suzi sets sail

The Beginning - January 2007

2009-01-15T07:21:00.001Z

Less than 12 months ago I packed my rucksack and travelled around Costa Rica for three weeks in a vein attempt to cure a bad case of itchy feet. Unbeknown to me the travel bug was incurable and the trip fed my appetite for more!

Lying on a beach in Tamarindo on the Pacific Coast, engrossed in Ellen MacArthers autobiography, I had my first meeting with "Bobby". Considering Ellen is my inspiration as one best yacht women in the UK, it took more than a typical guy to distract me. Yes I know, prior to this I had never even sailed as far as the Isle of Wight, but hey, any woman who climbs a mast in freak weather conditions deserves attention. Never know, that could be me in a few months….probably waving a rescue beacon!

Bobby, the blonde surfer from San Diego with the chat up line of "That’s my boat over there & I'm sailing round the world", immediately caught my eye.

I spent the rest of my holiday sailing down the Pacific Coast aboard Bobby's boat, Barraveigh a 41 foot Jeanneau. Having returned home and with my tan fading, I promptly rejoined him a few months later in Panama.

I'm packing my bags again, this time it’s a one way ticket, with the final destination and return date unknown! It’s going to be a challenge, & thats just trying to overcome the airlines weight restrictions! I’m sure the rest of the trip will be a breeze - who am I kidding! The trials and tribulations I have faced so far include; how many bikinis do I need and whether Bobby will see mascara as an essential item? Silly question, of course it is!!

I promise to send regular updates throughout my intrepid adventure from life aboard Barraveigh. Fingers crossed my supply of Cadbury’s will see me through the difficult times on the ocean but the challenges will only make the magical moments all the more breathtaking.
I’m ready to navigate my way through the steep learning curves (that’s for you Dad!) and attempt recipes for meals when I have no ingredients.

For now its back to the packing…

To continue reading stories from life onboard Barraveigh click on the relevant date on the righthand side of the screen

The End of a Chapter

2009-01-10T15:58:00.000Z

It is time to come home & rejoin the real world.

I’ve sailed half way around the world! A major achievement. An achievement that seems so unreal, that has changed my life & will alter my future in so ways they are impossible to quantify.

I have come home a sailor but I am still Suzanne Roberts, the girl who loves heels & handbags as much as her flip flops & foul weather gear; who will love celebrating with friends over cocktails & champagne as much as a walk along a cold, windy Sussex seafront sharing a mug of hot chocolate at Sea Lane Café. I am proud of the person I was, what I have achieved, the person I have become & the person I still am.

This trip has achieved so many things, on levels that are impossible to put into words, but its time to go home, embrace my life on land, my family & my friends. Achieving this dream is a huge high but it hasn't been without its costs both financially & emotionally. I’m not even sure how to mention Bobby or Barraveigh without feeling a huge loss. Words cannot describe the journey we have been on. I will treasure every memory, both good & bad, forever. My respect for Bobby is beyond words & we are by no means parting as enemies. The experiences we have been through ensures we are bound together as friends. To hear stories of the next leg & the rest of the world that awaits them will be hard to do without feeling a little jealously or a twinge of envy, but the choice to come home is the right one. The Suzi Set Sail chapter has come to an end & it is time to begin another chapter in my life.

Dreams are worthless without friends or family. The people who knew the real you, the you you don’t have to explain, who know your faults & your past yet are still there to hold your hand. Never misjudge how important those people are in your life. Achieving this dream without you all just wouldn't be the same.

Rules of the road Bali Style!

2009-01-02T00:45:00.000Z

Rule number one - discard the Highway Code it does not apply here. The traffic is an organised chaos. It looks daunting when you first arrive but amazingly with 100's of moped on the road it run pretty smoothly.

2. There is no speed limit but going slow is not an option.

3. The more people on a moped the safer they seem to think it is. A family of 5 including a new born baby, on one moped is a common sight.

4. Traffic blocked up at a junction, no problem just create your own lane including using the grassy verges

5. When wearing traditional dress ladies must ride side saddle

6. When in traditional dress no helmets are required, the gods protect you.

7. At all other times only the driver must wear a helmet. Helmets are optional for all other passengers.

8. The horn is an essential piece of equipment & must be sounded at 1 minute intervals.

9. Never think someone is flashing their lights to give way, they are telling you to get out of the way pronto

10. The carrying of equipment on a moped is also a must, outboard motors, lawn mowers, huge flat screen tv's with of course the entire family also on board!

11. No need to look prior to pulling out at a junction, just hope the gods are looking after you & the traffic will stop

12. Do not give way to anyone on the road. Slightly concerning when used in conjunction with number 11.

13. No age requirement to ride a scooter.

14. If you are Western do not stop at the scene of an accident you are not involved in. You will find yourself implicated in the accident & hit up for the hospital bills of the injured person.

15. Do not let your front wheels touch or go over the stop line at a junction. The police love to fine you for this or rather hit you up for a bribe.

16. Do not stop for a policeman that is waving you down. Wave back & pretend you thought he was waving at you. They see a Western face & know they are going to be able to line their pockets.

17. Overtaking maybe done in any lane & undertaking is preferable

18. Oneway streets do not apply to mopeds & they should also feel free to use the pavement

19. Lights on mopeds are voluntary

20. There is no suck thing as a driving test!!!

Despite all that I'm enjoying driving about Bali in my little jeep. No major problems other than bartering with the police for my "non official fines" & stopping for a scooter accident. The riders big toe was ripped off. Unfortunately the people around me who didn't see the accident thought I was involved & I had to leave before things got difficult.

All in all very simular to driving in London!! ; )

Halfway!

2008-12-12T08:50:00.000Z

We have made it! Barraveigh pulled into Bali Marina on 9th December 2008. I have sailed halfway around the world. Panama to Bali is halfway around this huge globe of ours. I am stunned & in shock that I have completed this crazy adventure. It feels surreal, as if I have lived someone else’s life for the last few years but I am so very very proud of myself.

Bobby & I fought the elements & we won! Halfway around the world on a sailboat….its time to celebrate!The last few months took their toll. Its only when you stop & relax do you realise the full extent of the pressure we were feeling everyday. The alternative route over the top of PNG was amazing & I wouldn't change it but it wasn't the easy route & we earnt the amazing memories.

The relief & happiness of pulling up to a dock with the knowledge we are staying put & no plans to leave in the immediate future was blissful & a huge relief. We are tired, our mojo’s low & we are in need of a rest & life with conveniences. Luckily Bali has that on offer in bucketfuls!Barraveigh needs a large amount of TLC but that is put on hold while we relax & take some much needed land time.

First things first, our list of priorities!

Fresh water shower at the marina

A huge meal washed down with ice cold cokes & beers!

Hire a carBuy an air conditioning unit for the boat

Get massages

Explore this fabulous island & its people

Wangi Wangi

2008-12-03T03:00:00.000Z

Memories of the two nights spent here will always be recalled with a deep breath & the wonder of how we made it out in one piece.

The passage from Sarong was exhausting & hot. No winds meant running the engine every minute of every day, making the boat hot & noisy, & the captain concerned about an oil leak. Add to that no cooling breeze & no cold drinks (due to the broken fridge), equals a hot & bothered captain & crew! On the plus side there was plenty of power so we took our daytime watches in hour bursts taking it in turns to escape from the sun, sit under a fan & watch an episode of 24 – Jack Bower will never know how much he saved our sanity!! Bobby was crowned a hero when he discovered we could run the ice machine with the engine on. Cold ice cubes have never looked or tasted so beautiful!

We arrived in Wangi Wangi late in the afternoon. Not something we would normally do, trying to find a place to anchor as the light fades is far from good seamanship. We were tired & hot & made a decision that we came to regret. There were many factors in the decision process of which I will not go into but, it seemed the right choice at the time. As is always the case with time & reflection, sticking to the golden rules should never be broken. Anyone reading this with hopes of cruising in the future take note. Golden rule number one: never come into a new anchorage in the dark or without sufficient daylight.

The depth readings here were totally random. One minute you were in 100 feet of water & seconds later we had readings of 20 feet & less, only for it to quickly return to 100 feet. It was mentally exhausting & fried my nerves. Unable to find a suitable spot to anchor we were now unable to leave. On the way in we had dodged through 100’s of FAD’s which littered the harbour mouth & there was no way out in the dark without colliding with them. It was decided that we would drive in circles for a few hours & wait for the passenger ferry to leave so we could tie up to the dock. The dock was the worst we had seen & a boat owners idea of hell. Huge pillars of concrete with many jagged edges waiting to punch a hole in Barraveighs side. Just as we got settled with fenders in place we were asked if we could leave as another passenger boat was about to arrive…..could they not have told us this as we were tying up!!!

Bobby went off to check the engine before starting her up & found the bilge full of oil. We weren’t going anywhere. Wangi Wangi really is the back of beyond, they don’t get tourists & trying to converse with the locals in a high pressured situation was not easy even with our Bahasa dictionaries. In the end Bobby took the locals down into the boat to show them what was wrong with the engine. Crisis diverted, we were allowed to stay put.

Up & down like yoyos through the entire night as the tide went out leaving more of the dock exposed, left us more tired than when we arrived. At 4am Bobby had a brain wave & knew what was wrong with the engine & begun fixing it. By 7am we had waved goodbye to our buddy boat Emelia, & were left feeling both emotionally & physically drained. Bobby worked hard & got the engine fixed so we could move off the dock & out of everyones way, but we were still needed to fill up with fuel before we could go anywhere. A local fishing boat allowed us to tie onto their starboard side so we happily got resituated & breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately the locals were highly curious of us & sat along the side of the fishing boat staring. I now know what a caged animal at the zoo feels like. No privacy, no ability to cool off & discard any clothing when your every move is being watched & showering in the cockpit was going to be fun! We were also concerned they would come onto the boat & steal from us whilst we slept so we decided to make friends with the fishermen in hope they’d look after us. I handed out cigarettes & after requests for Michael Jackson songs I agreed to play 2 songs on Barraveighs cockpit speakers if they would then let us get some sleep.

Bobby made arrangements to collect fuel the following day & we then went in search of a restaurant with AC & cold drinks, not as easy as we had expected in this one horse town but we were so beyond tired just a cold coke was like heaven in a can! Ready to finally settle down to a well needed nights sleep, we were content & sure we had seen the last of the back luck, but someone had other plans for us. In the middle of the night the winds & swell whipped up smashing us into the fishing boat making staying put dangerous for both boats. We slipped the lines & motored in circles for 5 hours awaiting the swell to die down & the sun to come up. We took it in turns to rest in the cockpit whilst the other took the wheel. This trip pushes me & pushes me to breaking point but even when I’m there, it is not over. There is no choice but to dig deeper & carry on until you & the boat are safe. I have worked crazy shifts in the police & crazy hours on operations but nothing & I mean nothing compares to the exhaustion I have felt on this trip.

As the sun began to rise we retied to the fishing boat. Bobby filled Barraveigh with diesel & I made a cake for the fishermen & attempted to prepare meals for the next passage – I have no idea how I did this because at this point I was functioning with my eyes closed! We were ready to get moving, had the worst thrown at us & still come back fighting. We were tired but were safe & Barraveigh was in one piece. We were just taking stock of everything when a large passenger boat hit our port side. We were beyond words. The ferry had come into the dock too fast & got the angle wrong totally wrong, hitting us like bumper cars at the fairground. No word or sign of an apology from the captain or crew.

We had made friends with the secret police (which I think is their version of plain clothed policemen as they sure don’t make any attempt to be secret about who they are). The entire police station attended (about 10 officers) & brought the captain of the ferry boat with them. Luckily upon inspection we had no damage & the whole incident was sorted with the captain buying everyone a round of “dingin” (cold) soft drinks. Smiles & handshakes all round but we left Wangi Wangi soon after breathing a sigh of relief that we were still afloat.

It was certainly up there with some of the worst of experiences of this trip but at the same time we made some good friends with the locals, & the friendliness of the Indonesians helped balance the bad. We are heading for Labuan Bajo & then onto the Gilli’s. The end of this year seems to very close but still so far & I’m tired beyond belief!

Sarong

2008-12-01T23:12:00.001Z

The people here are easily hypnotised by blonde hair. I have been living like a film star with people taking photos of me in the street & at the supermarket. They either try to sneakily take the photo or come up to me requesting a photo with them & then inviting me to their school or college. Its amusing, the people are so kind that it hasn’t yet got annoying & as we travel closer to the Indonesia more frequented by tourists I will no longer be the only blonde.

We travel about on benos. Tiny yellow mini buses that you just flag down. It must be law to stuff the windscreen with as many cuddly toys & lights as humanly possible so you can only just see the other cars on the roads! The other law they seem to have invented is at night you must have flashing neon lights all over the interior of the bus. It all makes for interesting trips to the supermarket & mini mobile discos on a Friday night!

I have begun a life of normality. I had a well needed hair cut (£3 for a wash cut & blow dry compared to £50 at home), I’ve chilled out at some nice restaurants, been clubbing for the fraction of the price back home, bought a mobile phone & when we get to Bali its only going to get better. Independence is probably the biggest thing I miss & one of the hardest things to try & keep alive living in such confined quarters with a partner. There are some plus sides to a western lifestyle!

I’m loving the experience here, the people & the food but the children I can live without. All day we are bombarded with the kids shouting “Mister Bobby, Mister Suzi” & if we don’t answer they then start throwing things at the boat. At which point they get an answer but I’m not sure it’s the answer they were wanting. It was bearable in the beginning but I’m starting to loose now!

The news I'm still trying to come to terms with is that the fridge has quit working. We are facing the real possibility of sailing the rest of the trip down to Bali with no cold drinks & no way to keep fresh food. There are cruisers that sail around the world with no fridge & I take my hat off to them but there are a few luxuries I cannot imagine being without in this climate, the fridge is top of that list. We are being forced into living without out it & it doesn’t get better with time. I know we will survive but arrgghh its not making provisioning for passages easier. Wish me luck or wish Bobby luck it maybe tins of baked beans from here on out!

Indonesia

2008-11-29T09:31:00.000Z

This has to have been the biggest culture shocks I have ever experienced. It is difficult to find the words to describe to you how it feels to leave a calm relaxed “island time” culture at sunrise, only to arrive in what feels like total chaos by nightfall. The shacks lined up on the shore line, all made from corrugated tin & looking like they are seconds from collapsing into the water. The endless sound of honking from mopeds zooming past & the bemo’s (little mini van style buses/taxis) beeping at every pedestrian they pass. The filthy water full of rubbish; plastic bottles & nappies are common place but we certainly didn’t expect to see a fan, a desk & CD’s bobbing about!

Vanimo, PNG & Jayapura, Indonesia separated by a boarder crossing & only 30 miles of land just couldn’t be any more different. They maybe be close in distance but their cultures, living conditions & religious beliefs are a million miles apart. The Western world has had a huge influence on Jayapura with KFC, Dunkin Donuts, air conditioned supermarkets & wireless internet but when you see the children playing in huge banks of rubbish on the sides of the river & swimming in the disgusting water I can’t help but think that the Western influence is a bad thing & the people in the Pacific with their dugout canoes & leaf houses are better off in so many ways.

It took a few days to recover from the shock, during which time I’ll admit I wanted to turn the boat 180 degrees & sail back to the Pacific Islands. I was comfortable with the people in Melanesia & Polynesia. I could communicate with them, share a joke, knew how to get around on land & knew what the weird looking vegetables at the market were! Indonesia was a whole new ball game. It didn’t help that during our final day in PNG I was eaten alive by sand flies & completely covered in bites therefore feeling uncomfortable & miserable. I was doped up on antihistamines, unable to leave the boat as I couldn’t stand to have any clothes against my body. So while Bobby was tearing about the city trying to deal with the bureaucratic systems this country likes to put in place, I was busy watching episodes of 24. It took poor Bobby days to just compete the check in process. Filling the boat had to be done under the cover of darkness as its illegal to fill cans of diesel at the petrol station – just as well we had the police on our side & happy to help us! We certainly couldn’t have done it without them.

Memories that will stay with me forever:
The sound of chanting coming from the mosques. Admittedly it wasn’t highly appreciated at 4:30am but in the evening when the sun has gone down, Bobby & I sat in the cockpit sharing a beer, enjoying the cool breeze & soaking up the Islamic equivalent to the Christians hymns. I daydream, wondering what my time in Indonesia holds for me.
Walking along the street & everyone shouting “Hello Mister” – they haven’t quite worked out the word Mrs! Male of female you are going to be called Mister! Young boys shouting “I love you Mister” just doesn’t quite sound right! ; )
Sitting down in a roadside tent (you could only loosely call it a restaurant!) to eat the best food I have tasted for a long time & for the high dollar price of £2! If the Pacific Islanders could just get their culinary skills on the same level they would have it all! I’m afraid the bland starch taro dishes just don’t cut it!
I’m embarrassed to admit we rushed to KFC & then to Dunkin Donuts & oh it tasted so very very good. No item of fast food has passed our lips since February so it was allowed!

The Pacific Ocean - a love hate relationship

2008-11-16T06:15:00.000Z

The journey across the Pacific Ocean has finally come to an end as we enter new waters & turn our backs on the Pacific. I can't quite believe I've done it! I left Panama City a totally novice sailor onboard a sail boat where everything was totally foreign to me & I arrive here in Sarong, Indonesia a different person. I have achieved something that I could never even have dreamed of; I have crossed the entire length of the Pacific Ocean in a sailboat (including a detour to NZ). It's not very British to blow my own trumpet but I hope I have permission to do so. You have followed me though the highs & supported me through the lows, you know what a feat it's been. I hope the stories from the Pacific have kept you entertained. My parents followed on maps stuck to the kitchen wall & it's given Fiona something to read on her train commute. I pity the people of Brockham village who upon visiting my Nan will have been made to read every word of this website at least twice! ; ) Nan, you are a total inspiration to all your grandchildren. At 93 years of age you have traveled to more places on this earth than most, impressive especially when you consider it's only recently that air travel has become the norm. Only now I'm off the beaten track you can't say "Well my dear when I was there in 19……"!
This hasn't been the easiest thing I have achieved. I'll never forget the pain, tears & shear terror I felt, but they are out numbered (just about!) by the times I've been in total awe from the natural beauty of this ocean & her residents. As I sat under the stars completing my final night shift in the Pacific Ocean I reflected on the good, the bad & the so very very ugly. There is little I would change. It's been one hell of an experience.

It's not all over yet there are still the waters of Indonesia to complete so its back to work (yep its not all sitting on sandy beaches!) for me!

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Final Stop in PNG

2008-10-29T21:11:00.000Z

Vanimo, our last stop in PNG but first stop on mainland PNG. Cruisers pride themselves in retelling horror stories of counties ahead of ourselves. In most cases the truth is blown up, exaggerated & causes fear mongering. Unfortunately the only people who know the truth are the cruisers who have gone before us. As in all walks of life the bad makes the headlines & cruisers are no different. Very rarely do people put pen to paper to report what a fantastic experience they had but are all quick to email sites such as http://www.noonsite.com/ (cruisers lifeline for research on various places) to warn the rest of the sailing community of negative or scary experiences. Yes its good to have the information at hand but it gives an unequal representation on a place. PNG & the Solomons have suffered this fate with many reports on theft & piracy. We rolled the dice, kept reminding ourselves that others must have traveled this route with positive experiences & tried to keep a sense of balance regarding the information we had heard on the grapevine & through research. True, we tried to better our odds by avoiding mainland PNG. Stuck to the islands generally occupied by smaller close knit communities & hopefully less theft but we took the plunge & weren't scared into following the herd through the Torres Straight.
For a number of reasons I was nervous as we approached Vanimo. In order to gain a social visa for Indonesia (60 days instead of the normal 30 & which can also then be renewed) it needs to obtain it prior to arriving in the country. All enquires back in March with consulates from Fiji, UK, USA, & even our agents at Bali Marina were unable to confirm if there was an Indonesian consulate in Vanimo able to provide the visa. We took a gamble - that close to the boarder with Indonesia there must be. Now we were going to find out & it would be a huge problem if we were wrong. I'll also admit to wondering if the locals were going to be friendly, if one person would have to remain on the boat at all times or if we would be up all night on guard. Its hard stop the horror stories penetrating your mind to some extent. How wrong could I be & another lesson in not prejudging a place or its people.
Vanimo, a dusty little town that upon first glance appears to have little to offer but it had a sparkle that made us stay longer than the processing time required for the visas (thankfully there was a consulate. The local people here were fantastic; warm, very welcoming & appeared delighted we had stopped in their town. They don't get many yachts visiting so we were the talk of the town. Walking down the street people approached wanting to say hello & shake our hands. They knew all about us before we had even met them!
Bobby was delighted to discover surf on either sides of the entrance to the habour (reef breaks are not for me!). I would drop him off in the dinghy & the kids from the village would run down the beach into the sea with their "surf boards" to paddle out & join him. He had his own "after school" surf club with his gang of little followers, so of course he was in his element even making up songs for them which they would all sing for me when I came to collect him at "home time"!! These kids were surfing on pieces of wood, some square & others plank like, the lucky ones had theirs cut into a point at the tip but most didn't, some floated & some sank. I even saw one kid on a door! I challenge any of you surfers out there to ride a wave on these boards! It is really something to watch these young children surf on a piece of wood that prior to the wave coming he kept on the reef below him because it wouldn't float. On top of that he is surfing totally naked - no rash guard or shorts for these guys! ; )
A positive conclusion to my time in Melanesia. I am looking forward to experiencing a completely new culture in Indonesia but it sure isn't easy to say goodbye to these lovely people.

Heaven in the Hermits

2008-10-26T11:27:00.000Z

The Hermit Islands, if you can find them on the map you get a prize! Northwest of Kavieng but still east of mainland PNG, part of the Admiralty Island chain. Huge points to Fiona for not only finding them but also emailing with details of dives in the area. I would have missed out on my encounter with the manta rays if I had not known! As always Fiona you are star.

Pulling in here was spectacular. Already excited after what we had heard from another boat & looking at the Hermit Islands on the chart. Nothing prepared us for reality. Water so clear you could see the chain running to the anchor on the bottom of the ocean floor 50 feet down. The varying colours of blue & turquoise waters were hypnotic. Paradise at its best. Check out the photo gallery to believe it.

There are about 10 islands in the Hermit chain. The main island Luf, is the only one inhabited with a village. The islands are surrounded by a reef with a number of passes allowing boats through. Anchored between the reef & Pemei, an uninhabited island, it was pure paradise. A handful of very serious land travellers have made it here to stay with people in the village & very few cruisers stop here, for the most part it is unspoilt by white people. Travelling across the South Pacific there have been less than a handful of places impossible for tourists to reach. This is a precious jewel in that crown & I hope remains as untouched as humanly possible.

Anchored so far from the village, we were canoe free, a blissful change. A local boat would stop by after their fishing expeditions to the reef to trade lobster & fish for cigarettes. The entire village are Seventh Day Evangelists & therefore do not eat any shell fish. Their loss is our gain. The lobsters are so plentiful they catch them during the day & we eat them at night! Bobby is the king of cooking lobster, I love eating them, it’s just deshelling them that’s not my cup of tea!
Emelia & Barraveigh played killer Frisbee on the beach, Jennifer & I attempted yoga in the sand (her flexibility is somewhat better than mine!), I kayaked around Pemei a few times to find the perfect secluded beach & settled down for the afternoon with a good book enjoying some alone time, Bobby invented a shade awning for his hammock on the bow & many cocktails were enjoyed watching the sunset. Snorkelling everyday on different parts of the reef including a swim with the manta rays & the boys perfected their spear fishing catching fish & lobster. All in all a paradise lifestyle! If heaven exists then this has to be it. It is truly amazing.

The heat here was so intense. As we near the equator it is seriously heating up. The fridge struggled to keep cold in temperatures of 100 degrees plus. It was 88 degrees by 8am & that was inside the boat where there is a little shade. The other casualties were ourselves, waking in the middle of the night to move cabins in an attempt to find a cool spot to lie down. At night a stray limb, giving extra unwanted heat sent each of us crazy (& not in a good way!). In an effort to stay sane I camped out in the v berth loving the breeze coming through the hatches but unfortunately my secret was discovered by Bobby who would come in half way through the night & the bed swap would begin again!! ; ) All in all a small sacrifice for idyllic surroundings.
The plan was to stay for three days before moving onto Ninigo. 7 days later we were still in the Hermits deciding it would be totally impossible to leave. It is now the last stop in PNG before checking out in Vanimo & entering Indonesia. The penultimate stop in what has been over a year in Pacific paradise. We needed the extra time here to detox from all the beauty experienced so far.

Kavieng

2008-10-26T04:07:00.001Z

Tensions were high onboard Barravigh as we came into the waters around Kavieng, New Ireland. Very little sleep after a rough night at sea & a tight pass thought a archipelago of islands & reefs. I quickly discovered our navigation software was totally out, showing us high & dry on land or run aground on reefs.

First let me explain the jobs onboard as we arrive somewhere new. Captain Bobby is at the wheel & I’m below deck looking at the navigation software on the laptop. Linked to the GPS it also shows the boats current position. I give Bobby a compass bearing to our previously marked waypoint & then let him know if he needs to go more to the left or right. If the software isn’t lining up with reality then I’m also using the radar to check distances from land. Unfortunately it only shows land above water so reefs are still a huge unknown. Add all that stress to 3-4 days sailing, the last 12 hours being total hell & poor Bobby who got no sleep. If that wasn’t enough just as we approached the really tricky part, passing between a reef on the east & a reef on the west with little room in between, a squall hit giving very bad visibility. Sailing through an area with reefs is best timed when the sun is high in the sky & you hope for clear sunny day. It makes spotting the reefs below & judging depth easier. This is another of my jobs. I stand on the bow & point a safe path through the reef for Bobby to steer. Let me tell you this isn’t easy. There aren’t little markers in the water telling you how deep different coral heads are & when Bobby starts shouting “20 feet…15 feet” I’m looking around thinking all I can see is coral & going left doesn’t look any better than going right, combine this with no visibility of the bottom & well forget it. “Look for the markers” I’m hearing you first world sailors shout. If there is a marker in these counties it is often just a stick poking out the water & that’s if you are really lucky! Bobby’s policy in unknown waters, go really slowly. My policy, go really slowly & keep your fingers crossed! ; ) Emelia took pity on us & took the lead as the squall hit. Having four people on board they get more sleep, their eyes & minds were sharper than ours! We made it in safely, dropped the anchor & as always look back at the route & think it wasn’t as bad as it looked coming in. The unknown is always scary!

Kavieng was great. We anchored close to Nusa Island Resort. The waters were clear & as warm as bath water. To you divers & surfers (surf season starts in Nov) who like to get away from the normal holiday destinations & don’t need 5* luxury resorts, put Nusa on your list of places to visit. It’s a great relaxing place with an array of bird wildlife living there. I sat down with a drink & had a cockatoo speaking in pigeon English to me. Treating ourselves to a meal off the boat we were told lobster was off the menu as the guests had eaten it for the past 3 days & would crab be ok! You’ll eat like a king here! Add to that snorkelling at more WW2 plane wrecks, beautiful corals, fantastic local people & a huge array of tiny uninhabited islands. We haven’t seen another cruising boat since leaving Honiara (our buddy boat s/v Emelia excluded!). The route less travelled has been worth taking.

Passages from Heaven

2008-10-02T04:04:00.000+01:00

Bet you never thought you’d be reading that! It appears we have earned some good weather & calm seas. I think I deserve it after all the “narliy” (I’m trying out my American slang!) passages I’ve been put through – yes Dad I know they are learning curves but I’m happy to have some straight lines for a while!

This is the doldrums or tropical conversion zone. Words you may have heard & may not have a clue what it means. In a nut shell….no wind! Result…..we burn some bloody expensive diesel & now plan our passages at an average speed of 3 knots rather than 5. Previously we would have considered 5 knots slow but now its speedy!! Attempting to sail in light winds with the sails flogging drives me up the wall. I’ve decided it’s a form of torture. I feel like I should be doing something to stop it but other than praying for some wind there is very little that can be done. Don’t tell Bobby but the only way to stay sane during the night shifts is to play my ipod, low of course so I can hear if any boats are calling on the VHF. In the light winds & calm seas we have finally mastered using the whisker pole in a way that Bobby now deems safe – only took us the entire Pacific crossing to work out! The pole keeps the head sail out & stops it flogging itself against the spreaders, with every hit you worry that it’s ripped a huge hole. Another plus is if the non excitant wind comes from the stern, we can sail wing in wing, ie one sail to the port & the other out to starboard. If any sailors are reading this I apologise now for the basic explanations but I’m thinking of my little sister with whom I once expressed an interest in wanting a CAT (catamaran). She thought I wanted to buy a pussy cat & suggested a dog would be better company! I love you Gilly aka Bridget Jones! ; )

In every other way the passages are a dream. Flat calm seas that allow me to cook meals in the galley without loosing my appetite, stary stary nights where I count endless shooting stars & where planets looming on the horizon get confused for boats. The bright quarter moon shines brightly, its reflection glistening for miles in the sea. The description that came to mind was a slice of lemon in a glass of rum & coke with the stars as bubbles in the coke – maybe the ban on alcohol during passages isn’t such a good idea!

Phospheensaince lights up huge portions of the sea. I have never seen anything like it before. Shining a light on the sea & huge sections would immediately light up. It kept me entertained for many of the hours on night watch! I am yet to get bored of these natural wonders.
Dolphins have begun to appear almost daily. Swimming in the bow of the boat or if we are travelling too slowly, totally ignoring us whilst we beg them to come & play. Talking to dolphins…a sign of madness??

During the day the lack of wind & bright hot sun results in sticky passages. I attempt to hide from the sun & am in & out of the sea trying to cool down. I drag behind the boat holding tightly to the stern ladder. Bobby teases me by humming the Jaws theme tune, a guaranteed way to get me to the water ; ) For the first time ever we sleep in the v berth with the large top hatch open. Normally during a passage you want to be as far from the bow of the boat as possible & we camp out in the rear cabin. With flat seas, hot weather & a hot engine, the v berth is the coolest place to be. Before the evening shifts begin we take turns to watch an episode of 24. Quality, chill out, alone time. An hour where we can switch off & relax by ourselves, even better with a bar of chocolate!

Not sure how long these calm, dry passages are going to last but I’m making the most of them & enjoying (almost!) every second! This is my idea of perfect sailing!

PNG at Last

2008-09-30T04:03:00.000+01:00

A little behind schedule. The original plan was to spend all of August in PNG & here we are arriving at the end of Sept. There were no big deadlines just a proposed plan but it looks like we will be hitting Indonesia a little later than expected. Only problem being our cruising permit for Indo began on 1st Sept but hey we will just have to get another one!

We checked into Buka a small town north of Bougenville. At least I think it was small, I never got off the boat. In these parts we are concerned about the “rascals”, that’s what they call thieves in this part of the world. I can guarantee if I catch any of those “rascals” onboard Barraveigh the words coming out of my mouth will be far more explicit than that! Bougenville has suffered tension in the last few years. 20 – 50,000 islanders have been killed. You can now understand our concerns at being anchored close to the island. Originally anchored away from the town to avoid going through Buka pass but moved closer after being advised by the Port Captain that we would be guaranteed a visit from the local “rascals” with their guns during the night in our present spot. Buka pass had some serious currents, progress was slow at 2 knots under full engine power.

Still feeling uneasy about the area, ourselves & Emiela decided that one person from each boat should go to shore to complete the check in procedures & one person should remain on each boat for security. So I saw Buka from the water & never touched land. According to my sources I didn’t miss anything other than a 2 hour queue at the ATM!

After raising the PNG courtesy flag (made by my own fair hands & trust me for a non artist that bird wasn’t easy to paint) we got a good nights sleep & took off the following day. Minor drama on the way out, with Emelia hitting a reef. Luckily all was ok & we are on our way to Kavieng.

Its my Birthday & I'll scurff if I want to!

2008-09-21T04:00:00.000+01:00

Ourselves & s/v Emelia made it to Mono Sterling yesterday morning after a four day passage. Today I’m celebrating my birthday in tropical paradise. We are surrounded by tiny islands covered in palm trees, clear blue waters & the blackest locals I have ever seen. I awoke to fruit juice in bed, freshly made pancakes & a fantastic brownie birthday cake made by Bobby’s fair hands. We snorkelled some amazing reefs & then spent the afternoon scurffing (standing on a surf board being towed by a dinghy). The locals were fascinated by it & many of them came in their dugout canoes to watch.

Sundowners & more birthday cake, courtesy of Emelia (a fantastic recipe for cruisers that requires no butter or eggs – you have to taste it to believe it!). Followed by an evening meal of fresh lobster. An amazing birthday in paradise. It’s hard not to enjoy this life on days like this!
Mono Sterling is a great place. Yet again loads of war history, The pikinis love jumping into the water from huge tripods made from tree trunks especially if we are watching. They paddle out to us in huge dugouts with no adult in sight. They befriended Bobby who proceeded to have a huge water fight with them. The only downside to this place is when we are surrounded by locals in their canoes. They mean no harm & I’m sure are just curious plus they want to practise their English but having no privacy sure gets you down after a while. On the plus side they aren’t stealing from us & with my new burglar detection mats down we sleep well at night. I worked out where burglars are likely to climb onto the boat, pushed drawing pins/thumb tacks through a rubber mat & then lay it down on the deck at night now we lie there hoping someone will try to come onboard – evil I know! The people here are some of the blackest people I have seen. Word has it that people from Bougainville are the blackest in the world & these people aren’t too far from there.

I nearly forgot to mention my personal serenade back in Honiara before we left. Unwell with a cold I had spent the day in bed sleeping. I woke to sounds of “wake up little Suzi”. Stepping into the cockpit I saw all our friends in their dinghies around the boat. Gene was playing guitar (he’s a country song writer & most famous for his song 16 wheels & a dozen roses) & everyone else was singing. They then sang Happy Birthday & produced a cookie with a candle on it. An early birthday celebration from the friends we would be leaving the following day. Memories from this trip are precious.

Photo: a young child from the village who screwed up his face & burst into tears upon seeing us. It was pretty typical of all the small children who were so very scared of the weird looking white people. The grandmother explained to us the child had never seen white people before.

Honiara - Round Three!

2008-09-15T03:57:00.000+01:00

Walking down to the fruit & vegetable market trying to avoid the splodges of red spit. Smiling & saying good morning to everyone that walks by. The people are so friendly, young girls look at me & smile, small children are looking back whilst being pulled in the opposite direction by their mothers & even the scariest looking gangs of men all smile & say hello. What is it that makes them look? I try to dress modestly (although in this heat I really don't want to be wearing clothes that cover my thighs, chest, shoulders, so I hope they don't mind if I manage 2 out of three!) I think it’s as simple as a white person walking down the street. White people aren't uncommon here but they tend to stick to their air conditioned 4x4's.

I love walking around the large bustling market with all its noises & smells (some unpleasant!). The stalls piled high with fresh fruits & vegetables. Everything already put into bundles, green beans & watercress wrapped & tied with a banana leaf. No plastic bags are handed out. Customers bring along their woven baskets & bags. Coconuts are deshelled except for a small section that is then used as a handle. We really could learnt a thing or two about bio food wrapping from these people, admittedly we don't have too many bananas leafs growing in the UK! The whole market is probably the size of a large supermarket back home. Tables of goods everywhere & those that can't get a table lay their wears out on the ground outside. You can also pick up locally made jewellery, fish, crabs (you buy the legs & body separately!) & much more. Towards the rear of the market hot food is sold & there is even an aisle of ladies selling their cakes & cookies from huge plastic storage containers. If only they provided trolleys! I even saw a trader watering her goods with a home made watering can – a water bottle with holes pierced into the lid. She knew that the goods would look better & juicer if they glistened.

A fight broke out in the middle of the market this morning. Everyone ran towards it crowding around & laughing. I have never before been caught up in a fight that felt friendly! The warring parties had obviously just had too much sun for the day & after a 10 minutes or so shook hands & all was peaceful again. This place is just fantastic! Walking out with my bags piled high of purchases I saw some vegetables for a $1 less than I had paid. For a second I was a little cross with myself for not looking around properly before I bought but I quickly told myself it was equal to 1 pence & I certainly don't begrudge giving these people money for their fantastic crops especially when its so cheap!

Work on the windlass continues. I stay off the boat as much as possible to avoid the fibreglass dust from the grinding (huge thanks to Shaun & Angela for giving me a night on land in their lovely house). Bobby appears to be winning. I have learnt its better not to ask questions! He now has Clement, a local guy, onboard working with him in the anchor locker grinding & laying fibreglass. They wear matching overalls & headlamps, stopping at 6pm for their allotted dinner break. They look like miners! Clement tells us stories of his island & how he can talk to the crocodiles. Under normal circumstances I would have cause to section him under the mental health act but he is deadly serious & totally sane! Trust me its hard to keep a straight face when he explains how the crocodiles stand in the water & rock their arms in front of them apparently telling Clement that they have their baby close by!

Highs & Lows

2008-09-05T03:50:00.000+01:00

In one week we have managed more drama than I have had on this entire trip. I'm exhausted & looking forward to a peaceful nights sleep. The transmission was fixed & the fridge stocked with fresh foods. We headed out to the Florida Islands to give the transmission a trial run & then planned to head west to Gizo. There we met our buddy boat s/v Emelia & friends on s/v Katoska. It was a rough day sail over there but we celebrated being out of Honiara with an open fire on the beach. Katoska put together some amazing fish dishes (these guys can catch fish unlike ourselves!) whilst Emelia & I brought the salad dishes. It was a perfect evening. A huge high at the beginning of a week, that would see us pull together as a team over & over again.
We were “canoed” non stop – local guys paddling out to the boat in their dugouts, (canoes carved by hand from a one tree trunk) wanting to trade fruits & shells or just hang out at the boat. It’s hard to get rid of these guys. Unfortunately for us they can see directly in through our water line hatches meaning that hiding below deck didn't work plus we had no privacy.

John Ruka was totally different in his approach. He paddled over with his children, did not approach the boat until he invited, then just gave fruits & vegetables from his garden without wanting anything in return. He won us all over with his generosity & friendship. We all picked up anchor& moved over to his village. They put on an amazing show of local dancing & music to celebrate our arrival. This is the first time his village had done it & with less than 24 hours notice put on a spectacular evening. They made “leis” of fresh flowers for each of us, had an arch from palms & flowers for us to walk through. Put sand over the dirt where we were sat & presented us with a fresh coconut decorated in tropical flowers complete with a bamboo straw. We sat in a semi circle whilst the girls & boys put on traditional dances with the band on instruments made from plastic tubes that they hit with flip flops, & others on pan pipes of varying sizes made from bamboo. Tears pricked at my eyes as these generous Solomon Island people welcomed us into their village. There was no charge for the evening, it seemed they enjoyed putting it together as much as we enjoyed watching it. What did they want it return?? It was as simple as expertise & friendship. After the treat they had given us we were happy to help in any way we could.

As we headed for bed on a high from the evenings entertainment we had no idea what we were in for. Bobby & I were awoken by a noise on deck, upon hearing another we were straight out of bed. ****ing thieves. You never totally shut off when sleeping on the boat. Your brain automatically listens out for rain & wind although I’ll admit to pretending I’m still asleep so Bobby gets up & closes the hatches….don’t tell him! Now its thieves we have to beware of. I immediately alerted the other boats via VHF whilst handing Bobby the search light& a pair of shorts! At that point we only saw one guy in a dugout canoe paddling for his life, we learnt later than there were two of them. I was busy lowering the dinghy & shouting that we should go after the thief. I was later told me that normal people don't chase thieves & that my cop side came out. Bobby, Eric (from s/v Katoska), plus one big knife went after the guy. He made it to the mangroes & legged it. Bobby returned to Barraveigh toeing the dugout plus our flip flops & clothes pegs. We claimed victory, they got away with nothing plus we had their canoe which we hoisted on deck, no simple task those dugouts weigh a tonne. The next morning we realised the camera was missing, someone (no names mentioned but lets just say it wasn't me!) left it in the cockpit & to top it off we discovered the canoe belonged to our host’s brother & had been stolen by the thieves. From victory to despair in matter of minutes.

During the next few days we witnessed some amazing local politics. The chiefs of the villages got together & the villagers identified the thieves. After being found hiding in the bush, they were placed under house arrest. The priest was summoned. According to our host John, a man will lie to a man, but a man will not lie to a priest. He was right the thieves were so scared of the priest they admitted everything. Finally after two days we got the camera back, complete with photo from the thieves! Thankfully its a waterproof camera & was still working after its trip overboard. We won. We got everything back & were part of an experience we would never have witnessed otherwise. The priest declared all the boats taboo. Anyone touching them would freeze & would be found there the next morning. Yes you are prob thinking exactly what I thought when I was told this but the locals here still believe in black magic. John & his family became security guards & took turns in paddling around the boats at nights just to be sure.

The next few days were blissful, putting in mooring balls for future visiting yachts, putting together ideas for John on how to attract yachts. We played with the kids, teaching them to hula & skip whilst they showed us how they hunted animals with bows & arrows, & wove baskets from palm prongs.

To show their gratitude, John & his family put on another show. To be honest I think they all just loved having people to entertain! Again it was outstanding but cut short as a storm blew in covering us in torrential rain & high winds. We sheltered under a leaf hut until the sickening shout of “a boat is on the reef”. We all ran to the dinghy’s, set off into the water with rain hitting us & waves crashing into the dinghy. Rounding the corner I saw Barraveigh was safe where we left her but Katoska was on the reef near shore. From there on it was a huge team effort. I clambered onto Barraveigh to ensure she wasn't dragging whilst Bobby assisted Katoska. They got her free after a few tense hours. Damage – none, they were lucky! Celebratory drink – rum!
Could there be any more drama in this tiny bay! Answer: Yes & typically it had to be us again! Ready to leave for a 2 day sail to Gizo, said our goodbyes & were pulling up the anchor. All of a sudden I hear Bobby swearing at the bow, concerned he had trapped a foot in the windlass I rushed forward to see the windlass totally ripped off its footing & inches from being dragged overboard, saved only by Bobby attaching a rope seconds before the incident. On come all the boys to help haul up the chain & anchor while I drive us round in circles away from the reef .

Guess where we are heading? Yep back to Honiara!

Honiara Part 2!

2008-08-24T04:13:00.003+01:00

Back in Honiara we soon were joined by s/v Luna & s/v Emelia, with whom we have been bumping into for some time. Emelia & Barraveigh will be buddy boating together for next leg to PNG & then around the northern side of PNG into Indonesia. Fewer boats sail this route, most opting for the Torres Straight between Australia & PNG but we are taking the route less travelled. With the two boats together we hope to experience less problems with pirates & hoping there is safety in numbers. Unfortunately for Emelia awaiting the seal for our transmission is becoming a bit of a nightmare. It never seems to make it onto the plane in Australia! No complaints from me, each day we are here I get to enjoy a roti & ice cream!
I finally treated myself to a night on land. My parents very kindly bought me an early birthday present, a weekend diving. I think Mum wanted to take it back when she realised one of the dives was going to be with manta rays! I had a fantastic time, completing 5 dive including a night dive & a wreak dive. Unfortunately the manta rays weren't working on our schedule but my confidence underwater has come on leaps & bounds.

To be in Honiara during the anniversary of the American landings was very special. Beautiful wreaths packed full of orchids were placed at the American memorial & even here at the yacht club. Now for a short history lesson! During WW2 the Americans attempted to land right here on the beach at Point Cruz where the yacht club stands. The Japanese lay in wait only opening fire once all the troops had disembarked. Signalman First Class Douglas Munro, officer in charge of a group of Higgins boats led five small boats to the shore to rescue nearly 500 solders. He put his boat with two small guns on board between beachhead & the enemy fire allowing the troops to shelter behind & evacuate. Douglas Munro was killed by enemy fire towards the end of the evacuation but was awarded the Medal of Honor (no I haven't misspell it, its a yank medal so I should spell it their way!!) for his bravery that allowed so many soldiers to survive. As I write this I am sat looking out over the calm waters of Point Cruz with the sea gently lapping up on the beach. It's hard to imagine all the fighting that went on right here.

During the anniversary we were honoured to meet a very special man, Theron MacKay (known as Mac). An 84 year old American Navy veteran who was a seaman in the Solomon Islands during WW2. His boat, LST-342, was torpedoed on 18th July 1943. Amazingly he survived. Thrown into the water during the explosion he swam to the bow of the boat, which had broken off & miraculously still floating. Other survivors pulled him out the water & up onto the bow. They were rescued the following day. Of the 85 crew only 5 men survived, along with only a handful of the 100 troops onboard. Mac has returned to the boat to lay a wreath for the last 10 years in memory of his lost comrades. It was a true honour to meet this lovely man & moments spent with him will never be forgotten. In the rush of our busy lives we rarely reflect on how different it could have been had all those young men from all the allied forces not fought for their countries. As time marches on there are very few still around to tell their stories & the first hand experiences will all too soon remain only in history books.

I will never forget working in Central London during a Remembrance Day Parade. Proud elderly men walking behind their ensign or being pushed in wheelchairs by their comrades. I was moved to tears & bitterly disappointed at people from my own generation who show these men very little appreciation. This November buy a poppy & wear it with pride. Wear it & remember it displays your respect for all those men who have fought in the many wars fighting for our futures.

photo courtesy of Greg Barr

Retracing our steps

2008-08-20T06:48:00.004+01:00

We were 12 hours out of Honiara when we had to make a decision. 12 hours of motoring due to no wind, led us to notice we had a transmission fluid leak. Bobby made the hard decision to turn around & head back to Honiara where we knew there were the facilities & expertise to fix the problem. It is horrible go backwards when we have so far to go but it was the right decision.

Bobby immediately hit a low - I think it was the thought of the 185 American dollars we had just burnt in fuel for going no where! To make it worse we turned back into a strong current doing 3 knots at the best. It didn't do too much for the flagging spirits. I didn't tell Bobby that when he went to bed we were only doing 1 knot! Even the dolphins swimming at our bow weren't impressed at our slow speed.

We came back into Honiara bay at night & dropped anchor. 24 hours at sea & we were back where we started. It's all part of the adventure!

Honiara

2008-08-20T06:38:00.001+01:00

I haven't boarded a plane home, I'm staying & have loved our time in Honiara. We arrived tired & are leaving fully recovered. For those of you who haven't got a clue where in the world the Solomon Islands are, get onto google earth! It's east of Australia & south of Papua New Guinea. The name Guadalcanal may ring a few bells. This is where the Japanese & the Americans battled it out during WW2. I have trekked over hills, through jungle & jumped in & out of Japanese fox holes & imagined what those men went through. Much of the island is as untouched & undeveloped as it was back in 1942. Rusting Japanese & American WW2 tanks, jeeps, planes equipment lay where they were left. A few days of discovering war paraphernalia was enough for me so I left the boys to dig up fox holes whilst I sat by the pool with a good book.

Honiara is not a pretty town by any standard but it wove a magic spell on me & I love it. I will admit to feeling apprehensive upon first walking down the street. Metal grates pulled down over every shop & drunk guys loitering on the street, one of whom took offence when Bobby won't hand over his ice cream! The pavement & shop fronts are littered with red splodges. It looks like someone has taken a pot of red paint & flicked a paint brush everywhere. This decorative red that the Solomon people put all over their towns & villages is the result of betel nut. Every country & society has its drug of choice but this is the worst I have seen to date! You chew a green looking nut the size of a small kiwi fruit, your mouth is then full & you look like a hamster storing food in your cheeks! You then dip a green bean (like a runner bean) into a ground white lime powder & put that in your mouth. The combination turns your mouth bright red & at some point you have to spit the contents out & apparently the nearest bit of pavement is acceptable! In this country you don't see “do not litter signs” instead there are “no spitting” signs & job adverts in the paper state the list of qualifications required & “must not chew betel nut”! Bobby, a willing guinea pig to try anything once, only managed to cope with the nut in his mouth for a matter of seconds before spitting it all out due to the horrible taste. I just wasn't quick enough with the camera!

Honiara quickly grew on us. Yes, it looks a little rough & Sunday is not a day to walk around town as all the men have been spending the weekend drinking but underneath the rough exterior the people as with all the South Pacific are wonderfully friendly & smiley. Honiara has a big expat community. Due to the ethnic tension the country experienced a few years ago the Australians have stepped in & assisting the country to get back on its feet again. The yacht club here in Honiara is the expat & local hang out. Only about 3 boats actually remain here in Honiara & there were no other cruisers when we arrived so we were somewhat of a novelty. The local people were much friendlier that the expats & the staff at the yacht club just couldn't do enough to assist us.

We met Laurie, an ozzie guy working out here who became a firm friend. He drove us up to the villages where we all clambered about the ridges where battles took place in the war. The local boys picked a bunch of wild flowers for me which I placed on the American War Memorial. Bobby & Laurie seemed to be having a competition over how many grenades (still with pins!) they could find. I made sure I was standing some distance from them! We took a walk through the fantastic jungle to an amazing waterfall. Bobby was given a piggyback through the many rivers as he didn't want to get his boots wet (check photo gallery for his embarrassing photo) whilst I waded through like a real man! Towards the end of the walk (some four hours!) his boot totally gave in & the sole completely came off! Walking through a field past a village church with beautiful singing pouring out & the children running out of church towards us – not too sure the vicar would have been too impressed with us unintentionally interrupting his service!

We have stayed here much longer than we expected, there is no beach & you can't swim in the ocean here due to the raw sewage but have I have enjoyed every minute. It's time to leave we have too keep going, we did consider staying for a year & getting jobs but after weighing up the options we are moving on. Its time to get to those islands & Thai curries!

Encouragment

2008-07-26T06:08:00.006+01:00

I really can't thank all of you enough for your emails of encouragment in reply to "written from the heart". They have truly helped pull myself together. A huge thank you has to go to my family who I scare the hell out of & then disturb in the early hours of the morning with phone calls that don't connect once they pick up. Just managing to cope themselves they still find the energy to see me through the tough parts.

I appreciate the time & effort it takes from your busy days to write emails of support to boost my failing confidence. Some of you I have never met, but all your emails have had me close to tears (in a happy way!). To know you are all out there rooting for me leaves me speechless. The emails have all been saved onto my computer & will be reread should I find myself in a pickle again.

You will be pleased to know that our "time out" in Honiara, Solomon Islands has lifted both our spirits. Ice cold Sol beers have helped Bobby & huge ice creams have been my medication! Feeling stronger, I'm ready to put my best foot forward & get back in the saddle. For now though we are in no rush & thoroughly enjoying Honiara.

Hoping to make the next few trips in short hops to ease me back into things. Just keep your fingers crossed for good weather & calm seas!

Written from the Heart

2008-07-22T09:12:00.003+01:00

This was a tough passage. Not because of the weather or the conditions, although they were far from fantastic but I have been through worse. This one was hard mentally. I collapsed in a total state. I was petrified, unnecessarily so. I was unable to keep things in perspective or draw from previous experience. The panic & fear may have been understandable if I had never been at sea before. A four day passage in my second year of cruising on Barraveigh that caused me to take such a nose dive has left me racking my brains & reflecting on what may have caused it.
I had been keen to leave Vanuatu & had been restless whilst we waited out bad weather looking for a good window to leave. Within the first 24 hours my melt down began, lying on the cockpit floor in floods of tears. A fear of the sea & scared that it was going to kill me had suddenly risen from inside. I have no idea where this suddenly sprung from & I know its from there that things got worse. Reflecting on it from the safety of an anchorage I wonder, have I suddenly hit a new stage in the grieving process & thoughts of loosing Sally, or is this more to do with the psychology of being at sea? Or is it just a bad mixture of everything? Which ever it is, it's serious & I need to overcome it. I made life dangerous for both myself & Bobby.

This life is not an easy one. There are many pleasures but a fair amount of hardships too. We are earning our adventures. Behaviours that never get a second thought in normal land life become huge issues on a boat at sea. It is those areas that I am trying to analyse to see what caused me to “system overload” & if they can be avoided in future passages.
If I'm totally honest I am so very very tried of the knocks & picking myself up again. I think I just ran out of energy to hold it together. I need a break. This isn't a lifestyle that is natural to me. I do it & may take it in my stride more than others but I too have my limits. I plan to give myself a day or two in a hotel to give myself the time & space to pull myself together. I have learnt two things about myself which do not blend well with life on board a boat; personal space & social isolation.
My personal space is a huge deal. At sea with the boat healed over there is little space on the boat to move about & with only one person able to be in the cockpit we were living in the cabin or on watch in the cockpit. I need to be able to walk around, get off the boat, spend time on land......I need space! But I need to find a way to deal with the lack of it while we are at sea. I'm also not good with social isolation. On passages with only my own company day after day, night after night, I begin to crave someone to talk to, play cards with, or just generally hang out with. Whilst at sea, Bobby & I continually take turns sleeping, or have time in the cabin away from the wet cockpit. This sends me a little potty as I think of family & home. Bobby on the other hand loves the alone time! I need people around me. Admittedly a cruisers lifestyle is very social, a good anchorage with loads of your friends around will be non stop sun downers, but that's only half the time, the rest is at sea & it is very isolated.

We made an emergency stop at Kirakira on Makira Island (south of the capital Honiara if you are looking at a map) after 4 days at sea. We were at our limits & needed to stop. On top of which we had problems on board. We ripped our head sail on day one (sailing 400 miles in three days with only a small main, shows you sailors out there how strong the winds were!). The head (toilet) overflowed, I shall let your imaginations run on that one, but just picture trying to deal with a horrible job at the best of times & especially horrible at a 45 degree angle! Further to that I'm now an expert at peeing into a bottle, handy for those times when I return to work & am stuck in a surveillance van! It rained nearly non stop, our foul weather gear just couldn't keep the wet out & our thermal gear underneath was soaked after each watch. It was a hunt for dry warm clothes & it seemed if I found some dry clothes & it wasn't raining a wave would break in the cockpit soaking me! Kinda hard to keep smiling when the gods seem to be against you!! Poor Barraveigh was soaked, water in all the bilges, everything was damp & wet clothes hung from everywhere possible or strewn on the floor as we heeled over. On top of everything else my sea legs have not yet returned. I found it a struggle to be below deck & certainly could not even think about using the galley.
All these things resulted in a bad diet, bad routine, lack of positivity & a bad mental state, unable and then unwilling to partake in the duties on board. I just hit that brick wall & wished there was a big emergency button I could hit to make it all stop. I had decided that was it, I was getting off as soon as we hit land. Life at work & in my flat was a life I wanted back.

I'm sitting in an anchorage from hell. The swell in here is so bad we are bouncing around as much as we were out at sea & the rain is non stop. But (& its a huge but), we are stationary. No sails or engine to think of, no navigation to stare at, just sleep, reading & watching some movie's (very hooked of the series Heroes). We have eaten proper meals, cleaned up the boat, emptied & dried the bilges & changed the head sail. Things feel better but I'm still apprehensive. I need to fix this or get off. It's too dangerous to be at sea in that state again. My hotel rest may however have to wait a week or so until we arrive at an island with a hotel worth staying at! Until then, we have a few shorter trips to do. I'm starting my list of ways to keep positive. I'm going to start with my Mums mantra “feeling down, bake something”, I'm off to make peach crumble & custard!

Want to read Bobbys version of events check www.barraveigh.com

Luganville

2008-07-14T05:57:00.002+01:00

We stayed here for much longer than planned due to bad weather. We certainly had more rain than sun – nice to know there are other places in the world as wet as the UK! But it wasn't a bad place to be stuck. Moored outside a small resort on the island of Aore just across the channel from Luggenville. Aore was the Americans R&R base during the 2nd World War & Lugenville was the American base for the army, the channel between the two would have been filled with huge war ships in 1942. It certainly hits home looking at old photos & imaging all the men here. We scavenged the beach with Miles & Paulene (guests at the resort who were kind enough to share their shower facilities with us. With whom we had lots of fun & even celebrated Paulenes birthday on Barraveigh with sundowners & birthday cake!). Bobby & Miles digging with their “made in China” folding spades (all the shops here are owned by the Chinese). Paulene & I hunting for bottles in the shallows of the sea. We were proud of our of war treasure. Trash to everyone else but treasure to us! A collection of old coke bottles (with year of production on their sides from 1942-1944), glass bottles of varying sizes, bullets & shells, Bobby even found an old razor & part of an Old Spice bottle.

Manson (our friendly waiter with the widest smile) gave us a guided tour of the island, pointing out old American bunkers & educating us on the local fruits. Did you know that you could suck the fleshy seeds of the cocoa pod? Unfortunately it doesn't taste of chocolate but really sweet & refreshing. Bobby & Miles explained to Manson about the moon & sun & how they rotate around the earth. It will be one of those special memories; watching three men crouched down on the dirt road, drawing in the dust, caught in a private moment. I learnt later what they were doing & how Manson had suddenly asked why the moon is sometimes in the sky & sometimes its not. Reflecting on the incident afterwards it stuck me how lucky, we in Western countries, are. We have a right to a free education. We may bitch & grumble about our governments & taxes but seriously we are lucky. No matter what our parents earn we have the right to free schooling, which allows us to have a career & a decent way of life. In these counties parents have to pay school fees for each child. Sometimes its just not possible to send all the children to school. No education no chance for them to get a job. Just remember this next time you want to grumble about your country.

I was excited to dive the Coolidge. The biggest accessible wreck dive in the world. An American cruise ship converted into a war ship during WW2. It hit one of its own mines & sunk close to the coast of Luganville, so close in fact that you walk out from the beach to it. Its a deep dive in which you can penetrate many of the cargo holds & rooms of the ship. Being a new diver, my nerves got the better of me & I bottled it. I think I'll stick to the shallower dives with pretty fish until I've gained some experience! To all you keen divers out there this is meant to be one of the best dive sites, with groups of divers out here completing 3 dives a day for a week on the wreck. Word has it that the night dive is the highlight!
We snorkeled Million Dollar Point where the Americans dumped millions of dollars worth of equipment, vehicles & bottles of coke into the sea. The French had declined the offer of purchasing it knowing it would be too expensive for the Americans to take home. They were counting on it being left behind & they would have it all for free. The Americans sure did leave it all behind but not before building a jetty & driving it off the end into the sea! It was a weird sight to see mountains of tanks & trucks rusting underwater & prob one of the only places where a dump site is a tourist attraction.

This year 4th July celebrations were taken seriously on Barraveigh! No other Americans around but Bobby was not going to miss the opportunity to drink beer! Awake early to make pancakes & raise three huge American flags. I made a pot of tea for him to throw into the sea (for those Brits who have no idea what I'm talking about, google Boston tea party). We then headed into town to celebrate with beers & a lunch of burgers & chips! It was a fabulous sunny afternoon spent in the pool looking down on Lugenville where so many Americans were based during the war. I wondered how the American soldiers fighting here in WW2 would have celebrated July 4th if at all, & raised a beer to the memory of those men, their bravery & courage.

Prepared to leave we filled up on our duty free allowances. Bobby, officially allowed to open his sealed box of spirits purchased in Port Villa, immediately went nuts with the Southern Comfort & earned himself a nice hangover the following morning! Once he recovered we topped off the diesel jugs with duty free fuel. Trekking off to the fuel depot expecting to fill them up at the pump, but oh no this is not the western world. The guys rolled out a 200 litre drum of diesel. Opened it, put a tube into the drum allowing us to visually see the quality of the fuel, then inserted a pump which manually had to be turned with a handle to transfer the fuel into the jugs. Now heres a question for you? How many people do you think it took to complete this operation? Answer: 5, including the lady at reception who completed our paperwork. One guy to turn the handle, the other to hold the funnel & watch the fuel going into the jug, another man to oversee the operation (I'm guessing this was the boss), & another to wipe down the jug if any fuel got spilt! On a plus side at least everyone gets a job! It was one of those moments when you wish you hadn't left the camera on the boat!

my daily jog is becoming dangerous!

2008-07-04T19:10:00.001+01:00

Is it safer to:

a. run in a coconut plantation (is it really true that more people get killed by falling coconuts than get struck by lightening?)
b. run through a herd of mad looking cows & bulls
c. run though the streets of Tottenham at night

c. is probably the safer option given that my present running route is a & b combined! Not much you can do about it on an Pacific island whose main export is copra (for coconut oil) & raises some of the best tasting cattle in the world. According to the travel books they massage the cows but I can assure you they don't look very relaxed & chilled out! Not sure my rape alarm is going to help me here Gilly!

On a separate note thank you to all those who are sending encouraging emails, they are appreciated & apologies for absent replies but once again internet is becoming scarce & expensive. Looking forward to cheap & high tech asia in Sept!

Variety in Vanuatu

2008-06-20T06:02:00.001+01:00

We have certainly had variety here but I have to admit I haven't fallen for the place. I can't put my finger on it. Has it been invaded by us western tourists a little more than I was expecting? Answer: No. Have the people been friendly & welcoming? Answer: Yes. Have I had some amazing experiences? Answer: Yes. Then what is my problem? Answer: I have no idea.

Maybe I haven't spent long enough in the country but something was missing for me. I rarely felt the urge to stay at an anchorage longer than we did or felt a true connection with the local people. It's not to say we haven't had amazing experiences or met some fantastic locals. I just haven't had that buzz or truly stepped off that worn tourist track. Vanuatu certainly isn't as populated with tourists as Fiji or Tahiti but they certainly know how to charge the Westerners for a glimpse into their life. My hope is that as we go further north into the Solomon Islands & over the northern side of Papua New Guinea where fewer cruisers sail we will be enriched with local experiences. Only time will tell!

Their way of life on these islands is so primitive & basic. It is interesting & certainly enlightening. Seriously can any of you men imagine walking around wearing nothing but a banana leaf to cover your penis! I don't resent their outrageous prices for the camera happy westerners who rock up & ogle at their way of life, but I am left with a feeling that we haven't seen the real them or their true way of life. Maybe the people of Vanuatu are the British equivalent with an air of reserve & it takes awhile for them to really accept you & to truly relax in your presence. Unfortunately we haven't got the time to spend longer here to truly penetrate the country & mentally we are ready to move on. Sometimes you connect with a country & sometimes you don't. On the plus side no time is wasted & Vanuatu has given me some fabulous memories, maybe I'm just getting greedy & wanting more than my allowed quota!

Watching Bobby paddle an outrigger in circles whilst the owner, Nelson ate my freshly baked lemon cake & drank coke. We had earlier traded a paint brush & thinner for his lemons. We then went about our daily chores on the boat whilst he sat reading (out loud!) the local paper. There was something comforting about hearing him read whilst I went about preparing dinner in the galley. Nelson took us to the best snorkelling spot (perfectly clear waters but bloody freezing) & showed us around the camp that the US tv show Survivor used a few years back. He was just happy hanging out (although I think he will have told his wife he had been working hard tending to their vegetables) & we were happy to share the afternoon with him. He did leave Bobby a little baffled after he had spent time digging out his photo printer & printing a photo. Upon presenting Nelson with a photo of him & Bobby on his outrigger, Nelson asked “What about the photo of me & your wife?” he he!

A perfect night at anchor in a calm flat bay, no other boats, a fantastic meal & cocktails (with ice!), followed by a lovely sunset & a movie in the cockpit under the stars. Yep it's the things we normally dream about that are my reality (sometimes it's also hell, normally on passages!)
We climbed an active volcano on Ambrym beginning the walk at sunrise & ending it at sunset barely able to stand! 11 full hard hours walking up & down hills & valleys, over ash plains & balancing on the edge of the lava ridges. It was breath taking to stand at the rim of the volcano with molten lava below crashing like waves on a beach. Through the sulphur that billowed up & left its mark for miles in the blue sky, we could see the glow & bubbles of liquid lava below. I was speechless staring into the mouth of planet earth & then I was speechless contemplating the walk we had to do to get back! Our guides were amazing. We rock up with all our walking gear, loads of water & food, they turn up in bare feet carrying only a machete! If they became thirsty they cut open a coconut & if they got hungry they found a banana. They even carried the backpacks of those that were struggling (Dad, you'll be happy to note I carried my bag all the way up there & all the way back. I remember being told “Only take what you can carry”, those DofE expeditions held me in good stead!).

We then sailed over to Homo Bay on Pentecost Island as I was desperate to watch the land diving. Pentecost is home to the original bungee jumping. It only occurs in the months of April, May & June & is now typically put on for the tourists. I was in two minds about going. It goes against what we have discovered we want out of this trip. To pay extortionate amounts of money for the locals to put on their costumes & do something they would otherwise not have done just to entertain the white man normally makes me want to run a mile but, my curiosity got the better of me. I was assured by the Peace Core volunteer working at the village that the young boys are not forced to jump & willingly do it. For most she said the chance to wear the namba (a penis wrap that covers nothing but the penis) is apparently the highlight for the kids. All I have to say on the matter is that I certainly had my years “ball” quota in a matter of hours. My heart was in my mouth watching them prepare to jump. They jump from this rickety structure which looks like it is about to collapse with only yam vines tied to their ankles. Their hair is meant to touch the soil below as they fall to fertilise the yam crops. The soil below is loosened & cleared of all rocks & stones. Women are not allowed within 20 meters of the structure. Although exceptions are made for the paying tourists we were certainly not allowed to touch the structure. I'm glad I have seen it & the money goes back into the village but there was a false feeling to the event. I couldn't get out of that village quick enough. The children all had the worst snotty noses I have ever seen, a layer of green snot rested on every top lip we saw & the girls decided they wanted to continually stroke my hair, which trust me is not pleasant when you have just seen them picking & killing nits off of each others heads!

Our other experience at Batnavni on Pentecost was entirely different. Dropping the hook I could see clusters of straw huts around the pretty bay. We were lucky enough to stumble upon the 2 Johns who took us under their wing & kept us away from one of the chiefs, who charges nearly £30 per person just to come ashore & sign his visitors book – see what I mean about them possibly taking the piss with the outrageous charges. They showed us their fishery, a straw shack with a few freezers, its kind of third world meets first world. Next door to the fishery was the fuel station, another straw hut! We returned the following morning to Johns house & relaxed in their yard. His wife handed over fresh coconuts, spring onions, green beans & sweetcorn & even gave me a fabulous woven bag. They wanted nothing in return & were happy to just sit & talk. We took them back to Barraveigh where I made lunch & we returned the generosity giving them some old bedding, fish hooks & a few girly goodies for the wife.

They invited us to a party, one of Johns family were holding a 1st birthday bash so I made another lemon cake as our contribution to the party. A walk to the tiny hamlet up the hill where the party was being held, passing kava, banana, yam & even pineapple plantations saw us at the Nakamal (meeting house, kinda like our village halls) sitting on woven mats in the dirt. These people made us feel so welcome,even though we made the birthday girl cry. I'm not sure she had ever seen white people before & you cannot fake the look of fear on their faces upon clamping eyes on us. Is it polite to turn up at a child's party & then make them scream in fear?? The family from all around the island were there, including a string band, 6 guys on guitars & one guy on a bass made out of a box (you have to see it to believe it). They are amazing & we were in total awe. While they played the women removed the food from the oven, a pit dug in the ground in which a pig & yams are placed between layers of hot stones & banana leaves. They then prepared their equivalent of party bags, a piece of pork & yam tied up in banana leaves. We were humbled to be presented first with our food & we noted it was the biggest parcel. To hand it back or insist we could have a smaller parcel would have been insulting. We accepted & I was thankful I had made the cake which appeared to be going down a storm. Bobby was then presently with the first cup of kava, luckily its not normal for the women to drink it so I was excused! Bobby & John were off their heads after just one cup & Bobby assures me it was the strongest kava to date. We were amazed at our luck of stumbling upon such a wonderful enriching experience & thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

We have one more stop in Vanuatu & that is the island of Espiritu Santo, home of one of the best wreck dives in the world! I will keep you posted!

safe & sound in Port Vila

2008-06-13T23:14:00.001+01:00

Barraveigh is in calm flat waters. I've showered, devoured an amazing burger & chips, slept for 12 hours solid, been in awe at the French supermarket, marveled at the 24 hour fruit & veg market & attempted to learn Bislama English
Here begins the adventures of Barraveigh's 3rd leg of her world trip & my 2nd year of exploring wild & exotic islands. I can feel a change in myself. I'm ready to get off the beaten track & tread the road (or seas) less traveled.
Port Vila is the main town in Vanuatu & has many of the conveniences that we Westerners require but it has kept its rougher, less polished edges. It gives us hope that as we sail further north, to the other islands, we will experience primitive villages & communities. I'm absorbing everything around me & noting the huge differences between here & Fiji. The people look the same, its hard not to greet them with a huge Fijian "Bula" but pay enough attention & you'll notice they are smaller in size & have a more reserved personality that feels very English. Many braid their hair in cornrows & the women wear plainer dresses than neighboring Fiji but their personalities are just as warm & friendly. At times it feels like I've landed in Mars, watching the locals with their beautiful dark skin & afro hair play boules in the park just as the old French men do in France, walking through the market that never sleeps, reading the signs written in Bislama & buying fresh croissants.
The English & French have both left their mark on the country. Vanuatu was previously called the New Hebrides. It was governed by both the French & the English. The dual administration caused huge rivalry & much confusion. There were 2 education systems, 2 police forces & 2 currencies. When colonial rule came to an end in 1980 it was given the name Vanuatu.
Vanuatu has much history from World War 2. Due to its position in the South Pacific & the joint English & French presence, the New Hebrides was the ideal location for the American army & navy. They arrived in 1942 & pushed north into territories occupied by the Japanese. The Americans have also left their mark on this country with many wrecks making excellent dive sites & also on the older generation who remember the Americans arriving in their huge ships. A young boy of 6 or 7 asked Bobby where he was from. When he replied "America", the young boy said "America (pause). You like to fight"!!!
P.S Does anyone know where Bobby went? He seems to have been replaced by a romantic twin! I've been treated like a princess. I awoke from a lie in (8am!) to find a breakfast of croissants, pamplemousse & a bunch of huge tropical flowers awaiting me. Wow!

well done to anyone who noticed I'm holding the flag upside down!!

There goes my 100% record!

2008-06-03T07:00:00.000+01:00

As soon as we got through the Momi Pass, leaving Fijian waters & out into the big blue I was hit by seasickness. We were both quietly concentrating & trying to get our bodies into the seas rhythm. Had I spent too long on land or were the seas much rougher than we had experienced in the past? Somehow I doubted it, the trip from Bora Bora to Palmerston was much worse than this.

Things didn't improve so we split a anti seasickness patch, kinda like a nicotine patch but you stick it behind your ear. Unfortunately it didn't work quick enough for me & for the first time ever I was leaning across the lifelines sharing my lunch with the Pacific sea. Not as easy as it sounds !With the boat hurtling down & spinning out of waves, water crashing over the port side & the boat heeling so far over to starboard that the deck was in the sea, Bobby telling me to lay low & stay clipped in. Thoughts going through my mind were; do I lean over the port side which is higher meaning I'm less likely to get washed off the boat but I am likely to get a face full of water & with the wind coming from the south I was likely to be wearing my lunch! Or do I go for the starboard side, lie really low with my face between the lifelines, less likely to get wet or covered in vomit, but a little too close to the sea for comfort. Next frustration was trying to get close to the side of the boat whilst clipped in with lines that prevent you from getting anywhere near the edge. It was all becoming a little too much for me so after a comedy sketch of Bobby holding onto my ankles we seriously discussed turning around & heading back to Fiji. It was very tempting but I knew if I went back I would never leave for a second time. We choice to stick it out & get through it together. Bobby reasoned that it wasn't unsafe it was just very uncomfortable.

I have been racking my mind trying to portray to you non sailors what it is really like out here in these conditions. Bobby best described it as a simulator that goes non stop for 4 days & nights. You can't hit the emergency button for it to stop & you still have to eat, sleep, prepare meals & use the bathroom. Washing went out the window & we had a “who smells worse & who has the greasiest hair” competition.

Every 30 minutes or so the big blue throws an enormous wave our way engulfing the cockpit & crashing cold salty water over whoever happens to be on watch. I don't even bat an eye lid any more when it happens, I just await the next one. I am living in my foul weather gear (Jon, your Elalto products have done you proud), am clipped onto the boat with my harness & am reading my book through a freezer/ziplock bag so it doesn't get soaked by the boarding waves. I do get a little freaked watching the waves that come running after us from the stern & tower as high as the bimini. All you can do is hope that it crashes before it reaches the boat & totally soaks you.
I've tried to remain positive & tell myself that this is part of the adventure but now & again (normally after I've been sick) I want it all to stop, I have a few tears before pulling myself together, refocusing & telling myself I'm earning my adventures in these far flung islands.
For now I'm watching the land on the horizon get closer, looking forward to a calm anchorage, raising the courtesy Vanuatu flag & washing my very smelly body & greasy hair.

Vanuatu, you had better be worth this nightmare trip!

Farewell Fiji

2008-06-01T06:58:00.000+01:00

Saying goodbye was tough. Its been home, I have loved it here. If I didn't have such itchy feet to explore the rest of the world I could have happily stayed. This country & the people are amazing. Their government maybe in constant turmoil with coups & the people may not be rich in comparison to Westernised standards but if they could bottle their smiles & genuine friendship they would be the richest country in the world. We in first world countries may have financial wealth but Fiji beats us all in societal richness.

As with most of our trip, leaving was not without its own story. I headed into town to collect some last minute supplies from the market & a secret stash of goodies for those times when we both need a pick me up out at sea. I returned to the marina to discover both Bobby & Barraveigh missing! Was this a huge not to subtle hint?
We were due to check out the following day but Bobby discovered it was a public holiday. Unable to leave checking out until Monday due to an expiring visa in Bobbys passport he had hot footed it over to Lautoka with quickly recruited Bill (s/v Creola). For some reason the officials want to see the boat from their office window even though they never come aboard. The boys made it back just as the sun was setting so I didn't have to make myself a bed on the dock.#

Saying goodbye to the staff at the marina was hard. They had become such a part of our everyday life. Bobby has promised them he will return in four years time! We were both quiet as we slipped our lines from the dock, wrapped in our memories of our months in Fiji. We made our way slowly out of the marina, past the grassy area where we had watched movies under the stars & past the bar where many sundowners had been consumed before we made ourselves look forward to the adventures that lay ahead.

A final night out at the islands with s/v Creola & s/v Emelia. It was a fab sail out there, all in convoy passing one another, taking photos, lots of laughs & even a dare to take your bikini top off competition started by a cheeky Linda! Most sailors begin their experience with day sails, sailing with other boats & even just leaving the dock for the hell of going for a sail. For me its been a means to get from one country to another & these fun times are a real novelty. I had sailed all the way from Panama to Tonga before experiencing day sails!

If Bobby & I thought we were going to have a quiet night we were greatly mistaken. An offer of dinner & cocktails on Creola can never be turned down followed by chill time on Emelia with Gene (American country songwriter) on guitar & singing. Listening to the music & looking up at the stars, a prefect way to spend the last night in gorgeous Fiji. She will be sorely missed as will our good buddies Bill & Linda on Creola with whom we are parting company as our itineraries take us in different directions.

I'm a diver

2008-05-25T06:52:00.000+01:00

If you had told me a year or so ago that I'd voluntarily be signing up for a PADI Open Water Dive Course I would never have believed you. I was a fan of the seas surface & not of the deep depths of the big blue. Slowly my confidence has grown & I want to be able to play with the fish for longer than I can hold my breath. The challenge for 2008 was to face my fears & learn to dive. I signed up with a few conditions:
1.one to one tuition
2.patient instructor
3.to complete the course at my own pace. I knew if I was rushed or pushed to finish the course in a few days I'd panic & pack it in.

Albert, the Fijian had the unfortunate job of being my chosen instructor & he was fantastic. He got me through the fears & tears, removing my mask underwater is still not my favourite skill but I can do it – victory! We shared smiles when skills went well, & celebrated with ice creams after each completed chapter.

First few dives during the course were pretty boring. Dead coral & not too much to look at but I have the distinct feeling Albert was ensuring I didn't become distracted & concentrated on the job at hand, especially after I became less than impressed with the remora fish trying to stick itself to me whilst I was trying to complete a set of skills!

I passed the tests & returned to Barraveigh where my very cute boyfriend had blown up balloons, plastered them with messages as well as buying me two dives. We headed out the next morning with Bill & Linda from s/v Creola. I had a bit of a panic on the first dive but with Bobby on one arm & the dive master on the other I managed to descend & became a lot happier once I could see the coral we were heading for. Bobby knew how nervous I was & held onto my hand the entire dive. We swam around the pinnacle of coral slowly getting deeper. There were hundreds of fish of all sizes, tiny clown fish no bigger than your little finger nail, poisonous lion fish & stone fish, & beautiful soft corals. The second dive was better. I was off & away on my own, no holding hands & even spotted 5 or 6 white tipped reef sharks (they don't panic me any more after sharing many snorkelling spots in the South Pacific with them).

We celebrated my first dives back on board the dive boat with cold beers & then on board Creola with champagne, where we also toasted my Nan's 92nd birthday. Nan, I know you will love the fact that I completed my first dives on your birthday.

I couldn't have had a more amazing time & everyone made the day feel very special. I know I have a long way to go before feeling totally comfortable down there, but with more experience I'm sure it will happen. There is going to be so much to see in the next few months & many WW2 wrecks that I pleased I've done it.

To you Bobby, a huge thank you. You held my hand, literally, as I overcame my fears.

To cook or not to cook!!

2008-05-12T05:34:00.004+01:00

Food is important in any society or walk of life. As cruisers at sea its doubly important. I'm not even talking about the energy & nutritional value, although yes Mum I know to keep an eye on my vitamin c intake to stop scurvy ; ) A bad day at sea & faced with another 20 days of the same before you see land can lead to a poor mental state! A favourite dinner, treat or the smell of banana cake can bring a smile to your face.

Just over a year ago I got onto this boat thinking “I can cook, being in charge of the meals shouldn't be a problem”...how little did I know! I've had to evolve from the “land girl” who could pick up any ingredient she wanted from a variety of supermarkets & corner shops, 24 hours 7 days a week, & eat at any restaurant or take away when ever she felt like it. I thought I could cook but this is a whole new level.

I've slowly developed into the “boat girl”. Learnt how to survive with no freezer, no Sainsburys nor Tescos, and instead - a market brimming with vegetables that I've never seen in my life before! Last year I felt the pressure. This year the shock & stress of preparing & cooking meals non stop, plus learning the basics of how to make staple foods such as bread (enjoy the huge selection on the shelves next time you are in the shop & will someone please eat some slices of toasted Vogel's bread with butter & marmalade for me! Wow my mouth is watering!) has given way to an inquisitiveness to learn from the other yachties & locals. Linda (s/v Creola) trades recipes with the locals & watches them prepare these strange island veggies! Her cook book is brimming with exotic recipes. I'm slowly getting there. Less stressed but still learning the basics!

I've finally mastered bread. After a number of bad attempts last year. Think back to the scene in “About a Boy” where he kills the duck with his Mum's home-made bread – yep my loafs were equally bad. There was certainly nothing light & fluffy about them! I haven''t quite made it to fantastic loafs of bread but my foaccia bread was out of this world (Bobby's words). Then again we could just be deprived of good bread! ; )

My pizzas started off as square stodgy pizza but have evolved to amazing thin crust pizzas thanks to Chris & Erin (s/v Barefeet). I can safely say that no pizza, other than Pizza Express tastes as good. & no I'm not buying the bases from the supermarket I'm making it all myself, impressive I know!

I've just made my own Rosa Harissa (a Tunisian chilli paste). I chopped & de seeded so many tiny chillis that my hands burnt for days afterwards. A rookie error, next time I'll be donning disposable gloves! The paste gives couscous & spag bol a spicy kick plus makes a fab dip when mixed with yoghurt. Which leads me onto my next development, yoghurt! Last year I was making Easiyo yoghurt. A powder that you mix with cold water, put in a large thermos flask. After 8 hours you have yoghurt, amazing! Running low on the magic powder so learning from my fellow cruisers to make yoghurt using powdered milk & 2 spoons of yoghurt. What I've learnt so far......do not mix yoghurt with the hot powdered milk mix as it curdles – yummy not! Also learnt it doesn't work with the local yoghurt, maybe there isn't enough cultures in it. Oh & don't use powdered milk that has been open for years as that also won't work. Just made some Easiyo to see if a little of that & powdered milk will work. Given the choice I'd rather have the huge super-market brimming with produce just down the road but it's not & I'm learning that this is kinda fun.

I'm getting organised. Presently I have a fridge full of bread & pizza dough ready to be used when required. Plus some ginger cookie dough ready to be rolled into cookies next time the oven is on. There are jars of Rosa Harissa ready to be added to sauces or made into a dip when my next batch of yoghurt turns out good (think we maybe waiting a while for that one!), a tub of aubergine appetiser awaits our sundowners. I'm growing basil from seed for pesto although with only four leaves at present it will be some time before I have enough.

Yes I know I appear to have turned into a house wife & it goes against everything I have been brought up to do (Dad you'll be pleased to know I'm still unblocking sinks & coming up with ideas for practical things around the boat). Its the one downside of living this fun lifestyle on the seas you end up succumbing to the galley. I'm unwilling to give up the little luxuries to live on rice & fish alone so I've got to adapt & learn how to create things from scratch. I know how good a feast of pineapple upside down cake is at midnight on a night watch, how we look forward to the evening meal when we know we're eating pizza & how we equally share a box of Smarties that I've found at the back of the fridge. Little treats are important in life however small they may be.
Enjoy your treats & the convenience of your supermarkets! Me jealous? Well ok maybe a little bit! As for me I'm off back to Barraveigh to unpack 5 trolleys of food from the supermarket which include 24 tins of tomatoes & 25 boxes of UHT milk!

2008-05-11T18:54:00.002+01:00

Are you enjoying this website? Want to read even more? Want to read the captains perspective on events? Check out Bobby's website www.barraveigh.com (or click on the link, right side of my website).
It is finally up to date with news letters from the beginning of his trip & will continue to be updated with future articles.

Happy reading

Today is 1st May 2008

2008-05-01T20:27:00.003+01:00

It was the date we expected to leave Fiji for Vanuatu. Something I'm learning after a year on board Barraveigh is that the boat never wants to leave port after a few months rest & creates extra issues which put us behind time. Personally I can't really blame her! Its nice here in Fiji, why head out into the big blue where there is no such thing as a perfect passage!

We had good intentions to spend March & April working hard, then reward ourselves with play time out at the islands that tease us from the marina bar with their white sand glistening in the sun. We got side tracked & our departure from Fiji has been delayed a few weeks.
A health scare for Bobby resulted in a trip to Suva's (the capital) private hospital to have a mole removed. Three doctors said it was skin cancer but thankfully the biopsy is clear. It has been an emotional & scary three weeks. We have had our wake up call, lotion is smothered on our skin as soon as we awake & we have been doing our best to stay out the sun during the hottest part of the day – pretty hard to achieve living on a boat!

Whilst awaiting medical results, Bobby discovered problems with the engine. For those of you up on your boats continue reading for everyone else you can skip to the next paragraph ; ) Water was leaking from the water lock section of the exhaust. It is situated under our bed so as well as leaking water into the boat it would also leak exhaust fumes. Mending it is not so easy when you can't get the part anywhere in Fiji so a big thanks to a fellow cruiser who brought it over from Australia with her. Then Bobby noticed a weak spot in the shaft hose. The to do list was doubling by the hour. I considered banning him from checking anything else! A week or so weighing up the pros & cons of having the boat hauled out of the water to replace the hose finally gave way to attempting it in the water. A stressful day but it was a success. We will be forever grateful to Alan (s/v Kiwi Dream) who kitted up into his dive gear & jumped into the marinas dirty water to assist pulling the shaft out & plugging the hole to stop water flowing into the boat. There are very few people who would dare put even a big toe into the water as it is so dirty, (where do you think the contents of everyone's toilets go?) so he is a hero. As you are well aware by now fixing one problem leads to more problems. The shaft hose was fixed but the engine was now out of alignment. “Just realign it” I hear you say. Three days later, & a replaced engine mount (a bolt refused to move resulting in replacing the entire mount) & a day spent trying to find a 24mm spanner to do the job, we were finally back to the original “to do list”.

I have begun provisioning but it won't be anywhere near as full on as last year in Panama. The food in Fiji is pretty expensive in comparism & no where near as extensive. I just need to ensure we have the necessities to keep us going (yellow American mustard for Bobby & Pringle's for me!). Will stock up on those large & heavy items that are hard to transfer from shop to boat when you are at anchor & relying on a dingy that leaks water. Wet toilet rolls & wet cereal are no good to anyone!

How was your commute to work this morning?

2008-04-13T22:32:00.006+01:00

I caught the 7;30am Pacific bus into town (Lautoka). Being in Fiji, you are wise to turn up at the bus stop 15 minutes early as the bus can arrive at any time, guess that's not too dissimilar to the UK the only difference being these guys are often early!! ; ) As for the bus stops themselves they come in all shapes & sizes. Some are donated by families in memory of loved ones & vary from metal to wooden structures with thatched roofs. Others are nothing more than a few pieces of timber offering a little shade from the sun, but mostly people just wait under a tree & flag the bus down.

No worries about hearing your fellow passengers ipods or listening to people on their mobile phones, A. no one has an ipod & B. no one uses their mobile on the bus!

The early bus is full of school children of all ages. All beautifully dressed in their school uniforms. So smart & clean it would delight any British headteacher. Pink dresses with white collars & beige shorts with blue shirts for the really little ones, white blouses & purple tunics for the middle school children, white blouses, white skirts for the high school girls & white shirts & white sulu's (long wrap around style skirts) for the boys. How they manage to keep all that white so sparkling clean with all these dirt roads I have no idea! The bus takes several detours off the normal route to deliver them all to school. Unlike in first world countries there are no signs on the bus telling school children how to behave, Fijian kids are polite & full of smiles – I cant say I was the same when I travelled to high school on the train!

There is no pushing or shoving everyone is very orderly & if there is room on a bench seat people will squeeze up to make room for you (definitely not like London!). Men stand to allow the women to sit. The bus driver takes everyone's large heavy bags, placing them around his seat to free up room on the bus & then hands it to you as you leave.

If the rain comes, we all help unroll the plastic windows. No glass here, for maximum breeze in this hot, humid weather there are open empty spaces where glass would normally be.
Here's my stop, reaching up I pull the on the string that runs above the windows from the back of the bus to the front, where it pulls & rings on a bicycle bell....ingenious!

Hands up who wants to swap their first world commute for mine!

Easter Weekend Holidays

2008-03-28T00:48:00.001Z

We left the boat & the never ending list of jobs & headed for a “land” holiday! The fact we were heading for Fiji's only sand beach break at a river mouth may have tempted Bobby to leave Barraveigh!
Getting there with two surf boards on a bank holiday with no local buses running makes it a challenge. We hitch hiked to Lautoka where we caught the intercity bus to Sigatoka. Now just the small matter of trying to wedge the surf boards into the small lockers under the bus!
Our accommodation at Club Masa, by Sigatoka's sand dunes, was basic to say the least. One of those places upon setting foot in it you wonder how long before you can leave. Sometimes they quickly grow on you & you fall in love with the place. Once we had patched up the holes in the mozzie net with plasters we were happy! A small wobble on Bobby's smile when he was told that the only place he could buy a cold beer was back in town a 30min taxi ride away!! ; )
Club Masa had no electric, hence no fridge, no inside shower, no hot water & the worst food I have eaten in a long time (Gilly you are a chef in comparison!!!). However it was quiet, peaceful, beautiful views & full of friendly locals (we were the only guests in a hangout for the local surfers at the village). Horses & cattle wandered freely around the lodges grounds, minor prob when they went on a stampede & stood on a local guys surf board! Frogs came out at night & joined you in your room & in the toilet! But we still loved it!
We ate our meals in the dining room looking out of three arched windows, the shutters were open giving a fabulous view of the sand dunes. It was also a great position as we could throw out our meals to the owners puppy, Fiji. It was a win win situation for all, the dog got fed, we didn't offend anyone as it looked like we loved our dinner, although maybe that's why they kept serving us the same meal each day - a smashed up chicken which included all bones & skin (although the pieces were now no bigger than an inch long!) some curry sauce & a huge bowl of rice!
The evenings were spent playing cards by oil lamp or drinking cava with the locals. I still dislike it & think it tastes like the water left over from washing potatoes - a cold G&T would be far more welcome! When the hunger & need for a cold drink got too much we headed into town.
The surfing was a no go for me. Huge clean waves, but before you even got there you had to get past a shore break. The current was so strong you were quickly down the other end of the beach & I lost all my nerve! Oh did I mention you had to dodge huge logs that are flowing down the river into the sea & that sharks like to feed at river mouths! Yep I think I made the right choice taking up position on the beach in the shade. This meant trying to hide under a branch that had been washed up on the beach!
Bobby got back into his surfing ways after 6 months off. He surfed with the locals who were on boards of all conditions. Some didn't have leashes as the end of the board was in bits, others were missing fins & had holes in them. Bobby spent a morning as the surf doctor helping repairing their boards!
All in all we loved our holiday away from Barraveigh but were also happy to get back home to her!

The Yanks!

2008-03-25T00:34:00.000Z

Apologies for the delay but Bobby has had me chained to the boat making mosquito nets for all the hatches & sewing more pockets!!

Actually if I’m honest, writing this is not something that has been easy to do. Being a Brit, plus the fact I know many Americans read this site & I don't know you personally, its been a little hard to openly “take the piss” so bear with my British sarcasm & take it all with a pinch of salt ; )
Like Bobby I’m making my disclaimer at the beginning- very American! These are my observations of Bobby & his fellow American cruisers. It will not encompass you all & I’m fully aware Bobby is his own species!! Some have been confirmed by my fellow countrymen & women, whilst others were discovered after big disagreements in the early days, before finally working out they boiled down to cultural differences…. now we just argue but at least we know why!! ; )

1. Americans don’t do subtle. It has to be in your face. Bobby wanted a flag for the boat. Does he buy one in proportion to the size of the flag pole? No, its extra big & almost the size of the sails!

2. Meat is necessary in EVERY meal & not just a little meat. A whole pig must be placed between two slices of bread to make a ham sandwich (for those of you that know Bobby, this is then followed by an entire bottle of American mustard). It will be interesting to see how Bobby survives next year as we have no tinned (canned for you yanks) chicken & the corned beef over here is pretty bad so after a few days out at sea we will be out of meat.

3. They require loads of praise when something has been achieved. A quick pat on the back, “well done old chap” will not suffice. I have resorted to following my “Well done” with a “Was that enough?” Equally, I run & hide if he starts giving more compliments than I, the stiff upper lipped Brit, require.

4. When speaking about a person, who is in their presence, to a third person, Americans will refer to that person as “she” or “he”. Brits deem this as rude & the phrase “Who am I? The cats mother?” is often repeat to us as children to ensure we use the persons name.

5. Americans do not say “Please”. They ask for something (without saying please), they receive it & then they say “thank you”. We Brits are over polite, we say please & thank you. Can you see how the arguments began!! ; )

6. Life revolves around food. I’m not sure how much of this is down to Bobby who will eat every hour of the day & drives me up the wall, or cruisers who discuss where they can buy certain foods. One thing I know for sure is that it doesn’t mater whether you are from the east or west coast you are all hooked on your Mexican food & discussions about Mexican restaurants & the last time you ate Mexican food continue all night!

7. You love your sports & are very competitive but you are not so gracious when it comes to losing. We the Brits, can pride ourselves in being good sports, but I feel this maybe as a result of having much more experience with loss, especially due to our National football (soccer) teams. Bobby’s way of ensuring he doesn’t lose is to only play games that he is likely to win, if I start winning - we are no longer allowed to play!

8. We love people watching & guessing what countries they come from. Spotting the American is pretty easy. It’s a cliché but true, your white trainers & baseball hats stand out a mile, although the Ozzies are giving you a run for your money.

It has been fun to see how the British can transform themselves after a couple of hundred years on their own continent & you have done quite well. (was that enough praise??!!)

Suzi – the English Rose

The English!

2008-03-11T00:29:00.000Z

Back in 1991 I lived in Britain for 3 months. One of my first memories is a sign permanently tiled into the wall of a restaurant next to the entrance. It read, “No Prams Allowed.” I thought to myself, “These Brits are very open about their racism. Now who the hell are the Prams?” Turns out, a pram is a baby stroller and the Brits are really rather tolerant. What’s it like living with an English girl? I know it’s completely unlike me, but I’ve compiled a list. I’m not sure how many of the following observations are based on gender differences or Suzi oddities, but I’m going to go with the broad generality that they encompass all British people worldwide.

1. When walking on a crowded street they want to swerve to the left and I to the right.
2. They hate to admit their wrong. “Oh yea – well that would work too.”
3. They believe that if your stomach gets cold you will catch diarrhea – Once you have it, forget the proper meds, just don’t eat for 24 hours.
4. They leave soap bubbles on the dishes after they wash them. They don’t believe a final rinse is beneficial. This is probably the real reason they have diarrhea.
5. They don’t gush. Stiff upper lip and all. “Good job. Well done.” That’s the most you will get in the name of a compliment.
6. They like high calorie food because it helps with survival when you come from a frozen island. Here in the tropics, it just puts the pounds on a person.
7. Their women (Suzi, her friends & family excluded) have more bird faces than any other nation. I don’t even use the word “Britain”. I refer to it as “The Island of Bird Faced Women”
8. They make great tv shows. Do yourself a favor and watch the following: Extras, The Office, Life on Mars
9. They have refined their language into inaudible murmurs. They are the only people on the planet who can whisper & mumble at the same time. It’s either that, or the shrill chicken accent, which will drive you to put an ice pick in your ears. They invented the language, the Scots screwed it blue and we perfected it. Very rarely do English speakers of any nation say that they can’t understand the Yanks. That’s not so for the rest of our English speaking cousins.
10. They leave room for the letter "r", they just don't pronounce it.

Here are some translations:

1. “Pants” means “Bad”
2. “Trousers” are “Pants”
3. “Phaff” or “Palava” means “Hassle”
4. “Jammy” means “Lucky”
5. A “Numpty” is an “Idiot”
6. “Got the ‘ump”, “the strop” or “being narky” means “being moody”
7. “A Sirrup” is “A Wig”
8. “Chav” means “Tacky”
9. When something is “Naff” it means it’s “No good”
10. “Tatt” is “Junk”
11. “Dappy” means “A bit clumsy”
12. They never say “The hospital” it’s just “Hospital”
13. If you are “Poorly” it means you are “not feeling well”
14. They say “Leads”, we say “Cables” or “Cords”
15. “Catarrh” is “Flem” – no joke, I actually saw that on a box of cold medicine
16. “Yonks” means “A long time”
17. “Squwiff” means “Askew, curvy, not straight”
18. “Bubble and Squeak” means “Left over food”
19. “Porkies” are “Lies”
20. “Squiffy” means “Tipsy” – Careful, it’s easy to confuse this one with “Squwiff”
21. “Pips” are “Seeds”
22. If something is “Pete Tong”, that means it’s “All screwed up” – this is one of my favs but I think it derives from Cockney rhyming slang.

I’m guessing Microsoft has to use a very different dictionary in their Word program so that the above words aren’t underlined in red. Remember, I’ve been accruing these from Suzi for more than a year, and new ones still pop up. I don’t know who said it but it’s true that “We are 2 cultures divided by a common language.”

Now go out and find a narky Brit who’s poorly and take them to hospital. Be careful that the chav numpty doesn’t spit in a squwiff manner and get catarrh on your trousers. That would be pants because you might become poorly and then everything would be Pete Tong for yonks. What a right palava that would be!

- American Bob -

we need you!!

2008-03-10T03:20:00.001Z

Yep we need your help!
We have found ourselves a pet. The tiniest gecko ever! He (or she!) is about an inch long & has the cutest feet. He has joined the official crew list on Barraveigh & has been given the task of eating all the bugs on the boat. By feasting on all the mosquitoes we are hoping he will become huge & save us from being eaten alive! Haven't seen him since we set him free in the v berth a few days ago...hope he's ok & I haven't squashed him!!
We need your help with a name. Bobby & I cannot agree on what suits him!
Click on the envolope at the end of this message to add your suggestions!

Bula!

2008-03-05T03:15:00.000Z

I made it! I'm back in Fiji! Very nearly didn't get out of Australia! Probably won't surprise my family as my flights never seem to run smoothly! Air Pacific would not let me on the fight without an onward or a return ticket. Total panic but finally got it rectified by purchasing a refundable ticket, (if you can call it that! Once they have taken off all their charges there isn't much that comes back!) Finally made it onto the plane & guess who is on the front cover of Air Pacific inflight magazine.....ME!!!
I know its not quite Vogue but hey every model has to start somewhere! It was very surreal walking onto the plane & seeing photos of myself but it was fun, although unfortunately not enough to get an upgrade! Offered to do a free signing session but there wasn't much of a queue! ; ) Its pretty cool though & the boat is now weighed down with all the copies I took off the plane!

It feels good to be back on board Barraveigh. Bobby has spent a lot of time cleaning her up & she is looking really good. We have an air conditioning unit so its a lovely temperature, unlimited fresh water & power, plus showers & internet – life just can't get better! I head out for a daily run every morning before the sun gets too hot. I'm trying to start this year healthier both physically & mentally. Plus its so much fun, the Fijians & Indians are so friendly. They are all waving & shouting “Good Morning” as I run past. I hope my wave & smile are ok as its all I can muster in this heat with the sweat pouring off me!

G'day From Halse Lodge, Noosa

2008-02-28T03:05:00.000Z

This is the place will hold such special memories. It gave me the peace to find the old Suzi, good friends to smile & laugh with. It is the backpackers hostel that gave me a job for a few weeks & where the cook Sue filled me with her fabulous meals & even more fantastic desserts.

Having been to Australia a few times in the past I made the decision to stay put in one place for my three weeks. Noosa has always held special memories so I returned, booked into Halse Lodge & soon got myself a job.

In exchange for cleaning the backpackers kitchen I got a free dorm bed, free breakfasts & free evening meals. Not sure police officer to cleaner is the career move most people would have made but I was as happy as a pig in muck (ha ha!) & believe me the kitchen was a pig sty at the end of a day! Backpackers can be dirty lazy buggers but there was no escape when I was on duty! Those of you that know me probably think I bullied them into washing their dishes but it was even easier than that...female charm & smiles will have them doing anything! Emptying the fridges on the other hand had me heaving, there were some interesting things growing in there!

All in all it was a fabulous job that gave me loads of time to do my own thing during the day. I was sad to leave. Drew, the owner, offered a proposal “Stay for longer & I'll find you a new boyfriend”. It was tempting (only kidding Bobby) but I was excited (& nervous) to get back to Fiji to return to life onboard Barraviegh.

I don't regret a minute of my time in Noosa. Skinny dipping in the sea at night, koalas chilling in the tree outside my bedroom, having breakfast surrounded by 15 parrakeet's (some of whom I discovered had a taste for jam (see photo gallery) whilst talking of childhood memories with Loveday, purchasing new bikinis & dresses (honestly there has to be an illness for this as I was unstoppable!), lying on the sofas on the balcony reading trashy books whilst the rain fell non stop (its the last time I'm going to let an Ozzie tell me they have better weather than us!), relaxing with Jo & Steve in their pool & spa drinking jugs of pimms, eating Sues homemade desserts (if anyone can offer a solution regarding sending them via the internet I'm all ears!), taking a daily run along the board walk to the river mouth as the sun dips below the horizon, wild turkeys runnnig around the town & even in my kitchen! The best memory of all ....... starting each day with a big smile.

Farewell Family & Friends

2008-02-05T02:45:00.000Z

I've got just less than a month on my own in Australia. It is well needed & I hope, one of the best decisions I've made. I'm going to give myself the time & space to re-evaluate, remember, rediscover independence, confidence & smiles.

2007 was a hard year, a new relationship, a huge adventure & a whole new life on the water to adapt to. On top of that I was still reeling from family tragedy. But 2008 is going to be different I'm going to get back on track, live life to the full, with happinessness & positivity in each day.

Heading home in November to be reunited with the family was well overdue. However returning home to live with the parents when you moved out at the age of 19 was a bit of a shock for us all! They were good sports, lent their cars (was this just a ploy to get me out the house!), looked after me & gave me shoulders to lean on. I, in return cooked dinners & gave them computer lessons. With Mum & Dad entering the modern world of broadband & laptops we spent evenings at the dining table with three laptops learning the ins & outs of skype, downloading & altering photos, mum I hope you are still doing your homework! ; )

As February came round I was ready to leave & see what adventures 2008 held for me. The entire family checked & rechecked my flight details, no longer trusted to do this having missed 2 major flights by reading the departure time wrong, I can only offer the excuse of being a natural blonde! My efforts at leaving the country are never without turmoil & an accident closing the road into the north terminal caused a little extra stress but Dad (keen to see me go & not stay an extra day!) came to the rescue dropping me at the south terminal & getting the train across. They all waved me off & it broke my heart walking through security with them all waving. They stood there for next 15 minutes. Each time I thought it was a last wave & moved into another area I'd look behind to see they had found another tiny area of glass to look through, were standing on tip toes & still waving.

Family life is full of happy times & tough times. You only get one family & no matter what happens I know we are all there for each other. They are stuck with me as their daughter & sister, equally I'm stuck with them & I wouldn't have it any other way ; )

It was great to see family & friends while I was home & I loved spending time with you all but I'm ready to wave goodbye again & head for warmer climates! I'll be back again before you all know it. x

Proposed plans for 2008

2008-02-04T18:13:00.000Z

07/02/08 Leave UK
09/02/08 Arrive Brisbane OZ. “Suzi only” chill time in Noosa (north of Brisbane)
01/03/08 Return to Barraveigh in FIJI

As always the next proposed section of plans are very much subject to change as so much depends on weather, boat repairs, captain/crew demands & wishes! ; )

April 2008 – leave the marina & spend a month exploring more glorious Fijian islands. From there we will spend the year making our way to Thailand, via Vanuatu, Papa New Guinea, Bali & of course many other fabulous far flung places but listing them all will only make you green with envy!
More from me & boat life in March until then I’m off to pack my bikinis, say my farewells to the grey & wet UK, & get myself ready for sun, sea, surfing & a PADI diving course!

Suzi Ziplining in Fiji

2008-02-02T17:30:00.000Z

This is a test video post to check up the uploading of videos on the site!

Click on the arrow to play

website alterations

2008-01-29T08:25:00.000Z

The website is presently under going a few alterations.
Check out the new changes, including a slide show of the most recent photos. Coming soon... my BBC radio interview (yes I'm now famous!!) & video clips.
If you have previously signed up for the RRS feed or email subscriptions & did not receive this message, I apologise. Please re register using the logos on the right hand side of the website. For those of you are unaware what this feature is (ie my parents!) it automatically sends my updates to you via email. Remember to still check the website occasionally for recent photos in the photo gallery.
Exciting news! Elalto is sponsoring Barraveigh's cold weather clothing! Made in Bolivia the clothing is ethically sourced & fairly traded. I highly recommend it having lived in my fleece for the last year! Fabulous for skiing, hiking, sailing & general everyday use. Check out http://www.elalto.co.uk/ or the logo on the right of the webpage for all your outdoor clothing requirements.

I can't believe I did it!

2007-12-04T16:48:00.002Z

Panama to NZ in 9 months, that’s 9000 odd nautical miles, 10800 statue/road miles for you land lovers! At an average of 5 knots it’s a lot of ocean & I can only think of 2 perfect passages, unfortunately they were some of the shortest ones.
For once I’m speechless! What an achievement, I can’t believe I’ve done it! A novice sailor (in truth, no prior sailing knowledge what so ever!) has sailed on a 41foot boat from Panama to New Zealand. Of course I couldn’t have done it without Bobby who had the boat & also knew how to sail – pretty crucial items! ; )

It’s been a roller coaster of a trip; with amazing experiences & memories, highs & lows & ups & downs. Despite the scary bits we made it with everything in one piece & together. Neither of us will pretend it was easy, even for the most rock solid of relationships this lifestyle pushes it to its limits as nothing else ever can, never mind a brand new relationship. He has been an amazing teacher & partner. Both he & this trip will always have a special place in my life.
I’m heading home to the UK for a holiday & to catch up on some much needed family time. Bobby will return to Fiji for alone time with Barraveigh (it’ll be back to being a boys boat in no time!) Before all that we have a few weeks to explore New Zealand by land! Bobby will also get corrective surgery on the broken finger that rehealed itself at a strange angle.

You will have to wait & see what 2008 holds for me but I still love the nomadic life & the adventures it brings so not ready to return home permanently just yet! I hope to catch up with as many of you as possible when I'm back. For those of you who I don’t know in person but have sent emails & messages full of support & enthusiasm a huge thank you. I really am amazed at how many of you have been following the adventure.

Hope to see you all here again in 2008!

Happy Christmas & a Happy New Year to you all.
Suzi x

sailing to NZ

2007-12-04T16:48:00.000Z

The last you heard I had just jumped on Golden Opus. It was fantastic to experience the open ocean onboard another boat. As well as having some luxury, it makes you appreciate some of your own boats plus points & we realised that even the big boats with open cheques book policies were having system failures. The trip across the South Pacific has been hard on all the fleet. Couple that with a serious lack of equipment, tools & specialist contractors on the majority of island chains most boats are limping along to their final destination for 2007.

The trip to NZ isn’t easy. Everyone heading down there expects some of the big stuff so boats are prepared beforehand, sails are changed, reefed down & everything is doubly secured to the deck. Majority of yachts pay for a weather router who advises them of the best route depending on the boats specifications, namely speed & what date you leave. It’s expected to be that bad!
I was apprehensive of the passage but looking back it was nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. Don’t get me wrong we did have some of the “big stuff” but on a bigger boat, with more crew, more sleep & having already had the nightmare sail to Palmerston under my belt, this one was enjoyable.

Life onboard Golden Opus was certainly golden! Bobby & I had our own cabin with a double bed. Not so great in rough weather when the boat is leaning at a 30degree angle. It may well have been a nice big bed but until we found the lee cloth (see photo gallery) we were squashed into each other on one side of the bed or attempting to cling onto the mattress with our fingers & toes to stay put! Very humorous! We also had our own bathroom (head to you sailors) with shower or at least we did until the bathroom in the bow became unusable, not mentioning names any names….John & Cookie!! ; ) The first 2 or 3 days were fantastic. Good winds, the seas were calm & the weather fantastic, the galley was well stocked & the crew, consisting of 3 kiwis, 2 ozzies, 1 yank & 1 brit, were in good spirits. Off shifts were spent lazing on the stern deck reading & relaxing under the warm sunny rays.

It wasn’t to last, the weather changed, the sun disappeared & the seas picked up with big swells & 6-8 foot waves. The head & main sails were reefed & we all begun putting on layers, including thermals, gloves & foul weather gear. I wore everything I had packed, plus anything I could get my hands on & I was still cold, my British blood must have thinned in the humid weather over the last 11 months! In large seas & heeled to starboard it begun to get harder moving around the boat, that’s when I appreciated Barraveigh’s small spaces. A small boat does have some advantages. It’s never far to slip or slide onboard Barraveigh! Should you ever be sat on a toilet onboard a boat healing over with the nearest wall well out of arms reach you’ll understand – just take it from me its not easy to stay put! ; ) Golden Opus isn’t just a much bigger boat than Barraveigh she is also heavier which makes for a nicer ride in the bad stuff. She ploughs through the seas at a steady 7-10 knots, which is a totally different experience to Barraveigh. The high centre cockpit rarely gets soaked by waves breaking over the bow or sides & was the venue for many intense conversations on religion, politics & many other controversial topics! Bobby, John & Cookie were certainly putting the world to rights!

With poor batteries & no generator, power was in short supply, the autopilot was out & hand steering was in. Having managed to get across most the Pacific without hand steering (we love our auto pilot) it was yet another learning curve (that’s for you Dad!). No problem on the calm sunny days but when it got rough in the night I had my only wobbly moment & became too nervous & scared. Overcame it in daylight after some calming lessons from Mike, the captain. I actually begun to enjoy steering the boat through the big waves, it’s a bit like a fairground ride but you’re holding the controls.

The batteries & generator weren’t the only items on the broken list. The gas alarm, which detects a gas (propane) leak, began sounding & wouldn’t go off. I don’t need to tell anyone how bad a situation that is. Luckily for us it was a problem with the alarm & not the gas connections but it did result in the cooker being out of order for some time whilst “the leak” was investigated, also not a good situation when its cold & everyone wants hot drinks & food! The hatch in one of the forward cabins begun letting in water, so bad that it you could have stood under it & taken a shower! Poor John went to his bunk in all his foul weather gear! & finally coming into Auckland harbour the water pump decided to break. An hour from land with 7 smelly members of crew wanting fresh water showers I think Golden Opus decided she had had enough & was well over due her refit.

The highlight of the passage was our final shift. Bobby & I were approaching Auckland. It was still dark & suddenly dolphins, lit up in the sea by the phosphorus, surrounded us. It was amazing to watch them playing in the bow trying to keep up with the boat. The phosphorus was so strong I could see school’s of fish lit up in front of us as they became startled by the boat. The dolphins chased the fish & had a spot of breakfast. It was, as always magical; I never get bored of watching such beautiful animals & to see them playing in the wild just meters from you is spectacular.So many memories from this trip & some very good friends. A huge thank you to the rest of the crew for your fab friendship & fun times. A big congratulation to Mike who completed his circumnavigation at the age of 29, an incredible achievement, which he celebrated in style with a lampshade on his head & a frozen flying fish! ; )

NZ here I come

2007-11-26T03:37:00.000Z

After a busy busy three days, which included a 24 hour sail to Lautoka & two full non stop days cyclone proofing Barraveigh we have finally left Fijian waters!
It really has been a task getting everything done in 2 days. Both the sails had to come down & be packed away, kayaks, fuel jugs, ropes, cockpit cushions & the rest of the equipment on deck had to be taken off & put in storage. The fridge was emptied & cleaned, all dried food was checked, resealed & restored. Bilge floats were checked, some were replaced, all the thru holes were shut off, fresh water run through the outboard, all the water tanks were topped up & most importantly the gas (propane to you guys on the other side of the pond) was disconnected. Somewhere in the mist of all this I did the mundane laundry & attempted to pack my many souvenirs from the South Pacific into my rucksack! Being tied up in a marina is fab but it does have its disadvantages, one being wildlife! Ants climb onto the boat along the ropes, rats can swim into the exhaust holes, birds make nests inside the boom (we learnt our lesson from Panama!) & we won’t even mention the dreaded c word (cockroaches!). Barraveigh has been left with Vaseline on her ropes (stops the ants), the exhaust holes have been blocked with rags & the end of the boom has been taped up.
We left Barraveigh at 4pm, joined Golden Opus & set sail at 6pm. Exhausted we opted for the final shift & were immediately taken to our beds for some well earned sleep. With six crew & one captain this is going to be a luxury shift pattern compared to passages at sea on Barraveigh, 3 hours on watch with 6 hours off to sleep & relax. We are pretty excited about the leg to New Zealand & both keen to experience being onboard a different sail boat.
That’s all for now as I’m off to catch some zzz’s, so its goodnight & sweet dreams from me.

all change!

2007-11-25T21:23:00.000Z

Plans on Barraveigh never stay the same for long! The new plan is to sail to New Zealand as crew onboard a 72 foot yacht called Golden Opus, Ron Holland designed for those of you with boat knowledge! The captain is about to complete his circumnavigation having left New Zealand 8 years ago. We are joining him for the final leg. The boat is gorgeous with all the mod cons & more. Going back to basics after living the high life will be interesting!
We just have to get Barraveigh out of Suva & up to the marina. Easier said than done, a bad weather warning has just been issued for all of Fiji’s waters so we will have to stay in Suva a little longer than we had hoped.
Suva has been fun. We have been doing the tourist thing, changing of the guard ceremony at the Parliament building, checking out the keel of the Bounty (Captain Bligh) at the museum & the huge display of cannibal clubs & human flesh eating forks!
It goes without saying that I have once again been the diligent girlfriend making the never ending visits to every hardware store & marine shop in the city to stock up on supplies but I am reaching my fill, there is only so much a girl can take! ; )
Dan, a fan of Bobby’s articles on http://www.escapeartist.com/, invited us to spend the day at his recently opened zip line canopy tour on the outskirts of Suva. Its great to meet the people who are reading our adventures. Dan has been a huge help, showing us around the city & even taking time out of his own schedule to help Bobby purchase all the items on the “must buy” list. Zip lining was fantastic, I quickly got over my apprehension & initial issues with braking & spinning uncontrollably! It was a thoroughly enjoyable tour of the forest at tree top level. We had a blast, a huge thank you to Dan & his family for their hospitality.

30th October - the day we nearly lost Barraveigh

2007-11-12T22:49:00.000Z

It didn’t begin well. I was awoken with news that s/v Aquantique had hit a reef in New Caledonia & our friend Bill was awaiting an air evacuation. After 11 years at sea, Bill, an experienced & skilled sailor, was about to complete his circumnavigation. We were stunned & heartbroken for him. It’s left us shaken, disaster can happen to any of us at any time.
From that moment the day steadily got worse. At anchor in the harbour of Suva (capital of Fiji) surrounded by large fishing boats & container ships a squall quickly kicked up. Building to 35 knots (substained) in a matter of moments, large waves began forming, so big they were breaking high over the bow. These are conditions you expect out at sea not in a harbour protected by an outer reef. Anticipating problems Bobby started the engine & moments later the anchor failed to hold & Barraveigh began to drag backwards. Bobby motored forward attempting to hold us in position, battling with the waves that would throw Barraveigh’s bow sky high, anchor chain straining at the cleats. I headed to the bow. Bobby needed to know where the anchor chain was so he didn’t motor too far forward. The waves were crashing so hard it was unsafe to remain up there. The squall continued for the next hour, Bobby successfully keeping us away from the reef & nearby boats but the situation was about to get worse.
Due to a fuel leak we had closed the fuel lines to the engine whilst we were at anchor. Unfortunately in the urgency of the situation neither of us remembered. The engine was being starved of fuel & taking in air. It came to a stop & we quickly set to work on bleeding the engine. It was a horrific situation, watching the distance between us & the tanker close in knowing there is nothing we could do to avoid hitting it. Despite bleeding the engine numerous times it still refused to start.
Someone must have been on our side though as the winds began to ease & Barraveigh ceased moving. It wasn’t over though. With no engine & an insecure anchor we would still be in danger if the winds picked up again. Our only hope was to find a mechanic to look at the engine but in order to find one it would mean going ashore, leaving Barraveigh to fend for herself & praying the winds would remain calm. Our friend Dan saved the day, he drove around Suva looking for a mechanic who would be willing to come out to the boat at such short notice. He returned to the Yacht Club with Tasi , a huge Fijian guy who towered above Bobby. They set to work on the engine & just when it seemed to be going well until Tasi dropped a screw into the bilge, which by now had fuel & water slopping about in the bottom. As always it was an important screw & not a normal size, we pumped out all the dirty gunk, put it through a sieved & still couldn’t find the screw…arrgghh
They headed back to the workshop (still with all our fingers & toes crossed that the winds wouldn’t pick up) & finally returned with another screw. It was nearly 5pm by the time the engine was working & we were safely reanchored. Bobby & I were mentally & physically exhausted. Neither of us had had to say a word, we knew we had escaped disaster by minutes, if the engine had failed earlier there would have been nothing we could have done to stop ourselves ending up on the reef or smashing into the other boats nearby. We had made a big error by not opening the fuel line but Barraveigh survived & we have learnt our lesson the hard way.
Never before has a gin & tonic & a good curry tasted as good as it did that evening!

Bula from Fiji

2007-11-12T22:47:00.000Z

We made landfall in Savusavu. Again we inadvertently timed our arrival on a Sunday. Under normal circumstances this means you can’t leave your boat until Monday when immigration & customs check you in. Can you imagine being at sea on a 41 foot boat, only to arrive at land & not able to escape – talk about cabin fever! Luckily our good friends on s/v Barefeet were still in Fiji. They greeted us in their dinghy, had already arranged a mooring ball & smoothed the way with the officials, who had given the ok to spend the evening onboard Barefeet for a cold beer, a takeaway curry & a shower – Barefeet we bow to your forward planning!
Engine problems are now added to our list of things that need to be repaired. It is a growing list! The engine began leaking diesel from the throttle into the bilge on our way here. We will still be able to make the 200 odd miles to Vuda Point Marina where it can be fixed. Unfortunately exploring the neighbouring island of Taveuni is now out of the question, it will have to wait until next year. With both engine & generator problems (it’s not working again!) charging the batteries is an issue especially when it rains all day & there is no sun for the solar panels. It’s a toss up between using power for the fridge (which is now working thanks to a spare part from Barefeet) or watching a DVD! We have found the solution, filling the fridge with ice means we can turn it off & have both cold drinks & plenty of power.
The Fijian people are as friendly as I remember from my first visit in 2003. They greet you with a huge smile & “Bula” – hello in Fijian. The population is a mixture of Fijians & Indians, meaning there is no shortage of curry dishes to choose from! From our experiences the two cultures mix well together within the country. Elected governments are overthrown nearly every year although each coup seems to be bloodless & not particularly violent.
Fiji is made up of 300 islands, Savusavu is situated on the south eastern side of the second largest island, Vanua Levu. It’s a small town with few tourists, most shops contain two businesses which appear to be totally unrelated to each other, the stationary shop also sells meat & the barber is also the upholster who also sells fish! We have had fun learning the Fijian way ie moving at a slow relaxed pace. I’m getting better at it but don’t expect a changed person when I get home! I took a 6 hour round trip bus ride to Labasa. Sitting on the bus with all the school children neatly dressed in their school uniforms, locals selling their wares through the open bus windows; drinks, pineapples, snacks & even curries wrapped up in a roti just like a sandwich! It was fun if not a little bottom numbing & the route was certainly scenic. The buses don’t have any glass in the windows, if it rains the passengers assist in pulling the plastic sheeting down over the open air windows. Its fun, cheap & all part of the valuable experience when arriving in a new country.
We are keen to start the trip to Vuda Point Marina near Lautoka but are awaiting an area of low pressure (rain & more rain!) to move away. Stuck in Savusavu with s/v Barefeet we are doing what we do best, drinking, playing cards & name the tune competitions…. Being a Brit amongst American ipods I definitely have the disadvantage. The rain does mean that our water tanks are filling up & we now only drink Fijian rain water – talk about superstar tendencies!

The final passage of 2007 - Tonga to Fiji

2007-10-19T21:39:00.000+01:00

It was a strange feeling setting off after a month of pleasant day sails. I was apprehensive of the trip to Fiji after reports of bad sea conditions from friends who had gone before us. Bobby & I were keen to ensure the final journey of 2007 left us with good memories & that love for the ocean would return after our recent bumpy passages. We were in no rush to set off & willing to wait for a good weather window, despite my itchy feet to get moving. Tonga does that to you. It’s the place where after 9 months of sailing similar paths in the South Pacific to our fellow cruisers we all begin to separate, heading off in different directions & at different timelines. The sound of air horns & ship bells being rung in mooring field was constant as boats bade farewell to friends setting off on their passages to NZ & OZ.

We said our goodbyes on the 11th Oct & headed out of Vava’u’s comfortable calm waters & into the ocean. Thankfully it has been a wonderful 4 days at sea. The weather has been warm & sunny, with no need for the thermals & foul weather gear that I had laid out ready for use in the v berth! Light winds have resulted in more engine use than usual but it has also meant a flat calm ocean – I had almost forgotten what it looked like! The sound of the engine makes Bobby anxious so he attempts to sail even in the lightest winds but the sound of the sails slapping as the wind drops makes me anxious. Needless to say the sails get reefed in on my watches to minimise the slapping & as Bobby takes over for his watch they get let out again!!

I spend my night watches staring up at the stars & Milky Way, watching brightly burning planets appearing on the horizon (we have both mistaken them for other boats!) & then rising high into the night sky, the reflection of the moon on the lake like sea & luminescent particles glowing as Barraveigh gently ploughs through the ocean. My final night watch finishes as the sun begins to rise, a new day silently beginning as the darkness gives way to the warm rays. I attempt to absorb every detail to memory, never wanting to forget how peaceful & beautiful it can be out here at sea. I wish I was able to identify more star formations & planets but I keep myself entertained inventing my own - there is the handbag, the starfish, the martini glass, the 3 sisters, the shopping trolley & the kite which I believe is the Southern Cross! ; )

We have ended our failure to catch any fish in the South Pacific, thanks to the lucky lure purchased in Tahiti. The lure, which had been lost months ago, only to find Bobby had put it in one of his “safe”, never to be found again, places! It hooked us a 4 foot Mahimahi, a beautiful aqua marine blue, so beautiful I had trouble putting the gaff (a sharp metal hook) into her gills to pull her onboard for Bobby to kill & filet. It’s just been too long since we caught a fish & I’ve become a softie, which didn’t go down well with the Captain, who pulled her in on his own! Once onboard she quickly lost her blue colouring & turned various shades of green (I hope she wasn’t seasick!). I hate to admit it but dinner was gorgeous!!

It has been a fun passage & one that will be hard to beat, we have eaten well (mainly due to the fish & the fact the fridge has stopped working so we are attempting to eat everything rather than throw it over board!), played games (Bobby refuses to play cards as I continually beat him, Yahtzee is still allowed as he remains the champion!!), spent each afternoon watching the sunset from Barraveigh’s bow & don’t tell anyone but we treated ourselves to a cold beer/G&T each eve when the fridge worked!, watched movies in the cockpit under the stars (thanks to Gil & Fiona for the new DVD’s) & laughed as we throw buckets of cold sea water over each other to bathe & cool down.

I’m delighted that the final leg of 2007 has been an enjoyable, relaxing time. 5 hours of it remain so I’m off to make the most of them!

From one kingdom to another - the UK to the Kingdom of Tonga!

2007-10-19T21:33:00.000+01:00

After another bumpy 2 day passage (I dream of flat seas!) we arrived at the Vava’u Group, northern island chain. The scenery was stunning, 100’s of high cliff islands rising out of the sea & humpback whales teaching their young the lessons of life in the sheltered waters. Best of all it was a Sunday, nothing open in town so no rush to check in with immigration & customs. We headed to a quiet anchorage to join our friends Barefeet & Serai (we hadn’t seen Barefeet since leaving Bora Bora!). Crystal clear aqua marine waters, powder sand beaches & afternoon cocktails after a game of frizbee. It’s a tough life but someone’s got to do it! ; ) No peaceful nights sleep for me as the whales kept me awake with their singing, boy is it loud when it bounces off the hull!

Monday morning we headed to the huge dock in Neiafu to check in. It’s not easy to manoeuvre yourself into a 50 foot space in between the other yachts, reminds me of driving lessons learning to parallel park! Throwing lines to the guys on the dock who were at least 2 meters above us was also a challenge; luckily I didn’t embarrass myself with any girly throws! I shouted commands regarding what we wanted done with the line & refused to let them bully me into doing it their way, having already been given my instructions by Captain Bobby – he’s scarier than they are! I’m slowly getting to grips with this sailing lark!

This is a modest country where my bikini wouldn’t have made a good first impression so after a few wardrobe changes & finally given the thumbs up by Bobby, we were ready to welcome the officials onboard. Making the right impression is important, make the wrong impression & they hold the power to make life difficult, pulling your boat apart to search every tiny space, charging for excess alcohol, insisting you throw certain food products away & of course inventing fines & charges for the sake of getting extra money. We have a routine. Bobby puts on a shirt, I put on a skirt & let my hair down (blonde hair is rare in these parts!), I smile offering cold drinks & freshly baked muffins while Bobby does the talking, finding a common interest. It’s worked so far & we have certainly encountered fewer problems than other yachties. Despite all this the process seemed to take all day but we finally escaped & made it to the mooring field with Barraveigh in one piece! The Tongan’s never have a sense of urgency, everything is completed at a VERY sedate pace, rush them & they go even slower, not really what you want when your boat is tied against a huge concrete dock!!

We spent a month in Vava’u sailing around the many islands & heading back to town every 5 days or so when we needed fresh supplies or to socialise at the bars! Finding food supplies was a challenge unless you wanted tins of corned beef, which filled at least half the supermarkets shelves! Being closer to OZ & NZ we expected availability to be better than the out of reach islands but it was not to be. At one point there were no eggs anywhere in town for over a week! It’s part of the challenge of travelling & luckily we still have many supplies from Panama!

Our days were filled with snorkelling the various reefs & multi coloured corals, looking out for new fish or sea creatures, my fav are the starfish; the bright blue’s, the puffed up cushion’s & the fat pink ones! I practised holding my breath & diving deeper to the ocean floor in order to collect sand dollars. I’m certainly more confident in the water but unfortunately not secure enough to make it into Mariners Cave. It’s a huge cave where access is 6 feet underwater. You hold your breath as you swim through an enclosed tunnel before surfacing inside the cavern. I attempted it but I could not get my mind to cooperate. I got as far as putting my head into the tunnel but freaked out hitting the rocks with my flipper & dislodging it off my foot. Panicked I reached out grabbing anything in front of me, which happened to be Bobby’s snorkel, yanking it out of his mouth, not the best idea! We were both ok but Mariners Cave got the better of me!

We explored caves & deserted beaches in the kayaks, spent rainy days watching DVD’s (there were many of them & I soon discovered bad weather makes Bobby unbearable as he paces up & down inside the boat!), watched the England v Tonga World Cup Rugby match, supported the Miss Cosmo show, a 2 day event for the local transsexuals to show off their singing, dancing & performing talents. All ages of the community attended, supporting their favourites. Culturally it’s widely accepted in many of the South Pacific islands. If a couple have no daughters, they bring up one of the sons as a girl in order to assist with the household chores, Nan you should have considered this after having 6 sons!

We attended church where the singing was beautiful & loud enough to lift the roof off, plus we got to look at the locals in their traditional clothing, a material wrap around skirt, for both men & women, over which they wear a tapa mat of varying lengths. It was best described to me, that they appeared to have rolled on the floor & wrapped themselves up in the floor matting! On Sundays everything is closed, the high street was a ghost town, everyone is at home. Having had one two many rainy days & watched too many DVD’s we needed something to entertain us on a damp, grey Sunday! We headed out for an afternoon of “skurffing”. All you need is a powerful dinghy (not ours, which still leaks both air & water!), a surf board, a tow rope & voila you have a combination of water skiing & surfing! Great fun was had by all; I even managed to stand up the first time!

I nearly forgot to mention our minor issue of running aground, a sailors worst nightmare, well that & the 100’s of others! Yes I did happen to be at the wheel. All was well, we were in 60-70 feet of water & making our way out of an anchorage, suddenly the depth monitor began dropping & we parked on top of a coral head, not an ideal spot I know. Bobby jumped in the water to take a look around, he confirmed I had found the only coral head in the middle of the pass, lucky me! It was all very tense. With Bobby directing I slowly reversed Barraveigh off the coral (one other minor problem…I’m still not great at turning the boat in reverse especially when the pressure is on!) We thanked our lucky stars that we had been motoring slowly & there was no damage to Barraveigh’s keel or hull. It sure was a scary moment & has left me very nervous about coral as it’s everywhere & apparently Fiji is meant to be worse!

We have had to say goodbye to many good friends, especially Barefeet, Serai, Antares (who have the cutest baby in the fleet), Bluemoon, Scholarship & Afriki, all of whom are heading for either OZ or NZ to wait out hurricane season. Bobby is still happy with his decision to wait it out in Fiji; we have certainly enjoyed the more relaxed pace of life. Most cruisers are admitting to being tired & looking forward to staying put for a little while. It’s been a long distance to cover with so much to see & constantly working out how many days you can spare in one place before you have to move on. Most people have one long passage still ahead of them but for us there is only the 465 miles to Fiji left!

a huge thank you

2007-10-10T05:38:00.000+01:00

I'm presently surrounded by birthday cards & presents. I have the biggest smile on my face. I'm amazed at how many people took the time to send cards all the way to Tonga & am really touched by all your kind thoughts.

It may be three weeks since my birthday but like the queen I have been able to celebrate again. With one post boat a week the post is VERY slow!

I'm looking forward to watching all the new DVD's, eating my chocolate buttons & flumps & putting all the cards up around the boat!

A huge thank you to all. I'm a very lucky girl to have such special friends & family.
Love to you all
Suzi x

P.S. Jess, your butterfly flew out of the card, across the bar & scared us all!! ; )

Tribute

2007-09-29T00:00:00.000+01:00

It has been a year since Sally, my beautiful sister died. A year that still feels like yesterday, where every detail is remembered & remains so very painful & sad. We were a typical family; normal ups & downs, happy times & disagreements!! The three Roberts sisters who would stick together at school but argue like crazy at home!! Now it is different. Sally’s death has left a huge gap for each of us.

It was a hard decision to leave my family in January & it’s continued to be hard. So many times I have wanted to fly home for a hug or to give support to Mum, Dad & Gil. Inquest hearings in Kenya always seem to occur during passages at sea so awaiting news has been difficult. It’s been a really tough time as those of you close to the family are well aware. At times I know I’ve had it slightly easier, having escaped many of the painful processes at home but its also been so very, very hard not having my family close by & not always having the ability to call home when I have felt so incredibly homesick & sad.

I cannot thank my parents & Gil enough for the unfaltering & continuing support. They have encouraged me through both the happy & difficult times, didn’t mind if I called during the middle of the night & I suspect, have played down the tough circumstances at home. There have been moments when I wonder why I’m putting them through the extra worry & heartache. I know they are proud of me & trust Bobby to keep me safe. Bobby has kept his promise to them & kept me out of harm's way. He too has been incredible, providing me with the strongest of hugs during the low times & quietly understanding when I can’t sleep though the sad memories. I wouldn’t have made it this far from home without any of them.

It’s been a hard year for so many reasons but most of all I just miss my sister & wish so many things could have been different. I remember you Sally Clare Roberts with both smiles & tears. You would be happy to see my hair long - it always maddened you when I cut it! & I smile to myself knowing you would be mortified that the only make up I now own is mascara & even worse, it’s only been worn a handful of times! Your love for children always shone through. You had such big plans to return & assist the Kenyan school you visited shortly before you died. You would be so very proud of what is being achieved at the school in your memory & how they have benefited from so many peoples generosity. You would have teased Dad, researching the water project without the use of his “Which!” guides, but you would be so proud of him for ensuring the most reliable drinking water system is put in place for the children.

It sure is tough without you here & although a year has past, it hasn’t made it any easier. x

Tonga

2007-09-28T23:56:00.000+01:00

We have been thoroughly enjoying our time in the Kingdom of Tonga. As always time is our enemy & therefore decided to concentrate on exploring only the Vava’u Group of islands in northern Tonga. We are surrounded by islands, all within a days sail. Oh yes day sailing has made a come back & I’m loving it! Long passages at sea have been replaced by half a days sailing accompanied by a gin & tonic! It’s not just me that likes this area, our friendly humpback whales swim & play in these waters with their calves - although nothing will beat our experience back in Palmerston.

With the rush to make it to Australia before cyclone season still very much in the forefront of our minds we were unable to totally relax until Bobby made the decision to weather out the winds in Fiji. It’s not as bad as it sounds, yes Fiji is still very much in the cyclone area but he has booked Barraveigh into a marina which has taken measures to protect the boats should a hurricane come their way. The best bit of this decision (in my opinion!) is we only have one four day passage left to complete until our final destination for this season!! The down side is saying goodbye to all our friends with whom we have spent the last 6 months exploring island chains in the South Pacific. Most boats are heading to New Zealand & Australia for cyclone season.

With the brakes firmly & time now our friend we have unwound & taking our time to get to know Tonga’s beautiful islands.

update

2007-09-11T04:22:00.000+01:00

Thank you all for your amazing emails after the “4 days of hell & 24 hours of even worse”. I especially loved the ones from family members telling me to fly home now! ; ) To put you all at ease a little, many fellow cruisers who are about to complete their circumnavigation have all said the trip from Bora Bora has been the worst they have experienced, it can only get better from here!

Your support & concerns mean a great deal. It is a real pick me up to log on & have such lovely messages, especially recently when the passages have been tough or if I’m feeling a little home sick. Sincere apologises if I haven’t replied or send a group email but it’s hard to keep on top of the emails - internet connections are pretty limited in the South Pacific & horrendously slow!

Hope to see as many of you as possible when I return home for a visit in December. Yep I’m coming home for a hot bath & to curl up on the sofa...& of course a few cocktails! ; )
We have arrived in Tonga after a 2 day passage during which we crossed the international dateline. Saturday 8th September 2007 never existed for us…..I’m lucky it wasn’t the 21st September (my birthday in case anyone had forgotten!).

Niue "the rock"

2007-09-11T04:18:00.000+01:00

Our 2 day sail to Niue wasn’t as bad as the previous trip but hey nothing can be that bad! The seas were still pretty big & it was an uncomfortable trip. Heartbreaking to arrive at night & have to sail in circles awaiting sunrise to head into the anchorage!

Niue was discovered by Captain Cook in 1774. It is a coral island with limestone rising steeply out of the sea at over 30 meters. It is a diver’s playground with numerous caverns, caves, arches, chimneys. Teamed with the crystal clear waters & amazing visibility to 70 meters other divers couldn’t get enough. Unfortunately the injury prone Bobby managed to get a badly infected insect bite that just grew & grew. He was treated by a doctor & fellow yachtie but it got so bad Bobby eventually headed to the islands hospital. They cut it open so it was now a huge crater, prescribed huge antibiotics & told him to remain out of the water. Not an easy request to follow when you live on a boat! & diving was a definite no, no!

Luckily there was plenty to explore around the island. Bobby patiently sat watching whilst I snorkelled in the various breathtaking spots around the island. Despite having no yachts Niue had a small Yacht Club, everyone’s social meeting place with the huge plus that served the best ice cream I have had since my last pot of Ben & Jerrys in England! As always the people here were friendly & inviting, they couldn’t do enough to help. With no buses on the island hitchhiking was the only option. The local people would go out of their way to take us to where we needed to go even if wasn’t where they were heading.

We waited out a bad weather front with help from another boats DVD collection & continued to tune into the South Pacific Net on the SSB (boats under sail check in twice a day giving their location & weather conditions on the radio). s/v Journey lost her head stay in the terrible conditions & was getting hit by huge waves. They were concerned her mast would come down & would therefore not be able to use the radio to call for assistance. Bobby & I woke through the night checking in with them on the hour, recording their position in case the worst should happen, updating them on weather & the layout of the anchorage. We knew what it was like to be out there & wanted to do all we could to help. Cruisers never fail to rise to the challenge to help each other even if they have never met & I still get a lump in my throat each time.

a "whale" of a time

2007-09-11T04:14:00.000+01:00

Our friendly whale that welcomed us to Palmerston remained in the anchorage. She spent the following night next to our boat. Whales sleep on the surface which is why it is so easy to run into them when you are at sea. She slept soundly whilst less than a meter from Barraveigh, who from underneath looks very much like a whale herself! We sat on deck in the early hours of the morning watching her & hoping that she would move away. She slowly floated to the bow at which point we got nervous. She could easily break the chain or pull our anchor (which was wedged on a coral shelf) causing us to drift. At this point Bobby begun speaking “whale” to her, think Doris from Nemo – it was hard to keep a straight face!! As she completed her circle around the boat she lightly bumped us, causing her to startle & dive…only minor issue, it was right next to the rudder, one touch by a huge humpback whale could be disaster. We held our breath until she reappeared & swam away.

But wait it gets better! She continued to hang around the anchorage remaining on the surface the majority of the time. We soon found out why as we quietly dropped into the water next to her. Our friendly whale was pregnant & it seemed she was in labour. She was curious & swam closer, checking us out. We stood our ground, remaining totally still, concerned that if we moved she would see us as a threat. We were within touching distance. It is the most incredible experience, a once in a lifetime. So breathtaking it is hard to put into words, all I can say is check out the photos.

“Our whale” gave birth to her calf in the anchorage during the night. She took a victory lap around boats to show us yachties her baby. We all stood on deck clapping & cheering.

Palmerston Atoll

2007-09-11T04:10:00.000+01:00

We were awoken from our deep sleep by an unrecognisable noise. Looking out of the bedroom port hole a humpback whale (3 meters from the boat) was giving us a personal welcome to Palmerston! This place was going to be magical.Unable to leave the boat until we were checked by customs & immigration we set to work on making repairs & putting the boat back into order.

Palmerston has a unique history. William Masters (an English guy) settled on the deserted island with 3 wives from the local islands with whom he had 26 children. The island is divided into 3 sections for the 3 families, they even have 3 separate graveyards!

In 2007 the island remains occupied by only the Masters Family. 68 family members live on the island & many more are living on nearby islands & in New Zealand. There are strict rules regarding intermarriage but there were more stutters & squint eyes than is average amongst 68 people.

It really is an amazing place & takes a while to get your head around the fact that everyone is related, sometimes even twice. Can any of you imagine living on an island with only your extended families?? An island for the Roberts Family…..members of the extended Roberts family I will leave it up to you to decide if it would be a good thing or not!! ; )

The different families compete to “host” you. We will admit to being sceptical, wondering what they wanted in return. The truth is they just want your friendship & company. They never asked for any money or goods but on hearing that their supply boat had been delayed (it arrives once every 3 months & it is presently it is 3 months overdue – no supplies for the last 6 months!) I emptied our cupboards of what we could spare & Bobby handed over fuel. Other “yachties” (this is what they call us!) were able to assist with repairs to generators, electrics etc. Daniela (s/v Iataia), an architect, spent an entire day drawing up the plans for a house whilst her husband calculated the materials required.

The families ferried us to & from the island where they fed us, sharing the supplies of food we had given them, gave us tours of the island, played volleyball & took us fishing. The head of our host family, Edward, was the islands policeman & yes he has had to arrest family members! They were generous in everyway possible way & we thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Masters family.

4 days of hell & 24 hours of even worse!

2007-08-31T23:38:00.000+01:00

It feels like an out of control train careering down the tracks or a scary theme park ride that doesn’t end. It has pushed me further than any previous passage, in fact anything in my entire life. I hit bottom, total exhaustion after a never ending battle with the elements left me unable to think rationally & leaving me petrified for our safety.
This has been the roughest passage to date for both of us, one neither of us wish to repeat. We fought confused seas, east south east (ESE) winds of 40 knots; 2 swells, one wind generated from the east & the other a southern ground swell; 5 meter breaking waves that crashed down upon us engulfing the boat. It was harsh conditions that ripped our mainsail & cut through our furler line, very bad news in such bad weathers as we were unable to properly reef or put away the sail. Wearing all our foul weather gear; thermals, waterproofs, boots & most importantly our PFD’s (life vests & harness); we attempted to complete our watches whilst clipped in to stop the breaking waves from taking us overboard. The waves hurtled themselves at the boat, filling the cockpit with salt water, ripping items from the deck & throwing the boat from port to starboard & back again. To top it all off there was no moon during the passage leaving it the blackest of nights & visibility a big zero. Unable to see which direction waves are coming from & when the next big one is going to cover you in freezing salt water is highly disconcerting.
The jugs of diesel strapped along both sides of the boat were broken free with the power of the waves. Bobby climbed forward & we attempted to rescue as many jugs as possible. Not an easy job as mountainous wave’s crash over the boat.
As conditions worsened Bobby deemed it too dangerous to be outside. We were drained, fatigued & I will happily admit I was frightened. We put our faith in the autopilot, shut the companionway & attempted to rest. No chance of being able to sleep, eating was a definite no go & drinking was also a mission with most of it being spilt down my front. As I lay on the bed scared & crying I attempted to recall essential items to take for the life raft just in case.
It wasn’t to be the end of the testing times. With battery power low we needed to run the generator. She wasn’t impressed with our conditions & did not want to run. With power crucially required for the auto pilot, mast lights & GPS, I sat on the floor sliding from side to side, squeezing the fuel ball encouraging it to run. I sat there for an hour with frightened tears running down my cheeks whilst Bobby hopelessly tried to get some rest. It was team work & I knew the importance of letting him rest in order for him to think clearly.
We decided to make an unscheduled stop on a tiny island called Palmerston to escape the weather & rest. As daylight arrived, Bobby returned to the cockpit. Conditions were still terrible but at least we could see what we were battling against. It was another 10 hours of combating the elements until we approached Palmerston.
Unable to furl the headsail was going to cause problems as we came into the anchorage. We radioed ahead & spoke to boats at the anchorage. As we approached, a local boat brought 2 sailors out to Barraveigh. They climbed onboard & immediately set to work on the headsail. It was a relief to have someone else take over. They brought us in safely & got the anchor set securely. Left alone we sat on deck still wearing all our gear, hugging each other with happiness. We were safe & stationary – I can’t even attempt to tell you how that felt. Cheese & crackers washed down with a glass of wine to celebrate our safe arrival was followed by a deep well needed sleep.
Casualties: ripped main sail, broken furler line, ripped biminy (canvas roof over the cockpit), 2 diesel jugs now lying on the bottom of the ocean (we were lucky we didn’t loose them all). The list could have been a lot worse & we are lucky the problems are all fixable.
We made it!!! Barraveigh is a tough old girl who we have up most faith in.

final goodbye to france!

2007-08-31T23:27:00.000+01:00

We said our goodbyes to the French Polynesian Islands & left for an 8 day plus passage to Tonga. But not before a few laughable incidents!

Still pottering about in the dinghy (if it was a car I’d have my L plates attached!) Thought no harm could come to me in the short trip across to the dock for a bag of ice -how wrong could I be! Halfway there the outboard begun coughing & spluttering. Having a good idea I was out of petrol I did the sensible thing - crossed my fingers & hoped I’d make it to the dock where someone could give me a tow back. It wasn’t the case & I was left with no power, no oars (had neglected to put them in!) & 15 knot winds, pushing me towards the coral. Typically no one was on the deck of their boat or could hear me shouting. 2 meters away from the coral I knew there was only one way out! I jumped into the water fully clothed & swam back to the boat towing the dinghy! I may have failed in my mission to get the ice but received brownie points from Bobby for not letting the dinghy & outboard get broken up on the coral!

Another good evening drinking at Bloody Mary’s was followed by more entertainment. Returning to our dinghies & unfortunately Chris (s/v Barefeet) stepped directly off the dock into the water completely missing the dinghy! He got off lightly with a small cut on his foot & gave us a few laughs!

Our SSB radio has been a problem since we set off in Panama. Boats had problems hearing us during the big crossing & Bobby was determined to get it fixed for the next leg, which meant ripping up everything in the bedroom to check wiring & replace copper bonding. On the edge of spending 2 more days changing wiring running throughout the boat in the deepest & inaccessible areas, Mike (s/v Wombat of Sydney) suggested the problem could be as easy as whistling into the mike prior to transmitting. Bobby was highly sceptical that the solution would be so easy & ridiculous.. Guess what…. it works!! Don’t ask me how, all I know it its something to do with tuning the radio with whistles!

Believe it or not I still have a milk tooth! It didn’t appreciate being chomped down on a muesli (granola) bar & required a visit to the dentist. Mark from Scholarship set up his dentist’s surgery onboard. Looking very professional in his white coat, I was provided with a huge pair of sunglasses whilst a table lamp was shone into my mouth. I had the full works & no longer have any problems. A big thank you Mark!

Filling with tanks with water at the dock was not as easy as it looked. Coral heads beneath threatened to take chunks out of the boat. After measuring the depth of the highest coral heads it was deemed possible for Barraveigh to tie up on the dock. We remained in place for Wombat of Sydney & Scholarship (larger boats with larger keels) to tie up alongside us where the water was deeper & filled their tanks. We had never noticed the slight tide change but when you are sitting above coral heads with only inches of clearance the smallest of tides makes a huge difference! Bobby dove under the boat to check it out & found he could touch the bottom of the keel with his little finger & the top of the coral head with his thumb! Luckily we got out of there with no disasters, said goodbye to both Bora Bora & the French Polynesian Islands.

Depending on the winds we will either head directly to Tonga or make a stop on route. Keep your fingers crossed that we will have nice weather.

Society Islands

2007-08-08T21:36:00.000+01:00

My apologies for the lack of recent updates & therefore extra long news report! We have had a blast here. The best bit – enjoying paradise at a fraction of the price, the honeymoon couples are paying! A waterfront bungalow with a huge bed, crisp white bed linen, fresh water showers, air conditions & tv is appealing but at £400 per night I can do without!
Since leaving Tahiti we visited Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, & of course world famous Bora Bora. They are green, mountainous islands like the Marquesas but with reef encircling them, similar to the Tuamoto’s. We sail through the breaks in the reef (passes), dropping the anchor between the reef & land. Apart from the great food in the supermarkets the other thing the French do well is marking the channels with red & green posts to aid navigation. In one confused moment we motored in circles whilst trying to work out if the marker should be on our starboard or port side. Hugely important, get it wrong & the boat will hit reef…lets just put our indecision down to having too much sun!!
Moorea took our breath away for both good & bad reasons. Gillaume & Julian joined us from Tahiti for the weekend. It was great to share life on board Barraveigh & they were great guests. They arrived on 2 scooters with 2 surfboards, bottles of wine, a case of beer, my fab straw hat & snorkelling equipment – I wish we had taken a photo! Unfortunately overnight one of the scooters was stolen, hugely disappointing but they remained upbeat & continued to have a fantastic weekend.
Swimming with sting rays was the highlight in Moorea. We took the dingy to a swallow area in the middle of the ocean and were instantly surrounded by sting rays. They were very inquisitive, checking us out & swimming by brushing themselves on us. Bobby tried to get a ride on the larger rays, grabbing hold of their wings. Guess they weren’t keen as they’d stop swimming & go into reverse to get him off! Hanging around in deeper water just meters away were black tipped reef sharks. I guess they were friendly sharks & didn’t mind being chased by Bobby & I, who were keen to get a good photo!
During a kayak trip I made a discovery, five sunken Tiki’s the size of our dinghy. I doubt they are authentic but it was a cool find & I rushed back with my snorkelling gear.
The anchorage in Moorea was perfect, surrounded by coral & turquoise waters. Perfect until the wind kicked up. The anchor dislodged & we dragged. Luckily the chain wrapped around a coral head & stopped us from going into the reef but it could easily have been a different story. As daylight arrived & the winds died, we pulled anchor. Not easy with the chain wrapped around a coral head & very little room to manoeuvre. It was tense (especially between Captain & crew!) but we got Barraveigh out of there safely.
A night passage to Huahine was anything but tranquil. Both struggled to sleep during our 2 hours “off watch” due to unsettled seas & with intermittent winds the sails were constantly in & out, & engine on & off. Result a grumpy captain & moody crew! ; )
We remained in Huahine longer than expected waiting out a bad weather front. Much of the time was spent partying with fellow cruisers, followed by a day of movies recovering from hangovers! – vague recollections of dancing onboard Seari before stripping off for a night swim; a night of games with Barefeet, after which Bobby slept in the cockpit with a bucket!; impromptu sundowners on Barefeet followed by a late night of loud music & dancing….very surprised the rest of the fleet were still talking to us the following day! It was a fun filled week with good friends & laughs, oh & bruises – my hammock on the bow collapsed sending my crashing down onto the life raft (Dad, you’ll be pleased to know my cleat hitch was perfect, it was Bobbys bowline that slipped….result a bruise the size of a plate on my calf!!) We even managed to set aside time for an archaeological tour of the island & a walk to many marae’s (old sacred platforms where local people years ago would pray to the gods – once you’ve seen a few you’ve seen enough but it was good to stretch our legs!) It was a great island & one of the favourites!
A quick stop in Raiatea due to empty propane tanks, that’s gas bottles to us Brits (apparently I’ve been baking too many muffins!!) before moving onto Bora Bora!! Pulling the anchor in Raiatea gave us a few problems. Soon realised why when the anchor broke the surface with a lump of coral attached to it (see photo gallery).
We are now in Bora Bora anchored outside the apparently well known (I had never heard of it!) Bloody Marys, a fab restaurant & bar visited by the stars & bus loads of honeymooners! We have visited many islands that have similar offerings as Bora Bora, fantastic turquoise waters, incredible snorkelling & great scenery yet there is something special about Bora Bora even if it is over run with tourists! For that reason (& that I’m not keen on beginning another passage to the next island chain) we have remained here for longer than expected. The Society Islands have certainly woven their magical spell upon us & its hard to say goodbye.

on the move again!

2007-07-25T03:23:00.000+01:00

It was hard to leave Tahiti. The sailing club was relaxed, friendly & felt like home. It was nice to put some roots down even if it was only 2 weeks! It was a friendly city & great island. The island itself is not as you would picture it. It is very green & mountainous; there are only a few beaches, the majority of which are black sand or rocky. The fabulous beaches & crystal clear waters are on the neighbouring islands of Moorea & Bora Bora.
As always there was work to do, trawling around the boat supply & DIY shops (Gilly, you would be in heaven!) in search of items that we never find until the 5th shop, restocking food, fuel & water supplies (first time since the Galapagos Islands! 80 gallons of fresh water in 11 weeks – pretty good going!).We made time for fun days, our first mission: a session of people watching & my much needed burger & chips (I had been dreaming of a meal out for months, cooking everyday is still driving me crazy!!). We play “guess the origin of the tourist”. Bobby believes you can tell a Brit from the shape of their heads whilst I spot the Yank a mile away with his bright white socks & trainers! ; )
As always hitch hiking is the cheapest way around town, which is how we met Gillaume & Julian. 2 fantastic French guys doing their internship in Tahiti. They took us surfing (nice sand breaks especially for me), cooked numerous outstanding meals at their amazing house on the mountain overlooking the beautiful coast. They were even kind enough to lend us a scooter for a couple of days, during which we toured the island. Slightly bum numbing after 8 hours but we made it all around Tahiti & even visited Teahupoo where they hold the world surf contests.
July 4th celebrations were held by Erin & Chris on Barefeet (a very beautiful catamaran) Believe it or not the Euros out numbered the Yanks! Fantastic BBQ with unlimited all American food, burgers, hotdogs, brownies, apple pie & pecan pie! I am still amazed at the food cruisers prepare, especially amazing with the limited food supplies & equipment onboard boats. No Brits or supplies of tea were thrown overboard during the celebrations!!
Our dingy fondly known as “the aquarium” with the amount of water it allows in & the fabulous view of the ocean now possible through the huge hole in the bow ! A painstakingly slow job to repair it & reglue the entire floor. Removing all traces of old glue, sandpapering & then finally the applying glue which had to be done in three phases! Now the waiting stage with all fingers crossed to see if it works – 3 days for the glue to dry! In the mean time we borrowed “Tippy” (she was very aptly named!) from s/v Erie. I was finally given lessons on how to use the outboard & there was no stopping me. It’s a bit like getting your driving licence & no longer being reliant on Mum! I had my freedom back; Tippy & I became great friends!

Tahiti Baby!!

2007-07-25T03:20:00.000+01:00

It is an amazing feeling, I sailed across half an ocean to get here! A more amazing feat is we arrived in one piece, without any breakages after having had the worst passage to date (the memory of the pleasant passage to the Tuamoto’s has very much faded!!) We hit numerous squalls, Bobby insists they were squalls but in my opinion they were storms! We sailed in & out of bad weather throughout the passage. As dawn broke on my watch the daylight was quickly replaced by blackness. Best comment of the day goes to the Captain: “Let me know when the wind gets above 25 knots” I informed him that we were already at 32 knots & increasing!
We hated every second of that passage. It was the first time I had thoughts of being sick, trying to cook in the galley during bad weather will do that to you! I dream of salted crisps (chips, for you yanks reading this!) I have no idea why but I crave the salt when we are at sea & unfortunately my supply of Pringles has long since disappeared!
We made it through the pass, into the protected waters of Tahiti Sailing Club & pulled up on a mooring ball. Even Bobby, who hates to pay for moorings, when anchorages are free, was keen to make use of the clubs facilities after the rough conditions. The lure of HOT fresh water showers were too much for either of us to pass up on! My first hot shower since leaving England in January! 5 months of salt water baths & cold water showers in the cockpit with a pesticide sprayer – not such a soft southerner after all!!
I took the longest shower in history & then stood wide eyed & dazed in the aisles of the French supermarket, so many cheeses, fresh meats, fruit & veg, it was as if we have just been transported to France. I haven’t seen a supermarket like this since leaving home!
A good nights sleep (with blankets – yes its that cold here) followed by a day of looking out for our friends, sailing in a day or so behind us. We were lucky. We escaped the worst of the bad weather. They reported 50 knot winds, broken stays, shrouds & engine probs. Comradeship in cruising is similar to the relationship with colleagues in the police. We look out for each other & no one relaxes until the last man/boat is safe. The enemy is the environment & weather. Its pretty emotional watching everyone help each other, assisting the sailing boats in through the pass with directions & heading out there in dinghy’s to show the safest route. You are wrecked after a 3 day/2 night passage & in terrible conditions you don’t get any sleep, to come into the port out of the storm & see friendly faces means the world. Fellow Brits on s/v Seari couldn’t make it in before nightfall & heaved to until daylight. It was unsettling feeling not having everyone securely anchored but they arrived safely the next day.

Atolls & Pearls

2007-07-25T03:18:00.001+01:00

We arrived in Kauehi, an atoll in the Tuamoto’s on 17th July after a perfect passage from the Marquesas. (An atoll, in geography terms is a volcano sunk, where the sea level touched the volcano is a ring of coral which is now the island. In simple terms the island is a ring of coral with a break in it (called a pass) which you sail through to get into the salt water lagoon in the centre of the island. It is slightly back to front being anchored in the centre of the island with land 360 degrees around you!
Many boats have sunk around this island chain. The islands are low lying & hard to spot until too late. Luckily the invention of GPS & good old British radar makes present day safer but it is still scary when palm trees look like they are growing out of the sea!
It was our first experience with atolls & passes, made hairier arriving just after slack tide. As much as I enjoyed the 3 day/night passage no one relishes another night at sea with 2 hour shifts so we attempted our first pass on a rising tide. Stressful but we made it & 2 hours later safely anchored inside Kauehi. We remained for a week in paradise. The sea was a 100 shades of turquoise, palm trees bent over the gently lapping water, it was the scene from a holiday brochure but there were no hotels, B&B’s or rooms for rent, it was tourist free (except for a few of us yachties!) This is the picture your mind conjures when you think of the South Pacific Islands.
We snorkelled the heads of coral directly beside us. Just a little disconcerting to be surrounded by them when you are on a boat as hitting one of those things can rip the bottom. A multitude of fish, coral & huge clams lived below. Determined to be able to touch the bottom of the ocean & pick up shells I attempted to crack my inability to dive under the water whilst snorkelling. After swallowing huge quantities of salty sea water I finally mastered it!
We made firm friends with the locals despite our lack of a shared language. The people live off the bounty of their land. They harvest the coconuts, tearing out the coconut flesh, drying it & then selling the copra to companies who press the dried coconut to obtain the coconut oil. The Tuamoto’s are known for the black pearls they produce. The pearl farms are on small wooden pier like structures stretching out into the sea. The pearls & their shells were used though out the village from decorating the church & houses to jewellery & ashtrays. The village priest became my firm friend as I put in orders for personally designed necklaces made from mother of pearl & watched him draw the designs onto the shell, cut them out & sand them down.
Samwell, whom Bobby fondly called “Samwell the savage” due to his wild, rough & ready appearance & huge hair, went with Bobby in search of coconut crab. I wasn’t too impressed when they bought back a HUGE crab, still alive & requested that I cook it for an hour, turning it every 10 minutes whilst they went looking for more! Samwell & his family were very friendly but spoke no English & with our lack of French evenings with them would have been very quiet had it not been for our travel games of connect 4 & jenga!
Bobby returned from a day of exploring having met the local pearl farmer, Frankie. Frankie & his family welcomed us into their home & served us some amazing meals. We ate turtle, oysters (if they produce bad pearls Frankie brings them home to his wife to cook!) & he even went diving to collect blue lipped clams, which we had seen whilst snorkelling (personally it was similar experience to chewing on your flip flop!). They showed us the process of implanting & looking after the oysters so they produce pearls. Bobby was more taken with the huge container of pearls. He was mesmerised, running them through his hands, staring at the different colours & shapes. Mum & Gil – I traded 3 old worn out bikinis for your pearls!! It was fun & definitely a better experience than going to a huge pearl farm with tours for the tourists! As a thank you we had the family on the boat for the afternoon. The kids wore us out, loved Bobby’s super soakers (huge water guns) & didn’t take long to find my hidden supply of sweets/candy! Our final night here was a sad one. It has been hard to leave such a beautiful place, we may only have seen one islands in this chain but we have specialised, met some great people & loved every minute. Next stop Tahiti!

any questions??

2007-06-17T04:10:00.001+01:00

I know some of you out there have got questions about everyday life onboard Barraveigh. How I'm coping with day to day situations such as washing when there is no shower onboard, to practical questions about how much fuel to carry, or more importantly how did we know how much rum & beer we would need for this trip?!! ; ) How do I update this site & keep in contact with family at sea with no internet, to technical questions from you sailors out there about cruising - I may just have to get the Captain to answer those as this sailor is still very much a novice with a capital N!!
Email burning questions no matter how trivial (keep them clean - I know what you coppers are like!!!) & I'll post a ques & answer blog.

For info:
New photos will be updated in a couple of weeks when we arrive in Tahiti & finally have internet connection.
Don't forget to read Bobbys articles on http://www.escapeartist.com/Travel_Mag/Issues/05/
Blue_Waters05.html (search under Barraveigh or see previous entry "Bobby becomes a writer" for info). They are fantastic, he has a great knack at describing experiences on the great ocean.

its a miracle!

2007-06-17T04:10:00.000+01:00

I'm enjoying this passage! The seas are calm, hardly any swell, the wind has been consistent but I think the fact that it is 4 days long is what has swayed me!! ; ) Its thoroughly enjoyable! It brings home how terrible the Pacific crossing truly was, with those confused seas & being bashed about.
Night watches are strict again, 2 hours about & no sleeping on watch. I'll let you into a secret…Bobby has been caught out! He was 20 minutes late waking me for my watch & sheepily or should I say sleepily(!!) admitted his heavy eyelids had got the better of him!
To keep myself awake on watches I've begun exercising - its only taken 5 months to become motivated!! With a severe lack of room, trying not to sound like Nelly the Elephant (Bobby is sleeping directly below the cockpit) & the boat moving from side to side (swells are not high but we still rock making it hard to keep your balance) its an achievement just to do sit ups & weights! Haven't perfected yoga yet, I'm sure there's a way of getting into position, holding the book & trying to read the next move - I just haven't worked it out yet!! ; ) Jess, I'm improving at suduko, still painfully slow but I did get to level 5 (ok I admit it I did have a peak at the answers!)
Still no luck at catching fish. They are biting; we just have no joy at getting them on the boat. Very frustrating & we have nearly lost all the lure's!! Thai curry just isn't the same without the fish!
We have been sailing wing & wing (also called the butterfly) with the wind behind us. As the winds shifted this afternoon we (that's the Royal "we", should really say Bobby!) put up the stay sail & now hauling arse with 3 sails out. Doing 6.5 knots with winds of 11 knots & increasing. Friends onboard Northern Winds caught us & sailed by a few hours ago, taking photos of Barraveigh as they passed. They are now just a dot on the horizon. The sun is setting & a new moon is rising on what I hope will be our last night before touch down in yet another paradise island!

its that time again!

2007-06-14T16:47:00.000+01:00

After 3 weeks in the Marquesas its time to move onto the next island chain. With the memories of the pacific crossing slowly fading but not totally forgotten I'm in 2 minds about beginning another crossing! At only 4-5 days long it's just a short hop compared to the previous one!

The Marquesan Islands have been breathtaking. Dramatic, stunning scenery, that never fails to amaze. Mountainous & rocky but so very lush & green. The scenery is like something out of Lord of the Rings but with pristine beaches & palm trees. Banana, pamplemoose (similar to grapefruit but much sweeter), bread fruit, lime, mango & coconut trees are in abundance.

Surprisingly it took us 2 days to go onto land after dropping the anchor. As always too many chores! Bottom cleaning took over a week. Barraveigh was awarded first place for being the dirtiest boat in the anchorage! We had growth a meter from the water line as well as underneath!
I can't explain the joy of stepping onto land. The local children met us with cry's "bonbon bonbon" & I soaked up the lush grass tickling my toes. With no local currency, no bank for another 3 islands & a need for fresh fruit, we began trading & bartering. A bottle of rum (bought for $3 in Panama worth $30 here!) for laundry - a good swap in my mind, the thought of hand washing a months worth of laundry was not a chore I was relishing! Another local guy thought he could get the better of Bobby when he took the rum but failed to deliver the goods. Bobby hunted him down & proudly returned with a stock of bananas & a bag of pamplemoose! Lesson learnt - never give up the rum until they bring the goods.

The locals look very similar to the Maori people. They are huge, with the biggest hands & feet I've seen! Their bodies are covered with creative tribal tattoos, some even tattoo their faces. The one surprise, other than their friendliness, is their fluent French. It always takes me by surprise when these huge people start speaking French. Their local dialect suits them better & is great to listen to. Full of vowels & very little else!

Even in the tiniest of villages we are able to buy fresh baguettes & croissants! Fresh bread is heaven, a real bonus as my bread making skills does not appear to be improving!! Happy memories of sitting on the shore looking out at sea sharing freshly baked baguettes, spreading the French butter with my pen knife!

Paradise does come with one drawback - the nonos! Smaller than mosquitoes but just as blood thirsty! They love my sweet English blood & I'm suffering! My back is so badly bitten; it looks like a bad case of the measles. I should be in quarantine! I have made a screen for the bedroom so we sleep in peace, but with the windows closed & no breeze it feels like a prison cell!! Just hoping the itching will end soon or I'll be wearing gloves to bed! It is frustrating to sit on the boat looking at a unspoiled beach but knowing as soon as you step onto it the nono's will attack! I have learnt my lesson, no exercise or hand washing of clothes - both result in a large quantity of new bites!

We have hiked to a number of waterfalls on various islands, including the 3rd highest in the world. If we were anywhere else in the world we would have had to share the crystal clear pools under the waterfall with other tourists but this is the Marquesas & us boaties are the only tourists here!

Odds & Ends:
Mending the entire edge of the headsail (16 meters) with a sewing machine that didn't want to co-operate & a sail so huge I could hardly move it!

Eating my lunch on a rock in a shallow stream only to have an eel swim between my feet - yes I screamed!

Picking mangos from a tree in a local womans garden. She only allowed me leave once I had filled two bags!

Bobby describing his 1st banana since the crossing! "It tastes like lemon meringue"

Cooking pizza, scones (from memory no recipe!) & hummus from scratch - still dream of M&S Foods at Brighton station!

Eating my first ice cream!

Trying to eat a stock of bananas which all ripened at the same time!

Sitting in the hammock at the bow of the boat watching the sun set

Drinking with our friends in the anchorage as we ended our pacific crossing.

Hand washing clothes on shore whilst Bobby killed the nono's landing on my back

Finding an English boat with the 2nd series of Life on Mars!

Phoning home - bad connection but so very good to hear their voices

Finally finding internet connection. After an hour & loosing the connection 20 times I gave in. It can wait

TimTams are on the supermarket shelves here! We are hooked on them!

Paying $4 for a small head of lettuce! Ouch!

Watching a local guy with 1 arm & 1 leg catching octopus - truly amazing especially as Bobby is yet to catch anything with his fishing spears!

Making cocktails with coconuts from the beach - when husked the nuts were the size of a football!

Falling down the stairs from the deck of the boat. A 2 meter vertical drop hurts but no permanent damage!

Sitting in the outdoor waiting room with the locals whilst Bobby saw the doctor about his finger. He is going to need surgery to correct the finger which has now mended itself but it'll have to wait until Oz!

Next stop:
Tuamotus, a chain of atoll islands.
(Explanation: The island is a ring of coral reef with water in the middle which we sail into through a small channel) Home of the black pearls!

we have arrived! we made it!

2007-05-26T11:58:00.000+01:00

22 days & 23 hours. 3000 miles across the South Pacific in a 41 foot boat & I'm here safe & sound! We saw land as the dawn broke & the sun rose from the sea. Towering above sea level, was the mountainous island of Fatu Hiva. Both absorbed in our own thoughts & excitement for a few brief minutes but we still had work to do, sails to pull in, the engine to start (Bobby didn't tell me until we were anchored that he had just noticed that the transmission was leaking & wasn't sure we would make it into the bay!) & unsecuring the anchors which hadn't been used for 23 days! We have made it into the Bay of Virgins, anchored in over 100 feet of water, we are taking in our surroundings. It's impressive. Huge cliffs around the bay covered green green grass & trees. The water was clear & warm & felt good on my skin as I dived in for my first swim in over 3 weeks! We enjoyed our first breakfast at anchor, hot choc, coffee & freshly baked muffins never tasted so good! We praised Barraveigh for getting us here safely & are now wondering what we should do next!

Statistics:
Number of boats seen: 0
Number of fish caught: 0
Types of fish seen: 1 (flying fish)
Number of steps from bow to stern: 12
Amount of food Bobby can eat: unlimited & always hungry
Number of different card games played: 2
Books read: 6 including Savage seas (true story about a boat on the same trip attacked & sunk by whales!)
Fresh veg left: Tomato's, carrots, peppers, potatoes & onions
Number of eggs left: 2
Number of arguments: uncountable!! ; )

I cannot thank Bobby enough for getting all 3 of us (including Barraveigh) here in one piece. It's one hell of an accomplishment & I'm speechless at his commitment, knowledge & effort. It truly is something I never imagined I would do & I'm proud to have shared the longest crossing of his trip.

so near & yet so far! Day 21 (15/5)

2007-05-17T00:19:00.000+01:00

Both totally disillusioned. The stories of the tradewinds, comments of never adjusting a sail & smooth sailing on a flat sea are not our experiences! We have had rough, messy seas, been thrown about & struggled to stay on course as the winds push us south & off our course. We have jibed & tacked, only to end up as south as we were before we started & feeling like we wasted 24 hours. To top it all off we have now lost the wind. After 3 days of sailing with flopping sail as the wind fails to fill them doing a disappointing average of 4.5 knots & 100 miles per day, the wind has disappeared. We've put away the sails & started the engine. Arrival at Fatu Hiva, Marquesas looks set for midday on day 23, a day later than expected.
Its not been easy & it's been an effort to stay focused…passages are definitely not my forte! I now know why planes have been invented & intend to use them! Bobby & I have seen the worst in each other. At times it's been a struggle but we've broken a few death stares & laughed as we uttered our fav comment, "It could be worse, we could be stuck on a small boat together in the middle of the ocean!"
The scenery has remained unchanged throughout the trip - sea, sea & more sea! Flying fish are the only activity seen in the waters & there have been no other boats. Routine has kept us sane & also left us going mad. We have kept our clocks on Galapagos time. The sun is rising later so I don't wake until 9am when its time to start trying to escape the sun! Bobby completes the 10am official radio check in. At 11:30am we plot our position on our chart, working out distance traveled & average speed of the last 24 hours. At noon Bobby runs a radio check in with 5 other boats. We all started this crossing within a day or so of each other so it's good to stay in contact in case anyone needs assistance. We watch an episode of Sex in the City before the battery on my lap top dies & fill in the next few hours playing cards & reading our books until its time to start the generator around 5pm. At which point we escape the noise of the generator below deck. Bobby spends the next hour or so trying to send & receive our limited emails home, reassuring family we are safe & well, whilst I sort out dinner. It's the same routine everyday & both of us are looking forward to breaking it when we arrive. We are desperate to swim in the sea & stretch our legs on land. Fatu Hiva had better have been worth all these days at sea!! ; )

not all plain sailing!

2007-05-16T15:22:00.000+01:00

Day 10 (4/5/07) We are halfway! 1500 miles completed. It's been far from perfect! Have been, & still are bashed about as 10 foot waves hit us from all directions. Barraveigh loves to surf the waves but can be a little scary when they spin us out, especially if you're below deck. Averaging 140 miles per day at 6 knots.

Moments:
Cranking Bobby to the top of the mast whilst under way due to a jammed main sail (again!) is not something either of us wish to repeat. The waves continually threw Bobby into the mast & we were both surprised & lucky, there were no injuries.
A sail change to maximize the wind didn't go as planned, the new headsail jammed in the track leaving the last meter plus hanging down. It won't go up & won't come down! On the plus side it still works but it's a constant battle to avoid wear as it slaps on the stays & rubs on the life lines.
We devised plans to unjam the headsail. All failed, the final plan resulting in the sail nearly pushing me overboard. The furler for the headsail wore through, unfurling the sail in the middle of the night. Bobby clambered forward. Attaching a new rope is all very well, but in the dark, up at the bow being hit by waves, strapped onto the lifelines, with a dislocated finger & the headsail slapping about freely, destroying itself, was not the easiest of situations.
The generator also added its own complications & will now only run once everything is emptied out of the compartment & requires the fuel line to be hand pumped for 15 minutes before it can be left to run on its own! Power is essential for the GPS & auto pilot.
Some minor casualties were our stock of eggs - I sat on them after becoming off balanced! Surprisingly some survived the impact! I've been pelted with flying cabbages as they topple out of their hanging netting & have restocked on my supply of bruises!!

It's not all bad! We watch movies at night in the cockpit, nibbling on goodies from home. Down to our last two cream eggs, so it could all be down hill from here! ; ) With the watches relaxed & snoozing being given the ok by the captain, we both fight to spend the night in the cockpit, its cooler, more comfortable & the view is out of the world. The sky is littered with thousands of stars & the Milky Way is so bright it looks like candy floss. Believing Sally is the brightest star up there, keeping a watch on me during these clear beautiful nights & knowing she would be reprimanding me for my greasy hair & lack of enthusiasm for lip gloss & mascara, brings a tear & a smile & makes the tough times a little easier.

we have left land!

2007-05-13T01:38:00.000+01:00

Tues 24th April 2007. 3000 nautical miles, 4 weeks & sea sea sea as we sail across the pacific to Marquesas, northern chain of French Polynesian Islands. Thats 4 weeks, no land, no stopping, just Bobby & I on a small boat..hang on a minute..I want to go home! ; )
Bobby is jumping for joy as we leave the last Spanish speaking country. He should be proud of himself. He's communicated well with officials & locals, sharing jokes & all in Spanish. Its certainly made life easier for us & I wonder how well we will get on with my limited grasp of the French language - really wish I had paid attention at school! Maybe I'll just have to resort to the english's tried & tested method..speak english slower & louder until they understand! ; ) I guess I have plenty of time to read my French dictionary!
At present we are sailing south & will continue to do so until we hit the the trade winds which, fingers crossed will push us west across the pacific. Rumor has it that once you are in the trades there is no need to alter your course or sails for the entire trip. I've been told its a nice easy sail - will keep you posted!!

the galapagos experiance

2007-05-12T03:31:00.000+01:00

The 24 volcanic islands that make up the Galapagos islands are our last land experience before the big south pacific crossing & wow what an experience! Time was divided between just 2 of the islands - Santa Cruz & Isabella. Santa Cruz is the most populated of the islands & the quaint town of Puerto Ayora was a dream. More facilities than the guide books lead you to believe..I was in Suzi heaven, fresh sushi, loads of fab ice cream! Yes I know the animals were why we were there but being able to restock our supplies & have a few treats was a bonus!
A days sail across to Puerto Villamil on Isabella with our guests. Its a sleepy laid back town with sand roads & where they use a bulldozer to keep the sandy roads level! Sleepy is good unless you need things done. Slight nightmare as our guests water taxi failed to arrive therefore missing their ferry back to Santa Cruz. As always money speaks & they managed to charter their own boat back. They were good sports & adapted well to life on Barraveigh. Great time had by all I hope - I certainly loved all my goodies from home..cream eggs yummy!
On both islands we saw spectacular wildlife. We didn't even have to leave the boat, sealions, penguins, iguanas & black tipped reef sharks swam by daily. We saw the huge tortoises that are so old its possible that some of them were around when Darwin explored the islands, blue footed boobies that dive bomb into the sea dropping out the sky like fighter jets - why has evolution given them blue feet? I couldn't tell you but they are very comical & look like they have stepped in wet paint! The cute award has to go to the sea lions & penguins, both appear to be good friends as they play & even work together to catch their dinner. Watching them swim around the boat was a sight I never got bored with. We snorkeled with turtles & families of rays. We kayaked through waterways created by solidified lava & home to white tipped sharks that were bigger than me - not somewhere I wanted to start practicing my 360 degree kayak roll!
The islands were a great experience & I hope that as tourism sours they are able to keep the human footprint to a minimum.

i made it!!!

2007-04-18T05:16:00.001+01:00

I completed my first passage & I’m still totally sane – debatable I know! We arrived here at Santa Cruz, the main habituated Galapagos Island, in the early hours of Friday 6th April. We were tired but excited to explore new land. The waters are a great turquoise colour with sea lions & iguanas swimming between the boats. Blue footed boobies dive into the waters next to us & black tipped reef sharks lurk under the boat.
We decided against purchasing a permit prior to our arrival, so sweet talking the port captain into granting us permission to stay, was a must! We both dressed smartly & I wore a skirt to try & assist matters! Bobby did his thing, friendly banter & chit chat in Spanish, whilst I smile sweetly not having a clue what is going on! It worked & we were not only given authority to stay but to travel to a few other islands.
Our friends & fellow cruisers, Blue Moon & Helen Kate (their boat names) are also here. We have had fun hanging out, seeing the sights & of course drinking!
Unfortunately we haven’t had much time for exploring the island as the “to do list” is back & grows each day as another problem rises. After dealing with an infestation of moths in our store of cereal (it was heartbreaking to throw out 16 packets of cereal – we live on the stuff during crossings!) & a toilet that refused to work (for those of you who know boat talk, the holding tank refused to pump out), I had a small fit, fed up with working non stop & stated “why don’t we just stay in a harbour at home, we provision, work hard, complete a weeks crossing to a new place, then don’t get chance to see it properly because the work starts all over again”!! I’ve mellowed after some deep breathing! ; )
I have my good friends Matt & Cath flying in from England. They arrive Monday (16th) so its all systems go to get everything ready for entertaining & play time. On top of that we also have to be ready to start the next crossing (four weeks!!) when they leave!

i´m a shellback!!

2007-04-18T05:06:00.000+01:00

We crossed the equator in the evening of the 5th April 2007. Leaving the comfort of the northern hemisphere & bound for the delights of the southern!
We celebrated with a bottle of champers, sharing it with Neptune & throwing him treasured gifts to request a safe passage. In case this wasn’t enough for Neptune, we also dressed up for the occasion! Deciding this only 2 hours prior to the crossing, we hastily set about making costumes. I became “Miss Neptune”, princess of all weathers, the sun, the stars & the moon (yes I know I’m greedy!) & Bobby became “Surf Crotch” with a fantastic trident made from kitchen foil. We were impressed with our Blue Peter efforts!

Photo Gallery Updated

2007-04-12T17:01:00.001+01:00

sunsets on the ocean, originally uploaded by Suzi Roberts.

Click above to check out all the latest photos uploaded to Flickr.

message from captain bobby

2007-04-07T00:28:00.000+01:00

Let me tell you about a very brave woman named Suzi Roberts. She took a leave of absence from her career, rented her flat in Brighton England, said good bye to all her friends and family and flew to Panama for a completely different life. And she did all this in spite of the fact that her sister, just a year younger than her, was killed only 6 months ago in a horrible accident in Africa.
She worked long hard hours, full of frustration, without speaking a drop of Spanish, just to get Barraveigh ready to cross an ocean. And she did it all on someone else's boat with a stubborn captain who likes to make rules.
Up until departing Panama, she had never done an overnight passage, let alone a 1000 mile journey that would have her all alone, at night, in an exposed cockpit, with total responsibility for this 12 ton beast, as she raced ahead severely heeled over making 8 knots. She was then allowed only 2 hours of sleep before having to do it all over again and again. She was scared, and she was alone, and she cried, but she never quit, and she never so much as missed a watch, and if she had to wake me to help with reefing the sails when the wind went over 20 knots she would let me sleep an extra 20 minutes to make up for it.
On top of it all she cooked, cleaned and wore that bulky harness/PFD, with clacking carabiners without complaining every night. She's going to cross the equator tonight about 9pm California time. In sailor jargon, that means she is about to graduate from "Pollywog" to "Shellback". It's a big deal for any sailor and Suzi Roberts takes the titled on her first over night passage. You want to talk about courage, about tenacity of spirit, and having a never quit attitude - That's my Suzi! None of it has been easy. She's exhausted and in need of a real shower, but she dug deep and she overcame.
Victory to you Suzi Roberts! You are only a day away from anchoring in the Galapagos.
Bobby

Journey so far!

2007-04-03T22:53:00.000+01:00

620 miles completed, only another 270 until the Galapagos Islands!

We began with perfect calm seas & steady but strong winds - it was a dream. On my first 2 hour night watch I was accompanied by a pod of 20 dolphins swimming alongside Barraveigh, playing in her wake & diving out of the water. Moonlight glistened off their backs as they as they broke the surface & there was no sound except for their breathing & the sound of the sea. The wind died after 36 hours & we spent the next 44 hours motoring. The drone of the engine drove us crazy & we dreamt of wind. The sea was so flat & a perfect shade of deep royal blue. In the captains words "looks like a pool of ink". The air was muggy & still. Cooling myself was achieved by throwing buckets of seawater over my head! On a plus side we gave the motor a proper work out & there were no problems.

Day 3 rewarded us with a breathtaking sight. A pod of 12 killer whales in the calm seas close to the boat. They were huge & graceful as they broke the seas surface. As they began to head towards us we put the engine into neutral hoping they would loose interest. We didn't want to upset them or give them any reason to come closer as they can sink the boat. Luckily they swam by & we continued motoring.

The winds picked up & we have made good progress. We are healed over to our starboard side, beating into 25 knot winds & rolly seas which cause us to roll from side to side as well as lurching forward & backward. Its not the most comfortable of journeys I've made! No sign of seasickness but my stomach has been in knots with nerves & I have totally lost my appetite. On a plus side there is no likelihood of falling out of bed. I'm pinned to the side of the boat which I've lined with pillows to try & make a little more comfortable.

We have settled into our night watches but in the present uncomfortable conditions & lack of sleep, its taking its toll. Finding it hard to get motivated during the day & only managing to read or catch up on sleep. Total sense of humour failure last night as the winds picked up, the seas got rougher & we got faster doing nearly 7 knots - it freaked me out! We have calmed the speed down by reefing the headsail to almost nothing but its still not comfortable conditions! Only another 270 miles to go & I'm counting off every mile! ; )

Its a year today since I met Bobby in Costa Rica! If someone had told me then that I'd be here now I wouldn't have believed them! Apart from the present conditions I'm loving it & wouldn't change a thing!

Setting Off from the Las Perlas Islands to The Galapagos Islands

2007-03-30T22:39:00.000+01:00

I'm about to begin my first passage - Las Perlas Islands to The Galapagos Islands. 900 nautical miles. Very light winds being reported so it may take 10 days. That's 10 days at sea with no land! The night watches have been posted - 2 hours about. No more than 2 hours continuous sleep - wow, does Bobby know us girls need their beauty sleep?!! ; )

We are ready to go! We've had a week relaxing; unspoiled beaches, games of ultimate frizzbee, kayaking, drinking fresh coconuts, chilling on our hammocks rigged to the bow, spent drunken nights with fellow cruisers & gorged on freshly caught fish. Its been a "to do list" free week! That's not to say we haven't been busy! I've read my "how to sail" book (kind of important I know!) Refreshed my memory on how to furl & unfurl the sails. Learnt the basic's on our navigation softwear so I can plot our position. Been instructed on how to use the SSB radio to listen & check in with other boats. Sorted through the 1st aid kit & learnt how to put in a UV drip (had a few injury moments to test our first aid knowledge; Bobby cut his head open & I mashed up my big toe. Parents - no need for panic we are alive & kicking!).

Gone through the man over board procedure & how to use the auto pilot. I've cranked Bobby up the mast, whilst unfurling the main sail, its true girls can multi task! Its a roller furling main - to you & I that means the big sail gets put away by being rolled inside the mast! It got jammed when we were in Panama City but is now running free again! I've begun polishing the cockpit, cleaning Barraveigh of all the ground in city dirt - I didn't get the nickname Monica for nothing!
On top of all that we had stowaways to care for. We hadn't realised, a bird had set up home in the boom during our stay in Panama City. When left we orphaned 3 chicks. A major operation then begun to free them. 5 hours later, with tools constructed from kitchen utensils, extendable boat hooks & water pumps, we safely recovered 3 chicks plus their nest. We duly took on the role of surrogate parents. They weren't keen on my culinary delights of oats soaked in milk & chirped demands for dog food which we delivered on a cocktail stick - yummy! We enjoyed our adopted chicks & even had a drinks party in their honour. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be & they didn't make it. We miss their chirps to Bobby's whistles but neither of us miss the early morning feeds. Full respect to all you parents out there!

I'm off the enjoy the last few hours in our present anchorage; views of untouched beaches & pelicans diving for their breakfast.

goodbye Panama City.....again!

2007-03-21T02:55:00.000Z

You will be forgiven for being a little confused after my previous update with plans to set sail. The oil pressure prob turned out to be more than just a day’s work. Bobby spent the week getting up close & personal with his engine, covered in oil & $ signs flashing before his eyes. He worked hard, stayed calm & positive, & has been lucky. The problem was a connection to the oil pump, there is no damage to either the engine, or the oil pump. Its all fixed & better than ever. The mechanic, Joe is a god & to the fellow cruisers who generously gave their assistance, a huge thank you.
We are finally out of here! Only six weeks behind the original plans & over a week behind our previous schedule! Topping & tailing engine bits, visiting the veg market for all our fresh provisions, last minute laundry, filling tanks with gas (petrol for us Brits!) & water plus we needed to zarpay again (check out with port captain & immigration) were our tasks today as well as another 100 tasks. Its been a shattering day & I’m looking forward to climbing into bed.
During all the engine dismantling, I took myself off to Isla Taboga, an hour from Panama City for a few days. I needed some long overdue Suzi time on the beach with a good book & my ipod. Taboga is a small quaint island village. I slummed it in the hostel & splashed out for breakfast at the islands only hotel, on a gorgeous balcony over looking the sea – very picturesque if you didn’t look at the huge fishing boats & container ships in the far distance! It was a well needed break to recharge my batteries & find some positive thinking – I was beginning to feel like a resident of Panama City after being here for so long!!
Although we are looking forward to saying goodbye I’ll sure it won’t be long before we are missing the things that have been on tap here & dreaming of the cinema with the latest movies, ice cream, fresh fruit & veg & restaurants!
I have enjoyed my time here, it’s been hard work & non stop, we’ve had some fun times but I'm looking forward to the reward.... learning how to sail & of course the beaches!!!

change of itinerary!

2007-03-21T02:53:00.000Z

Due to the delays we have had to amend the itinerary.
The new plans are to sail to the Las Perlas Islands (Panama) & spend 5 days sailing around the islands. From here we will be going direct to the Galapagos Islands. Unfortunately we have had to skip our plans to travel around mainland Ecuador. We have run out of time & the good winds for the South Pacific crossing won’t wait for us!

we are ready to go!

2007-03-08T19:46:00.000Z

The long awaited anchor chain arrived on Tuesday. A day later than planned but hey it’s already 3 months late so what’s another 24 hours!! All 200 foot is in the locker! Hopefully Bobby has connected it. Wouldn’t be a great start to drop anchor & find we aren’t attached!

Barraveigh is now fully stocked with groceries & more importantly alcohol! We officially have more rum than water onboard! - don’t panic Mum, its only because we haven’t filled the water tanks yet! I lost count of the number of taxis we filled with groceries (& of course the all important toilet paper!!). I have worked hard storing all our goodies & keeping a log of where I have put everything. Bobby has worked hard modifying the boat, ensuring the crates I filled, are fastened down so they don’t move about in our calm seas – yes I’m still kidding myself that it’s going to be a calm, flat sail!!
The last of the shopping was completed yesterday at the market. Thoroughly regretted buying 3 pineapples, a watermelon, cabbages, potatoes etc. I had forgotten my personal bag carrier…Bobby was back on the boat! I stuggled to pick everything up! I think my arms have stretched after carrying them to the taxi & down the pier! If only there was a way to stretch my short legs! ; )

We spent a day scrubbing all the black soot & dirt off the outside of the boat. I cranked Bobby to the top of the mast with a pressurised water sprayer roped to his back, & he cleaned the mast on his way down! I couldn’t move far from the mast in case the rope slipped so it was fun trying to avoid the dirty water raining down on me!!
We were on course to leave today but the dock has run out of fuel so we are presently awaiting the next fuel delivery. Further bad luck this morning when Bobby discovered a problem with the oil pressure in the engine. A mechanic is on his way over to check it out & we are sat with our fingers crossed that it is something minor.

We are both feeling incredibly frustrated, but trying to hold onto what is slowly becoming a distant memory; sailing into a beautiful flat anchorage, diving off the boat & swimming in crystal clear water with palm trees on a beautiful sandy beach.
Positive thinking…we will be sailing out of here on Saturday!

bobby becomes a writer

2007-03-08T19:44:00.000Z

Bobby has become a paid writer! Does that makes me a kept woman?.....not sure he’ll be able to write enough to see to my expensive tastes! ; )
Check out http://www.escapeartist.com/ Click on "EscapeArtist travel magazine" (under the title in the centre “Magazines”), Bobby’s article is posted under the title “Letters from the Blue Water”. He’ll be writing monthly & is presently writing his second instalment.

two cultures divided by a common lanuage

2007-03-01T15:44:00.000Z

who would have thought that two people from English speaking countries would have so many difficulties communicating with each other!!
below is a list of words & their meanings. I have to admit that most the words causing problems are British slang!! credit to Bobby for looking enthusiastic when I tell him I’m cooking shepherds pie for dinner & he has no idea what I’m talking about! (no shepherds are killed in process of making this meal!)

shepherds Pie – minced meat with mash potato on top
bubble & Squeak – a meal which uses most leftovers from a roast dinner

arse – ass
tea towels – dishtowels
loo roll – toilet paper
washing up liquid – dish detergent / dish soap
leads – cables / cords
minced meat – ground beef
biscuits – cookies
catarrh – flem (don’t even ask how we came about this one!)

squiffy – tipsy
squwhiff – askew
yonks – a long time
poorly – not feeling well
stroppy – moody
dappy – dizzy / a bit dippy
gassing – talking / chatting
tat – junk
naff – no good
sirrup – wig
big girls blouse – not being manly

email Subscriptions Update

2007-02-21T09:27:00.000Z

Hi there, Fiona here again!

The Web Pro that I am, I've just found my subscription confirmation email in my gmail spam folder! So if anyone else doesn't receive it, it might be wise to check there too!

The updates I believe are set to be sent at a specific time each day (if new posts have gone live) so this may be a few hours after the post goes live on the site. Now I'm subscribed, fingers crossed I will receive this update by email and to my RSS feed. Anyone else got the RSS feed updates working yet??

Cheers,
fionaroscoe@gmail.com

observations & thoughts so far

2007-02-20T18:06:00.000Z

it is perfectly normal to walk around town and do your shopping with your hair in curlers – the bigger the curlers the cooler you are!

manhole covers are not a necessity. they prefer the huge deep hole in the middle of the pavement with no warning option – Bobby’s question “Is it Panama’s population control system?”

the more cracks in a taxis windscreen the higher the fare

never ask “Is this bus going to….?” their reply will always be “Yes” even if they aren’t going anywhere near where you need to go!!!

never expect hot water out of the tap marked “hot” it will always be out of the cold tap!!

how many lottery tickets does each Panamanian buy?? the streets are lined with stalls of people selling nothing but lottery tickets!!

will I ever have clean feet again!! ; )

see photo gallery for related photos. credit to Bobby as many of the photos are his!

new RSS feed and email subscription

2007-02-17T15:05:00.000Z

Hi all,
Message from Fiona, "Web Administrator"

I've set up links for you to subscribe to RSS feeds and email updates, but I'm not sure if they're working properly or not yet. I've subscribed myself to the email update but not yet received the confirmation email from Feedburner. Has anyone else had any luck with it?

Belinda, does the RSS feed work for you? Although this will only work when there are updates for you to check obviously. If you've done it before I post this blog then this will show up for you hopefully.

Let me know, fionaroscoe@gmail.com

Cheers,
Fiona

still in panama city

2007-02-10T14:00:00.001Z

The original plan was to leave Panama City on the 5th Feb, we are stuck waiting for 150 foot of anchor chain which Bobby has been promised for the last 3 months. It will arrive here on a ship from the States around the 24th Feb. As soon as we get it on board we can set off but in the mean time I’ll use the time to keep provisioning, stocking up and trying to get to grips with cooking on this boat! Very proud of my small achievements; coleslaw and chocolate brownies (obviously not together!) Yes I know getting to grips with the sailing stuff is slightly more important!

Have had the most amazing “mini break” (for all you Bridget Jones fans!). Bobby’s friends, Clyde & Mia, invited us to join them for a few days over on the Caribbean coast of Panama. We flew to Bocas Del Toro (north eastern coast of Panama for all those without an atlas!) and joined them on their boat, Kaleidoscope. What I didn’t realise is that I was about to have a taster of celebrity life for a few days – check out the next issue of Hello and OK magazines, you may just see me sunning myself on the deck of a luxury yacht pretending I didn’t call the paparazzi to come and take photos!! ; )
The boat was amazing, a 100 foot catamaran (check out the photos). Built by the owner, Clyde in his back garden! Oh yes you read correctly he built & designed it himself. That alone is amazing but then you see it and, the system’s he designed and adapted for different uses, it is just fantastic. Bigger than most people’s houses and has every luxury possible. Our cabin had a proper full size bed, flat screen tv and dvd player, but more importantly an en suite with shower and hot & cold water! As for the rest of the boat, where do I begin; 4 toilets, huge chest freezers (oh yes not just one!) 2 American style fridges, a proper cooker, washing machine and dryer. There are two separate lounge areas with corner sofas, a dining room and two workshops that seemed to be bigger than Bobby’s boat (Gilly you would be in DIY heaven!) Lifts took you down into the hulls and the forward deck could be big enough to play tennis. Ball boys needed, diving equipment provided!!!
We were totally spoilt by Mia and Clyde’s generosity and fantastic cooking – loved the pancakes and our midnight feasts of ice cream, Clyde, and Mia I’m still dreaming of your cheesecake and Thai green curry. A huge thank you to you both and big hugs to Kaiser, the softy guard dog who thinks he is human and prob hasn’t forgiven me for throwing him in the water!!

Bocus Del Toro was totally picturesque. Forested islands, with houses and restaurants on stilts overhanging the water. A laid back Caribbean feel to the place immediately put me in the mood for chilling in the hammock, sipping cocktails.

For now it’s back to the list of things to do and overcoming my total lack of Spanish. Somehow I’m managing to call on the radio for a launch to take me to the dock and ask the security guard for the key to the shower, I’m just at a loss when they divert from the script and end up looking blankly at them – nothing new there I know!

from the British chill to the heat of the tropics!!

2007-01-30T18:12:00.000Z

Thanks to you all for your messages of support, cards and gifts. They were really appreciated and will be read over & over as I sail the seas.
In true Suzi style, my adventure started before I’d even boarded my flight. With a mixed combination of snow, a closed motorway and more significantly my inability to read flight times, the plane gracefully departed minus one passenger, whilst I enjoyed 5 hours of the same section of M25. After enjoying some more quality family time and a chance to unwind, I finally arrived in Panama City 2 days later than expected.
I am now an official crew member, aka "First Mate Suzi", onboard Barrraveigh, complete with assigned roles and responsibilities from Captain Bobby. In a nut shell I’m going to be chained to the galley (kitchen), cooking & cleaning and have renamed myself “Cinderella”. I have unpacked and settled in, although I can’t believe the boat didn’t sink with all the extra weight from all my books & clothes! Bobby has given me the front berth as my own dressing room, chilling out & Bobby freezone! I’ve made it home with photos and memories of you all.
We are currently moored on the Pacific side of thePanama Canal, very close to the Bridge of America. Huge container ships go past frequently causing us to bob up and down in their wake but so far nothing too bad to make me feel sea sick! The moorings are all full & people arrive daily as they stop to make repairs and stock up on provisions before they continue on with their journeys. It’s a pretty big community of boaters. Everyone is friendly; they meetup for drinks and meals, trade goods & advice…pretty cool!

Other than socialising & sight seeing, Bobby & I have loads of work to do to get everything ready before we leave. I have had my nose in books learning about how to provision a boat and have been having nightmares about it. The price of food and alcohol is huge in the South Pacific Islands so we are aiming to stock up here as much as possible. The dilemmas I now face are highly amusing, with the hot topic of conversation being “How much toilet paper are we going to need for a year??” It took serious tactical negotiations to convince Bobby that the conditioned double quilted velvet roll was an investment, opposed to thin tracing paper!? There are some luxuries us girls just can’t go without. (Ok, yes now I’ll just be grateful not to run out.) Just about got all the first round of purchases & ourselves into the taxi – not that I could see where I was going for the amount of loo roll!! Happy point yesterday when I managed to wedge 32 rollsunder one of the sinks. (All individually wrapped in a freezer bag in case water appears from anywhere!!)
Have you seen how much food comes in tins!! Had any of you heard of tinned butter? I’m yet to find it but they mention it in the books! Not yet convinced about the thought of eating tins of corned beef for the next year but am sure I’ll get over it! I’ve been dutifully writing the contents on each tinin case the label comes off, but did start to question Bobby’s motives when he asked me to cover the eggs inVaseline – don’t ask!!
Flying to Bocas Del Tora (northern Panama on the Caribbean side) for a few days to meet up with Bobby’s friends on a huge catamaran. Should have a few days of luxury and relaxation before getting back to work so we can get out of here and sail south!

intro

2007-01-10T22:00:00.000Z

Less than 12 months ago I packed my rucksack and travelled around Costa Rica for three weeks in a vein attempt to cure a bad case of itchy feet. Unbeknown to me the travel bug was incurable and the trip fed my appetite for more!

Lying on a beach in Tamarindo on the Pacific Coast, engrossed in Ellen MacArthers autobiography, I had my first meeting with "Bobby". Considering Ellen is my inspiration as one best yacht women in the UK, it took more than a typical guy to distract me. Yes I know, prior to this I had never even sailed as far as the Isle of Wight, but hey, any woman who climbs a mast in freak weather conditions deserves attention. Never know, that could be me in a few months….probably waving a rescue beacon!

Bobby, the blonde surfer from San Diego with the killer chat up line of "That’s my boat over there & I'm sailing round the world", immediately caught my eye. Brings a whole new meaning to 'made the earth move' (except we were on the sea!!!).

I spent the rest of my holiday sailing down the Pacific Coast aboard Bobby's boat, Barraveigh a 41 foot Jeanneau. Having returned home and with my tan fading, I promptly rejoined him a few months later in Panama.

I'm packing my bags again, this time it’s a one way ticket, with the final destination and return date unknown! It’s going to be a challenge, & thats just trying to overcome the airlines weight restrictions! I’m sure the rest of the trip will be a breeze - who am I kidding! The trials and tribulations I have faced so far include; how many bikinis do I need and whether Bobby will see mascara as an essential item? Silly question, of course it is!!

I promise to send regular updates throughout my intrepid adventure from life aboard Barraveigh. Fingers crossed my supply of Cadbury’s will see me through the difficult times on the ocean but the challenges will only make the magical moments all the more breathtaking.
I’m ready to navigate my way through the steep learning curves (that’s for you Dad!) and attempt recipes for meals when I have no ingredients (Colin I need tips!)

For now its back to the packing…

itinerary

2007-01-10T21:00:00.000Z

Proposed plans for 2008

07/02/08 Leave UK

09/02/08 Arrive Brisbane OZ. The plan is to have some “Suzi only” chill time in Noosa (north of Brisbane)

01/03/08 Return to Barraveigh in FIJI
As always the next proposed section of plans are written in pencil & very much subject to change. So much depends on weather, boat repairs, captain/crew demands & wishes! ; )

April 2008 – leave the marina & spend a month exploring more glorious Fijian islands. From there we will spend the year making our way to Thailand, via Vanuatu, Papa New Guinea, Bali & of course many other fabulous far flung places but listing them all will only make you green with envy!

More from me & boat life in March until then I’m off to pack my bikinis, say my farewells to the grey & wet UK, get myself ready for sun, sea, surfing & a PADI diving course!

Actual route taken in 2007

21/03/07 Panama City (Balboa Yacht Club). Arrived Las Perlas Islands, Contadora
23/03/07 At anchor Espirito Santo
25/03/07 At anchor Rio Cacique
29/03/07 Left Las Perlas Panama
06/04/07 Arrived Galapagos, Santa Cruz, Academy Bay
18/04/07 At anchor Isabella, Villamil
24/04/07 Left Galapagos
17/05/07 Arrived Marquesas Islands, Fatu Hiva, Bay of Virgins
23/05/07 At anchor Tahuata, Hanamoenoa
26/05/07 At anchor Hiva Oa, Hanamenu
29/05/07 At anchor Nuka Hiva, Taiohae
06/05/07 At anchor Nuka Hiva, Hakatea
10/06/07 At anchor Ua-Pou, Hakahau
13/06/07 Left Marquesas
17/06/07 Arrived Tuamotu Islands, Kauehi
26/06/07 Left Tuamotu Islands
28/07/07 Arrived Society Islands, Tahiti, Arue Lagoon
13/07/07 At anchor Moorea, Cook Bay
14/07/07 At anchor Moorea, Opunua Bay
17/07/07 At anchor Huahine, Avea Bay
23/07/07 At anchor Huahine, Fare Pass
30/07/07 At anchor Raiatea
01/08/07 At anchor Bora Bora, outside Bloody Marys
11/08/07 Left Bora Bora & the French Polynesia Islands
16/08/07 Arrive Cook Islands, Palmerston
22/08/07 Leave Palmerston
25/08/07 Arrive Niue
07/09/07 Leave Niue
09/09/07 Arrive Tonga,Vava’u Group At anchor Neiafu
12/10/07 Leave Tonga
14/10/07 Arrive Fiji, Savusavu
25/10/07 At anchor Suva
01./10/07 Arrive at the marina Lautoka
05/11/07 Leave Fiji onboard s/v Golden Opus
12/11/07 Arrive New Zealand, Auckland

Proposed plan for 2007

The plan is to join Bobby as he sets sail for the second leg of his round the world trip. We will be setting off from Panama City and hope to end up in New Zealand or Australia in Dec 2007. This will entail sailing across the South Pacific Ocean which is a four week crossing without touching or in fact seeing land! Hope I remembered to pack my sea legs!

The weather can be a friend and foe, equipment continually breaks or gets stolen (not sure if having a copper on board is going to help but heres hoping!)
Plans aboard Barraveigh have to be flexible so the plan at present is:
26th Jan Arrive on the boat in Panama City

26th Feb Leave Panama via the Perlas Islands
10th April Arrive Galapagos Islands
25th April Leave Galapagos Islands to sail across the South Pacific (4 week crossing)
25th May Arrive French Polynesia Islands
26th May Sleep all day!!!!!

From the French Polynesian Islands we sail to many other groups of islands including Society Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji etc before arriving in New Zealand or Australia in December 2007