We then flew from Christchurch to Cairns in Queensland, Australia...to do...just the same!
Sorry for the long wait...after selling the boat in September in Tahiti, we flew to New Zealand, rented a van and drove 4000kms around the country in our "bee hive"! That was October. What a country! What a people! We then flew from Christchurch to Cairns in Queensland, Australia...to do...just the same! Now that was a 5500km journey, among the ever-so-particular flora and fauna of Australia. That was November.
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Mommy came in September: Bora Bora, Maupiti, Moorea and Tahiti on the menu for her... Vitamin Sea is now sold, and we are cleaning, sorting, inspecting...before flying away! Quite emotional gotta say... Les copains nous rejoignent aux Tuamotus... Puis les vacances de Papa d'Avout... Finally brother Greg, and friends Kathleen and Katherine from California! Sorry for the long wait everybody, here we go. Back to the Tuamotus for two months! First, some of the fun we had in Tahiti: Then, after three weeks in Tahiti, en route to Huahine, the first of the Leeward Islands! Now is time for a come back to the Tuamotus, not explored properly the first time around...First, Tikehau. Onward to Rangiroa, the second largest atoll in the world! Bonus: insane pass scuba diving! Since Rangiroa we have a full house. Katie then Dad visited us between Ragiroa, Fakarava (again) and Tahiti (again again!).
Now Greg, Katherine and Kathleen for Tahiti and the Societies. Let some more good times roll! After some time in French Polynesia, it's decision time! Stay here or continue on to Australia...
Already 7000 miles traveled and so many islands still to explore here in the middle of the Pacific tipped the balance: we're staying! Now don't worry: just till October! Then we sell our vessel...see ad. Après trois mois en Polynésie, il faut se rendre à l'évidence : c'est bien trop grand (taille de l'Europe) pour tout faire en si peu de temps. Nous avons donc décidé de parfaire notre tahitien et de continuer à explorer cet archipel jusqu'au mois d'Octobre ! Date à laquelle nous espérons vendre le bateau -> voir l'annonce. Maintenant, direction les iles de la Société ! Videos to come...
Trois semaines dans cet atoll de rêve ! Nous avons troqué Florian pour Augustin et avons continué l'exploration... Another month in Paradise! With our dear friend Flo this time, between the Marquesas and the Tuamotus, we had a great month of April. Snorkeling, hunting, fishing, meeting the locals, eating local, crossing to the atolls... Such welcoming people, we were invited for dinner everyday, were allowed into their culture, amazing time of friendship and sharing! We completed our pacific crossing! 25 days, 13 hours, 3188 nautical miles, 5.2 knots average, 204 watches, max speed 9.9 knots, 6 fishes, 29.3 degree C max water temp, deepest point 4720 meters, 90 gallons/335L fresh water... What an adventure! Every thing went well, but for a few glitches...generally light winds. Sometimes we thought we would go crazy but we did not. We encountered only 2 cargo ships and 1 sail boat, so yes we felt very lonely. At some point we were over 1000 miles away from any patch of land, God this ocean is big! Crossing the equator in navy tradition is a big deal. There are lots of rules to respect. Here is what we made of it. It gives you an idea of how out of our mind we were in the middle of this huge ocean. Here we are now, in the most windward group of islands in Polynesia, the Marquesas. Very lush and green volcanic islands where everything grows given the amount of sunshine and rainfall... fruits are delicious, locals are really nice, and yes, they speak French!! Quite weird to reach land after such a long time at sea. Surprisingly we're still able to walk and socialize! Three days in the southern island of Fatu Hiva, then we had to drop Louis off in Hiva Oa for his flight back. Amazing two months together ! This is it! We're off to the deep blue tomorrow! Time to stock up! Départ imminent pour l'ocean ! Temps d'affronter les éléments ! Cette traversée devrait prendre entre 20 et 30 jours, prochain arrêt la Polynésie !
While preparing our Pacific Ocean crossing, a few of our activities in Baja California... Or encounters with BIG animals... Or ridings waters shallow that wrecks stick out (see at 0:45, on my right)... We have been about a week in La Paz (Baja California Sur), Mexico, in an attempt to get ready for the big crossing. But a lot of fun is to be had here... https://groups.google.com/d/forum/vitamin-sea-position
This is the email list for Vitamin Sea position updates. Subscribe to receive them. Unsubscribe when you're tired of it! Anybody can join. Lien pour la liste de diffusion de la position de Vitamin Sea en mer. (Dés)inscrivez-vous à votre guise ! Groupe ouvert à tous. Faites passer ! Trois semaines de Mexique, nous vous devons des nouvelles fraiches !! Tout d'abord les retrouvailles à Cabo San Lucas avec les Ziller, après une semaine de mer : Puis traversée de la Mer de Cortez (le "golfe de Californie") direction Mazatlán : 181 miles nautiques, 48h, beaucoup de moteur, encore et toujours pleins de mammifères marins et de plancton fluorescent. Now is time for land exploration: bus then train to the Sinaloa and Chihuahua canyons! Back to Mazatlán, time for the crossing back to Baja California: 165 nautical miles, 48hrs and some good wind towards the end. Enfin, un mouillage de rêve à "Los Frailes" entre La Paz et San Jose del Cabo. Bonus: Mexican charts legendary accuracy... Now waiting for our extra crew Louis.
Après 7 jours de navigation et 720 milles, nous arrivons a la pointe sud de la basse Californie, Cabo san Lucas. Grosse station balnéaire à l'américaine même si nous sommes au Mexique. La margarita coule à flots. Notre traversée s'est très bien passée, malgré un manque de vent cruel. Beaucoup de moteur, même beaucoup trop de moteur à notre goût, mère nature reste maître à bord. Pour nous accueillir cette fois ce fut des baleines, pas peureuses et joueuses, un spectacle de qualité. Nous avons retrouvé les parents Ziller qui nous attendaient sur la digue du port. Il fait chaud, à nous les mouillages de rêve et les bains de mer dans une eau à 24 degrés. You guessed it: we finally left Ventura Harbor Boat Yard, to the South ! Vitamin Sea has a repaired steering, repaired windlass, repaired toe rail and new autopilot. Good to go! Uneventfull 185 mile crossing to Ensenada. A lot of motoring, not much wind this time... Bienvenidos a Mexico! Checked in into the country, good to go to Cabo!
Après encore et toujours de la pluie...(c'est si inhabituel ici...) Vitamin Sea retourne enfin dans son milieu naturel, et chez lui ! Finally time to set sail!! Left Jack London Square on December 18th, 6am, towards Half Moon Bay, with hopes to get there before dark... Pétole, mer croisée, nous arrivons à Half Moon Bay en début d'après-midi. Joli port de pêche, où nous laissons passer encore un storm... Saturday 20th comes the time to set sail southbound. Forecast is showing NW winds up to 20 knots, we're in for a treat of downwind pleasure! We decide upon a three day leg to L.A. or San Diego. Pour déjà la deuxième fois, je plonge pour démeler une bouée de casier à crabes qui est venue s'emberlificoter autour de l'hélice... Ces casiers sont partout, nous tirons droit vers l'océan pour s'éviter de nouvelles aventures... Then Murphy's law hits: Sunday night the breeze strengthens, up to a good gale (force 6, gusts at 8, up to 20ft swell). We bring the storm jib and settle in for a tough night, given that the autopilot is down and that the seas hit astern. 10kts surfs! But around 11pm, disaster struck! NO MORE STEERING!! The wheel is loose and Vitamin Sea does not respond. We quickly adapt our emergency tiller and start rotation for the exhausting task of steering a 40ft sail boat with a 3ft stick in gale force winds. Lundi 22, le coup de vent continue, la mer est un peu moins démontée, mais l'equipage commence à ne plus en pouvoir. Après contact avec les gardes-cotes, il nous est confirmé qu'un avis de grand frais est en cours sur la côte, alors que nous contournons point Conception ("le cap Horn de la côte ouest" selon les locaux) à 80 miles au large. Nous décidons alors d'alterer notre route pour rallier la terre ferme le plus vite possible, en passant au sud des Îles Santa Cruz. Yep, after three days of continuous steering, including two in gale force winds, the crew is too tired and the boat won't be able to coast safely without a working steering system. We are getting towed for the last leg to Ventura. With the everso precious help of Terry, we make it into Ventura Harbor Boat Yard, for the repairs to begin after the Christmas Holidays. Pfiou, sains et saufs, quelle tempête ! Après de telles émotions, rien de tel qu'un petit Noël en "famille" avec Pierre, Roxanne et l'adorable (toute) petite Léa au soleil.
Les réparations commencent Lundi 29. Retour au voyage dès que possible ! |
"Partir, ce n'est pas couper ses racines, mais les sortir de leur terre, comme on change une plante de pot pour qu'elle puisse continuer à grandir."
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