Wanderlust Taioha’e Bay Anchorage, Nuku Hiva ๐ต๐ซ French Polynesia
SY WANDERLUST ๐บ๐ธ Kristin & Fabio – Seawind 52โฒ
1) ANCHORAGE BALL BAY ๐ณ๐ซ NORFOLK ISLAND
A tiny Australian island in the South Pacific Ocean, is defined by pine trees and jagged cliffs. Sandy beaches include Emily Bay, with reef-protected waters. Norfolk Island National Park offers views over palm forests from Mt. Pitt.
โ 29ยฐ 2.9667 S 167ยฐ 59.157 E Ball Bay ๐ณ๐ซ NORFOLK ISLAND
Norfolk Island is surrounded by open waters. Landing at Norfolk Island can be very difficult and dangerous at times. There are 3 anchorages depending on wind and swell exposure – which can change rapidly. BALL BAY – best in NW SYDNEY BAY best in N ANSON BAY – best in E-SE
Norfolk is home to the famed descendants of the Polynesian women and Bounty Mutineers who originally settled on Pitcairn Island.
After outgrowing Pitcairn, the community made up of 8 family groupings relocated to Norfolk in 1856.
2) GET YOUR BURGEE FROM KEVIN @ NUKU HIVA YACHT SERVICES
Yacht Services Nuku Hiva ๐ต๐ซ Sponsors the South Pacific Posse
3) PICTURE OF THE WEEK
SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE GATHERINGS There are now 7 posse boats in Tahuata. We should get another group photo later and have a beer or two! Here we are – scattered around!
SY TRAVELLER ๐บ๐ธ Mike, Daisy , Hannah & Jeb – Jeanneau 52.2โฒ
4) PAN PAN TOMAS
May 8
I arrived here in Nuku Hiva two weeks ago. And I am sorry that it has taken me this long to provide you all with an update. Particularly since I went ‘missing’ during my passage and there was a Pan Pan and a Bolo issued on my behalf. In this post I will attempt to describe what this means and how I perceived the situation.
It all started with a rogue wave on day twenty. I was sailing through a squall. Nothing serious. A couple of reefs in the genoa and all was great onboard. Back to the film that I was enjoying. When suddenly, a large wave decided to break against Saoirse’s port hull and send a bath tub of water cascading in through an open hatch in her coach roof. All of it landing at the nav station. You could argue that it’s stupid to sail with roof hatches open, and in this case you would be right in doing so. But you have to remember that it was piping hot and that this was a freak wave. I was sailing downwind in open ocean and for water to enter the boat the wave would have to break forward of the mast. If not a once in a lifetime, at least a once in a month kind of wave. Things went from wonderful to chaos in seconds, like they so often tend to at sea. But these things don’t just happen by themselves. They happen because of things you did or didn’t do ten minutes earlier. And it is experiences like this that make you a better sailor. Unfortunately they often come at a price. In this case in the form of a soaked piece of electronic equipment that allows me to download weather information, show people where I am and communicate with the rest of the world. My Iridium satellite router. Not vital to my safety or comfort, but something that makes friends and family more comfortable with what I’m doing and me feel less alone.
So there I am. In the middle of nowhere, knowing that people will be looking for me and with communications restricted my AIS tracker and VHF. Both needing to be within within line of sight of another radio antenna. With 10 days to any form of land that meant that I needed to find another boat. The only problem was that I had not seen another boat since I left Panamรก almost three weeks earlier. I knew from my last Iridium update that one of my buddy boats, Cinnamon, was roughly 60 Nm behind me and on a more northerly course. The only thing I could do was to gybe and change the course so that maybe we would intercept in a day or two. Provided that they didnโt make any changes to their course. The added advantage with changing my heading was also that if my AIS signal for any reason was to be picked up by a satellite or a ship that I didnโt see, it would be obvious that I was still onboard Saoirse.
I didnโt find Cinnamon. Or any other boat for that matter. It took a whole week until a Dutch catamaran, Second Wind, found me. They had been asked by the Tahiti Coast Guard to change heading to get within radio distance and were finally able to report back that all was OK and that I was planning to arrive in Nuku Hiva in a couple of days.
When I finally arrived I was greeted by Mike and Daisy on Traveller in their dinghy. Armed with an anchor beer and a baguette for breakfast. I was told that they had been able to track me all the way via my AIS signal through PredictWind and that they had sent regular updates to friends and family. Iโm not entirely sure how that works, but as I understand it I was โmissingโ for 36 hours before my AIS signal was picked up, either by a ship that I didnโt see or a satellite. In Nuku Hiva I quickly learned that everybody in the anchorage knew about me. Whenever I introduced myself to a fellow cruiser I would hear โoh, you are Tomas on Saoirse. Weโve been looking for youโ. The reason for this is that there was a Pan Pan with a Bolo issued on my behalf. A Pan Pan is an official emergency call and Bolo means โBe On the LookOutโ. The difference between a Pan Pan and a Mayday call is that with a Pan Pan there is no immediate threat to life. It didnโt take long for me to get nicknamed โPan Pan Tomasโ.
Itโs a little overwhelming to know that there were so many out there that followed my progress across the Pacific. And that so many worried for my well-being when my tracker stopped working and there were no more silly posts on fishing lures, gender observations or reasons for happiness. Fortunately though, people like Mike and Daisy, Rob on Avant and my parents took it upon themselves to โfind meโ and let people know that I was OK. Often communicating with people that they have never met. In some cases people that Iโve never met. I really canโt thank them enough.
I want to wrap up by saying that I actually do have one more way to communicate with the outside world via satellites. Itโs called an Epirb. Essentially an electronic beacon that can be activated manually or that activates automatically when submerged. Truly something that should cause concern for my well-being. A piece of a equipment that I hope I will never have a need for. Iโm happy enough to be called Pan Pan Tomas. I really donโt need to be called Mayday Tomas.
SY SAOIRSE ๐ธ๐ช Tomas – Dufour 40 eโ
5) BOISTEROUS WELCOME ๐ต๐ซ TO FRENCH POLYNESIA
Do events after arriving count?
Foolish us thinking the crossing was the part to be worried about.
Since arriving we’ve been hit by an indirect lightning strike that fried all of our electronics, and then hit by a random unforecasted storm that pounded us (onto shore) for 4 hours with sustained winds in the high 60s-70s.
SY KARMA ๐บ๐ธ Jennifer & Bryan – Catana Bali 39โฒ
6) FATU HIVA ๐ต๐ซ FRENCH POLYNESIA
Approaching Bay of Virgins Baie de Vierges Fatu Hiva FP
Hanavave Bay, aka Bay of Virgins this narrow bay is like something out of a combination of Jurassic Park, King Kong and Avatar.
There are huge basalt pinnacles on both sides of the bay
Plunging waterfalls, steep gorges and valleys, and high;and type vegetation along the way.
A scenic hike to the waterfall.
Fatu Hiva is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. The islandโs lush rainforests are teeming with endemic species, including the Red-tailed Phaeton, the Marquesas Monarch and the endangered Hawaiian Duck. There are wild boars, goats, chickens and pigs roaming free.
Nawi Island is located in the beautiful Fiji Islands.It will feature an International Superyacht Marina, which will have 132 marina berths, including 21 superyacht slips (up to 85m). The marina has been designed and built up to category 5 cyclone resistance rating.
The South Pacific Posse is planning a get together at Nawi on Sept 2nd 2023. A week before the infamous Musket Cove regatta. Nawi will be offering entertainment, markets, kava tasting and discounts on berths, water sport activities, restaurant & bar orders, with Pacific Posse hosting a Pig on the spit and rum delights.
The fully serviced marina will include โplug inโ services through utility pedestals to water, sewerage pump out, power, fuel & gas facilities, plus 24hr security, complimentary Wifi, a.m.o..
16ยฐ 46.5716′ S 179ยฐ 19.9533′ E – Nawi Island Savusavu ๐ซ๐ฏ Fiji
Picture by John Martin from June 2021Nawi Island the marina basin
8) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE GATHERINGS
Another lovely โposseโ catchup in Hiva Oa.
SY CERULEAN ๐ณ๐ฟ Helen & Stephen – Seastream 43 Mk3โฒ
9) LEAD OUT ON THE NORTHBOUND VOYAGE TO MINERVA REEF BY TEAM ๐ณ๐ฟ NEW ZEALAND
The America’s cup training grounds in Auckland / Waitematฤ Harbour extends to the Hauraki Gulf which has the Whangaparaoa Peninsula on the north with our Marina Sponsors Gulf Harbour Marina
The Auckland Region, the Hauraki Plains, the Coromandel Peninsula, and Great Barrier Island. Most of the gulf is part of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park
Late night encounters on AIS and radar. We are miles from Hiva Oa, …. where we plan to make landfall. I would like to set anchor at Hiva Oa …. and come in on Tuesday.
Taking Dreamer up the the Mamanucas and Yasawa islands
Still lush after the rainy season the Yasawas
SY DREAMER ๐บ๐ธ David & Gerne – Caliber 40lrvโ
12) THE WALL OF TEARS ๐ช๐จ GALAPAGOS
Here are some photos from the top of the Wall of Tears in Isla Isabela Galapagos. Great views of the coast line and interior
(Puerto Villamil) From 1945-1959, a penal colony hosted prisoners who were forced to build this wall, stone by stone, in isolation.
This now historical site (El Muro de las Lรกgrimas), towering at 65 feet (25 m) high, took the lives of thousands during its construction.
Locals claim to hear cries emanating from the heavy energy surrounding the site.
SY WINDSONG ๐บ๐ธ Erick & Jennifer – Downeaster Cutter 38โฒ
13) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE ๐ AWARD CATEGORIES
BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT โ
PICTURE OF THE YEAR โ
PACIFIC POSSE YODA OF THE YEAR โ
THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD โ
MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD โ
HIGHEST WIND RECORDED โ
SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION โ
GALLEY GOD(ESS) โ
SPEEDY AWARD
GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR โ
BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR โ
COURAGE AWARD
ENTRY INTO THE ’22 SPP CAPTAIN RON AWARD – SY SEA PEARL GONE FISHING
14) “AND THEY ARE OFF” FLEET TRACKING FOR PARTICIPANTS
About Tracking:
Designed to give interesting parties an overview. For specific vessel details including their floatplan, latest updates, changes, positions and specific location related questions please contact each vessel directly. If you are on passage let us know and the fleet can monitor your progress.
JUST FOR VISITING US FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU RECEIVE 2 FREE WELCOME DRINKS PER SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE YACHT
Easy approach from Musket Cove or Denarau
Delicious cocktails and Italian Wood Fire Pizza for non-vegetarian and vegetarian. A renowned hub for artisans, underground musicians, lovers and sailors
16) HISTORIC PORTS โ OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC SYDNEY ( COVE ) HARBOUR
View of Sydney Harbour 1836 Artist Conrad Martens
For as long as it has existed โ some 6,000 years โ Sydney Harbour has been a source of inspiration. The harbour’s first people carved images of the animals they saw and hunted. With the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, European representation of the harbour’s landscape, plants, people and animals began.
Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and Aboriginal engravings and cultural sites are common in the Sydney area. The modern history of the city began with the arrival of a First Fleet of British ships in 1788 and the foundation of a penal colony by Great Britain.
From 1788 to 1900, Sydney was the capital of the British colony of New South Wales. The town of Sydney was declared a city in 1842, and a local government was established. In 1901, the Australian colonies federated to become the Commonwealth of Australia, and Sydney became the capital of the state of New South Wales.
The Founding of Australia by Captain Arthur Phillip Sydney Cove January 26th 1788 oil painting by Algernon Talmage
17) MEET OUR SPONSORS
PREDICT WIND
PANAMA CANAL AGENT ERICK GALVEZ CENTENARIO CONSULTING
[…] Ball Bay ๐ณ๐ซ Norfolk Island ๐ท Picture Of The Week ๐ข Pan Pan Tomas Boisterous Welcome ๐ต๐ซ To French Polynesia Fatu Hiva ๐ต๐ซ French Polynesia Save The Date ๐ South Pacific Posse Gatherings โต Lead Out On The Northbound Voyage ๐๏ธ Land Ho ! Recommissioning On Vitu Levu ๐ซ๐ฏ Fiji The Wall Of Tears ๐ช๐จ Galapagos Cloud 9 ๐ซ๐ฏ Fiji Historic Ports โ Sydney Cove READ MORE >> […]