Fruit Stall

After 4 planes and a boat ride I was back home aboard Sunflower with Julie in Ua-Pou after 2 days and all was well, so relaxing landing in the islands there's no stress at all. I was on a bit of a mission though we had a lot to do to try to make the weather window to sail for the Tuamotos. We had to clean the bottom, clean anchor chains and ropes as they were all fouled with weed and coral, get water, diesel, stores ect ect as well as say good bye to all Julie's new friends she had made. The people are just so nice here, they really are the kindest we have met to the extent it's really too much!! For instance we did our stores ($1000 of beer) and the owner said he would bring us some fruit the next day to leave with, we turn up at his shop and he has 3 stalks of bananas, 2 sacks of pumplemouses (grapefruit) about 20kg each and a huge box of green mangoes!! We are like wow we can start a fruit stall?! So in the shop there is a fisherman we met when we first arrived and offere
d to take us back to the boat with all this fruit and I said if he's around tomorrow I have some fishing squid skirts I bought for him. So the next day comes and he brings another stalk of ripe bananas as he saw the others were green, a massive sack of avocados, bag of limes and some more mangoes!!! His wife was with him and they are all dressed up after coming from church and then she gives Julie a little box with another gift, matching pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings which she had made!! We are like gobsmacked thinking this is way too much, who gives this much to people they hardly know?!! But that seems to be the Marquesian way, they give you gifts to remember them and how nice they are it really is amazing.
Anyway we managed to get away on time leaving Monday afternoon and sailed across to the next island of Nuku-Hiva and picked up Julie's 1 year visa which had arrived and by lunch time Tuesday we had the anchor up and were on our way to Amanu in the Tuamotos. The forecast was for lightish winds on the beam or just forward of it and that's what we have had, absolutely perfect sailing in relatively calm seas making great miles and should be there in just under 4 days tomorrow after 535nm, happy days!!

Ua-Pou

I wrote this blog a few weeks ago but never posted it, I'm now back and heading for Tuamotos.

Marquases has been amazing, beautiful place with the friendliest people you could imagine that always seem happy and nothing seems to bother them, they have the time that's for sure. After we left Ua-Pou last time I wrote we went to Tahuata Island to a Bay called Hanamanoa, stunning spot with a white sandy beach, palm trees, super clear water and only one guy living there, we stayed for a week just hanging out and were joined by our Aussie friends on Mat-Lau which was really nice. From there we went to Hiva-Oa to check out the main anchorage there and only stayed a night as it wasn't so nice at all and then sailed 50nm south to Fatu Hiva, Bay of Virgins also another absolutely stunning spot, the scenery you just can't explain. We spent just a couple of days there, hiked up to a waterfall with Mat-Lau and traded some rum for freshly plucked chickens and fruit and then we had to leave as I was expecting a call from work so wanted to find a good spot to leave Julie anchored in.
We sailed back to Ua-Pou to see if there was a spot tucked in at the corner arriving just on dark there wasn't but the next day a catamaran left and we set ourselves up tucked in behind the wall and wharf with a stern anchor.
Then sure enough that day the call came from work and it was on and a fair old stress trying to book flights back to Aus with Internet that won't even open a page or skyscanner App so luckily my sister offered to find flights for me and I could get out on time. So as beautiful spot as it is it is though the hardest spot we have been trying to fit in with my work, it's really not easy between the flights, no internet and lack of decent anchorages it really makes it hard but I am VERY lucky to have Julie who's patience is just hanging in there and the trooper she is is hanging in and making the most of it. Being such a remote place with not so many yachts staying there for any amount of time Julie has met a good group of locals, the ladies inviting her to the gym and Polynesian dance classes and also for lunches which is really nice plus a couple of yachts coming and going she is keeping herself busy which is good especially as I've been asked to stay 8 weeks at work which is l
onger than normal as things are picking up again but I should be back within 2 weeks and we will sail for the Tuamotos which we are both very excited about.

Pacific Strategies

We've been loving the Marquesas and have been talking to a lot of cruisers about there trip here and I thought I would write a few things about it and our trip. 

All the boats that left after April from Panama had a hard time for at least the first week with SW winds, big swell and current all against them. To try to sail as much as possible some boats went north but then lost the wind later and still had to motor, others motorsailed and used most of there fuel and had to stop in Galapagos to refuel which was an extremely expensive exercise. 

 But once near the Galapagos the winds and current is more favourable and you're away downwind across the Pacific no problem. 

Also bashing into it for days made a lot of problems with breakages for some boats. Stopping in Galapagos for fuel costs nearly $1000 for the privilege (plus fuel) as the harbour master isn't handing out emergency stops for sailors which is really bad. 

We were very lucky to get out of Panama when we did on the 31st of March just before the winds changed from NE to SW at the end of the season and had a great sail to Ecuador with favourable wind and current for all except the last 100 miles. Some boats are put off from Ecuador as its expensive, $360 in Bahia where we landed but we enjoyed the place and is a great place to explore from if that's what you like to do. Also if you need lots of fuel it's dirt cheap @ $1.03c a gallon so the savings on that may also pay for your check in if you have big tanks:)

We left Ecuador for Marquases in June. Our original plans were to sail for the Gambier islands but June is too late as the SE trades are strong and it will be a big bash, around or before April is the time for that and or Easter Island. 

Looking at pilot charts ect before we left I thought best to head down to 3 degrees as there are better winds south but we got to 1 degree and had a good SW wind so headed west hard on the wind the first few days until the wind went SE and we went 60nm under Galapagos and then started going more south pretty much on our rhum line which was very nice sailing with good speeds but not the current we were looking for. Some friends we left at the same time with went further south and then lost the wind??

If we do it again I will head closer to the Galapagos and sail as high as we can around the equator as long as we have wind before heading SW towards the Marquases. The reason is the winds start out SSE and the closer you get to the Marquases it goes pretty well due east, right from behind. If we had of stayed north as long as comfortably possible and done a big "curve" we would have had a much less rolly trip for most of it and not of had to do too many extra miles, lessons learnt:)

Don't get me wrong, we had a fast trip according to other boats and averaged 145nm a day, nearly 3600 miles in 24 days 11 hours but we worked for it as we went south and then had to gybe the headsail every few days zigzagging and looking back there was still wind close to the equator and I think more favourable current for longer there. 

Another thing is the swells, I wasn't expecting the pacific to be so rough. Not crazy rough but just confused sea rough with swells from SW to SE but remember it is mid winter in the south and the swells find there way up for sure so it's obviously calmer closer to the equator. The Marquases also lie 600nm south of the equator. 

Anyway I could keep blabbering on and I'm sure most will find this extremely boring but hopefully someone may find it useful at some stage ✌️😀

Manta Paradise

Can't believe it's been nearly a month we are here, this place is awesome, very lucky to be here. After leaving Daniels Bay and Taiohae Bay we sailed around to the north side of Nuku Hiva to the picture perfect Bay of Anaho with our Brazilian friends on Arthi, what a spot! Beautiful sheltered Bay with white beaches, palm trees and a backdrop I can't describe. We stayed for just over a week and we're lucky to meet some other really nice cruisers and had a great time. Anchored on the east side of the bay all alone we were surrounded by Manta Rays, jumping from the boat we could swim with them as long as we wanted, was really incredible as these were as curious as us swimming right up to us and turning at the last second. Just over the hill there you can walk to a fella who has an amazing little farm and he sells fruits and vegetables, just walking around and you point to whatever you like. These guys know how to grow things that's for sure and it's a massive amount of work but they seem to do it with ease. An hour and a half walk over the other side of the mountain and you're in the next village where there is a tiny shop and very nice local restaurant were we had some lunch, great walk picking mangoes along the way and the next day our legs were quite sore after not doing a lot of walking for a while. People in these parts get around on horses as there are no roads, taking their produce to market once a week and picking up there basic supplies, quite an amazing life they live in this paradise.
From Anaho we sailed to the next island south called Ou-Pou and anchored off the main town in Baie D'Hakahau. Couldn't have had better conditions sailing between the islands with 15-18kts on a beam reach with our friends on Arthi alongside most of the way, Julie manages to get a great photo of them catching a Mahi Mahi which they sadly lost:(. It's a small anchorage requiring a stern anchor and you can tuck in behind the sea wall and the wharf, quite a scene when the supply/ferry came in and was just metres from us docking without a worry, very impressive. Besides the few tourists that were here for just a few hours while the boat unloads it's just us and the 2 other yachts so we seem to be the only gringos around and we were VERY lucky to be here on the main celebratory weekend with 2 days of dancing with the villages competing against each other. First night Friday was more relaxed with dancing and singing and then Saturday a lot more full on with the women still dancing and the men doing the Haka, really lucky to see as this definitely isn't put on for tourists just these guys keeping their traditions going and having a great time doing so, such a happy/scary mob
Now we are still not sure what to do, plan was to go towards Tahiti and fly to work from there and then sail "maybe" back to Marquesas, but now after researching there is talk of a 50% chance of an El Niño by December which could mean a big cyclone season so best we stay around here I'm thinking but we are still struggling to find a suitable anchorage for Julie to stay in the next time I go to work so we will leave in the next couple of days and check out Hiva-Oa as maybe an option, stay tuned

Nuku-Hiva

What a trip!! Was brilliant. Had the anchor down just after dark in Taiohae Bay Nuku Hiva after a great days run with plenty of breeze. After a shower and a bottle of champagne we were both knackered after all of the excitement and got the best nights sleep, didn't wake once. Heard a lot of stories how this anchorage is so rolly but it's been quite fine so far. Beautiful little town, it is the main "city" of all the islands but on a guess there would be less than 200(?) houses scattered around the bay, it's very quiet to say the least, and absolutely spectacular with the greenest of hills stretching up to over 1000m high, awesome. There's about 30 boats in the anchorage with everyone spread out and not on top of one another, it's beautiful, paradise. On Friday we checked in with the gendarmerie, just one guy that does customs, immigration, harbour master the lot. Very nice man, super relaxed French guy that spoke pretty good English couldn't have been easier. We still haven't quite finished yet as we need to provide either a bond or a ticket out of here if something goes wrong or we can pay for a bond letter through an agent which is what we are waiting to do and will hopefully get done on Monday and then we will be free to sail around.
We knew a couple of boats here and one of them was hiring a car Saturday so we joined and did a trip around the island, wow I really can't explain it in words it really is amazing you can see in the photos but they really don't do it justice. And the other thing is the people, so nice, so relaxed it's just amazing and not one bit of rubbish on the ground anywhere!! Fruits growing everywhere also-bananas, coconuts, pomegranates, tamarind, papayas, star fruit, breadfruit, avocado, custard apples, limes, oranges, mangoes and others we had never seen before just growing EVERYWHERE. Then there's cows, goats pigs wild horses also everywhere, these people will never starve that's for sure!! We stoped at this one family's little farm of maybe 4 acres in a valley to ask if we could buy some breadfruit we saw he had growing everywhere. So nice, he gave us some plus pompomous, oranges, limes a couple of coconuts. This place had it all, like nothing I've ever seen- a few cows, pigs, goats, chickens then all the fruits they have with heaps of lime trees going right down to his own private beach in his own protected Bay with a little river going to it he gets his drinking water from and catches fish with the nets he has hung up, truly self sufficient and "rich" as can be. Makes some money selling his fruits locally and shipping the limes to Tahiti, not bad at all.
Yea not a bad spot this Pacific, think we will like it

All the boats we meet ask how long the crossing took and it sounds like we did pretty well compared so I'm pretty stoked with our trip. Here's the times from Isla De Plata Ecuador-
24days 6.5 hours+4.5 hours time difference=nearly 24.5/3554nm=146.05nm per day average, just over 6kts average but we did cover a lot more ground than this going up and down of our rhumb line making the most of the wind as well. Great trip

Update
Internet is very hard to get here especially out of the main town where we have been in Daniels Bay for a few days now so posts may be far between:)

Day 24-Grand Finale, Sunflowers on Fire!!

Wind came up from the East yesterday afternoon and by dark we had 20kts and were flying downwind with the 2 headsails. Julie woke up at 9 in the morning and we raised the main sail. Sunflower was in her element, 20-25kts on the port quarter 120 degrees, 1 reef in the main, staysail and half the genoa, we were absolutely romping along homeward bound (home for a while), just wish we had a drone. Now we are behind Ua-Hua, taken out the reef and still managing 6-7kts and with 21nm to go we may be there just on dark??! Been a great trip so far, will be crazy when it's over, will be happy for sure but also miss these days.
Flags still hanging in there but we WILL put up a new one before entering the anchorage

Day#23-Fecking Chinese

Well they're at it again, rape a pillage I'm thinking, not so much quality but quantity. Thanks Mandy for telling us the last lot were Chinese, it shouldn't surprise me really. So the other night ahead was another great mass of AIS targets on the screen and we had no choice but to go through the middle. Passed a couple within 2 miles and couldn't see any lights? Some were travelling up to 2 knots, what the hells going on? Keep sailing and more targets keep appearing on the screen and on throughout the morning and at daylight pass close to one and it's just a beacon!! This boat has shot a MASSIVE line for miles and miles (maybe 50+?) and each beacon has an AIS transponder, pretty different, I didnt think this was aloud as it's just to identify vessels but I suppose they have their own rules or no rules out here?!
So yesterday we rolled along slowly but still in the right direction although a little north and then a bit after dark the wind just died. After rolling for a while we decided to start the engine and make some water. Anyway no sign of the wind and the tanks are all full, laundry is done, boat washed inside and out and Julie loving the water maker washed her hair for the tenth time but there is still no sign of wind and we've just had lunch!! First time this passage we've had to use the motor for propulsion with no wind, it's a real bummer as we we've been doing so good but at least we can make water, it's something and a calm day without the rolling has been welcome too, and what also makes me feel better was the price of fuel in Ecuador, $1.03 US cents a gallon!! So motoring for 18 hours, 36litres and not even $10!! We did fill up and also a good few Jerrycans so we will still be nearly full when we arrive there hopefully.
Also today while cleaning the deck Julie noticed the hole in her paddle board cover that we thought was caused by the end of the spinnaker pole (cloth is gone from the sun) was actually from a kamikaze flying fish!! Around the hole were a few scales and on further inspection we could smell the stench, a lovely ripe flying fish buried deep inside the stinking hot cover!! Not real nice
Last night was creamy bacon pasta, problem was I think either the carrot or bacon was off or probably both and our stomachs weren't so good soon after. So luckily with the fishing lure out again this morning, didn't even hear the winch take off over the engine but went out and there was a nice Mahi Mahi trailing from the back, biggest one so far, at least 4 big feeds worth so we shouldn't be sick for a while again!! It's funny what you eat on a yacht, especially far from shops. In a normal house with even the slightest inkling that it may be off or doesn't look good you chuck it and jump in the car and go back to the shop but slowly your attitude changes on a boat and you don't even worry about the expiration dates just go by smell and chance it!! There's no gourmet deli down the road from here that's for sure.
So all else is well, 176nm to go, hopefully the breeze will fill in soon and we can carry on the good run home hopefully arrive around midnight Thursday, only another 30 odd hours!!

Day 21-Week Three Progress Report

The wind has now backed to ENE not the best angle for us but can't complain as we are still heading in the right direction. Today was our worst days run in quite some time, the winds are light and right from behind. Ive got the fishing line out once again but no luck with that either as yet but there's still hope with that one. The good news is we haven't broken anything else for the last couple of days which is always nice. Today I even managed to give the outboard for the dinghy a bit of love in preparation for our arrival "maybe" Thursday afternoon??
Our weeks progress was 1069nm=152.7nm per day or 6.36knot average
3 week progress is 3103nm=147.7nm per day average or 6.15knots
Well let's hope we can get a bit more wind and keep up the good speeds, nearly time to put the champagne in the fridge only 440nm to go!!

Day # 19 Time passes on

The wind came right up Thursday night, I had the starboard side port hole open for cooking then later that night when the wind and waves built it was still open. With the 2 headsails set we were flying down the swells doing hull speed a lot of the time, autopilot working for its money. With the waves from one way and the swell from the side we corkscrew a bit, this one big wave we surfed fast down, then back up, big carve at the top then fly back down, another big carve and then bang just dropped on our starboard side. You guessed it a good bit of water through our porthole, all over our bits and bobs on the table and radio, Satphone, and the inverter (120v power source). Even though the inverter was switched of I came in and it was smoking, really not good. I disconnected it from the battery and sprayed the shit out of it with WD40 and left it until today. It's a lot calmer today and we pulled it to pieces and cleaned it up and now it seems to be working again alright.
Yesterday at daylight the wind was really up there and the swells had built and we were getting pushed north so when Julie woke we put back up the mainsail so as we could head a little south. Once at the mast we saw both the headsail poles barely hanging in there, the track they sit in had been ripped from the mast and luckily they were still hanging in there otherwise it would have been catastrophe with the poles banging around loose connected to the sails in 30kts of breeze, not cool. The spinnaker pole ring was real hard to get off but we managed with a big hammer and a hacksaw anyway we cut the track off, leaving what's left of the good track and then managed to get the rings out of the track with the help of the vice and more hammering and now we are back on track with both poles set once again. There was obviously just too much pressure on the track with the two pole rings right up the top, I never thought much about it. I will put on a new track, a little higher and will have more fasteners so hopeful it won't happen again. A shame though to see the newly painted mast scratched up but nothing a bit more paint won't fix.
Anyway the weather is once again good, been under 20kts all day and we are rolling away again heading west. It's great heading west and one of the most satisfying things is adjusting the clocks. At this rate we adjust the clocks back half an hour every 2-3 days to keep it in line, pretty cool.
Been too rough for fishing but maybe tomorrow but I'm kinda hoping we still have this wind and can keep romping along for the next few days and get there in good time. All good on the fine ship Sunflower
Saturday 5pm Pos 6*55S 128*22W. 708nm to go

Day 17

Routine has definitely set in and it's great. Sun rises, check sails, untie a reef, change sail plan, pole out a headsail, whatever needs to be done to keep us moving along well for the day. The person who's just finished watch goes to bed the other has a coffee wakes up, looks at the day, checks for flying fish and squids on deck, looks at the rigging then assumes the position and settles in with a book. The other wakes up sometime after 9, decide what to have for breakfast- fruit and yogurt (none left), toasted sandwich (thin pickings),scrambled eggs (most landed on floor) on toast or just plane boring toast. Then if the weather lets us we chuck out a line and try and catch a fish, kill and clean it if we do. We play a game where we guess how many miles we've done in the last 24hours, the alarm goes off at 1156 and we put a fix on the chart and see how many miles we actually did, looser gets the beers from the fridge. Hang out in the cockpit for an hour or 2 and decide what's for lunch and maybe try to have a shower on the cockpit floor if there's no chance of getting thrown overboard.
Then if we've caught a fish it's fish and salad if we haven't it's normally a salad of some sort - cabbage of lettuce if we have and whatever other veggies we've got and then tins of corn, beans or tuna, sometimes cous cous, healthy simple living. While we eat that we watch a series on TV (Homeland at the moment) then after maybe one of us goes for a siesta waking up at 5 for a customary rum and coke, put in an extra reef in the mainsail if needed for the night then talk about what to eat next. Lately with all this fish we've been having various Thai curries, chopped onion, garlic, carrots whatever else, fry it in either Thai red, green, yellow or Penang paste and then set aside and fry fillets of fish then add the veggies just before it's cooked and some coconut milk and lime, tiny bit of sugar and voila!, job done never get sick of it! Although we do have a few Indian curries to mix it up a little also with meat from the freezer. Then run the engine to charge batteries/make water then maybe watch another episode while eating and start our watches at 9, 3 hours each. Every second night we each get the 9pm watch which means every second night we get a half decent sleep. Watches have been pretty easy of late with no shipping about, just look out for big black clouds that bring the squalls and then furl in a little headsail if needed and turn the knob on the autopilot and run with it until it's blown itself out and then roll your guts out for a while as it's taken all the wind with it and left us there wollowing, soon enough the sun will rise again and it starts all over, happy days
The flag is looking like it's just about had enough??!
Thursday 28/6 4pm position 6*18S 123*13W. 1017nm to Nuku Hiva

Day 14- Making Miles

We've had plenty of wind the last few days, no worries about that. We have the wind right on our port quarter, it's just that tiny bit too Far East to either be sailing downwind with 2 headsails poled out or on a broad reach flying along. So we are zigzagging our way across our rhumb line, one day with the poles out and heading a bit north and rolling like hell and the next day on a broad reach heading a little south a but a lot more comfy. We are covering a few extra miles but it's easier on us and Sunflower and we are still having surprisingly really good day runs, today 169 miles made good and yesterday 151 so we are not complaining at all and still managing to get some sleep.
Saw a ship heading for Chille today, first one in days not a lot of action out here except the surprising amount of birds, there's loads and we are now about 1500 miles from any land?. Has been too rough to fish but I still gave it a go this morning even though we were doing more than 7kts through the water got a couple of strikes but lost them, could give it a go now as it's calmed of a good deal but I've already defrosted some chicken so will give it another go tomorrow.
Here's some boring figures that I find interesting anyway after today's noon fix of 2 weeks progress-
We are now averaging 145.2nm a day @ 6.05knts, last week it was 137.2nm a day @ 5.7knts.
This last 7 days we made good 1073nm and averaged 6.3kts or 153.2 miles per day, best passage yet as far as miles go.
We haven't used the engine for propulsion since we left the island although are using it to charge the batteries each night for half an hour and every few days run the watermaker for a couple of hours.
Nothing too exciting I'm sorry to say, but we like it that way anyhow
Pos 5*59S. 115*15W. 1490nm to go

Day 12- Rolling like Hell

Been a fast few days, found a little favouring current and then last night the wind came up with squally weather that lasted until this morning. Fast sailing, broad reaching with half the Genoa, staysail and a reefed mainsail but we were heading too far south so at daylight we poled out the staysail and Genoa and are heading downwind rolling like crazy but on course. Big swell from SW with the wind waves from SE and we are all over the place!! Not much sleep but pretty happy when at midday we did a fix and had made good 170nm in the last 24 hours! Best days run this passage and yesterday 162nm and the day before 150 so all is well. Tonight around midnight we should be nearly half way there so happy Days.
Too windy to fish as I would probably roll overboard trying to clean it so I managed to make pumpkin soup from a pumpkin that is well over 3 months old and still looked like the day we bought it!! This one travelled through the canal with us in march, they're tough little buggers
Position 5*20S 109*50W. 1816nm to go

day #9 fish paradise

Miles are ticking away super easy here and the fishing is becoming a joke. We literally just throw our little soft pink plastic squid m on a hand line over and in less than an hour each time we have another Mahi Mahi, perfect fish and perfect size. Some are just 2 feeds, bigger are 3-4 so we only have to get one every day or couple of days. Have been eating grilled with herbs, fried in spices, curried in Thai coconut milk different ways, crumbed, sushimi, you name it twice a day, happy days!
A couple of days ago in the arvo I could see a fleet of fishing boats on the AIS. This gives us there course, speed, eta and info,about there boat. Anyway we had to sail through the middle of them and they were all doing less than half a knot? Big boats also, 50,55 and even one 74 metres. All Asian, maybe Korean, or Japanese I'm not sure but they were like small tanker ship style with massive freeboard to carry loads and wide, looked run down like old ghost ships. Then the closer we get they have like Davits all down the side and then through the binoculars I can see what looks like rows of lights up above all the way bow to stern. Sure enough just before the sun went down they switch on there lights, I've never seen anything like it, I'm not joking in the daylight you can't look at it for any amount of time as it burns your eyes like you're looking at the sun!! All LED, serious bloody Lumens!! So I think they must be jigging for squid, but they must be getting other things a
s well as there can't be that much money in squid and just the fuel alone to run these generators must be huge? And they're 8000nm+ away from home? They just sit here hanging off a sea anchor drifting slowly head into the wind, massive big boats. A couple that had AIS said there ETA was 30 th of November but it didn't say what port? Big swings away from home for sure and not the nicest of conditions I'm certain. Lots in the fleet were called LURONGYUNAYU and then a number at the end, one was 538 check it out on google maybe something comes up would be good to know? Anyway once it was dark for the whole night it was like looking at a city, hundreds of these boats in the distance and now last night we saw only 2 lights, really strange they are all together like that.
Another strange thing we saw, actually the strangest thing I have ever seen at sea was these bright orange like floating clumps, some the size of a fist or 2 and others smaller all shapes and together in an area about half the size of Sunflowers deck. There was a bit of a cloud of merky water around it like maybe it was shat out or regurgitated from a whale??! I really don't know, haven't seen any whales, did it come up from the sea floor 1000's of metres down and a volcano was going to pop up?? Anyway I yelled out to Julieta and she saw it so I'm not going mad but I really do want to google for myself and see what I can find!!
Anyway all is good, 2299nm to go, position 4*11.5s 101*52.0w
Here's another pic of a fish as I don't know what else to put up!!

BBQ Day 7

Bloody good day today, woke up and it was sunny, waves were down and had a nice breeze. We took down the 2 headsails, put back up the full main and got back on course doing 6kts all too easy:)
At noon we checked our progress, just 130nm made good but we are happy enough with that, been a reasonably easy enough passage so far. After 7 days we have covered 961nm averaging 137nm a day or 5.7knts and hopefully that might improve the further west we get, anyway just happy the sun is shining and the weather is warming up.
We saw from a distance coming these massive dolphins? Not sure exactly what they are but they are a lot bigger than a usual dolphin for sure with a massive round head. Anyway they stayed with us for an hour today happily swimming under Sunflowers bow, was really nice to see. After all that excitement it was time for a beer and seeing the weather was so nice why not a BBQ? Julie managed to find some Argentinian meet in the city that turned out to be very nice indeed!!
Good times

Day 6

Been a pretty good few days although a bit slower than the start. The wind died a little and came more from the East, or behind us so we lost a bit of speed but are still doing alright. Day 4 we made good 136nm, then 141nm and today only 126nm. It's been very cruisey sailing though except for last night when the wind died and we were rolling like crazy with the mainsail banging and cracking until we took it down and put up the 2 headsails at daylight. Just as we finished setting up that a rain squall came through with a big gust and a wave on the port side we broached a little and 3 cartons of eggs went flying from one side of the cabin to the other, big mess!! Now with the wind right behind us we are rolling a lot but we will no doubt get used to that, at least we are still making miles. The weather is sunny today, yesterday totally cloudy but it has warmed up a bit for sure and the water temp is now nearly 20 degrees. The current is now helping us a little also but the wind is light and we are only just making 5kts.
There were a few fishing boats south of the Galapagos but they have all gone now which is good. Had a freak out the other night, was watching Narcos season 3 with a big proper shoot out at the end and then hear a fisherman on the radio, he's talking to another fisherman in Spanish saying he can see lights to the right. We see his lights and then he switches them off and we know he's close but it's pitch black and can't see his little boat on the radar and with all that colombian drug war fresh in my head all I can think of is I really need a machine gun right now?!?! No more watching those shows at night
Also our stalk of bananas got loose the other night and smashed itself up quite bad underneath the solar panels but no need to worry as there's still 100 others ripe and ready to eat, can't remember ever eating so many at once. Bit disappointed with some of our other vege purchases, had to throw out a few rotten tomatoes, onions and limes they don't seem to be lasting the distance and are only just over a week old.
Caught a nice little Mahi Mahi the other day which has been feeding us well and also 4 little squids landed on the deck which we had for lunch yesterday, easy fishing!!
So let's hope the wind picks up a little and we can start making some good miles once again.
Position 03*32.800s 094*50.200w distance to go 2718nm

Cruising-Day 3

Sunflower never fails to surprise me, she makes the miles easy and super comfy. 1st day hard on the wind we made 130nm's good, next day 147 and today 151. We still have the current on our port side but last night and today was the only times that it seems to slow us down a little. Today it is really strong and we are pointing an extra 30 degrees to make our course and still getting pushed north. Tonight sometime we will pass about 50-60 miles south of the Galapagos and hopefully according to the pilot charts our current will change and slowly become more favourable. Yesterday was awesome sailing in 15-18 knots on the beam, full sail and we were doing 7-8 knots all arvo. Was mesmerising watching us cruise over the swells so easily without any effort. We put 2 reefs in the mainsail at night so there is no need to go on the foredeck after dark but it slows us down a bit but we still made alright miles although there was a fair bit of rain around and the wind was a bit all over the place.
There's also a surprising amount of fishing boats around, you see there bright lights in the distance and early this morning we passed quite close to one and I think it was a big purse seiner probably catching tuna.
The water has warmed up a little from 13.9 degrees to now 18.4 let's hope it's a bloody bit warmer though when we get there! Put the line out this afternoon but no luck as yet so have just taken out some mince, normally as soon as that's defrosted we will land a fish, had sashimi and then Thai fish cakes with the last tuna 🐟
Bit slower day today as winds are light and also forecast light for tomorrow but let's see, maybe if we're in the Equatorial Current we will still make another 150nm 🌻⛵️😉
Our position 02*13.600s 88*38.000w. 3100nm to go

Pacific Sailing!!

All is well, got back to Ecuador and Julie met me in the Capital of Quito where we spent the night leaving the next morning for the 8 hour bus ride to Bahia. Back onboard Sunflower we got everything ready to leave but once again we were stuck in the river with not enough water to get out so we had to wait until Sunday. We had a good time though as there were a few other cruisers around and we also got away up the coast for the night to Canoa to relax and eat some good seafood. Sunday came and the swell was up but we managed to get out the braking sand bar without an issue, just waited for the sets of waves to roll through and then go flat out with the engine and after half a mile were free in the deeper water and very relieved!! We motorsailed bashing into it for 12 hours until we got to Isla De La Plata about 50nm south arriving just after midnight and were greeted by 4 turtles and a load of fish swimming around us in the light. There are some moorings there so we picked one up but after banging on it due to no wind and tide we ended up putting the engine on astern and getting a few hours sleep. First thing I was up and in the water cleaning the prop and bottom and fixing a leaking watermaker. About half a dozen tourist boats turned up but know one was bothered about us which was nice and we got out of there just before lunch.
Once clear of the island we saw we could make course for Marquesas although hard on the wind but at least we were sailing once again. By early evening wind was up in the 20's and then a bit more but the seas weren't so big so we made good progress with 2 reefs and a little bit of headsail. Problem is the Humbalt current, it's bloody freezing. At night all rugged up in jeans and jumpers and today the water temp is 14.9degrees!! The current is on our port side so not bothering us too much and after a couple of days more it will hopefully be pushing us from behind as we pass the Galapagos. Today the wind has backed SSE so a lot nicer angle and only about 15kts so we have full sail and making 6kts boat speed which is real nice. Caught a fat little stripy tuna at lunch and will have him for dinner which we are pretty stoked about.
All is well aboard Sunflower with only 3400 odd nautical miles to go

Ecuador

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After a day in Panama City getting a few stores and looking around the old town we headed out to the Peralas Islands with Julie's Dad. Had a great sail seeing loads of wildlife in the Pacific with Dolphins, whales and loads of manta rays on the surface, never seen that before? We anchored at Isla Contadora, great spot and it was coming up to Easter weekend so a lot of the wealthy locals were there on their flash cruisers and also some massive mansions ashore that makes you wander where all that money comes from?! After 4 days hanging out Elio caught the ferry back to catch his flight home to Argentina and we had a good forecast to head south for Ecuador.   We left Easter Saturday and had a cracking start with the wind up our bum. It's about 550 miles from the islands and the first 2/12 days we made really great time, one 24hour period 190nm with just the 2 headsails, 25knts and a bit of current in our favour. Was the first time sailing with the new autopilot downwind and man it's awesome, straight as a die surfing down the waves, good times. The last day and a half though the motor went on, wind died to a light headwind and the current swung and was against us although not so strong as expected so it wasn't too much of a problem. The last evening out we crossed the equator for the 3rd time aboard Sunflower and for the first time nothing broke! Once we got closer to Ecuador though there were a LOT of fishing boats, small open doreys with just 2 guys setting floating  long lines in the deep water. We hooked up on one in the daylight but it didn't break and nearly hooked up another soon after so we decided to head in and go inside of the 100m contour for the last night and didn't see any fisherman at all which was great and had the anchor down at 3am Wednesday out the front of Bahia de Caraquez. 

High tide was at 6am and you need a pilot to enter the river as the sand banks are always changing. We started calling at 5 with no reply until about 6 when  he said he would come but still there was no sign and the tide was ebbing. A couple of fisherman offered to show us in and being so tired I just wanted to go so in we went, the tide racing out and we were going places the chartplotter tells you not to go. It was pretty hairy to say the least with at times just a foot under the keel and still 2m of water to go out but after 20 minutes we were in the deeper water and all was well.  Puerto Amistad Marina is run by an American fella named Gene, really nice guy and he has moorings for rent which we went on. He organises all the formalities for a cost of $180 to clear in and the next day we had Customs, Immigration, health and the navy onboard checking everything from food, medication, fire extinguishers, flares and our vaccines. Probably the most detailed inspection we have ever come across but they were all nice and we didn't have a problem. 

It's not a bad town but in 2016 was hit with a 7.2 earthquake which pretty well totalled a lot of the town and it is still a wreck but it's not so bad. Everything handy with shops ect and the marina clubhouse is nice with a good bar and clean showers and good food. After a couple of days we got the bus into the capital city Quito which was really different at 2800m above sea level it's right up there. Beautiful scenic 8 hour bus ride through the mountains and then once you arrive you realise how big the city is right up in the middle of know where it's quite bizarre. We stayed in the old town which was very nice, safe place to walk around and check it all out. We stayed at a backpackers for the first couple of nights and then moved to the more modern part of the city close to the French Embassy were Julie had an interview for her visa for French Polynesia. After 4 days sightseeing and getting that sorted I flew out back to Australia for work and Julie went back to Bahia. 

Unfortunately we didn't take any decent photos!

Panama Canal

Panama Canal

Well we got through, no worries:) Here's some info for other yachties wanting to transit or other folk who might be interested, Layla it's probably very boring for you. 

A lot of boats get an agent for the Canal, maybe it used to be harder I'm not sure but really it couldn't be easier and there is no advantage at all we found in spending 3-400$ on an agent. First you go on the pancanal website and fill out the form for small craft and email it back to them, this gives them all your boat details ect. Then call them up (they speak perfect English) and organise a date to get "measured". They can measure you in the "Flats" anchorage in Colon or in the marina not far called Shelter Bay. The flats anchorage isn't very nice, nowhere close to land the dinghy which makes it hard so most people chose Shelter Bay Marina, hence they take the piss with there pricing. For us at 43ft it was nearly $60US a day for a short stay but it is a very nice marina with a good bar so you get to meet a lot of people heading the same way. 

Once the guy from the canal has come to measure you he gives you some more forms which you take to the CitiBank in Colon and pay $1875 into their account, wait a couple of hours then call back up the canal and they have received the money and will now give you a date to transit. Firstly they said our date was 3 weeks away but we kept calling and seeing if there were no sooner dates and we ended up just waiting 12 days, this is the busiest time of the year for the yachts transiting. Yachts are chicken feed for the canal, one yacht $1000, an average container ship $300000. One of the worlds biggest cruise liners just tipped the record of $1.2m!! So they transit yachts when it's busy 3 at a time, behind a ship. One group leaves at 430am and goes through all in one day getting to Balboa late afternoon. The other group leaves around 1500, goes though the first 3 sets of locks and is in Gatun Lake by 1700 and then you go on a mooring for the night and the next day at 8am you continue the 30nm up the Lake to the last 3 locks near Balboa, this is what we did.  First though before transiting a Pilot boat drops of an "Advisor" to each yacht and he coaches you through everything. This time we did it was a lot easier than when we did it the week before on our friends boat. This time it was 3 mono hulls, us being the largest one which meant we were in the middle and did all the steering. So before the locks we pulled up, then the other 2 boats one by one rafted up and tied up to us. Once all sorted and the ship we were sharing the lock with was in we motored in and then the wharfies on the wall through down heaving lines to the boats on our sides and we carry on motoring to the end of the lock, once there, pass the long ropes up and all secure then they fill the lock with 8m of water. Once full the doors open into the next lock and we motor in again, still all tied together and repeat the process 2 more times and then you're in the Lake, easy. There is a fair bit of turbulence though going up, a lot more smooth going down the other end. 

So we left Saturday afternoon in the Atlantic and arrived Sunday afternoon in the Pacific. Was a real good buzz for sure getting through that last lock, beers were cracked and champagne ready, happy days!!

Once you have transited without incident the canal gives you back $891 of the $1875 you paid, so total costs-

Up to 50ft- total deposit-$1875, minus buffer $891, total cost-$984

Over 50ft-total deposit-$2375, minus buffer $891, total cost-$1484

Hire Lines and Fenders-$100

Return Uber for our French line handlers back to Shelter Bay Marina $80 (taxi around $100)

Mooring for the night at Balboa Yacht Club $34

Shelter Bay Marina-$60pd (43ft) we stayed 7 days total but really could have only stayed 4. 

Then the fees for Panama for the boat, Cruising Permit-$190. 

Visas are now free, when we arrived we had to pay $105pp

So all in all it was a little cheaper than we expected