Skip to main content

Port Vila

We finally made it to Port Vila this morning after a 1150-nautical-mile journey. Averaging just over six knots was impressive, considering the incredibly calm conditions. Clear skies and a flat sea made for a smooth and relaxing passage, except for the last 24 hours.

After days at sea, it’s always a shock to the system to dive back into the hustle and bustle of port life. We'll be diving straight into maintenance mode now we're in Port Vila. Essential tasks include changing the engine oil and tackling the temperamental water maker. We're hoping to nurse it back to health. With a bit of luck, we’ll have the boat shipshape in no time. We're also excited to welcome Rhona aboard. She's already in port, ready to join the crew and help us get ready for the next leg of the journey.

It was interesting to cross paths with a sailing rally from Island Cruising NZ yesterday. Three yachts were heading west, right across our track.

It’s a shame we didn’t get to do more sailing on this trip. This was the calmest passage out of New Zealand I’ve ever experienced. Usually, we encounter at least one front, but this time, we didn’t even get a sprinkle.

As the first rays of dawn break through, I’m starting to question if we ended up in the wrong Vanuatu. It’s not exactly tropical paradise so far!


Popular posts from this blog

Motoring

We've officially crossed the halfway point on our journey to Darwin, and things are looking good. The weather continues to cooperate, offering us smooth motoring so far. However, forecasts predict a shift in wind direction sometime tomorrow, with easterlies potentially changing our arrival time. The stronger the easterlies, the later we'll pull into Darwin. It's going to be time to transfer fuel later and the only pump available in Singapore was a rickety, hand-cranked contraption that leaked like a sieve . Transferring fuel has been a nightmare. It turned a simple task into a full-blown mission, complete with showers for everyone involved afterwards and a thorough boat cleaning session. Thankfully, things are much different now. Thanks to Rhona's keen eye, we snagged a fantastic electric transfer pump in Lombok. This beauty is a dream come true – just two hoses and a simple switch, and we can effortlessly pump 250 liters of fuel in a matter of minutes! Needless to say,...

A New Adventure Begins

Location: Departing Denarau, Fiji And so it begins! The journey from Fiji to Southport is officially underway. I arrived in Fiji yesterday and had a fantastic handover from Karl, the boat's owner. It was a proper, detailed session, which is always a treat and makes the whole process so much smoother. It's rare to get a handover at all so that level of thoroughness was a huge help and saved a lot of time, and I'm very grateful for it—it makes a huge difference to a delivery skipper. This morning was all about final preparations. We filled the tanks with a massive 15,000 litres of duty-free fuel. By midday, customs and immigration were on board to complete the paperwork, and with their stamp of approval, we were good to go. The moment you first take the helm of a new boat is always a mix of excitement and a little bit of nerves. No matter how much you've been briefed, you're never quite sure how she'll handle. Will she respond to the helm? How will she behave in t...

Arrival in Sydney: Delivery Complete!

 This morning, the Excess 14 slid gracefully into her new berth at Middle Harbour Marina, marking the successful completion of her delivery from the Gold Coast. The final approach into Sydney Harbour is always a great sight, a fitting end to a coastal voyage. This passage was a comprehensive real-world test of the boat's capabilities. She proved to be a joy in light airs, demonstrated strength and stability in heavy weather, and showed impressive maneuverability during a tricky docking. It’s clear that the Excess 14 is a versatile and robust catamaran, perfectly suited for everything the Australian coast can throw at it. The final tasks onboard are ones of quiet satisfaction: coiling the lines perfectly, writing up the final log entry, and giving the boat a last clean and polish. For Yacht Delivery Solutions, it's a pleasure and a privilege to deliver a vessel of this quality. Handing her over to the brokers at Flagstaff Marine clean, secure, and ready for her new owners is t...