Next Stop - Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

We are leaving tomorrow morning at about 5'oclock for our next very long leg towards New Zealand. Fatu Hiva will be our stop for about 2 days before sailing further to Tahiti. Fatu Hiva is about 3000 NM from Galapagos. You can do the sum at say 5,5 Knots average per hour. For the not sailors, that is 3000 divided by 5,5 to get to the total hours it will take us, constant sailing day and night. I do not want to calculate the sum at this stage.....
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Marco`s born day!

I love doing what I am doing! It gives me the wonderful opportunity to see my children grow into people with inner strength! We woke him with two candles of one…11…shoved into a cinnamon bun. Dad helped me blowing the 11 silver balloons and searching for plastic bags to wrap all his little gifts. Joe woke up and the three of us, were designing our own special birthday card on scraps of paper. This is something we learnt from Janlie, our daughter studying in Stellenbosch (SA). This tradition we saved.

We woke him with our low voices, and the love in our hearts filled the boat. He loved his new knife his daddy gave him. He loved the key chain with the scorpion, his star sign, his brother gave him. He loved the yo-yo his mommy gave him, and he loved the plastic army figures he bought for himself! He slept in his new sweater from Galapagos. He was feeling so special with little things from earth, and loads of blessings from the world around us. I love him so, for singing happy birthday to himself all day long. If only we all could learn to love ourselves so much…

Another Bird Story

The night we were battling to reach Wreck Bay, Joe and I tried to take a nap while our Skipper motored us closer to the Bay in the dark of the night. He was so tired, after not really sleeping well for 9 days now, but the universe saw his eyes battling to stay open, saw his shoulders slumping and the great fatigue settling in. So close to the end… Tonight he is going to get lucky! They send the boobies! The white shadow was following him, catching his eye, invading his male space with her clever touch, teasing him into giving up his fatigue and to give her all his attention. The white booby flew next to Andando flirting with the white on the waves, trying to catch a morsel from the sea. And he succumbed to her flirting, and shone the light on her. The beam of the torch revealed her beauty, her softness and her determination. Enchanted...She had him in her spell, hold him... He shone the light on the water, caught the fluorescent eyes of the sea morsel trying to get away from a predator. And then, it was her being caught in his spell. He coaxed her with the light of his torch, forward and backwards, playing her until she understands his game. She dove down, trusting him and his light, and she filled her beak with a little gift from the sea. And she took away his fatigue, his aching muscles and she gave him a sense of being alive again! That was the night our Skipper played with the booby!

Early Morning Wreck Bay, Isla San Cristobal

I didn`t want to wake up at 06h30, but the anxious agent was at our door step. Big Joseph came aboard with about 5 men, the Port Captain, the Water guy, the Fuel guy, the Fumigation guy…bombarding us with all the regulations and fees for being in this pristine Nature Reserve, protected by the Darwin legacy.

We thought we could stay for 72 hours according to info on Noonsite, but big Joseph assured us about new legislation…only 12 hours to stay without a 100US$ fee per person for the Nature Parks. Thanks to Internet our Skipper quickly studied Law 50, and convinced them that we could stay for 72 hours without paying the Park`s Fee allowing you to stay for 21 days. I wish, but yes, we`ll have to come back!

How can I forget? There was a Laundry guy too, and he left with two big bags, all our sheets will be washed in fresh water! Johan and I took the water taxi, all for 50 USD cents p p to touch land again! Boy, was I sick! I`ll rather be sea sick… Joseph took us to the fresh market and we found good veggies at good prices. Broccoli, cabbage, bag of tomatoes, bag of garlic, radishes for US$1 each per item or bag.

 Meat was hanging in the butcheries, and the chicken looked good.

Back at the boat to fetch the boys who was changing the sail drive oil and checking the engines, they dove into the ice cold water to check the rudder and props etc. Johan checked it as best he could while the boys forgot about the rudder and the props and were swimming with the seals and the colorful fish!

Beautiful curious shops greeted us, and I bought the T-shirt. I bought the post cards for all my loved ones somewhere, which I mailed under the big blue boat.

We loved this little island with its Mexican feel many years ago, according to our Skipper, and to me I felt the remoteness of St. Helena I loved. Lots of seals make sure, us humans know this is their island, and they roam the beach road. The Galapagos seals live here, love here, and have their babies… We watched a naughty wet new born baby. Typical he was battling to get away from his mother, away from the sandy beach and the blue water, and into the Big city with the bright lights!

It was Halloween, and we thought we`ll crash a party, so we were dressed up for a change, wearing long pants and our best T-shirts looking for a trick or treat for our birthday boy tomorrow. We met the crew from Konodoo, the Irish couple who came all the way from Australia and are on their way to the Panama!

Galapagos

Panama City

Wednesday afternoon we left the skyscrapers of Panama City behind us. We avoided the big cargo ships laying waiting for the Panama Canal, and headed for the open sea. It wasn`t going to be an easy sail. Maybe the sea gods read my previous blog, about beating, and they thought maybe I was in need of a little bit more experience, so that is exactly what we got! A lot more! Nine days beating, 1184nm with an average of 130nm per day. But it felt much more. The 800nm to Galapagos increased to 1184nm with the wind up to 20knots on the nose. We did not find any doldrums !!! Andando is a star and with all the beating and heavy wind sailing we are defnitely not sailing the same Andando as the previous crew. But more about that later....

The first day started with two meter swells only 6 seconds apart, washing over Andando`s bow. With the apparent wind meter going up to 25 knots on the nose and a leeway of 40 degrees our Skipper decided to change course and run for shelter the first night at Iles Las Perlas! In the beam of the torch light hundreds of silver fish slithered out of the water running on their tails. What beauty in these islands! We`ll definitely be back! We dropped anchor at Las Coco Island the next day to inspect the sail drive and to fix the reef line stuck somewhere, while the boys went for a stroll with some locals, and we bought a bunch of bananas and fresh oysters for lunch.

We left for Galapagos, but we knew our sail directions still don`t look good! Out of the blue a big grey ship came up behind us.

Warship 46 (American) radioed us with a lot of interrogating questions and we were scrambling around for the documents. When night fell we were still chaperoned by them, feeling safe off the Colombian coast. Just after 9 o`clock the next morning we were boarded by a Coast Guard Team, in their full black kit!

Marco loved every minute with real `SWAT`s` aboard, but I wasn`t impressed with their big freshly polished boots on a very white Andando! I politely asked them to wrap their boots in my perfumed lilac plastic bags.

 That really humored the people on the Mother ship. They spend the whole day aboard, and what started as an inspection for the sea worthiness of the vessel, and the inspection of the safety equipment, ended up in them measuring every corner of Andando.I was very patient but after a while making beds and lifting up cushions for them to inspect the water tanks and fuel tanks…I had enough! What were they really looking for? No one checked our flares or our life raft or our life jackets…

We lost a whole day and were battling forward. Marco is doing Maths and caught a beautiful wahoo, and is counting the days to his birthday!

Joe is meditating watching the sun go down every night, reading and eating! Our Skipper, looking forward to the end of this nightmare trip to Galapagos! Me…I am not beaten…yet!

We motored into Galapagos last night around 02h00 in desperate need for a good night sleep! We anchored at Wreck Bay, among loads of big touristy boats and only one mono hull which sailed from Marquesas, on their way to Panama! Boy, do we need to chat with them.

Ps. Just an update on the Yanmar Sail Drive saga. After a`very `long email to Yanmar in America, we received an email the very next day via our SAT phone. They apologise for the misunderstanding and they will replace the complete sail drive asap!

Galapagos

We are leaving Panama for Galapagos later this afternoon or tomorrow morning very early.

Panama Canal

If you were sitting with your hot chocolate and your hot blanket, waiting I hope you had a hot memory too, we had one! We were late, very late! We were postponed for hours, but we decided not to complain. It is not like someone pushes her cart in front of you in the line at the Supermarket, when this monstrous Panamax pushes in front of you, it is `no problem!`


Our Advisor arrived at about 15h30 and we started for the first lock. Closer to the lock, we were hooked up with lines to the other yacht, E Capoe (French), an umbilical cord were holding us tight through the birth canal. To me, getting so close to another yacht and then attaching yourself to it, with only the black tires and your own little fenders protecting your crisp white hull against the cement of the mono hull…that was the scariest of the whole canal!

As soon as we approached the canal, the two line handlers ( 90US$ a head) were getting ready. They caught the long lines from the canal guys, attached it to ours to lengthen it, and soon they were feeding the lines while our yachts carried on between the walls.

Andando was doing great, but our Skipper was doing even better, because the advisor only realized that the mono hull we were being attached too, was a whole 14 tons, and every time they got their engines started, Andando was pushed towards the walls! It left us, with our Skipper and Andando in control, piloting the two yachts through the canal. Me, I was happy….great gynecologist in charge!

By the time we reached the third lock, in Gatun Lake it was drizzling a bit, but we were waving at the webcam as if the whole world was watching! Nothing is gonna stop us! By the time we are going through the third lock, we are not so stressed anymore…the walls don`t look so close anymore. The only time the two yachts were fighting a bit, were when the fresh water were pumped into the lock from underneath, from the turbulent force of the water. The line handlers of both the yachts had to release and tighten all the time to keep the boats from the walls.

Exhausted after a whole day of expectation and preparation and about two hours in the canal, we were through and on our way to a buoy! We saw the yellow light and were heading for the `little` buoy! When our pilot suggested that both our yachts, now unattached at last can use the same buoy, I despaired. It was enough having a boat so close all day, I didn`t want to share a buoy, and wonder who is on what side of it all night! We reached the buoy, and it was huge! Joe jumped onto the buoy, secured our lines safely for the night, while I was putting our little gaff away, hoping that no one noticed my bravado!

After our Advisor were picked up by a Pilot boat, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with our line handlers, who were soon sleeping like babies in Marco`s cabin.

The pilot boat loudly awoke us the next morning around 07h30. We met our new Advisor, Roy, and were entertained by his expertise and his humor. E Capoe was heading for us again, with a French Skipper not afraid to speed up to the port side hull of our boat! Scary!! Everything happens slowly in the canal, except that! Anyway, we were heading for the second batch of locks, Pedro Miguel to be the first. The line handlers, Delvis and James were holding and releasing and kept us safe all the way. Maybe it was the good breakfast they shared with us.

 It was easier doing this in day light. The walls weren`t so close anymore…

Just before we went into the last lock, Miraflores Locks,

 the call came through that the big ship inside the lock broke down! How is that possible? Aren`t they indestructible? But of course, no complaints…

Attached to E Capoe , our Skipper had to control the two boats, while he was having tea! Another 40 minutes later, we entered the locks! A webcam! The three little French children had family somewhere watching, they were jumping up and down! We were bundled in the lock, with a boat in front of us, and a monster behind us!
Maybe the photo will give you an idea how close he was, but remember he was even closer!

The birth process was over, and us, twins were surfing out into the big world, to be separated at last.

Our advisor said good bye, left with a pilot boat, and we motored towards Flamingo Point where we rowed our two line handlers ashore with their long lines and tires. We anchored at Brisas. Andando and us, did the Panama Canal!

Ps. If you want to do the Panama Canal, it is an experience of a life time! But it is a costly affair…you even pay for your Clearing Out document from the Port Captain, 44US$! ( Was supposed to be only 24US$) And of course it is a no receipt affair! Silence is GOLD!!

Maverick 400 - Andando

Herewith a video of some shots on the Trinidad to Panama trip. The Skipper Notes on the trip will follow Monday.

Time changed!

Ok, still hang on to your blanket,  but you can sit with your hot chocolate at 21h00 (SA time) now,  and check out the webcam!

The Panama Transit Dpt send you an email to keep you posted!  Efficient, I am telling you! 

Panama Canal

Today at noon our two line handlers will join us, and we will be leaving at 13h00 towards the Canal. We are nervously excited!  Eric, our agent assisted us in everything to make sure all the paper work was done, and he made sure that we know exactly what to do. He dropped black tyres wrapped in black plastic, which we reinforced with tape. We bought some rope to fasten onto the tyres,  but we will do that as soon as we are on our way. He also provided us with 4 very long lines, which we will use to control Andando in the locks.

I can keep you busy with a lot of wonderful information on the Panama Canal, which was built by the Americans about a hundred years ago. Joe interviewed Eric, our agent and is busy editing a video on the who and the what of the Panama Canal, and it will be available soon.

Follow us today, 16h00 our time, but back home in South-Africa, about 22h00! Come on get your blanket, and share this with us! http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html