Bays of Nuku Hiva: Taioha'e, Anaho, Hatiheu, Hakatea, Hooumi, Hanga Haa
Ha'atuatua Bay with an impressive view of the magnificent falaises to the south.ย A small creek runs over the southern end of the beach
All the bays in Nuku Hiva are in Good Nauticalย
SY IBEX ๐ฆ๐น ย Florian & Waltraud - Sunbeam 42โฒ
09) ADDITIONAL PICTURES OF THE WEEK BY IBEXย
Marquesas ๐ต๐ซ ย French Polynesia
Marquesas ๐ต๐ซ ย French Polynesia
Marquesas ๐ต๐ซ ย French Polynesia
After
3145 nautical miles and 21 days at sea we have arrived in Nuku Hiva,
French Polynesia. We now look forward to a good night sleep without
waves crashing against the hull.
10) ย MARINA SPONSORS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC ย POSSEย
๐บ๐ธ ย Safe Harbor South Bay โ Chula Vista - USA
๐ฒ๐ฝ ย Marina Chiapas โ Mexico ย ย
๐จ๐ท ย Marina Papagayo โ Costa Rica ย ย
๐ต๐ฆ ย Shelter Bay Marina โ Panama ย
๐ช๐จ ย Marina Puerto Amistad โ Ecuador ย
๐ซ๐ฏ ย Vuda Point Marina - Fijiย
๐ป๐บ ย Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
Sevenstar
is the worldโs leading provider of yacht shipping services on a
lift-on, lift-off basis. Sevenstar has access to the Spliethoff fleet of
over 120 company owned vessels. With an impressive 1,500+ transports
per year, they are calling over 100 ports in more than 40 countries
worldwide.
For a quote with the Panama Posse discount please contactย Kris Caren
email: kris@sevenstar-usa.com
web: sevenstar-usa.com
15) PANAMA CANAL AGENTย CENTENARIO CONSULTING ERICK GALVEZ
To arrange for transit with the Panama Canal Authority please contact Eric
Galvez our dedicated Panama Canal agent and sponsor of the Panama Posse
and the Pacific Posse
Local hunter and his trusty side kicks. They hunt the wild goats left on the
islands from the 1700 and 1800 sailors who needed a provisioning after
the long sail across the Pacific.
south pacific posse communicationsย ย @ 9811 w charleston blvd 2262 89117 Summerlin USA