Merry Christmas from New Zealand!

Merry Christmas from New Zealand!

We arrived! exhausted at 2:30 AM - at the Quarantine dock in New Zealand's northern most port town of Opua, in the Bay of Islands.

Next morning bright and early we met with the Bio-security patrol who looked over our boat and confiscated much of the remaining food we had on board.  We had read up on what to expect from Bio-security/customs of NZ in Tonga. We had our hull cleaned in Tonga, so we weren't too concerned with huge unexpected fines for a dirty hull. We had eaten everything fresh except for a couple heads of garlic on passage. Yet we were still surprised by how much they hauled off the boat that morning before we ate breakfast. In two large black plastic garbage bags, they took our dry beans (navy beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, mung beans) about 15 pounds, they took our honey, our mayonnaise (Mexican mayo - even the sealed jars) 7 jars, they took every grain that could possibly sprout (popcorn and all of our sprouting seeds: alfalfa, flax, broccoli, wheat, lentils), and many other items that I can't remember. They left us with our tinned sardines, canned corned beef, rice, pasta, condiments, spices and herbs. We had eaten down our stores almost completely by the time we arrived here. Tonga had had meager food options and all were expensive, so we learned to live on rice and beans alternating with pasta and canned meat, fish or lentils with powdered milk for the kids. There was a fresh market too - so we ate lots of bananas, pineapple, cucumber, tomatoes and potatoes. I cooked quite a bit on passage to NZ - trying to eat up everything. So as soon as we left the quarantine dock - we needed to get some food on board!

Customs came directly after Bio-security left the boat. We filled out lots of forms, had our passports stamped and our Visas issued. They were very efficient, friendly and quick. They assured us that there were hot showers available here in the marina, a general store within walking distance and a laundry. Then they handed us a welcome bag filled with lots of local info pamphlets about where to get what, tide info, marina info, and a small bottle of rum. I guess they know sailors well.

When you arrive in a foreign port exhausted, dirty (no shower since Tonga 14 days ago), and hungry (we had all lost weight on passage) - it is hard to know what to do first. We immediately called the marina to ask if there was a slip available for a couple of days. Then moved our boat to a dock. This was the first time we would step off of our boat onto a dock since Mexico (May 9th). It felt luxurious to step onto a stable surface (rather than get into a wet dinghy and get wetter still on your rough salty ride to shore). It was a blustery day and chilly - much like what we expected everyone back in the Pacific Northwest was experiencing. It felt a lot like home here.  It felt a lot like Edmonds here. And almost immediately we met friends and that was the best welcome. Joel came over to meet us from Russell, a neighboring town where he had his boat (SV Belina). Bob and Sue (SV Fugue) met us near the cafe (next to the laundry) and we all sat down together and had terrifically delicious and well prepared food. Wow! I'm gonna like it here. After a long lunch I insisted that we take a shower and wash our sheets. Another luxury, clean sheets, cool breezes and a still boat. We reclaimed the V-berth and slept very well.

After we had spent a couple days resting, doing laundry and getting the kids clean, we had to begin focusing on Christmas Shopping. Where are the stores that sell toys? Opua is a very small town (unlike Edmonds) there are almost no shops except for the General Store/Post Office and the shops that cater to the cruising/sailing community (2 chandleries, a laundry, showers, a boat yard, a sail repair shop, car rental and sales, various mechanics, etc.) everything a visiting sailor would need. All the main stores (grocery stores, department stores, larger shopping areas) are in the next couple of towns. There is a shuttle that runs three days a week and will take you to the closest of the grocery stores. And many cruisers buy a car when they arrive. Bob and Sue had already purchased a car when we came and offered us rides to the next town to help us restock. It took a couple trips to replace the dried beans we had lost and find the toy stores. We stumbled upon a couple used book stores and the kids got lots of books for Christmas. That also reminded me of home (in MN). I found lots of great children's reference books and am always thinking about all that they have yet to learn (in home schooling). I am so glad that we are again in an English speaking country where we can replenish our home schooling curricula. Both Tamsyn and Griffyn are in need of the next level. We have yet to check out the local school - to see if they could be enrolled for the summer. School here begins February 4th.

Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere

It is light until 9:30 pm. It is sunny and warmer each day. No where are there any signs of Christmas. The cafe doesn't play Christmas tunes, the stores do not have trees or tunes or decorations everywhere. The street lamps are not needed or decorated. It is harder here to "feel Christmas". Most of the cruising community are retired a long way form their families. Many do not celebrate holidays. So how do we find the Christmas Spirit?

You have to find another kid boat. SV Pegasus came to our rescue. They are a mid size catamaran with two kids that same age as ours! They invited us over for a homeschool session. And then we planned the next couple of days, shopping, making a gingerbread house and singing Christmas Carols. They had a car - so Santa would be visiting our boat.  Catherine (Pegasus) loves to organize things - she chose the carols and said, "Carrie you sing a solo here with 'Silent Night' , I'll play the flute, Mark (Pegasus) will play his guitar and Owen can sing too right?" We gave a little concert on Christmas Eve in front of the laundry. Each of us had made cookies, they also brought the gingerbread house and lots of candles. We had a great time with about 20 cruisers who came to sing along. (Catherine had printed out the carols). Afterward Mark and Cathy invited us to their boat for spirits. It was great to relax. The kids watched 'Santa Bunnies'. Around 11:30 PM we tumbled into our dinghy talking about the beautiful view of the constellations on this cloudless warm Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day brought lots of great presents and surprises for us all. Santa brought Tamsyn a microscope and Griffyn an airplane that not only shoots missiles but also loads cars. I had found a waterproof back pack for Owen that he could use to transport the computer, the camera, anything electronic in the dinghy (generally a wet ride). Owen got me the sewing things (French curve, rotary cutting tool, measured cutting surface) I wanted for making clothes for the kids. Our stockings were full of toys and candy and the family gave us lots and lots of great books! A BIG THANK YOU to Hinka and Lois!!!

We have spent the last couple of days practicing "Boxing Day" a NZ holiday the day after Christmas when you just put things away, play and veg. The weather has turned nasty as a hurricane remnant travels north of the Bay of Islands. We are holding up on the boat well, the kids watching movies and Owen is installing firewalls in our Windows PC and figuring out how to get online access. I have been reading.

We will call family via Skype as we figure things out on this end. It is 5 hours and a day later here.

We look forward to a visit from Grandpa John (Owen's dad) in mid-January.

Carrie

New Zealand and Christmas

Hi everybody,
So we are at anchor in Opua, New Zealand! We spent a couple days at the dock - doing laundry, and replacing stores that were taken at our entry to the country. Now our thoughts turn to Christmas, family & friends, and trying to make it a good holiday for the kids.
To family: If anyone wants to do something for Griffyn & Tamsyn, they could send a small check to Wendy, and then let us know the amount, and we will spend that amount on them down here.
Also for the next month or so well be in the Opua area - so we got the General Delivery address that we can get parcels.  It is:

S/V Madrona
General Delivery
C/O Opua General Store - Post
3 Beechy Street
Opua, Bay of Islands
Northland, NZ 0200

We have no idea if things sent regular parcel post will arrive anytime in the next month - possibly not.
We still haven't got our regular internet yet. We're going to get a little dongle thing you plug into the laptop that will pull down a cellphone signal. We have to travel to Kirikiri to get it, and must arrange transport to do that. Soon.
We miss you all. We're feeling pretty good about things and are happy to be here. What's also cool is nearly the whole Pacific yacht fleet is at anchor around us - many of which are boats of friends we've made as far back as Mexico.
Once we get regular internet we'll post a whole slew of photos and writing.
Have a great holiday week!
Carrie, Owen, Griffyn & Tamsyn
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48 Miles to go - almost to New Zealand

Dec 15th (this side of Dateline - 14th on U.S. side)
Hi all.
Just another quick note that we are almost to Opua, New Zealand. We've been going through a Gale the last 24 hours. It is just now letting up. Top winds were 40 knots. Seas were steep and breaking - 12 to 14 feet. This low was worse than advertised. Oh well.

We should get in after dark, and make our way to the Quarantine dock. In a couple days we should be somewhat rested and able to look into internet, laundry and the other necessities.
Hope everybody is well back home, and that our sailing friends are also well - wherever they may be.

Owen, Carrie, Griffyn & Tamsyn
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Big seas enroute to New Zealand

December 11th (on our side of the dateline)
Just a quick update. we are 300 miles out from Minerva Reef with some 480 miles to go on this jump. we had 25 knot winds and 3 meter seas all night. Things have calmed a bit this morning, but it is still blowing 18 knots, with a mixed swell of 2.5 meters.
Nobody feels seasick - which is good. The folks on Fugue, a bit ahead of us, are quite seasick. There are seven boats strung out between Mineva and New Zealand. We are in the middle of the pack right now, but two boats behind us are fast "cats" so they will pass us in the next two days.
We crossed the 180th meridian yesterday - so we are now all "Golden Dragons."
Still getting some stretches of very cold water but mostly it is in the seventies.
All is well.
S 28 03.1
E 178 40.6
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24 hours out from Minerva Reef - On the way to New Zealand

Just a quick update. We've been sailing n light winds for just over 24 hours, and our wind is very variable; sometimes dropping as low as 6 knots. As a result we've come only 80 miles. 700 to go.
We don't want to arrive sooner than the 14th, as a big low pressure system will be slamming Opua that day... so maybe a day or two later. We're kid of dodging weather systems on the way south.
During our night watches last night we had water temperatures that got as low as 28 degrees F. For hours the water was 35 degrees, and we could feel the cold coming off the surface. Must be due to deep water up welling from the oceanic trenches over which we are sailing.
All are well aboard - though tired.
Owen, Carrie, Tamsyn, Griffyn
S 24 44.9
W 179 29.04
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Arrived at Minerva Reef

We arrived at North Minerva Reef yesterday safely. Our transit only took 3 days and 3 hours. we are one of seven boats now waiting here for the next good weather window to strike out for New Zealand.
Our jump from Tonga to Minerva was marked mostly by big seas and booming trade winds. Lots of water over the bow as we made 9.5 knots for some stretches - about 2 knots over our "hull speed." This afternoon we now sit in a ring of reef, with the roar of pounding surf beyond. Inside the water is relatively calm, and many shades of blue and aqua.
We have full batteries and full fuel, and full fresh water tanks - so all is good. Preliminary weather forecasts suggest that we will wait at least 3 to 4 days (maybe more) before heading out. If so, we will celebrate Tamsyn's 9th birthday at Minerva Reef. Quite a location. And in addition to S/V Fugue, there are other boats we know; Two Ticks, Northern Rose and Baroness, so we may have quite a few folks over to have cake.
When we get to New Zealand we will celebrate again, and be able to find more fun presents. More later. Time to snag some weather forecasts.
Owen
S 22 37.710
W 178 53.747
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Getting cloe to Minerva Reef

Hi all,
Just touching base. We are still plowing through 12 foot seas, and 24 knots of wind. Right now it's raining.
We are only 60 miles from Minerva - a circular reef atoll without an island. Just a reef and a lagoon. There's a narrow entrance to the lagoon on North Minerva, and we should anchor in about 30 feet of water.
Owen
22 degrees 49 minutes south
178 degrees 02 minutes west
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Leaving Tonga - On the Way to New Zealand

Hi all,
As of Thursday December lst (this side of the dateline)we have left Tonga 36 hours ago, and are now 200 miles southwest of our starting point. We are sailing fast in rough seas. we are averaging 7 knots, but have seen 9.5 knots.
The seas are mixed swells about 10 feet high, coming from two directions - making the sea much like a washing machine. we are buddy boating along with S/V Fugue. It's strange to see a sail nearby on the horizon 24 hours a day. We just have to make sure we don't crash into each other.
Kids have been a bit green around the gills - especially Tamsyn. A few drips coming in as we are taking big seas over the bow and burying the rail frequently. We hope to reach Minerva Reef in 36 hours or so. There we can rest in the lagoon, and wait for a good weather window to continue the rest of the way to New Zealand.
To Jennifer & Aaron - please make a blog comment giving your email addresses (we won't publish the comment. We can't find yours and would love to visit.
Miss you all.
Owen, Carrie, Tamsyn & Griffyn
S 20 58.502
W 176 13.1188
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Update Tonga & A Relaxing Day, Sparky & the Barleys (May 17th)

Hi,


Still in Tonga. Having a good time. Visiting many islands and people. I've been working a lot - finishing up a couple projects. 
We are getting ready for our jump to New Zealand, and so are watching for a weather window. Hope everyone has a good 
Turkey Day! We will probably watch The Wizard of Oz with the kids and have our dinner with Bob & Sue on S/V Fugue. 
Hugs to everyone.

Malo,

Owen






Carrie's post "A Relaxing Day - Sparky and the Barleys" (May 17th) was posted retroactively. Enjoy


http://svmadrona.blogspot.com/2011/05/relaxing-day-sparky-and-barleys.html

Cave diving, isolated atolls, Halloween, and unsettled weather.

Hi all.

We're doing well.  The weather has been rainy and very cloudy - making sailmail posts very difficult.  The station we have to link with is over 1500 miles away, and when the weather is overcast and full of rain, we just cannot like up to that station.

We just came back from an atoll named Avalau Island (inhabited only by goats).  It was small and exquisite.  The beach was pure white sand, the coral was abundant, and the schools of fish very colorful.


Here is a time machine picture post - going back all the away to Bora Bora.

Here's a picture of Madrona leaving Bora Bora - courtesy of Joel on Balena.  We are reefed down as we motor past the reef.  Once out in the open we put out our very large head sail.  It was blowing 20 - 25 outside.

Griffyn doing a cleaning chore - sweeping the cabin rug.

Here's Bora Bora.

An amazing peak.

The main street in Bora Bora.

A nice house front.

This church has been around a long long time.

We bought a good percentage of the food on this table before leaving.  It was the end of the day, and the women at the table loaded us up with much fruit when we left - without us paying for it, as it wouldn't keep another day.  We ate over three dozen bananas over the next few days on passage.

Here's Tamsyn's photo of the selection.  Yummy!

This is for Allison at REECAS.  Nyco's for Nico!

Wish my alley looked like this.

Tamsyn at the Post Box.  This is where we dropped your postcards.

This guy was cool.

Colorful crosses.  Churches are big here - obviously.

Cutting up Breadfruit - Uru - into slices for deep frying.  Delicious!

Griffyn's corner - some of his precious things.

Some of Tamsyn's special things including Twinkle.

Our alphabet.  Our boat is a schoolhouse.

The Galley.

Griffyn learning to read on the high seas on the way to Tonga.

Close approach Palmerston Island.  The wind was blowing from the northwest so we couldn't visit - no way to moor or anchor safely with that wind.

S/V Balena - with Joel and Christine on deck, at anchor in Tonga.

Here they are on our boat for dinner.  Good friends.

Here's our Parrot fish - they taste lemony!  Delicious.  Thanks for the fillet knives Hink & Lois!

Storms over Tonga.  Looks like a painting.

A view of Neiafu, Tonga from our anchorage.  The flag is the Tongan flag made by Carrie.

 

After the sunset - night swimming.  Mom & Dad wore less clothes.

A beautiful cave.  One of two we visited.

Here's the entrance to the above cave.

The shoreline and the water color are spectacular.

Here's our favorite cave.  We went diving here.  The roof was 100 feet over our head; the deep blue pool below was much deeper.

Schools of fish, thousands strong flowed and undulated like a single organism.  I could pick out every stone on the cave floor - over 150 feet below.

Here's Tamsyn about 12 feet down in the cave.

After days and days of rain we came into civilization for the kids Halloween party at the Aquarium cafe.

It was a lot of fun for kids and adults!

Griffyn/Spiderman doing the limbo.  Must be the special spider genes that make it possible.

Princess' can do it too.

Egg toss.  It didn't end too well for the eggs in the end.

So that's all for now.

Letters from Tamsyn backlog - to Pat, Grandpa John, Lois & Hinka, & Grandma Jean

Here is a bit of a time machine of letters written by Tamsyn...

August 15, 2011 - Tahiti  (maybe on blog already)

Dear Pat, 

I am in Tahiti. We have a friend named Joel. We had him over for dinner yesterday. Joel is 30. He used to work on a NOAA ship and so did dad! And we have another friend who is 5 1/2, her name is Emma. I made her a gingerbread doll all by myself! I went swimming yesterday. Dad is going to get a fuel cylinder. Your sister is at the table not doing anything. Griffyn is still in the bathroom. How are things at home?

Tamsyn

September 28, 2011 - on passage from Bora Bora to Tonga (maybe posted)

Dear Grandpa John, 

Are you still coming to where we summer over? It's "summer over" because in the tropics there is no winter. "What a drag, I know." I think I heard you got a little snow last you wrote. We think we will summer over in New Zealand. But we are not sure, but if we do go, me and Griffyn get to go to a real school! 

An X for you and the cats. 

Add two OOs.

Tamsyn

October 3, 2011 - on passage to Tonga

Dear Aunt Lois and Uncle Hinka, 

I was up with the sun today. It was the first time I did it since I left home.  Guess what? Griffyn read 67 words yesterday. Can you believe that! I read these two great books called "Rowan of Rin" and "Rowan and the Travelers." How are things at home? We miss you both.

XXXX

from Tamsyn

October 3, 2011 - on passage to Tonga

Dear Uncle Pat, 

We are sailing to Tonga. I lost a tooth on the way. It was a molar. The place where it was bled for the whole night. We had left Bora Bora. They had French money and the tooth fairy gave me 100 pacific francs or French money. Darn it - we already left the island that the money works at. 

Hope all is well,

Love Tamsyn

October 5, 2011 - on passage to Tonga

Dear Grandpa John, 

When I wrote last I got mixed up. New Zealand does have Christmas, that is in the summer. It even snows there, that is in the winter. We saw these beautiful birds. The birds were as white as snow and have very long pointed tail feathers. I liked the way they flew. They glided along the wind with scarcely a flap. When one met the other, they soared tilting one wing and then the other right next to each other. 

I lost a tooth! And a different one is loose. Two molars! One out, the other half way! Today we will reach Tonga!! it is a Kingdom! How are things at home? We miss you and your cats.

X

Love Tamsyn

October 19, 2011 - Tonga

Dear Grandma Jean,

It is hard to miss the crickets, "sheesh!" Guess what? Once at twilight some how, (don't laugh) a cricket got on our boat! I caught him! We put him in my bug jar for a night and then when dad when to get water he brought him with him and let him go. The way you can tell crickets from grass hoppers is crickets have long antenna and grass hoppers have short ones.

I have been wondering. Do you have any good books? Maybe a Thorton Burgess or two, or "The Bobbsey Twins"? (Well you did run a bookstore, so.) Oh and please don't bring #8. I have it.  I really like the series. And please also bring some more of "The Boxcar Children", I have #4, Mystery Ranch. I love these too. 

XXXX for you and Samantha, do not forget Thomas and Danny

from Tamsyn

Daniel's Bay Video Postcard

Here is a video postcard from Daniel's Bay.

A Long Day - posted on May 14th, 2011

Carrie's post "A Long Day" has been posted retroactively on May 14th, 2011.  Follow the below link to read.

http://svmadrona.blogspot.com/2011/05/long-day.html

Night Watch is Sublime

(October 2011 (on passage between Bora Bora and the Kingdom of Tonga)

Night Watch is Sublime

You set your timer to beep every 10 minutes. When it goes off you look in all directions - for anything, a boat, land, something floating in the water. You scan the horizon carefully because missing a boat could be fatal. You wait until the waves crest, so that you can see far ahead of the bow, behind the stern, amid ships. Then you check the wind speed - does it make sense? Do the numbers you read "feel" like the wind hitting the back of your neck? Or have they increased lately and you watch the dials to confirm your suspicions (you may need to reef). You check the wind angle (the point of sail) and you check the compass, has the wind shifted direction? Is the boat still sailing the right course? And you check the speed - how many knots? Do all these mechanical readings confirm what you already feel? 90% of the time - they do, the other 10 % involve changing sail or changing course.
If everything is O.K. - you reset your timer. You go back to reading about Sookie Stackhouse, that village in Tuscany, an Elegant Hedgehog or some other completely absorbing novel that you would never have had time to read back home in your previously busy life. You go back to cat napping because you are at the beginning of your watch and it is too soon to wake up your relief - but for some reason your day exhausted you. You go back to journaling about your day - what you saw, what you thought, what you want to remember, any new epiphanies you might have had that must be recorded. You go back to star gazing because the stars are so bright out here over only water, without light pollution - it's no wonder people have written about them since the beginning of time. Serius is so bright is beams light like Jupiter. You stare at the milky way thinking about "Men In Black" and just how small we really are. You watch the moon set or rise - each night the rising or setting is 45 minutes earlier or later than the previous day. A full moon is so bright it feels like sun light when you look out over the shining water - it is easy to see everything and a moonless night is so dark especially if it is cloudy that you strain to see the horizon - all you can hope to see is a light from another vessel. You try to remember the constellations you learned in high school - Orion, the big dipper, and dig out a book showing you others. These constellations become your friends as you sail under the same sky night after night. You learn which direction you are sailing based on where Orion is in the sky. Or if this night is one of those rare special nights you get to watch the bioluminescence curl along the side of the boat with each bow wave spreading tiny beads of rippling light in arcs across the water. It is so beautiful - each wave sets off a different shape of twinkling lights. And this cycle of renewal to mind and spirit lasts as long as your watch (if all is well 3-4 hours) until your eyes can no longer focus or you feel sleepiness overcoming your ability to be on watch.

Carrie

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Thunderstorms and catching rain

So this morning around 7:30 am it started to pour down rain. It fell in sheets, and the boat was buffeted by strong gusts of wind that varied by as much as 100 degrees of the compass. I tried to roll over and bury my head under the pillow, but soon I noticed that Carrie was up and in the cockpit. Then I heard Griffyn up. I figured I had better join the party.

Unbelievably the rain increased in intensity, and water was running in sheets off our bimini cover (which covers our cockpit). Soon we were getting pans and buckets catching the water. It's always nice to catch some fresh water to use in the solar shower, or use for laundry. In fact we spent part of yesterday sewing our big fancy rain catcher. In minutes we had collected a gallon, then two. Of course we were in swim suits and were drenched in moments if we stepped out of the cockpit.

Carrie lowered our dinghy - which was hanging above the water suspended by a spare halyard. It was rapidly filling with water. Then I went forward to get some big five gallon buckets. Our neighbor S/V Balena, only one hundred feet away, was almost invisible behind the sheets of water. The rain actually stung. At least it was warm.

The period of intense rain in most big squalls usually lasts an half an hour before it settles down to a steady moderate rain. Today's rain lasted six hours, and was punctuated by frequent peels of thunder. We ended up putting over thirty gallons of fresh water in our main tank. we also filled the solar shower, and put some water aside for laundry.

As bucket after bucket would fill up, I would go forward to the deck "water fill" and pour the new water into the tank. Then I would get back under cover and after a few hours soaked and exposed to wind, I began to get cold. Carrie kept serving coffee which kept us going.

Below decks Carrie not only made breakfast (corned beef hash and potatoes), but she baked 2 loafs of bread, oatmeal cookies, and a chocolate cake (to share with our guests Joel and Christine from S/V Balena who are soon to jump to New Zealand). It is now late in the afternoon and thunder still rumbles, and rain still comes down from time to time. The kids are dong school. I will soon help Tamsyn with math.

Tomorrow I'll be working much of the day. I've got to finish up the big Teatown job and then get cracking on a nice little illustration for Fort Lauderdale by the Sea. I can't wait to be in one place for a while again to push out the work. Another couple of weeks. Hopefully the rain tomorrow will be moderate, and not Biblical.

More later.

Owen

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A Book Report from Tamsyn - The Minpins

To Lin,
Forest of Sin
THE MINPINS is a book by Roald Dahl. It is about a boy named Little Billy. He was longing to go in the Forest of Sin that was outside his house. His mom said that there are "Whangdoodles and Hornswogglers and Snozzwangler and Vermicious Knids," and worst of all is the "Terrible Bloodsucking Tothplucking Stonechuckling Spittler!!!" Billy's mom said the Spittler blows smoke out when he chases you. She said a poem that went like this, "Beware! Beware! The Forest of Sin! None come out, but many go in!"
I think the book is very nicely written. I like the characters. The pictures are beautiful. I like how Billy's mom is so stern. I think it is funny that Roald Dahl copied his own writing from Willy Wonka. It's a great book. Just great!
By
Tamsyn Klara Caddy
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Arrived in Tonga - will sit out cyclone season in New Zealand

Hi All.  Just a quick note.

We arrived safely in Tonga a few days ago.  We've been so very tired after this last passage that we have not had the energy to track down internet, or do much of anything else for that matter.  We are now somewhat recovered and are taking an interest in our surroundings.

We are in the northern group of island in Tonga; in Refuge Bay - the site of the only town.

Another bit of news is that we have decided to sit out cyclone season in New Zealand.

More later!

Owen

Strangers in the Night

So we are doing well, moving along with 350 miles to Tonga, 1,100 miles under our belt on this jump so far. We've had some very still days. Yesterday we rolled around in 3 meter swells with only 4 knots of wind - not enough for steerage. But we relaxed and played and schooled.

Last night the wind picked up around sunset and we sailed at 2 to 3 knots all evening. A couple of squalls came by, but to our southeast a huge electrical storm lit up the sky all night. Silent flashbulbs cast the clouds in stark relief, and darkness would collapse back on the night. Then moments later a staccato burst of flashes would erupt somewhere else.

On the 29th, near sunset I was on watch, and sighted a sail on the horizon. "A boat," I called out. It looked to be a slop some 4 miles away. I called n the VHF and talked to David, who along wit his wife Sonja, have sailed their Swiss registered 36 foot sailboat - S/V Moulimentum from Europe. They to were floundering in no wind. As darkness fell, David said that they were going to motor all night, and he lamented how much the decision was going to coast them in diesel. Soon their light pulled ahead of us. I guess we are purists - but we can't see using up diesel in a sailboat. The wind will come eventually.

Last week we met a giant yacht transport vessel (with 32 yachts aboard) sailing from the U.S. to Australia. I talked to the bridge crew - a fellow named York - and he was very happy to talk to someone else out in the big blue sea. He hadn't seen anther vessel in 3 days. On radar I clocked him at 17 knots.

So it is a big ocean, but it's full of storms and other vessels. Tonight as we sail lazily along at 3 1/2 knots westward storm clouds are again building on the horizon's rim. I hope we don't meet a big electrical storm tonight. Getting hit by lightening wouldn't hurt us more than likely, but it would probably kill our radios. we have two spare GPS units and batteries in a "Faraday cage" (our microwave)in the event we do suffer a strike, our navigation won't only be by sextant and reduction table.

So all is well - except that Carrie won't part with the Kindle, as she is devouring the Sookie Stackhouse novels. It's not fair. What am I to read? Kids are watching Harry Potter. More in a few days. Nite.

Owen

S 18 33.13
W 167 28.54
At 22:00 zulu

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Palmerston Island flyby and booming trade winds.

Just a update.

Yesterday at 4:30 pm local time we made our close approach to Palmerston Island. It's always kind of amazing when after seven hundred miles of sailing you hit the bullseye and land appears right in front of you. It's a big ocean, so it's always a nice pat on the back that you're doing something right.

The island, which is really a big atoll with many palm covered motus built upon a reef with a central lagoon, anyway - the island(s) were green and covered in pals, and no point of land probably exceeded 20 feet above sea level. Lots of sea birds wheeled in the sky above the atoll. One Booby kept coming about three feet from our boat - much to the kid's delight.

The wind was out of the north, so taking one of the moorings on the west side of Palmerston proper was out of the question, as the wind needs to be out of the east to keep the moored vessel off the reef. So we took pictures and sailed on by.

Another Green Flash at sunset. A very bright one.

Overnight the winds picked up and shifted direction and now we are booming along in 15 - 18 knots of steady trade winds. Yeah us. So all is well. Proceeding westward.

Owen

S 18 02.26
W 164 18.5422

21:00 Zulu time

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In the Cook Islands/thoughts on "jumping", - A leter to Uncle Pat from Tamsyn, and a Book Report

So after four days of sailing we are over 400 miles from Bora Bora and now in the Cook Islands - less than 100 miles from Atutaki a largish island with a tricky and narrow entrance. We probably won't stop there. We may stop in Palmerston (Cook Islands) a couple hundred miles further west.

The weather is fine, though much of yesterday we had light winds. The mornings start out fine and clear with 8 to 10 knots of winds. After sunrise the winds begin to build, and the air warms. By 9:00 am the air is muggy, and the temperature is above 80 degrees. Popcorn cumulus clouds appear to the north and begin building. By noon we've typically gone through at least one rain squall. By sunset the sky is filled with thunderheads, many with overshooting tops, producing the classic anvil shapes. Strangely enough, though they can produce high winds and torrential rainfall, there is no lightening. At night we reef sails, then put them back out again as squall after squall passes overhead. By 4:00 am their energy of the previous day has dissipated, and the sky is almost clear.

This is a long jump - this trip to Tonga, but very different from the big jump from North America. There is something about this idea of a "jump" that seems to figure large in the minds of many sailors. A jump is definitely over a few days in length, usually over a week. In port people say they are, "getting ready for the next jump." They provision, repair, talk to others about their intended route, and as the day comes closer they start watching the weather very closely. Anyone who says that they are not at all nervous about the upcoming jump, is either not being honest, or I wouldn't want to sail with them.

Talking with another sailor who has already made that particular "jump" or passage is very desirable. Boats make the jump in waves. One boat will go out, and the other boats are usually not ready yet. Not provisioned, not done playing, not repaired. Then a few more boats go out a day or two later. The remaining candidates for this "wave" of departures may have a few last minute things on their "to do list" or they might not like the weather. "What weather resources are you using"? is not an uncommon question down here where good weather info is not plentiful.

Then it is nearing your time to go; to make that jump you've gotten a wee bit keyed up about. You start getting radio emails from vessels who have left a week before. They are either having a great passage, or getting hammered in 30 knot winds. You check the weather again... and make a plan to go on a particular day. You may check the tides. You may download the weather twice a day. Now you have to actually stow all the gear and get the boat ready for sea, with two kids, that is a huge job. It takes at least a full days work - maybe two. Then there is the matter of catching up on sleep in anticipation of upcoming night watches.

Then it's your day. It's you pulling anchor, or dropping the mooring ball lines. You wave to friends on nearby boats - boats still getting ready for the jump. And then you are away. The first sunset comes, and the boat settles into it's "at sea" routine.

Our friends Joel and Christine on S/V Balena (a Westsail 33) are four days behind us. They just jumped.

We are well. Getting into the groove, and enjoying this passage so far. We'll be happy to make landfall when it comes, but for now this is very pleasant.

Here is a letter Tamsyn wrote back in Tahiti. It's to her uncle Patrick. She also wrote a book report.

* * * *
August 15th.

To Pat,
I am in Tahiti. We have a friend named Joel. we had him over for dinner yesterday. Joel is 30. He used to work on a NOAA ship! And we have another friend who is 5 1/2. Her name is Emma. I made her a gingerbread doll all by myself! I went swimming yesterday. Dad is going to get a fuel cylinder. Your sister is sitting at the table and not doing anything. Griffyn is still in the bathroom. How are things at home?

Tamsyn

* * * *

SPOOKY MOUNTAIN

"Rowan of Rin" is a book by Emily Rodda. The book is about a boy, Rowan, who lives in a village and is the keeper of the cows. The stream stopped flowing. So the village sent seven people up the mountain to fix the problem. Rowan was the ost scared of the seven.

I think it is a good story. It is a bit scary, but not a lot. It is fun and that is why I like it. And it is the best story ever!

By Tamsyn Caddy

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On the way to Tonga

So we got the boat under weigh, and we are now far out to sea, on the way to the Tonga. The last island in Polynesia along our route is falling behind on the horizon, and a glorious orange sunset welcomed us back to sea as we ate diner in the cockpit.

Winds are in the 10 - 12 knot range with big mixed sells. We expect some squalls during the night, so we are reefed down. It feels nice to be at sea again - more focused, with shore work done, the sailing ahead of us

We're all well; and hope our friends and family are the same. G'Nite.

Owen

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Updates are arriving - new posts for our crossing

Hi all,

I have begun to enter blog entries - written long ago - that I haven't been able to put on the blog due to lack of power, internet or computer time. Here are the first of many:

Our Champion Bucket Filler (May 12, 2011)
http://svmadrona.blogspot.com/2011/05/our-champion-bucket-filler.html

A Fouled Prop (May 13, 2011)
http://svmadrona.blogspot.com/2011/05/fouled-prop.html

I did a lot of writing during my night watches about our shake down cruise across the Pacific.  Owen referred to it as a short book. I will be publishing them as we have internet access (beyond sailmail) with reference notes like this one. Enjoy.

Carrie

Landfall Bora Bora

So we were sailing nearby, and decided we had to stop at Skull Island, I mean Bora Bora.

Bora Bora is the archetypal pacific island with a central volcanic peak, fringing reef, and an enormous lagoon with water in a myriad shades of blue and green.  So here we are.

We had a nice 20 hour sail in very light winds to get here; and from here we will take off into the big blue again for our next big jump of over 1000 miles.  Still working out the itinerary there.

Here are some pictures!

Approaching Bora Bora after a shower.

A wonderful anchorage on the previous island.

The kids after swimming, and before bed.

Laundry at Bora Bora... a beautiful place.

Sunset last night.

Life in Polynesia is not complete without a constant stream of paddlers in outrigger canoes.

I haven't seen the Green Flash for many many years, but last night we had a lovely treat.  And to make it even better I was able to photograph the flash.  Carrie and Griffyn were in deck watching too, and were duly impressed.  Anyway... enjoy. Note - the flash was really green, and appears so at full resolution, but when I compressed the photo for posting it lost some color saturation - sorry Paul ;-)

So we really like Bora Bora.  It's pretty commercialized compared to many places, but is so beautiful, and on such a modest scale, that the pluses far outweigh the negatives.  We will be here a few more days before we strike out towards the Kingdom of Tonga.

Carrie is going to add another entry soon !

Letters from Tamsyn - Posted from Huahine Island

Here are a couple more of Tamsyn's letters - both which were written on September 6th.

To Grandma Lin,

I'm at sea. Your stepson is napping. My mom is giving Griffyn his reading lesson. He does not like it very much. And I'm writing to you. Mom and dad's anniversary is in two days! We will get to an island in the morning. Good bye.

Tamsyn

Hey Kel,

How are things at home? Sissy's up on deck half way. So is Griffy. Dad's a nappin'. I'm a writing. We're at sea. Your sisters anniversary is in two days! Happy birthday!

Ciao for now.

Tamsyn

Dad's note: The anniversary was great! Were doing very well. Getting some work and school done. Haircuts all around; Carrie did me, I did Carrie, Carrie did Griffyn, and Tamsyn got a trim. Fixed a low voltage wiring problem on the bathroom light. It ws only getting 10V, so I ran new (read un-corroded) wire. Now works great. Probably be here a few more days. more settled weather coming.

OTC

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Letters from Tamsyn

These letter were written while we were provisioning in Tahiti.

Dear Gabriel,

How are things at home? I am in Tahiti, an island. It is a bit like La Paz, but not like home. Do you know what makes Tahiti different from home? I have time to tel you one thing. Most of the boys, also men, have no shirts on! That also means Griffyn and my dad. Griffyn says I miss you both! Say hi to your mom from mine. Write son!

Tamsyn

Dear Aunt Wendy,

I am in Tahiti. It is noisy, very noisy. It is the third largest city I have ever seen! It has concrete roads and it is very dusty. It is a little like La Paz but is not like home. There is a coral reef around the whole island. We saw angel Fish! I learned that when sunlight hits water it looks shallow and when it is in the shade it looks deeper. I love the food!

Tamsyn

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At anchor on the west side of Huahine Island

So we made a 24 hour + passage between Tahiti and Huahine, about 100 miles westward. The winds were light, and we timed our passage just right so that we showed up 4 miles off the island at sunrise. The place were we re anchored is in an inlet south of Passe de Farerea, between a motu (palm covered island built of reef remains) and the island itself. We anchored in 40 feet of water, and all around us are coral heads and fabulous blue waters of all shades imaginable.

Our only complaint is there is more current than we would like, making diving from the boat hard for the kids. We are going to dive off the dinghy later today and explore. Today is our tenth wedding anniversary. Ta da! French toast for breakfast today, and fresh pineapple for snack. Not bad for the middle of "nowhere".

Tamsyn has some letters she has written over the past weeks that we have been lax in posting. so we'll post those soon. Thanks for all that have written and said hi, or commented. We miss you you all, and hope you are all well.

Owen

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Life in a tropical anchorage

Hi,

So we are still in Tahiti, and all is well.  We've been provisioning like crazy - scary cause the cost of things here, and soon will water up and get fuel.  We are going to leave Tahiti the beginning of next week - if the weather cooperates.

Last weekend we had a big storm here, with sustained winds over 30 knots and big swells that made life in the anchorage very interesting.  Lots of boats dragged their anchors - not us thank god - but even if we didn't move plenty of boats did, and some came real close to us.  Some boats tried to mate, and some were damaged.  Many structures and resorts on shore were extensively damaged - but the big swells were good news for the surfing competition on the south side of the island.

Internet is still unreliable - welcome to the rest of the world I guess.  Last time I was abroad for a long time there was no such animal as the world wide web, so I guess I can't complain.

News from home is mostly passed down like wispy rumors.  Even the BBC is hard to get in, and as I don't speak French - the local radio does us no good.

I've got a couple pictures.

This is the view from our boat.  The island is Moorea, across the reef and about 15 miles away.

Tamsyn and Emma from S/V Gruffalo playing on Madrona yesterday. 

Our favorite beach in Anaho Bay on Nuku Hiva.

When it rained in Anaho Bay - a dry cliff face suddenly sports a roaring 600 foot high waterfall.

That's all the pics for now.  Like I mentioned - the camera is less than reliable at the moment.  So there is a high-pressure system building to our west, and we hope to be sailing west by Monday at the latest.  We will probably make one or two stops in the Society Islands, then maybe one stop in the Cook Islands - probably Palmerston Island, then on to Tonga.  Tonga is largely unspoiled, and has lots of places to explore and be in.  We'd rather be there than the commercialized Society Islands.

The other cruisers here are a great bunch, but the daily happy-hour thing is not our thing at all, and as much as we like some of the other families, we are looking forward to seeing new things and playing on the beaches again.

I'm going to add some additional insulation to the refrigerator tomorrow, and Carrie is sewing our new rain catcher tomorrow.  Friday I pick-up our last propane bottle ($35.00 for 17kg!), and I hope to get some teak lumber at the lumberyard to ultimately make some larger lips on our forward hatch.

So all is well.  Anxious to get moving, but still crossing our T's and dotting our I's.

Owen