The following is part of the Journal of the FULL MOON
Full Moon is a 2 - 29 Cal Skippered by Neal Groff presently in the 4th Year of cruising the worlds oceans. The log is published in reverse order the newest log at the beginning.
The following is part of the Journal of the FULL MOON
Full Moon is a 2 - 29 Cal Skippered by Neal Groff presently in the 4th Year of cruising the worlds oceans. The log is published in reverse order the newest log at the beginning.
Update 23rd May 2011
Where to begin?
Not at the beginning.
The trip from Phuket, Thailand to Gale, Sri Lanka across sea of Bengal was pleasant sailing. I had a favorable current and made my fastest noon to noon run of 154.4 miles. (Probably had a 2 knot current helping me along)
The next leg from Sri Lanka to Gan, Maldives was slower, I ran out of wind and had to use the engine for 5 of the 8 days. As I approached Gan I noticed that my engines water pump had developed a leak. It took 3 weeks to have a new pump shipped to me and cleared through customs. I will try to have the old one rebuilt at some port down the line.
Gan on Addu atoll in the Maldives was rather boring. I could not go any where with the boat while waiting for my water pump to arrive. Its a strict Muslim country and alcoholic beverages are not available except for consumption at the high priced resorts. The supply of fresh fruits and vegetables was very limited.
It did have it good points, sea turtles swimming around in the anchorage, good food at the local restaurants, pleasant climate,friendly people, clear water for snorkeling, just not much in the way of social activities.
Then a three day trip to Chagos.................. I had a permit from BOIT for a two month stay, arranged back in December.
I went first to Peros Banhos atoll for a few days and anchored off Ile du Coin, then moved to Salomon Atoll where I anchored off Ile Takamaka. This time of year the south east trade winds are picking up and becoming the predominant winds, Ile du Coin is not very protected from wind blowing from that direction so most yachts move over to Saloman atoll and anchor there.
For two days I had the place to myself. I explored the islands, found one of the fresh water wells, cut down some coconuts that were within easy reach and walked or kayaked along the beach. On the third day another boat showed up and anchored a little farther offshore.
I had a bit of an adventure that night. I had been anchored with 25 m of chain out in 10 feet of water on a sand spit with lots of swinging room. At 8pm the anchor alarm on the GPS started beeping just as I noticed the wind starting to pick up.
I checked the GPS, YES, it showed I was moving, now the wind is really picking up, In a panic (and maybe due to the lack of judgment that a couple of drinks of rum might induce) I threw out a second anchor that was handy in the cockpit, then realized that was not going to help, as a stern anchor would only put me sideways to the wind presenting more area for the wind to push against. I let go the anchor and let the chain go overboard, and started the engine.
It was very dark, no moon, the wind had changed direction, coming now across the lagoon from the north west, and was blowing me towards the islands and the coral reef. I could now make out darker colored water only a few meters behind the boat. I applied full throttle and started motoring into the wind and crashing steep waves, still with my main anchor hanging off the front of the boat.
The wind would catch the boat and try to blow me sideways, perhaps my anchor would momentarily hook on a piece of coral, I would try to steer into the wind, the boat veering from side to side. Now the wind is blowing rain and spray into my eyes, thank goodness the other boat that had been anchored farther offshore had his lights on. Using his lights for a landmark I continued to motor away from the reef and the dangerous lee shore.
There was no way that I could leave the wheel to run forward and try to pull up the anchor. The wind would have had me on the reef In minutes. For two hours I battled with the wind, keeping just a short way into deeper water, watching the other boats lights to keep my position. The water in the lagoon has many coral heads lurking just below the surface, I did not want to move around unnecessarily for fear of hitting one in the dark.
After three hours I was able to go forward and pull up, by hand, my anchor and the 25m of chain hanging straight down. After four hours the storm had finally blown it self out, I pulled up in the dark close to the other boat and re anchored for the night.
Next morning I went snorkeling, retrieved my spare anchor and saw where my danforth anchor (reputedly the best anchor for sand) had dragged a furrow in the sand during the night. (not far enough to set the anchor alarm to beeping again) The sand was of a type I had not experienced before. Made from broken bits of coral it was very fine and very loose. Not good holding at all.
In my kayak I followed my last nights track shown on the hand held GPS to see where the nights travels had taken me. It must have been high tide that night or I was just extremely lucky, the coral reef was so close, it still gives me shivers thinking about it.
Item just added to my wish list for the boat is an electric windlass with a control switch in the cockpit. It sure would be nice to be able to raise the anchor from the cockpit.
I changed anchorages to Ile Boddam that afternoon and built myself a mooring. Many yachts staying here build a mooring by wrapping a length of anchor chain around a large coral head, then attach a large float to the chain, and then a length of line to the boat. The float keeps the rope up at the surface where it will not be cut by rubbing against the sharp coral. Only thing is you must be able to dive down deep or have a scuba tank to ensure the chain is wrapped tightly around the coral.
While at the marina in Langkawi I had rescued a long piece of discarded 5/16 stainless steel rigging wire from the refuse bin for just this purpose. Using the cable and a shackle, I made a choker that I dropped over a very large piece of coral under about 6 meters of water. A large fishing net float that I found on the beach at Ile du coin, a length of rope and I had my own mooring. That’s where I stayed securely tied to the lagoon bottom for the next 3 weeks.
The social life at Chagos was great. Pot luck dinners, a Full Moon Party, volley ball games in the afternoons, birthday parties, gathering around the fire pit while baking bread in a dutch oven, happy hour get togethers at sunset beach. Lots of Fun. At one time there were over 20 boats in the anchorage.
I had caught a nice tuna as I approached Chagos. Six days later one of the fellows from another boat came by and offered me some fish he had just caught. Just when I was about to run out of fresh fish I was offered more again. The one time I went out fishing with a friend of mine in his dinghy, we landed two and half tuna (a shark took half of one before I could get it to the boat) in less than an hour. These were BIG Tuna. My arm ached for three days from having to reel in those fish.
Without a doubt the fishing at Chagos was the best of any place I have dropped a line. Chagos has been declared a marine reserve and commercial fishing has been banned in its waters. There were a couple of guys that would go out fishing every day they could if it was not too windy. They always came back with way too much fish for themselves and would make a tour of the yachts at anchor giving away some of their catch. Very nice, very friendly, but I am saddened at all the waste. I saw the fish they caught. One fish should have kept them eating for a week. They would come back with six or more. Sad.
A fellow can only spend so many days reading books from his hammock, strung between two coconut palm trees, overlooking a beautiful lagoon, living on a diet of fresh sushi, before cravings of char broiled T Bone Steaks and fresh garden salads start entering his thoughts.
After a month I decided it was time to carry on with the voyage. So many places to see. It took 10 days of trade wind sailing to travel the 1007 miles from Chagos to Rodrigues. Strong wind (25 to 35) and big seas for two days, then, 8 to 15 knots of wind for the rest of the trip.
Mauritius makes good cheap Rum, the bakeries sell fresh french baguettes for about the equivalent of 20 cents, the people are friendly and many of the people I have met speak some English.
My plan at the moment is to spend a couple of weeks anchored here, then maybe a month at Mauritius, maybe a week or two at Reunion, then up and around the northern tip of Madagascar to Nosy Bee, cruise down part of the west coast of Madagascar before getting to Richards Bay, South Africa in late October.
That’s about it for now.
The internet here is very, very, slow, I guess I should not complain, here at the library its free.
Neal
S/V Full Moon
Rodrigues, Mauritius
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Update 19th May 2011
Mauritius.
Hello all. I am at the public library, Port Mathurin, Rodrigues, Mauritius.
All is well, the trip has been fantastic.
Will write more later, many things to do today
Neal
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Update 9th March 2011
Gan, Maldives.
Three days of sailing, 60 hours on the Iron Jib and I made a stop at Gan, Maldives.
I am now going through the process of getting a new water pump for my engine sent to me from Singapore. After 15 days here it will get expensive with a need to purchase a cruising permit, so the pump they send me better be the right one. Then its only 285 miles to Chagos.
Will send a log report later and some photos. Just spent half an hour watching sea turtles.
Neal
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Update 26th February 2011
Full Moon in Galle, Sri Lanka.
Ten days of wonderful sailing across the south end of the Bay of Bengal saw me approaching Sri Lanka. On the trip I had just set a noon to noon record (for me) of 154.4 miles.
The local civil war against the Tamil Tigers ended last year, so I figured Sri Lanka was worth a stop at the port of Galle if only to get another countries stamp in my passport.
This is a very interesting country, but unfortunately I do not have time to explore the countries interior. The seasons are due to change soon and if I want to make use of the winds I had better just stock up with local fresh foods and sail away.
Today I will get my laundry done and make a trip to the local market. On Monday I will top up my diesel jerry jug, get more fresh drinking water and check out with the officials. Sail away at first light Tuesday.
There are perhaps a dozen other sailboats here. The topic of discussion is the recent murder of 4 sailors by the Somali pirates. It looks like many boats are opting to sail to Chagos and take the south african route rather than venture close to pirate infested waters approaching the red sea.
The locals tell that the pirates are even attacking small fishing boats.
I am staying far far away from Somali.
Until I write again:
Neal
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Update 30th December 2010
from Thailand.
Hello all.
Christmas at Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.
Last night the sky was lit up with bursts of fireworks for the entertainment of the tourists drinking in any of the open air bars along the beaches.
I enjoyed watching the display from the cockpit of my boat.
This morning the red Christmas hats, some with lights, have disappeared from heads of the people walking past my booth by the pier. No, one just walked past.
The locals are at their favorite positions along the sidewalk, waiting for their chance at the walking ATM's, disembarking from the ferries.
The local people are mostly Buddhist or Muslim and do not celebrate Christmas. However they do take any opportunity to get another dollar from the tourists.
At some of the hotels if you wanted a room last night or today you MUST pay for the special Christmas dinner buffet they were putting on in their restaurant. $30 to $50 per person. They will do the same on new years eve.
Almost all the cheaper hotels are full, or at least that is what the hotel booking agents are saying, then they try to get you to book into a more expensive room (one that pays a better commission).
Its another day here in Paradise and time to think about sailing away for distant shores.
Fast Forward, New Years Eve Day, Phuket.
I am sitting at the Phuket Cruisers Yacht Club, the laptop is plugged into shore power and I have internet connection.
My application and confirmation of bank transfer of funds for Yachts wishing to visit Chagos has been received by BIOT. I qualify for the old rate of 100 GBP per month, after Jan 1 the rates are due to go up to 50 GBP per week with a maximum one month stay.
I applied for a two month stay, mid March to mid May.
I found a source here for bottom paint in my preferred color black and I plan to haul out the boat for painting Jan 3th or 4th. After that chore is completed its time to start shopping for provisions.
Its going to be a long time before I am near a super market again. Three to four months.
The plan is:
Sail from Langkawi, sometime in the first two weeks of February, to Chagos with perhaps a stop at Gan in the Maldives- 20 day sail.
Stay 2 months at Chagos (uninhabited tropical island paradise)
Sail from Chagos to Mauritius- 10 day sail. Mauritius has super markets.
Mauritius to Nosy Bee Madagascar with maybe a stop at Reunion an 8 day sail.
Cruise down the coast of Madagascar and then over to Richards Bay South Africa.
Go around the bottom of South Africa December 2011 or January 2012.
The hardest part of doing all this occurs at the beginning, saying goodbye to the friends I have met.
Thats the news from Thailand.
Tonight I will be watching the fireworks displays from my mooring in the harbor.
Best Wishes and a happy new year,
Neal
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Update 29th September 2010
from Kamloops BC.
Hello all. Have a good day :) Neal
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Update 20th February 2010 from Lankari.
Hello all. Just got to the marina after motoring the last two days from Phuket with a broken Starboard spreader. I was lucky. Two reefs in the main, small jib up, close hauled, heeled over pretty good doing about 5 1/2 knots. It was the side that was not under stress that broke. I looked up as something caught my eye and at first thought that a big bird had just flown between the sails. Second look ......dropped the sails pretty darn fast when I saw what it was flying around up there. I have located a piece of spruce from a wooden mast and am replacing both spreaders. Neal........
Update November 3rd 2009 from Phuket.
I am in a boat yard in Phuket, the "Full Moon" is sitting on stands in the yard", the engine is sitting on the floor in the middle of the boat, the old rusty fuel tank is at a shop having a new copy made of itself ( this time with stainless steel) the broken propelor shaft is still in the same place, the old propellor shaft coupler is sitting on the table. The old muffler is being inspected and maybe just the leaky weld repaired.
Question : how many single handed sailors does it take to remove a 240 pound engine out of the engine compartment and place it on the floor ?
Answer........ one....... with a borrowed chain hoist.
The bolt that holds the rudder to the quadrant is siezed and is giving me a headache wondering how I am going to it out so I can take the rudder off.
Have some astronomical quotations for painting boat. May just hire a couple of guys for $30 a day to do some sanding for me. After all the painting is the easy and fun part.
Rented a moter bike for $5 a day to get around.
All is well, even my banged up and skinned knuckles and hands are healing nicely.
Neal
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Update March 2009 from Thailand.
Hello all:
I am in Thailand, Phi Phi Island, and have started a company doing sailboat charters.
I take people out for a five hour sail in the afternoon and watch the sunset.
I gave these girls a group discount, 8 for the price of 5, ($10,000 TB about $350 Can) and they got a private yacht to suntan on.
Sure beats working for a living.
Neal
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Update 3rd September 2008 from Indonesia.
I arrived in Darwin on the new moon, middle of the night. Things to do were rushed. A visit to customs started the paper work and then to the Indonesian embassy to apply for my Visa. Next was shopping for fuel filters, duty free supplies and food. We were to depart Saturday, Friday was a public holiday so I had to get things done fast.
The Sail Indonesia rally people were very well organized. There was a free dinner one night and a briefing at the convention center that we all had to attend.
We arrived in Kupang harbour at about 10pm on Wednesday the fifth day. Kupang seemed easy to enter, lots of lights, a good approach, so I did not hesitate to make a night landing (very rare for me).
Thursday started check in and paper work with the officials of Indonesia.
Laetitea (my crew) helped out organizing the purchase of diesel and figuring out how to get bottled water for the boat. Two nights here being ferried back and forth in the dingy was enough for her, and she told me of her decision to leave the boat and go travelling by land.
Single handing once again. Too bad. She was a good learner and seemed to be adjusting to this life style.
Tuesday, after 5 days here, the Customs impound sticker removed from the boat, all paper work and an array of official stamps in hand, I am free to travel.
I returned to the boat with my documents and some fresh veggie's and fruit. A short time later I noticed the wind has swung around and I am on a lee shore. There is also a boat close to me, just up wind, that I did not notice being there the day before. The boat has no dingy, the owners being on shore.
A few days before the close encounter I had an encounter of a very different kind. I was standing by the beach area, deciding how to spend the rest of day, paper work for the day completed. A very attractive, very young girl approached me. Hello mister, I am a student working in tourism, can I come with you to your boat?
The beach area here is located in the center of town. Its where the official welcoming center is, the yachts arrive here in their dingys. The police, customs officials, immigration officers, government officials are here in force.
Things become a little hard. I ask her name, she is 19 and here with her two younger cousins.
I explain that we have to row to the boat. Its windy and would be very difficult to row back to shore. I explain that it is not a good idea for me to take her to my boat. I explain that people would wonder what I am doing taking such a pretty young girl out there with me.
There is a person, perhaps from the media or a special organization wandering around recording faces on a movie camera. The girl motions to me that we are being filmed. My intellect finally regains control. The situation is not the way parts of me imagined. This girl wants to meet me because I am a tourist and wants to practice her English. She explains she has two other sisters that are in university studying English. She just wants to talk.
The next scheduled rally stop was to be on the island of Alor. The festivities were due to start the next day and I am a two day sail away. I decide to skip Alor and jump ahead of the Rally group to the next place, Lambata. I found a decent place to anchor close to the dingy dock and was the third boat to arrive, three days early.
The village market was OK, the town had a few places to eat with the locals and two nice restaurants. The welcome ceremony was a traditional welcome through symbolic village gates. Next came a parade around town with all the yachties being driven around and through the town (2 hours) standing in the open backs of pickup trucks or (like me) on the back of a motorscooter. Was I ever glad when it was over and I could get up off that seat and use my legs again.
I was one of the first in line to have my plate filled at the gala dinner. Unfortunately for many the food ran out and many received only a plate of rice. It was a prolonged affair with many long speeches, most in Indonesian and the food was served up at the end.
The organizers had arranged for free tours of the surrounding area, with trips to traditional villages and some other tourist sites during the next two days. I did not feel the boat was anchored in a safe enough place to leave unattended, and like a dozen others, left the next day.
This next section of the rally route is along the north coast of the Indonesian archipelago of islands. The islands block the deep ocean swell from the SE trade winds. The coastal anchorage's are effected by land and sea breezes and its not uncommon to find yourself on a lee shore with 20 knots of wind in the late afternoon. Nightfall the wind dies and along with it the waves, making for a pleasant night sleep.
I did not like the look of the next rally stops anchorage, skipped to the next, and spent two nights there. I am about a week ahead of the group. Once again, the anchorage leaves a lot to be desired. Depths go from 100 feet to 50 to 0 within 300 feet of the beach. There is no way to put enough anchor chain to be safe if a strong wind picks up. I used a stern anchor while anchored there.
The locals were very friendly. A member of the tourism department introduced himself to the crew of the other Canadian yacht that was anchored beside me, and extended an invitation for the three yachts in the bay to come for dinner at the home of the "Regent". (local big man, government top dog). The USA boat declined but us Canadians took them up on the offer. The house was of course, the best in the village, with, I think, the only passenger car I saw. Following tea, dinner was rice, stewed fish, barbecued fish, carrots and papaya cooked in coconut cream. A hot chilli sauce was on the side for those that dared. I did, and it was hot! Accompanying the meal was a small glass of locally distilled palm wine, very strong fire water. The conversation was mostly about the locals attempts at increasing tourism.
I made one more trip into town next morning to buy a couple small loaves of bread and left around noon for the next anchorage down the coast. This particular town has a local market only on Saturday (I arrived on Sunday) and the food in the only restaurant did not look all that appealing.
(Update a few weeks later).
I have been sailing from anchorage to anchorage during daylight hours making my way along the northern coasts of the islands. At night the local fishermen are out in force. They use a variety of boat for fishing, dugout canoes, some with outriggers and sails, other bigger wooden boats with nets hanging off the sides, any size boat that can be used to carry a net or long line. Some of the boats even have lights at night. The fishing nets sometimes have floats that you can see. Another hazard on the sea are fish attraction devices. These can be anchored in a thousand feet of water, They are constructed of bamboo and a couple of drums for floatation, From the platform are suspended mats of palm fronds. The idea is to create a artificial environment like a reef to attract the fish. These platforms are of course not lit at night. A collision with one of these is not likely to damage a well built hull, but the wreckage could quite possibly tangle with the rudder or propeller.
I have made only one night passage so far.
The sail Indonesia rally organizers supplied the participants with a computer CD that contained cruising notes from others that had made the trip before. Suggested places to anchor, notes about the villages, sights to see, etc. The major town of Sumbawa Besar on Sumbawa was given a bad rating because of the break-in of yacht 10 years ago. I decided to stop there. The anchorage was the best I had found in Indonesia. A sandy gently sloping bottom where I anchored in 10m of water 300m from the beach opposite a park.
The people here were very friendly and there was a good produce market that was open everyday. On my first excursion to shore I met a couple of local ladies my age that accompanied me to a restaurant for a meal. With the help of my small English/ Indonesian dictionary we had a little small talk. No great intellectual conversation just a good friendly time.
Next morning a fellow approached me as I was landing my dingy on the beach. He spoke some English and said he just happened to be fishing on the beach that day and would like to accompany me and practice his English. Sure I said I could use some help finding a few things in town, a better dictionary and some diesel fuel. I was looking forward to sampling some of the culinary delights at the local restaurants. I was told that today was the first day of Ramadam. Everyone was just beginning a month of fasting during daylight hours. It's a Muslim thing that happens every 10 months. Just my luck.
We found a book store with a better dictionary, an internet café, the supermarket with the customary shelves filled with crackers, soft drinks and cleaning supplies. I went back to the boat and retrieved my 3 empty jerry cans for fuel and a bemo took us to the fuel station and back for $3.
People in the tourist resort areas of Indonesia are willing to overlook foreigners lack of respect of their religious beliefs and willingly open the restaurants during daylight hours to feed the non-believers. In Sumbawa Besar there are not enough tourists to warrant opening a restaurant during the day.
I departed next day after an early morning trip to the market and made my first overnight passage. I am now at the resort island of Gili Air, Lombok, sitting at a beach side restaurant/bar overlooking a clean sandy beach with my boat safely on a mooring inside a small lagoon protected by a coral reef on two sides. Paradise and the food and beer is good and cheap. There is an internet café that charges around $4 an hour where I can plug in my laptop. I want to download more images from Google earth to reference when I sail into my future anchorages. Just hoping the connection speed is fast enough that I am not there all day.
I just noticed that friends of mine have pulled into the lagoon and are moored next to my boat. Its time to go. Update from Port Moresby PNG July 2008
Hello all:
I think my last good email update was from Noumea, where I was recovering from a rough trip from Sydney. After a week I sailed to Vanuatu with a new hand held GPS to show me the way.
The tow behind generator is working again, just a case of a corroded wire. Power to run everything and keep the occasional beer cold. What more could a person ask.
Vanuatu was nice, the weather was not perfect, kind of hazy and cloudy. I had one nice view of a typical steep volcano rising out of the sea. At Port Villa I met friends that I first met in El Salvador a couple years back. They had been to Tana and showed me a movie clip of the Volcano spitting up molten lava, taken in the dark, it looked like fireworks.
I left my friends in Port Villa and sailed north through the island chain. Nice spots, great anchorage's, nice people. I passed million dollar point where the USA after the second world war dumped excess equipment into the sea. They had offered the local government the opportunity to buy it from them, the locals stalled thinking they would leave it behind anyway, and so it all ended up in the sea. Bull dozers, graders, tanks, jeeps, its all left behind for the scuba divers to swim amongst.
Then I headed for Papua New Guinea. Two days out I noticed that my lower starboard shroud was hanging in the water. (a wire that supports the mast in the middle) I tried strengthening the mast by throwing some rope over the spreaders, then decided to use my engine and motor 4 days to the Solomon Islands rather than try to sail on to PNG 6 days away with a jury rig. My friends had just lost a mast, I didn't want to be next.
Update, Honiara, Guadalcanal. Solomon Islands
Nice people, again very poor. I made one stop for the night in the shelter of a small island before arriving at Honiara. The chief of the village on the mainland showed me a good spot to anchor and welcomed me to his village. That afternoon and evening I had many visitors wanting to trade. The kids wanted pens and pencils and books for school, also clothes. Later two young men came out and traded a live chicken for some clothes for the kids in their family. I later let the chicken go. It was scrawny with not much meat. Either I am getting soft or I just wasn't all that hungry. The people are going to wonder how that chicken got on that island.
I had the bolt and aluminum sleeve replaced in Honiara, today in Port Moresby I had the forward one replaced, just in case.
On to PNG.
The weather blows. 20 to 30 knots.
Update, Papua New Guinea: Very Friendly people.
The PNG Customs webpage lists Misima as a port of Entry. Ops, they do not have a Customs officer here or anyone from Immigration. The Health officer did issue a certificate of Practique, and that's all I need to sail in PNG waters until I can clear into a major port.
During a walk around the village I heard the sound of chanting coming from the forest. Closer examination revealed a group of about 6 young men beating the inside of a fallen sago palm tree to a pulp with sticks. They were making Sago, a traditional staple part of their diet. They take the pulp, soak it in water inside a dug out canoe, then strain the mixture through coconut husks, let the water evaporate and are left with something resembling a cake that they later crumble into a kind of flour.
The people here survive on a subsistence farming economy. At the market women sell excess from their gardens.
The Solomon islanders and people from PNG have, what many westerners would consider to be a disgusting habit. The chew beetle nut for its narcotic effect. It stains the teeth and the ground where they spit, red.
Folk lore. Two brothers from the land, one brother from the sea. When they get together they fight until there is blood. The brothers from the land are of course beetle nut and mustard, and the lime is the brother from the sea.
I was watching two women seated on the floor under a table at the market. One was leaning against the other while having her hair combed. Well, not exactly combed. Cleaned might be a better word, or searched. I could not believe my eyes when the women plucked something from her friends hair and popped it into her mouth.
I made a dash to the Louisiade Archipelago and spent a few days at Bagaman Island then 4 more at Morurina Island. All the while the radio is reporting strong wind warnings off of Australia and the Torres strait.
At the Louisiade's I managed to distribute most of my trade goods that I had brought with me from Australia. It was all donated stuff, kids clothes, dolls, soap, school supplies. I traded for coconuts, food from the locals gardens, shells, shell necklaces, and one really fine black ebony wood carving with shell inlay of a spear the natives used to use to kill each other back in the old days when they would eat their enemies.
This experience has shaken me up a little. Back home when I see people begging I tend to think "you lazy so and so, go get a job, what's wrong with you". Here the people are working hard, there are no jobs. The opportunity to better themselves just is not there.
To trade people had to offer something in exchange. I am hoping they felt better for it. I gave good deals, still it did not feel like charity, they maintained their honor and sense of pride by offering me something in return.
Each morning I would look out and see young kids fishing, throwing a hook into the water from line wound around an old bottle. They would take the catch home and then go to school. If they were lucky they had fish for lunch at noon, if not then the old stand by, potatoes or yams.
I was invited for breakfast at a house at Bagaman, and then twice for lunch at Morurina. Breakfast was yams done in coconut cream, fried fish and fish soup.
At Morurina I had watched people trying to catch sardines. I remembered that I had a cast net somewhere in the boat. It took me a few tries to get it right but soon I had half a bucket of them in my boat. I gave the sardines and some cooking oil to a local named Sam who invited me to come for a meal. Next day we went down the bay by the swamp and caught a different species that did not have so many scales. Three casts and I had a bucket full. His family fried some (with more of my oil) and then dried the rest over a fire. Very nice. Tasty.
Sam made me a coconut scraper and showed me how to get the cream from an old coconut. Old coconuts for cream, green ones for juice.
Folk lore: Two brothers go out fishing in their canoe. They go far from land and soon the canoe is full of fish. They start to head back. All the blood from the fish attracts a big shark that starts bumping the canoe. They start to throw fish overboard. Soon all the fish are gone and still the shard is threatening to smash the frail canoe. The island is in sight. The little brother takes his knife and cuts off his hand and throws it to the shark to try to buy them some time. The shark soon returns. I will save us big brother he says as he cuts off his arm and throws it to the shark. Big brother is paddling as fast as he can. Then one leg comes off, then the other. Brother take my knife and cut off my other arm. The island is close but the shark almost upsetting the canoe. They will not make it. Big brother, cut off my head and throw my body to the shark. When you get to the island you must take my head and plant it in the garden. I promise to look after you and our family. Big brother does as he is told.
Growing up in a cold country with no coconut trees, I had no idea the coconut was used in so many ways. Juice for drinking from the green coconut, food from the meat, cream from older coconuts, building material for houses and roofs, the coconut husks are used for fire for cooking, the husks are even used to scrub the dishes clean. After the cream is squeezed from the shredded old coconuts the waste becomes food for the peoples chickens and pigs.
Sitting outside I was often made the guest of honor by being offered the only chair they owned.
The village was holding a bring and buy fund raiser for the school one day. The women bring food, others buy it and the money goes to the school. I got to try Cas Cas or something like that, it's a cat sized animal that lives in the trees, they hunt it at night because in the day it hides. Tastes like pork. I have no idea what it looks like, will have to look for a photo on the internet. Point is while I was there the head master of the school offered me his chair and sat on the ground by my feet while he explained the children's basket trading aspect of the fund raising. (everyone in the village knew I had arrived with a large bag of school supplies for the school, the headmaster told me they would be distributed at the start of next term.) I was the Guest of honor and they would not take my money for the food.
Useful trade items. Fishing line, hooks, magazines with photos, second hand clothes, second hand shoes, soap, pens pencils and books, rice, flour, cooking oil, sugar, the people here are so poor. Its hard for them to raise cash to buy things from a store. Balloons are a great hit with the children.
My experience here has been great.
I will try to post this to everyone and update my blog and webpage before setting off on the next leg. The weather is looking better, not much over 20 knots for the next week.
Indonesia here I come…
Neal Groff
S/V Full Moon
Port Moresby, PNG
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Update May 1st 2008
Full Moon in New Caledonia - again !
Ok. my latest little adventure. Months ago I met Mirjam (online crew finder web site) a nice girl (a nurse) from Holland that wanted to come on a sailing adventure with me. No sailing experience but she was keen. She met me in Coffs Harbour and we spent the next week sailing to Sydney doing day trips. She was sea sick the first two days and then got over it. I gave her sailing lessons on the way. She was happy, she got her sea legs, and was excited to go out on the big ocean. She was planning to spend the next two months with me. Mirjam brought along a care package for the island people we were going to be meeting. Its about 75 kilos of clothes for kids, material for making clothes, school supplies, tooth brushes, soap and stuff I have not gone through yet. Some of the nursing staff where she used to work donated much of it. At Sydney we spent a week stocking up the boat with fresh foods, doing some shopping, I bought a large propane bottle for the boat, checked the weather forecast, cleared out with the officials and we headed out. The next two days Mirjam is sea sick again, the weather fax maps shows a low pressure system possibly heading our way. My plan to visit Lord Howe Island was a good one. Five days out and we are anchored on the Lee side of the island. A good place to wait out nasty weather. The anchorage is very rolly with a swell from the east.
Mirjam has had enough. She has not been able to eat. This is not fun. She decides to catch a plane back to Australia and fly to Vanuatu.
Did Mirjam have a premonition about the trip? I am sort of glad that she got off the boat when she did. This last weeks sailing has not been very pleasant. Single handed again and a little depressed. The weather fax shows the low dissipating and I am on my way again. I did not look closely at the weather map. The isobars are rather close together. It was very windy for a while. Then a good day, then two very windy days.
I used a lot of shorts and tee shirts (2 or 3 a day), it seemed every time I went outside into the cockpit a wave would get me, once the salt water gets your clothes soaked they never really dry out. My spray dodger was OK at keeping the spray from getting into the cabin, it was not up to keeping out very large waves. It is now inside a locker waiting to be repaired. I took it down while it was still salvageable.
The seas were very rough. I did not like the way the boat was being tossed about, slamming down on the water after a wave would toss it up. Mid afternoon one day I took down the little sail I had up and deployed my sea anchor drogue. I am not very happy with the performance of that sea anchor. I drifted 30 miles in a little over 12 hours. Perhaps I did not have enough line out to position it on the next wave. I will have to try setting it a few times, practice with it, before I am unlucky enough to be out in those conditions again. When I deployed it I was tired, I had been in bad seas for three days and needed a break. It was also windy, say force 7, a near gale, 28-33 knots of wind. It was necessary to stuff a towel in the crack between the companionway hatch and the drop boards to stop the water from coming through when a wave would strike from the stern. I switched to my plexi glass drop boards because the wooden boards have ventilation slots that did not stop much water at all. A few days later and I decide to "heave to" with just a triple reefed main sail. There was far too much wind to use the staysail. That seemed to work better than deploying the sea anchor, I sort of held my position, with the bow sort of quartered into the waves, moving almost square to the wind, rather than being blown straight down wind. I changed the location of the towel. With the boat heading into the waves or beam to, water was being forced under the leading edge of the companionway hatch with every wave that crashed over the boat.
The ports in the head are of a most seamanship design. The windows are small, with a rubber gasket and two levers to "dog" them securely closed. It is something to see water squirt into the boat, all the way around those windows, when they are struck by a wave. The accompanying noise only adds to the experience. The seals of those ports do not leak under normal conditions. When there has been a rain, water is pooled up in the lip of the windows. I leave it to yours and my imagination, to imagine the force of the waves that broke through that watertight seal. Water in the fuel tank is not something you want to have at sea. I spent the better part of two days pumping out fuel from the tank into Jerry cans, filtering the diesel from one can to another, changing fuel filters, priming the fuel system, bleeding the system, and trying to clean and reuse the old plugged up filters.. When you need fuel filters at sea. Well you can never have too many of them. It was probably the rough conditions that stirred all the old junk up from the bottom of the tank. I will have to drain and clean it at the marina in New Caledonia. I am still not sure how water (at least 1 1/2 liters) got into the fuel tank Its Friday evening, the wind has died, I am 140 miles from New Caledonia, I am running the diesel engine, charging up the batteries and getting a little closer to my next port of call. If you don’t mind paying overtime to the officials, you can time your arrival at a new country for a Sunday. It's Saturday around noon, 90 miles to the entrance pass. There is a gentle breeze right on the nose. I am running the engine with RPM’s adjusted so I should arrive at 9 am tomorrow morning. From there its another 20 miles to Noumea and the marina. Monday morning. Spent last night at anchor about 3 miles from town in the lee of a small island. Have checked in at the marina, immigration has been to the boat and stamped my passport, quarantine has confiscated all my fresh veggie’s, fruit, eggs, salami, bacon, potatoes, cabbage and honey. I am still waiting for customs to show up. (they never did, after 2 hours waiting for them you can go to shore) Yesterday as I am navigating through the pass, an electrical socket pin broke off my hand held GPS. It still works only it can no longer be plugged into ships power or my laptop. One more thing to buy while I am here. I will keep the old one for a spare, it still gives a position and runs on AA batteries.
I suppose before I start buying stuff and had better check the exchange rate, find out how much everything is costing me in real dollars. Its 8470 pacific French francs for one week at the marina, or 1410 a night. How much is that ? Monday evening. Purchased a European electrical plug this afternoon, did some wiring, and am now plugged into 220 volt shore power. Have beer in the refrigerator and a DVD to watch tonight. I can’t get over how still the boat is. Its like I am on land. I will sleep well tonight.
The exchange for Pacific French Francs is 100 franc equals $1.31 Canadian, the marina is going to cost me about $111 for the week. I can live with that. Friday evening. I have been busy. Two more bucket loads and I will have washed every bit of laundry I own. The air in the boat no longer has that damp smell to it. I still have to reseal all the possible openings where water may get into the boat, but things are dry again. I am in good company here. Juan and Laura, S/V Talulo, that I first met in the Marqueses, were very surprised and happy to see me. They spent the cyclone season here, are heading the same way I am, and have a similar itinerary.
At a get together the other night I was telling my story of how I lost my latest crew. Dont you get it Neal ? Give it a break! just accept it! your a "Single hander !" Well I had better finish, and send this off to everyone. Its nice to be back in the tropics.
Neal S/V Full Moon
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Update 12th December 2007
Hello all: I arrived in Brisbane yesterday after a 13 day trip from Bundaberg (150 miles). The crew I took on in Bundaberg was in no real hurry, had no sailing experience, so we took our time and enjoyed the sights and some very nice anchorages.
We are now anchored in the Brisbane river, oposite the botanical gardens, in the heart of the city.
This is a BIG CITY and I had a case of culture shock after a short walk downtown.
Christmas is almost here, hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
The Crew... Full Moon at the Sydney Opera House Update 13th October 2007
Fiji to New Caledonia: What a breeze…..No really !!! The Beaufort Scale for determining the strength of the wind, terms winds 17-21 knots a "Fresh Breeze" (force 5) and wind 22-27 knots a "Strong Breeze" (force 6). I experienced a "Fresh to Strong Breeze" for most of my trip after leaving Fiji.
It was a good, steady, breeze on the beam. I sailed with two reefs in the main sail and my small staysail hoisted. My daily noon to noon runs where 138,132,125,136 and then down to 109. The last day the wind died and I had to use the engine most of the way.
At around 2am one morning my C.A.R.D. alarm started sounding. I went on deck and noticed the lights of a small cruise ship approaching from my stern. It passed by me 10 minutes later, about a mile off my starboard side. Soon after, I was fast asleep, thankful that the alarm still works.
I did not see any whales, dolphins, sea turtles or other such life on this leg of my trip. Not surprising really, as I spent most of the time inside the boat, out of the sun, reading.
I sailed right past Vanuatu. Did not even glimpse a single tall volcanic peak. It is supposed to be a very interesting group of islands (active Volcanoes) with a unique native culture. Such are the drawbacks of sailing with a schedule.
Upon arrival in Noumea, New Caledonia, I tied up to the visitor dock and waited for the officials to arrive. The official from quarantine confiscated all my fresh produce i.e. potatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, cucumbers, eggs and honey. First time that has ever happened to me. They would have also taken any fresh meat but I did not have any. This apparently will happen again when I reach Australia.
New Caledonia has big mines. Lots of ore and lots of money. Nice expensive looking houses. Two large windmill power farms that I could see on the mountain tops. Ladies walking around dressed in the latest Paris fashions. A good selection of products in the grocery shops and delicatessens. Not surprisingly, being French, the bakeries here sell good inexpensive French baguettes and a selection of French wine, cheese and pâté.
The parking lot near the marina hosts a similar venue as the water front parking area in Papeete, Tahiti, but on a much smaller scale. After dark "Le Trucks" arrive and sell take-away meals at fairly inexpensive prices. The food is good and tends to be mostly Chinese cuisine with a local flavor.. 500 to 850 francs ($5-$9) a plate.
Noumea has a large park in the center of town and lots of smaller green space parks scattered about. There are also many "snack" restaurants that sell French Baguette sandwiches (what I would have called a "sub" back home) for take-away. Just after noon it appears that half the population is sitting on the grass in the shade, having a picnic.
Today, being hot and sunny, I took a local bus to check out some of the sights. The scenery was good enough to entice me to get off the bus and walk back the entire length of the two sandy beaches we had just driven past.. Some (thank goodness not all) of the women do Sun-Tan topless here.. Ah the French !!
I left Vancouver (is it three years already?) with the old sails that were on the Full Moon when I bought her. At the time I was told that I needed new sails. Well the time has finally come. No denying it.. The two sails I use most, my smaller Genoa and the main sail have seen better days. The main sail ripped again the last day of this passage (in light wind) and the Genoa is delaminating. They served me well.
Hopefully I can find a good sail maker, willing to give me a good deal, in Australia. If not, I have found a business through the internet that will ship made to order sails free, to any international airport, anywhere in the world at a good price.
Another big expense is going to be having a new canvas dodger built. The old dodger has glued patches covering almost of the old rotting canvas, to no avail, in any sort of rain it leaks like the proverbial sieve. I have an idea for a new dodger that will provide shade over most of the cockpit and can double as a rain water collector.
Boat maintenance. A fresh coat of antifouling paint while in Australia. The Australians are sticky about this, and use an underwater camera to check if there are things growing on the boats bottom when you arrive.
So all my complaints about how expensive things were in French Polynesia, the cost of the Internet, food and a bottle of beer, is nothing compared to the bills I am going to be running up once I get to Australia.
I am starting to look at the options of where and what to do when I get to Oz.
Do I stay put at a marina for six months (I think not), or cruise down the coast to Sydney or even farther south to Tasmania? Later in the season I could cross the Tasman sea over to New Zealand and return to Fiji and Vanuatu, early in the season next year, before heading to Indonesia. Or another plan would be to do a clockwise circumnavigation of Australia. I hear Perth is nice.
Many cruisers buy an old car or van and explore the country by land, then sell the car before leaving. Something to think about, but with the cost of fuel these days I am not seriously looking at that option. Australia is a big place.
Wherever I go, it will be someplace warm and hopefully outside the area of cyclones.
A good friend, Alan, will be flying down from Vancouver on the 18th to be my crew for the leg to Australia. We will be taking part in the Port 2 Port Rally, Port Villa to Port Bundaberg, beginning Oct 20th. (I think there are about 50 yachts registered)
The direct route from here to Bundaberg is about 800 nautical miles. Midway lie the Chesterfield reefs (add 150 miles to the trip). If the anchorage and snorkeling there are anything like I experienced at Beveridge Reef, it would be a shame not to stop there. Will have to check the weather before deciding which route to take. The rally was free to join, I get a Burgee to fly from my spreader, and its supposed to be all in fun, Don’t have to be first, just don’t really want to be last..
That’s it for now.
I hope this letter finds everyone in good health, enjoying life, and having the wherewithal to pursue some of their more realistic dreams.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
Noumea, New Caledonia
(on the other side of the Pacific Ocean)
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24th September 2007 update
Hello All, This morning I was proud to have my old Tsawwassen Yacht Club Burgee hung amonst hundreds of other burgees from around the world in the "Royal Suva Yacht Clubs" clubhouse, Suva, Fiji. Will try to get a photo of it to send later.
Here is the latest update from the Log of the Full Moon.
Tonga: The Moorings has a charter base in Neiafu, on the island of Vava’u. They sell a nice chart showing the Vava’u groups popular anchorages. This is a popular yachting destination for New Zealand and Australian yachts.
The bay at Neiafu is generally deep. There are many moorings available at a cost of $10-15 per day. Some people elect to keep their boats here during the cyclone season on special, heavy, cyclone moorings.
It’s a nice town. I spent a month with short trips out to explore some of the anchorages in the area. On Sundays everything is closed except some restaurants. There are laws against working or fishing on Sunday. Men must wear a shirt in public. I did not hear of any cases of those laws being enforced. Its custom, part of the culture.
Out in the anchorages the water is crystal clear, good holding in sand, enough spots to anchor without having to get amongst the coral heads.
I spent many hours snorkeling amongst healthy living coral, an abundance of fish and did not see a single shark.
Humpback whales area common in Tonga this time of year. I did not see any breach but did see many flipper and tail slaps.
Three out four weeks the radio was broadcasting a High Wind Warning for Tonga waters. You could expect winds to peak at about 20 to 30 knots from the east daily.
For weather information I have been using software called JVComm32 to receive weather fax maps via Ham radio, saved on my laptop. No modem needed, the radio is plugged into the computer soundcard microphone jack.
More and more sailors are downloading GRIB weather files via internet, satellite phone and I think even through SailMail and their Ham radio. Software to view the Grib files show wind strength and direction arrows for every 3 hour period for up to 7 days for your region. I don’t believe the Grib file predictions beyond 3 days but they seem to be pretty close. UGRIB is a freeware grib file viewer, I am sure there are others out there.
With a good weather window I set sail for Fiji. Departed Sat Sept 8th on a broad reach, Noon to noon 1st day was 120 miles, then two days of only 80 miles. The wind had dropped and on the third day I ran the engine for 8 hours. Arrived Sept 12 around noon at Savusavu, Fiji.
The most noticeable difference between Fiji and Tonga is the large percentage of people of East Indian decent. There are many inexpensive curry restaurants. The people in both countries speak English as a second language and are nice, friendly people.
A few days later and the Full Moon was island hopping towards the Capital city of Suva. First anchorage was a 30 mile close hauled run to the island of Koro. 6 am next day and I was off on a beam reach for the 45 miles to Ngau.
I had read in numerous articles that the best time to negotiate coral waters was when the sun was high. Go west in the morning and east in the afternoon with the sun behind you. I wanted to find a clear route through the pass into Ngau during daylight, so that I could make my way back out next day at daybreak. Next days run was 55 miles to Suva
The electronic Cmap chart and my GPS did not seem to agree with what I was seeing and it took me two attempts to find the proper pass into the lagoon. Next task was to find an anchorage. The first small bay I poked into had a sandy bottom with 50 foot depth that quickly rose to 25 then 10 and ended abruptly at a shallow reef. I headed over to the next bay looking for something better.
I was looking East with the sun behind me. I could see shallow water near the shore of the bay. The depth sounder was showing 70 feet, 60, 55, 60. I was getting close to the lighter colored water up ahead. The water here is very clear and up ahead I could see the water change to a much lighter colour, but could not see the bottom. Depth sounder still showing 50 feet deep.
I was going in slow. Almost on top of the lighter colored water. It looks like its about…. REVERSE !!!! I was looking at a reef that went from 55 feet deep to about 3 feet. I think my bow was over the edge of the reef by the time the boat stopped and started backing up. That was close !!
I engaged forward again and turned parallel to the reef. There was a small village farther along of the bay, a mooring bouy and some small boats up on a sandy beach. The water looked all the same colour, a nice blue. I had gone about 75 meters when someone on shore shouted. I looked into the water beside the boat and could now see coral just feet below, beside me. I turned the wheel hard to starboard, gear in neutral, (I had steerage and did not want any more speed) the boat started an agonizingly slow turn, the water beside the boat (East) was so amazingly clear, yet I could not see into the water in front of the boat (South).
As the boat angled away from the island, so did the reef. Just when the boat was pointed 180 degrees away from the island it went up onto a piece of coral slowed and stopped, NOT on an even keel. I engaged forward, gave a shot of throttle and the boat slid off, floating again. Then a sound of the propeller hitting coral and the engine RPM slowing. I shifted again to neutral and throttled back.
Assessing the situation, I was floating with the wind pushing the boat against the side of the reef. Top of the reef was about 3 to 4 feet below the water. There was no swell or waves in the bay, just a steady wind holding me where I was. It also looked like there was a piece of reef between the keel and the rudder. I did not dare engage the engine for risk damaging the prop or rudder.
The water on the side opposite the reef fell rapidly to 60 feet depth. I decided that using a kedging anchor was not the thing to do at this time.
I lowered the swim ladder, passed the leg of my 2HP outboard through a rung and clamped the outboard to another rung. A pull of the starter cord, a little throttle and I was moving away from the reef. Something like a bow thruster, only this was from the stern.
Safely at anchor in the first bay I had checked, I donned snorkel gear and checked for damage. The paint was scraped on the bottom of the keel and part of an edge of the prop appeared a little brighter than the blades.
The next time I come into an anchorage like that I will be wearing polarized sunglasses. There was an amazing difference in visibility looking east or south. The sun had been in the west. It was about 4pm.
What saved me was that I went in SLOW !! Of course a crew member on the bow is the thing to have, I’m still looking.
The Charts do show the reefs. I just never imagined they went up so steeply. “It wasn’t like that in Tonga” is no excuse. A couple of lessons learned.
Suva A big city. Its on the windward side and gets a lot of rain. I am heading around to the drier side in a couple days. Just a little more shopping to do. The public market here is the largest in the South Pacific.
As far as future plans, I applied for and received a two year, multiple entry tourist visa for Australia a few days ago (had to go to the Australian Embassy here in Suva). The Full Moon will soon be heading to join this years Port2port rally from Vanuatu and New Caledonia to Bundaberg Australia Oct 20 to 31st.
Plans are to explore some of Australia while waiting out the cyclone season.
2008 may see me cruising Indonesia.
That’s it for now.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
Cal 2-29
Cruising Fiji
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1st August 2007 update
Hello one and all.
The following first part of this “Log of the FULL MOON” was written while underway and the battery was being charged.
Its been a while. Lots of water under the keel. After leaving the Island of Bora Bora my next stop was at Aitutaki. It is one of the Cook Islands (New Zealand). It sure was nice to hear people talking in a language I could understand.
I enjoyed 9 days on the island. A popular form of transportation is small motor scooters. I rented one for $25 a day and explored the island as much as I could. To fully explore the lagoon and smaller islands you need a fast moter boat or some extra cash to go on a guided tour. I had neither. The lagoon is too shallow for sailboats like mine.
I have a self imposed rule regarding dingy trips. I try to never go farther in the dingy with the engine (my little 2 horse power) than I would care to travel back rowing. (in case of problems with the outboard) When I arrived at Aitutaki I noticed a familiar boat. Dave, another single hander, from the boat FREE SPIRIT, was there. I first met Dave at La Paz, Mexico a couple years ago. Then a few days later Rob and his wife on PACIFIC SPIRIT arrived. I had met Rob in Ecuador while he was waiting for his wife to join him from Chile.
Dave has not been having a good trip. His mainsail was in taters and one of his foresails was also blown into ribbons. He was shopping on the internet and trying to get a new sail delivered to him. I suppose he did not reef his sails down before going to sleep at night, but I did not question him further about it, (he said he woke up to find his sails wrecked) only to say that I have had no major problems, knock on wood.
With a dozen cans of Fosters beer and a stalk of bananas on board I headed next to Palmerston atoll. The islands of the atoll were settled in 1863 by William Marsters and his three wives. There are now thousands of his descendants spread in many countries of the globe. The stalk of bananas was given to me by a lady in Aitutaki to take to her cousin on Palmerston. At the time I did not know the rest of the story or I would have more supplies on board for the people there.
Bob and Upua Marsters were my hosts on Palmerston. They came out in a small boat and showed me where to anchor, took me ashore, and invited me to lunch each day. One day I was treated to fresh caught Lobster (pacific crayfish). Very nice people.
These people get supplies sent to them by ship that is scheduled to arrive every 3 months or so. No airport. If you want to leave the island you get on the supply ship and the earliest you can get back is three months. They have to plan ahead for supplies. They order stuff from stores sight unseen.
I was asked if I knew anyone on a yacht that might be coming to the island, would those people maybe have room to bring some fresh vegetables for them? I gave them the names of two boats I knew that were at Aitutaki. What a way to live. There are no stores at all on the island. The people get fish from the sea, coconuts from the trees. Not much else grows in the sandy soil, everything else must be shipped in. The islands get hit by cyclones almost every year. The houses have ropes to hold the roof frames down, they collect rain water for drinking from the gutters of the sheet metal roofs. When a cyclone is approaching they take the metal off the roofs and tie the pieces together so they don’t blow away or kill someone.
Living in paradise sure has its price.
Next stop was three days travel. A small place called Beveridge Reef. Beveridge reef is a sunken atoll. An ancient volcano that has been eroded away and or sunk, leaving only the built up outer coral reef. Even at low tide there is no land above the water level. The entire area is under water. In the center of the lagoon the water is about 30-40 feet deep, near the reef 10 to 20 feet, you can walk along the edge of the reef in a foot or so of water. Perfect for anchoring. The reef breaks up the waves from outside provided a calm location.
The water is crystal clear, the reef alive with coral and many fish. Snorkeling was excellent. We explored the recent wreck of a fishing boat, got a dozen tasty soldier fish spear fishing, got 10 crayfish (pacific lobster), one, the largest, caught by my friend, fed four of us, IT WAS HUGE !!!
There were just three boats in the atoll. A couple on a 60 foot sailboat, my buddy boat from Turkey, and the Full Moon. On the first evening we were all sitting in the Turkish boats cockpit, watching the sunset. The conditions were perfect, clear sky, no clouds, calm water. Beth, from the large boat “Eagles Wings”, and I, both witnessed the GREEN FLASH, just as the sun set. That was my first time seeing the green flash after watching countless sunsets.
THE WEATHER !!!! It changed….. There was a GALE !!! The wind blew at speeds of 20 to 30 knots for 3 days, with gusts of over 40. I had set up my wind generator to make use of the wind. I was finally using my water maker and had the Ham radio going to get the latest weather reports. One morning I woke up and noticed that things were quiet in a different sort of way. During the night the lock washers on the bolts that hold wind blade part of the generator had come loose. The entire wind blade assembly must have taken off and sailed away like a giant Frisbee. Good thing it did not hit a boat or anyone, it could have killed someone or caused major damage.
I really would have like to have seen that thing take off, It must have been a sight, the wind was sure blowing
I still have the water tow behind part for the generator, will probably order the wind blade attachment when I get to New Zealand or someplace where I am going to be for a while.
Finally, after seven days the forecast is good, the gale has blown itself out, seas are not so bad, so its off to the island of Niue, 130 miles away.
…………………………………………….. Next part This next part was written while tied up to a mooring in Nuie, running off the now, fully charged, batteries. (I had to use the engine to get here, as the wind almost totally died after the storm passed) Nuie: The water is far to deep to anchor in the bay at Nuie. The yacht club here (none of the members on the island own yachts) have installed moorings for visiting yachts. The moorings are large concrete blocks for anchors set in the seabed with big anchor chains attached to a float to tie up to. However if the wind shifts and comes from the west most boaters find the waves and swell too uncomfortable, and leave right away. Fortunately this is the trade wind season and the wind usually comes from the east, the mooring area sheltered by the island.
The yacht club has a wireless internet service free to visiting yachts that join the club ($20). For some reason my laptop will not connect to their system. This is a bit of a sore point to me, once being employed as a network administrator/computer expert for an engineering company, and somewhat up on that sort of technology. I suspect their password access system is for later versions of windows, I am still using windows 98 on a pre 98 laptop. Time to get a new computer with built in wireless.
Whales….
The whales are in this part of the ocean for the breeding/birthing season. While at Palmerston I saw a couple of whales a few hundred meters away. This morning I heard a whale blow, got out into the cockpit, and saw a plume of spray from the other side of the boat beside me. Then another plume of spray and a large humpback whale surfaced not 10 yards from the other boat. It raised its tail and slowly dove under the surface. Tomorrow I will have my camera ready.
There are tours here, and I believe in Tonga, where you can swim with the whales. Let me rephrase that, where other people can swim with the whales.
I now snorkel with a spear gun in hand, and have had the odd shark (the non dangerous, but curious kind, or so I have been told) circle around me. It is prudent, when spearing a fish for the supper table, to get its bleeding body out of the water and into the dingy (away from you), as fast as you can.
Nuie…
Getting back to the people here…. Everyone I have met since arriving in the English speaking part of the South Pacific islands, have been very nice and very friendly. I suppose the people in the French speaking part were as well, but I just could not talk their language. Too bad.
Today I met the premier of Nuie. He told me he has a sister living in Ontario and once flew over Niagara Falls while on a visit to Canada. Nice man.
OK that’s the latest update. I will save this to a memory stick and send it off from the internet café tomorrow. Best wishes, hope life is treating everyone OK, wish you could be here, I am meeting lots of nice people, hope you are too. Neal
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Hello ALL:
I have been 2 months in French Polynesia. Its Very nice, just like the photos in the Travel agents window. Very Expensive. I plan on leaving Bora Bora tomorrow, as there is a favorable weather forecast for the next leg few days. Next major destination is Tonga. I am planning stops at the islands of Manuae (society islands, Tahiti, 130 miles), Aitutaki (Cook Islands, +360), Palmerston Atol (Cook Islands, +200), Niue (perhaps internet there?, +380) reaching Tonga (+240) in about a month/ month and a half, or so. Its 1300 miles or 12-14 days sailing at 100 ± miles per day with good winds, but I plan on stopping for up to a week at the more interesting islands along the way. Hope this quick note finds everyone enjoying the long weekend. Neal Groff
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Update 25th May 2007
Hello ALL:
Full Moon is at S 17 32.422’ W 149 31.208’ tied up med moor style to the quay at Papeete harbour, Tahiti.
It’s a busy spot with tourists walking along the boardwalk, with a view into the cabin of the boat. OK if you want to chat with the folks that stop, not a place for privacy. The scenery is a nice change from the open ocean.
The trip from the Marqeses to the Tuamotu Atolls took me 5 days. There was about 10 to 15 knots of wind and many many squalls. I got tired of putting in reefs in the main and then letting them out. I ended up running with 2 reefs in the main and my small staysail most of the way.
I hove to for the last night and then entered the pass into Manihi Atoll in the morning. The patches of coral were easy to spot, and I had no problems making my way across the lagoon to the anchorage.
I spent 4 days there, relaxing, and snorkeling in very clear clean water. A single handed sailor that I went snorkeling with, manged to spear some fish (grouper) and one night we barbequed them on my barbeque, another night he cooked some in his boat along with some octopus he caught.
The trip from the atolls to Tahiti was calm. I used the diesel engine almost the entire way. I buddy boated with the single hander. His girl friend is arriving by plane tomorrow so he a schedule to keep. I figure I burned over $100 worth of diesel. That’s the way it goes, no sense complaining that there is too much wind or not enough or its on the nose.
We arrived at Tahiti at 9:30 last night and we choose to anchor in the bay SW of Venus Point rather than try to come into the harbour in the dark. My electronic charts were right on with my GPS and we had no problem finding a place to anchor and to avoiding the coral reefs in the dark.
Its Sunday here so I will do the official check in tomorrow.
I am off to do some walking, get my land legs back.
Neal
S/V FULL MOON
Papeete Tahiti
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Update 3rd May 2007
Hello from the French Marquises Islands. The passage took me 30 days to cover 3178 nautical miles from the Galapagos. It was an experience I will never forget. I can’t wait to circumnavigate the globe so I can do it again. Great sailing.
Learned how to bake bread in a pressure cooker. 2000 miles sailing straight down wind, Wing on Wing. Talk about getting away from all. At one point the closest land was over 1250 miles away.
I had to stop for a couple hours after almost 3 weeks and clean the goose barnacles off the hull. They where thick and slowing me down. Here at anchor I cleaned one side of the boats water line one day, then the other side. I had stuff growing 2 feet above the normal water line. When I dove down to do the bottom the fish had eaten off the barnacles and the bottom looked great. Nice and clean, thank you fish, come by anytime.
This has been the first time in my life since I was old enough to get a regular allowance, that I have gone 30 days without spending a cent!. Now that I am here, the people do not want money, they want to trade!!!!!
I have been anchored at Baie Hanavave “Bay of Virgins” on the island of Fatu Hiva for 5 days now. This is NOT a Port of Entry. Yesterday I got stung on the hand by a Bee and this morning my hand was quite swollen. The medical clinic here is free and the nurse there bandaged my hand and gave me what I think is aspirin. Later today I met the Gendarmerie (Police) outside the only store.
Go here for a site of interest (webmaster insert)
He asked me if I had checked in at the main port and did I have a passport. No and yes but it is on the boat. OK you have leave tomorrow and check in at Hiva Oa. OK will do as soon as my hand is better. I think we agreed that 3 days should do it.
When I check in at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa I will most likely be given a 30 day visa. I am sort of not in a hurry to start the clock running.
I have so far hiked up to a waterfall, picked windfall mango’s and lemons, watched the locals play soccer against a neighboring villages team, traded fish hooks, a pirate copy of Bob Marley CD, rope and sunglasses for chicken, fish, bananas, pompanoose (large grapefruit), oranges, lemons, French bread, rice, sugar and cigarettes. An empty 20 liter water bottle got me a tapa cloth piece of art work and an old set of binoculars was traded for a carved rosewood mask.
Its been lots of fun so far. Lots of boats here. Two or three arriving and leaving every day. The ones that come in with green hulls just arrived like I did, the clean ones have checked in at the big island, cleaned the boat, and are playing by the rules. Its about half and half. Three boats from Canada here today out of maybe 15. When I got here there were 8 boats, one that I knew from Mexico and then two others that I had met in the Galapagos.
Two nights ago a young native lady at the dock invited me to come to her house for supper. She said it would cost me $1000 francs. Its 80 francs for $1 US. so $12.50. OK. So I show up at the dock at 6pm and here is the rest of fleet of cruisers (about 20 of us) waiting to be taken to her house. We had a good evening, got to meet other folks on the different boats and had a good local meal. Chicken, fish marinated in coconut, breadfruit, something like a yam, fried banana and rice.
Last night I was invited to another household for supper, people I met trading, where I was served about the same foods but in a family setting. The kids here go to Hiva Oa for high school and then Tahiti for university. Schooling is free. Very nice people.
This island is up wind from Hiva Oa so it’s a battle to get here from there. Better to land here first. Many cruising books rate this as one of the most beautiful anchorages in the South Pacific and the nicest of the Marquises.
There is no internet on this Island and I have been told that at Hiva Oa its Slow and very expensive. Hope this mass email to everyone is OK, you will have to wait till faster, cheaper connections for photos.
I do miss cold drinks. They do not sell Ice here. At the moment I have a can of beer (from Ecuador, that I traded for with a cruiser that does not drink much) sitting in a dish with a wet cloth wrapped around it, hoping that evaporation will cool it down some. There is also a coconut sitting in another dish of water, rum and coconut milk or warm/cool beer, If I cant decide which is coldest I will have them both.
Arrived Sunday at Hiva Oa. Everything was closed except for a couple restaurants. Spent 1350 Francs for a hamburger, fries and a cold beer. About $17 US. Will not be doing that often. Tomorrow will check in with the Officials and try to send some emails. Have heard there is one computer with email at the post office. At a hotel here they charge $25 US per hour to plug in your own computer for internet access. Don’t know yet what the charge is at the post office, something to do with phone card rates I have heard.
So sorry once again for this mass e mail account of my voyage. Will get more personal when I internet access is better (and cheaper)
Please send me no jokes, forwards of jokes, photos or other things that take a long time to download for a while. Thanks.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
HIVA OHA
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20th March 2007 I am sitting here with the sun shining through the companionway right into my eyes trying to see enough of the screen to write this letter.
Galapagos Islands. Been there, done that. Tomorrow is the big day.
These past 2 and a half years have led up to this next and longest leg of my journey. This is the longest leg of any round the world sailing trip. Three thousand nautical miles. More than the distance from the Bahamas to the Canary Islands on an Atlantic crossing. May take me more than a month.
I just did a count. There are 27 sailboats here, most I am sure are heading to the South Pacific.
I made two trips to the local market today, last minute provisions of fresh bread, eggs, fruits and vegetables now stored aboard. The choices were a little scanty, the prices double from the mainland. Thank goodness I loaded up with canned supplies.
I paid $7 each for four 20 liter bottles of purified drinking water. I needed the bottles as my tanks where already full, otherwise I could have returned them and got my $5 deposit back.. Am now carrying 45gallons of fresh water and am going to hate to use the good stuff for taking a shower. Hope I can collect some rainwater along the way. I want to see if I can do this trip without using my watermaker, I consider it a backup unit, for emergency use only.
More on the Galapagos. Yesterday I shared a taxi with another single-handed sailor and we went on an inland tour. We walked through huge Lava tunnels and then later hiked around in a tortoise reserve. I spotted the first giant tortoise sleeping in the shade in a thicket of brush, Bernard spotted the next sleeping in the shade in a small pond of water.
The Taxi cost us $2 each to go to the Lava tubes, the next taxi cost us $10 each to take us to the tortoise reserve (a long way on a rough road) and then back to town. The driver waited an hour while we went on our hike. An organized tour through an agent would have cost us $35 each.
At the fish cleaning station where local fishermen clean their catch I watched as a small sea lion begged for
scraps. The fishermen have to put up with pelicans, sea lions, and even a great blue heron looking for an easy meal. At one point the sea lion chased away a large dog that got too close.
The tamarind (an edible fruit) tree at the park was very striking with its beautiful red flowers.
At the dock barges unload supplies from the small freighters that anchor in the bay. Today I saw a pickup truck on a barge; guess they were waiting for the tide to rise so they could drive it off, onto the dock. There are no cranes at the dock and everything is unloaded by hand. No surprise things on the islands cost so much more than on the mainland.
The giant tortoise with his neck extended is Lonesome George. He is the only surviving member of the Isla Pinta sub-species of giant tortoise. The tortoise breeding station here is doing its best to incubate eggs and raise tortoises from the different islands, then reintroduce them to their native habitats, much of it damaged early settlers, goats and other introduced species. Unfortunately for George, there are no females of his kind remaining. The scientists tried putting other females of a different species in with him but he just was not interested. What did they hope to accomplish with that anyway?
I managed to spot a few different species of Darwin's finches. The differences in their beaks are very noticeable. It was the finches, not the tortoises, which were the proof Darwin needed to form his theory of Evolution.
That's about it. Tomorrow I get my passport stamped, fill up the Ice box and I am on my way.
Will write again in when I next see an internet cafe. I am thinking of stopping at Isla Isabela on my way out. They only sell bottled beer on this island and charge a $1 deposit per bottle. On Isabela they sell cans of beer with no deposit.
Neal Groff
March 2007. Hello all:
It took 8 days of sailing really SLOW with NO wind to speak of. Thank God
there was a current going my way!
Am now doing the paper work shuffle with the port captain, trying to get a
permit to visit the park. Going to cost $125, same price as the permit would have cost on the mainland but without the 30 day wait. (Down from the $250 he wanted to charge me) At anchor in the Galapagos
As I sit here contemplating the hours of the last week I hear an odd noise just outside the hull. Bubbles. Bubbles breaking the surface of the water. In my two years of living on my boat I have never heard anything like it. Can you guess what it is?
Its now the evening of the following day. I just spent the evening with crews from two boats from of Australia, having Pizza at a Restaurant. My small pizza was $8.50 and not bad but for another $1.50 I could have had Lobster. Next time. Neils Photos from the Galapagos December 2006 Saturday December 16 2006. Departed Isla Flamenco anchorage a little late
in the morning. 11:40. Had to take one last fresh water shower and get another bag of ice.
With the music turned up we motored over to Isla Tobago where we grabbed a mooring ball. Time to clean the bottom and prop. Chore completed we quickly got tired of hearing the music from the other partying boats and set sail for the perlas islands.
Great wind sailed off on a beam reach. Having problems with autopilot cutting out and going on standby.
We anchored at 23:59 off the S.E. side of Isla San José.
Sunday Dec 17. Awoke in the morning to the sound of surf beating the reef 100 yards South of us. Quickly raised the anchor and motored to a better anchorage off a nice beach. Took photos of house on cliff top over a large sea cave. Changed belt in autopilot.
Swam ashore with snorkel gear and walked along the sand.
Raised the anchor and set sail around noon. Still having problems with the autopilot. It wants to cut out and go on standby mode. Winds and waves increased in strength and size. Laid a hull and both of us got some sleep.
Monday Dec 18. At first light fishing boat hailed us and asked if we were having trouble. No Problems we answered, have a nice day. Installed heavy gauge wire to feed autopilot. Ran engine for an hour to charge battery. Problem with autopilot appears fixed.
Deployed water generator. Creating electricity after boats gets up to
around 4 knots. Water is full of floating bits of garbage, mostly plastic with the odd floating shoe mixed in.
Tues, Wed, Thurs, Friday, Sat, Sun. Underway. Good steady wind. On a beam reach till about 83 degrees W. Then changed to close hauled Port tack as winds shifted to the S.W.
Great food is making it much easier to maintain a good spirit on this
voyage. No hot dogs on this trip. Tortas, shookshooka, pasta with clam sauce, and rice with sausage curry were only some of the culinary delights.
Most nights under full sail except for two right at the ITCZ..
Had a fantastic display of Bioluminescence from a dozen dolphins that
played at the bow of the boat one night. For at least half an hour they swam with us. Marianne and I both looking down on them stationed at the pulpit. It was magical, something legends of mermaids are made from.
Have a good watch system worked out. We don't have one. Come evening one
of us will volunteer to go to sleep. When the other gets tired and can no longer stand watch we wake the other up. Both of us have had a good 6 hours of sleep this way. We have a count down timer set for 20 minutes that we can use if we want to nod off for a few minutes when all is well and things are steady.
Water generator is making bad bearing sounds, gets stuck and will not
spin. Pulled it in and put it away. Play music when engine is running.
Took advantage of a calm, dropped all sails and went for a swim in the
most amazingly clear clean water.
Winds for first four days were from the north. After crossing the ITCZ at
about 5 degrees north the winds got light and variable then increased in strength and became a steady wind from the SW. At the same time sky went from clear and sunny, to overcast with squalls then cleared up again as we got farther from the zone. On two occasions I dropped all sail in anticipation of squalls that did not hit us. Instructions to crew are to wake me if anything changes. On most watches nothing does.
Marianne woke me twice when she noticed a dark star-less area in the night
sky. One morning I was told that during the night we hit another sailboat. Nothing important she says, so I did not wake you. Ran engine a few hours with wind on the nose trying to get more westing. In the middle of the passage we had a small shore bird, perhaps a species
of finch, take refuge in the boat. It drank some fresh water I offered it but did not fancy granola bar crumbs. It flew away from the boat 5 or 6 times looking for land but always returned. It became very tame, landing on my head and sitting on my finger. In the morning I found it dead in the corner of the V berth.
Boat is just flying along at 6 to 6 ½ knots under full sail. Rail gets buried occasionally. Too say it is difficult to walk around inside the boat would be an understatement. Dropped the foresail to slow the boat down one night to make it easier to sleep. Still doing 3 to 4 knots with just the main.
Marianne had a gull become friendly with her one morning on her watch.
Crossed Equator at 12 minutes past midnight Dec 25th. Liberal Salutations were offered to Poseidon and the other gods for a safe trip.
Monday Dec 25th. Anchored in waiting room Bahia De Caraquez at 14:40
Tues Dec 26th. Pilot arrived at 6:30 am to take us in. High tide at 8am.
Total engine time 39 hours. Under sail 185 hours. Total 750 nautical
miles. Neal Groff S/V FULL MOON Please send us periodic updates
about your cruising destinations We will publish them in the TYC web site.
Webmaster
With three days to go I received a phone call from a friend asking if I wanted crew. Seems he had met a girl that wanted to try sailing and his skipper did not want to take on inexperienced crew. Introductions were made, a short interview on my boat, and she was off to try to get her visa before the deadline.
Supplies and new crew onboard, last minute shopping finished, we are the last boat off the beach.
The wind and currents good for sailing, the new crew was soon feeding the fish. She finally was able to hold something down on her third day, and was soon enjoying the trip, finally able to start cooking some excellent meals.
I made a radio call to a neighboring boat to ask if he knew the owners of the boat and did he remember it being there before. As we are talking I become convinced that it was rapidly getting closer to me, dragging its anchor. I call a mayday, ask for assistance, this boat will end up on the rocks within a very short time.
I start my engine and try to get out of the path of this boat. We come very close to a collision. The other much bigger boat has hooked my anchor chain and there is a very real possibility of it dragging both of us on to the rocks. Help arrives and two men board the other vessel and succeed in starting its engine.
Disaster averted, my anchor reset. I sit and have a cold beer. Welcome to Indonesia.
Well I had nothing better to do. I ended up spending a few hours with her. We took the Bemo, a small van they use for buses, to her house, where I met her other sisters and her mother and father.
The girl's father is a retired government official, still involved with improving the education system in this country. The house was very nice, brick construction, solid and full of good quality furnishings.
A refreshment of a drink made with palm sugar was served and a half hour of talking with the family. Next we took a bemo to the public market, she showed me a good restaurant (closed it being Sunday) and then apologized that she would have to leave me as it was time to go to Church.
What a stroke of good luck meeting such a very nice girl. I wonder if the rest of the people here are so innocent.
Most people cook with wood fires. The small restaurants will cook up a batch of food and leave it on display in the window. You pick what you want and can only guess how long it has been sitting there. I am hoping the next place has a cook it after you order place to eat, and a market where I can buy some fresh produce. Chances of internet are slim.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia
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That Volcano was one of my reasons for coming back this way. The way things worked the wind was from the north east and made the anchorage dangerous so I had to bypass it. The day after my friends left Tana they broke the mast of their boat and were exploring the options to get a new one. I heard they decided to use their engine and motor to New Caledonia where there is a small ship yard.
I only stayed a few days till I repaired the shrouds. A stainless steel bolt that goes through the mast had snapped. Diesel about $2 US per liter and I had used about 100 liters. Much cheaper than having a new mast shipped to me.
Chewing beetle nut (a seed from a type of palm tree) requires two other ingredients to release the narcotic from the seed. The people here chew it with a little mustard seed pod (or if no pods then the leaves will do) and lime powder that they make by burning coral. Chew it all together, the lime cooks it in your mouth and it turns red. Then they spit.
In this circumstance, I believe it truly is better to give than to receive. A dug out canoe would come by the boat, if there was a very young boy or girl in the canoe I called them over and had them pick out a doll from my bag of dolls, "only one" I had to say. A present. It did not take long before I had lots of visitors. It was fun.
From the spot where he planted his little brother's head a tall tree grew. The first season that the tree bore fruit there were only two coconuts. (The two brothers) The big brother looked at the coconut, noticed the two round hard eyes and the one soft mouth. This is my brother he said, and kissed the mouth of the coconut, then he poked the soft hole and drank. Thank you my brother.
I did not take any pictures. The peoples teeth are stained red. I could not get up the nerve to take a photo of their smiling faces.
The houses are built up in the air on posts, made of sticks and palm thatched roofs. Inside you sit on the floor on a woven mat.
No furnishings, no beds, people sleep on the floor. Its better, I was told, to build up off the ground. Then the rubbish falls through the spaces in the floor. Under the house is enough room to stand and sweep, or if the chickens and pigs are fast they eat up any food scraps that might come their way.
The school children are taught the importance of keeping things clean, no rubbish that could be breeding grounds for malarial passing mosquitoes. Everyday I noticed people sweeping around their houses.
A smile says so much, I have learned so very much, about others, and myself.
Tomorrow I want to get the water line cleaned and install the bolt for the forward lower shrouds, do the laundry, find a pair of pliers to replace the set I dropped in the sea. Then try to find how to get duty free goods (rum, wine, beer and diesel) before stocking up the boat with fresh food and checking out.
I am now patiently waiting for the sun to go down, and "le truck’s" to appear in the parking lot with their gastronomical delights. Lunch today was of course a fresh baguette.
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S/V FULL MOON
Galapagos Islands 20th March 2007
FULL MOON is in the Galapagos Islands!!!!!
Plan on spending 8 days in each of the two main anchorages, a day or two at post office bay and then head for the French Marqueses.
Have allready started looking for fresh provisions, diesel and water to stock up for the trip. I figure I burned about 15 gals on the way over here and used 5 gals of fresh water.
The Ocean water is clear and cold. At night I had to use a blanket. But it sure is nice durring the day.
Have lots to do. Will keep you posted, got to go find a big turtle.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
Galapagos Islands
For those of you interested follow this link for information on the Galapogas Islands (Webmaster)
Sea Lions.
They are blowing bubbles beside the boat.
Today I watched as a sea lion successfully climbed up the stern of a neighbors boat and settled in for a nap. Surprise!, surprise!, surprise!, when my neighbor came out to investigate the noise.
While it is not against any man made rules, people here do not take their dingy to shore. Instead they call for a water Taxi. Its 50 cents one way, $1 after dark. So lets say I make two round trips a day, thats $2. In Panama it was $5 a day to use the dingy dock.
Its not because of the worry of theft that people choose this method of travel between boat and shore. It’s the sea lions that take up residence in your dingy that are the problem!
How do you convince a large male sea lion, one protecting HIS TURF and HIS HAREM that he has to vacate your nice comfortable dingy?
I took a couple movie clips of children swimming with both mother and pup seal lions nearby. They are very tame, like most of the creatures of the Galapagos, they do not have and instinctive fear of man.
A snorkeling tour is offered here, I am still sort of thinking about doing it, where you get to swim with sharks. For some reason no human has ever been injured by a shark in these waters.
OK I have thought about it.
NO WAY!!!! NOT FOR ME!!! I will sail my boat around the world, but you are not going to get me to go into the water with sharks!!!! NO WAY, NO HOW!!!
There is an interpretive center just a kilometer or so away. On a path nearby I saw a small lizard sort of creature doing the classic head bobbing, pushup sort of motions. Very Cool. It was not weary of me at all.
The price of most items in the stores has just about doubled compared to the mainland. It now costs $2 for a large 650ml beer at a bar compared to $1. Still not too bad. Getting closer to North American prices. A lunch special at a restaurant is $2 where on the mainland it was $1.25 to $1.50.
When I got here I was the 5th boat. Today there are 9. The Coconut Milk Run is on.
Tomorrow I am spending $35 to go on an inland tour with cruisers from 2 other boats. An english speaking local came out to the boat shortly after I arrived to introduce me to the area, show me where the Port Captains Office was, and offer his services if I needed any diesel, water or provisioning. He has also organized an inland tour of the island with an included meal at a upscale waterfront restaurant. I hope to take lots of photos.
Till later
Neal
The inland tour today was pretty good, only drawback was that the guide did not speak English. There were 5 of us in a pickup truck, the driver made 6. A young woman from Switzerland and I rode in the back of the truck, sitting on a bed mattress for a cushion. No seat belt laws here.
We drove almost the length of the island. Stopped at a Tortoise breeding center, climbed a hill to a lookout, then to a volcanic cone and walked around the lake in the crater, drove to another lookout point, then to a rocky beach to see the marine Iguanas. Ended up back at a restaurant for lunch. Beer not included.
It is obvious that these are Volcanic Islands. The rocks are all old Lava, with a red tint to it. Many of the plants here are thorny. Not many large trees. Its now the end of the rainy season here and everything is nice and green.
The Group I was with were an Australian couple, the Swiss girl, and a single-handed sailor from Austria. Everyone spoke English except the driver. Still not a bad deal for $35. Covered the entire Island.
The two boats from Australia and the other from Austria all had sea lions on their boats last night. They would chase them off but they kept coming back. I figure the folded up swim ladder and outboard engine I have on my stern makes it too difficult for them to consider my boat for a sleeping platform. (Knocking on Wood)
More boats have come in again today. Will have to count them tomorrow.
The water taxi service only runs till 8pm. Have no idea what, if any, night life there is here. The next island (Santa Cruz) is supposed to be the party spot.
The phone lines and internet connection here is very bad and slow. Have many photos but do not know if I am going to be able to send them.
Till I write again.
Neal Groff
S/V FULL MOON
Galapagos Islands
Wreck Bay
Marine Iguana
View
Neal and Tortoise
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Panama to Ecuador
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