Big Alsatian dogs and other stuff

"You smell like a big Alsatian dog" said Tori. Mmm that's nice thought I, nicest thing you've said to me all day. This was day two out on our trip. We were bashing to windward with salt spray caked all over the boat (still are and still have). Perhaps talking Tori into going back to NZ wasn't such a good idea. We knew this leg to New Caledonia from Guam would be hard. 2600 nautical miles to windward through the tropics. Luckily the wind has died to about 15 to 20 knots and the large swells of our westbound voyage have died away, although it has been up to 35 plus and down to zero with a lumpy chop. The Equatorial current is constantly against us, and the counter current has yet to be found.

But that's minor stuff really. We will pass the mark that puts us half way to Honiara soon. This means 900 miles and we can get some more fuel, 3/4 of a tonne of it, and we will use that amount to get there. So if the wind remains as it is now, nothing, we should be able to motor. Then pick up fuel if required and continue another 1000 miles to New Caledonia. Then it only another 1000 miles to Nelson in south island NZ, at least that will be cool. That's the real fun here. The boat is closed down as the spray is all over the boat, or it's raining in a squall. Temperature below decks sits at a cool 32 degrees . Humidity is about 80%. Oh you can feel the sweat pour off you as you enter the cabin. Your bed sheets are wringing wet within seconds and I do mean wringing. It doesn't dry as you can imagine and I feel it may smell a bit. Never mind only about three weeks (If all goes well) and we can change them! Just off to swim 20 laps of my bunk!

We are now south of 5 degrees north (latitude) and effectively clear of the Typhoon area. We have the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone to enjoy next which is an area of calm winds with massive squalls of wind, rain and lightening. Most awe inspiring to behold, but only if you spotted it coming and got reefed down in time! Good time to cool off and have a wash too.

Sight seeing has been sparse so far. Tori spotted a plastic bottle, one Jandal and a ship. I managed two ships and some dolphins, and we both spotted some squalls. We expect to see a few fishing vessels as this is a big area for Tuna fishing. The moon has put in an appearance again tonight and we should see more of it over the next week. This will help with spotting the squalls at night.

Well I'd better get back to do my watch, 20:00 til 02:00 and enjoy the evening. At least the Customs and Immigration Officers won't spend long onboard when we get to New Caledonia.

All change on platform six...or..Of mice and men.

We are about to depart Guam bound for new adventures. As most will spot on the position map we are now heading south. Not really the right direction for Alaska. Our plans have changed for a while. We are heading back to NZ as Jim has been offered a job (and I'll be sending Tori out to find a job). The next couple of months will see us beating against the trade winds and motoring through the Doldrums as we head for New Caledonia. A break here to recharge ourselves then we will head back to Nelson NZ then on to our new home at Christchurch (well we will take our home to Christchurch).

As the temperature here in Guam sank below 30 degrees last night and I reached for my bedcovers I was wondering if it gets that cold down south....... We are looking forward to some kayaking, tramping and catching up with friends ...and of course work.

A willing friend (total nutcase) has answered our call for crew on any of the legs of the passage south. What a guy to volunteer for the trip to NZ from New Caledonia, in July or August, mid winter in the Tasman, mmmmmmmm!

Tori is undertaking here last run (3 hours) for a while and I am off to clear out with Customs and Immigration, no job finished until the paperwork is complete.

Spot the difference

Tori in Lyttleton in March after being acclimatized to the sub-antarctic


Tori in the Pacific in March after several months in the tropics

Still Guam

Since we’ve been in Guam we’ve been doing exciting things like going to the supermarket and even visiting a laundrette; machine-washed clothes for the first time since NZ! We’ve also been doing various jobs on the boat including finishing varnishing the interior: the old saying cruising is working on your boat in beautiful places holding true, although Guam is not in our top ten of beautiful anchorages. The traffic in the harbour is quite interesting. Since we have been here we have seen a variety of military shipping, including frigate-y type ships, nuclear submarines, and what looked like a WWII troopship. The commercial shipping is no less varied, including a research vessel, which just sent a manned sub to the bottom of the Marianas trench, cruise ships, Paul Allen’s superyacht ‘Octopus’ (a large launch with 2 helicopters and numerous tenders- at least some of which are bigger than ‘Elenya’) and a Fench semi-sub launching platform used for launching rockets carrying satellites into space. Yesterday, we watched a helicopter repeatedly
dropping parachutists over the naval base all morning. Re-stocking the boat for the next passage may be interesting- we were prepared not to find things like vegemite but thought we would be able to get baked beans! Well I suppose you can, would that be baked beans with pork or bacon? Yes, you can buy special ‘vegetarian’ baked beans but at a special price of course.

The touristy end of Guam

Keeping Jim entertained for hours!

Rip in our very old headsail. On with the new one.

Enlarge the photo and from left to right you have a US submarine, a tanker which seems almost permanently anchored there, 'Octopus' and the launching platform as seen from "Elenya'.