Yacht Delivery Blog

This is our last full day and night at sea. Tomorrow, we'll be tied up in the marina in Tahiti , and I'll be turning off the engines for the last time. The main and headsail will be dropped and stowed away, and I won't be touching the sheets or halyards again. It feels peculiar to think that Namarie and I have kept each other safe throughout this incredible journey, and in a few days, I'll be on a plane heading home. On this yacht delivery Namarie and I started in the Bay of Biscay and headed south into the Atlantic, getting to know each other along the way. We made a brief stop in the Canary Islands, our last contact with Europe before heading further south and leaving footprints in the red dust of Cape Verde. We left West Africa behind and headed further west across the Atlantic, dodging hurricanes and grabbing fuel and provisions in the southern end of the Caribbean. From there, we pushed onwards through the Caribbean Sea to Panama and the canal. Pretty soon after, ...

We saw land yesterday, which was extremely exciting. Another positive was that the land was exactly where it was supposed to be, which, of course, is a huge relief as it means everything is going according to plan. We are currently passing the next-to-last atoll and then have a small group of atolls to navigate between, namely Hikueru and Marokau, before heading south of Reitoru. This shouldn't be too challenging as the space between Hikueru and its neighbor is 15 nautical miles. But 15nm is only 7nm each side and if we are sailing at 7knts thats only an hour. During the night, the wind started to shift to the east. This meant we had to either head slightly south to keep the headsail full or drop the main. Since we were planning to go north of Amanu, heading further south wasn't an option. Therefore, we are sailing with just the headsail and still making good time. The sea remains quite choppy, and the sky is squally with patches of blue. Fingers crossed, the blue wins the batt...

The swell and breeze have died down slightly, and we're now experiencing fairly consistent mid-to-high 20 knots over the deck. We were well on our way to the elusive 200-nautical mile a day run, having covered 50 nautical miles in 6 hours, but victory seems to have slipped through our fingers. We've only managed 96 nautical miles in 12 hours, and our average speed has dropped to a disappointing 7.6 knots. We're approaching the first atolls in the Tuamotus, and it's a toss-up at the moment whether we'll be able to see them. These atolls are incredibly low-lying, only a couple of feet above the water, with palm trees on top. I'd be happy to make a slight detour to sail past and take a look, but that decision will depend on the wind. I don't want to deviate from the wind by more than 120 degrees apparent. We still have 300 nautical miles to go to clear the Tuamotus, and then it's a straight run to Tahiti. Unfortunately, the forecast suggests we might be fla...

As we make our way across the Pacific, it's hard not to reflect on the unpredictable nature of this journey. Last night we saw our first boat in weeks, and it came extremely  close, forcing us to change course by 30 degrees, and then its long line was almost directly across our path so we had to avoid that. Luckily the long line had a flashing LED on the end. With challenging weather ahead and a chain of atolls and reefs to navigate, I've decided to head slightly south to improve our position for the final leg of this 10,000-nautical mile trip. The southern end of the Tuamotus is a bit more spread out, and sailing slightly south will allow us to keep the wind further aft, giving us more options for our route as we bear away in a day or so when the forecast is showing a bit of a blow. While the electronics on board modern boats are fantastic and make my job much easier, they can also create a dangerous situation if something goes wrong. Not long ago, we relied on timing all arri...

I've realized that the focus of the blog has been slowly shifting towards flying fish and clouds, and even the clouds have started to take a backseat. so I decided to refocus the blog back on sailing and crossing the Pacific. Until last night, when I came off watch and went into my cabin, I didn't realize how much of my day had been consumed by flying fish (or avoiding them). I immediately knew something was amiss when I detected the telltale perfume of my scaly little flapping friend. There was a flying fish asleep on my bed! I poked it with the BBQ tongs, but it wouldn't wake up, so I picked it up by its wing and threw it off the back of the boat. Now, my whole cabin and bedding stink of flying fish, and our laundry facilities are slightly primitive, so I've had to soak all the bedding in a bucket of soapy water all night. I've spent the morning washing the smell out of my sheets. I'm aware the blog has not done a great job of shifting away from flying fish to...

Yesterday my request for the wind to ease off wasn't specific enough. It died down pretty much immediately and it was supposed to be after midday, which was disappointing. As a result, our 24-hour run was only 186 nautical miles, which is still impressive but not quite the 200 nautical miles I was dreaming of. We ended up motoring for the night with less than 10 knots of breeze, except for a brief burst of excitement this morning when the wind picked up to over 30 knots for a while. It's back to less than 10 knots now. We'll need to put the clocks back another hour as the sun didn't rise this morning until 7 AM. The day is pretty dreary so far, with a gray sky and drizzle. Hopefully, it will clear up soon. I'm also hoping the sea state will allow me to take the lid off the water barrels and pump fuel into the tanks this morning without spilling any. We also had a very exciting encounter yesterday: we spotted a ship, not with our eyes but on the AIS! It's the fir...

We've been making great progress, which I suspect you can see on the tracker . I had hoped to smash the 180 nautical mile barrier in the last 24 hours. We managed 90 nautical miles in 12 hours, but the average dropped during the very early morning. Conditions are perfect, and we've picked up a solid southeast breeze hovering around 13 knots, giving us a great push in the right direction. The long-term weather forecast suggests we can expect to keep this breeze for at least the next ten days. It's completely overcast again this morning, but yesterday we started to see some blue skies and fluffy clouds, the kind of weather you'd expect with the trade winds . We're still seeing fishing boats from China and Korea, harvesting whatever they can from the rich waters of the Galapagos. And these aren't small boats – they're over 60 meters, so their appetite is huge.  We haven't had any splashes on deck, and there are only occasional whitecaps, so I had my hatch o...

We’ve made great time yesterday, with an average 24-hour run that will be over 150 nautical miles, I will need to check at midday. We had a nice breeze for most of the day, steadily sitting at around 7.5 knots with 12-14 knots of breeze on the beam. The wind died off during the evening, so we dropped the sails and carried on motoring. There were a lot of fishing boats last night, not compared to Asian standards, but we could see six or eight at once, which seems like a lot for the Pacific. Presumably, they're local boats from the Galapagos. They had no AIS or visible navigation lights other than large white lights they used for fishing. I woke up for my watch just before sunrise, and Adam handed over to me and went to bed. I did a quick check of the instruments and surroundings before putting the kettle on. I then followed with my usual morning routine of chanting internally “COME ON!!! WHYS IT TAKING SO LONG????!! HURRY UP!!!” while staring at the kettle. Standing in the galley lo...

In the beginning, there was the sea. A vast, endless expanse of blue that called to me with a siren’s song. I was just a young lad when I first felt the pull of the ocean. The lure of adventure and the promise of freedom were too strong to resist. So, I did what any sensible person with an insatiable thirst for adventure would do: I ran away to sea. My journey began with buying a copy of Bob Bonds ' Handbook of Sailing ' and then seizing every sailing opportunity that came my way. From small dinghies to large schooners, I sailed them all. Each voyage was a new lesson, a new experience that added to my growing knowledge and love for sailing. Then came the day when I bought my first boat, a 31ft beauty that was as stubborn and willful as the sea itself. Owning my own boat was a dream come true. It was my ticket to freedom, my passport to adventure. I spent as much time as possible hanging out with sailors, listening to their tales of high seas and distant shores. Their stories fu...

It's been a calm 24 hours on the high seas. We've managed to do a bit of sailing despite the light and at times no wind. The moon is gradually illuminating our path like a silver highway.  The fishing boat scenario has taken a turn for the better as we are now farther offshore. I suspect the commercial shipping is also hugging the coast to save time. An interesting phenomenon we've observed is the reception of AIS signals from over 90 nautical miles away. This is quite unusual and likely due to atmospheric conditions causing signal reflections. We even received a return signal from the other side of an island, defying the typical line-of-sight range. Apart from these intriguing developments, life on board has been relatively quiet. However, I've established a bread making department in the cockpit, and I must say, the results have been nothing short of spectacular! The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through the air, ensuring Rhona is up on time for her w...

I'm happy to report that we've had a reasonably relaxing time at Marina del Ray in Lombok, where we've been resting and getting ready for the next leg of our yacht delivery to Thailand. We've changed the engine oil, filters, topped up with diesel and water, and enjoyed some well-deserved sleep. The marina staff have been very friendly and helpful, and the scenery is stunning. We're about to set sail for Sabang and will leave first thing tomorrow morning. Sabang is about 1800nm away. We're hoping for a smooth and uneventful journey, with less or no fishing boats to dodge. They can be quite a nuisance, especially at night, when they don't always show their lights. I've decided to try heading further offshore, where there might be less traffic. If that doesn't work, we might have to stop for a night or two somewhere along the way. I'll keep you posted on our progress and any interesting sights we see. We should have fair winds and following seas! ...

We are now looking forward to reaching our destination which is in sight. We expect to arrive at the west tip of Lombok around 9 am, and then it's just a few hours further to a secure mooring. We can't wait to get some rest and relaxation after this trip. The wind has been light and variable for the last few days, which means sailing was slow and frustrating so we've done a fair bit of motoring. One of the most curious things we have encountered is the mysterious appearance and disappearance of fishing boats in this area. Yesterday, during the day, we sailed for hours without seeing a single vessel on the horizon. We thought we had the sea to ourselves, enjoying the calm and quiet. But as soon as the sun set, things changed dramatically. Within minutes, we spotted seven fishing boats around us, all with bright lights and presumably nets or lines. We wondered where they came from and what they were doing. We tried to keep a safe distance from them, but they seemed to multipl...

We are sailing towards Lombok , the next stop on our yacht delivery adventure. We have been on the water for a few days now and we have encountered a sea full of fishing boats. It was like a floating city, with what looked like hundreds of vessels of all shapes and sizes and of course it was nighttime. I'm not sure what the collective noun for fishing boats is, but I suspect I can't write it here without offending someone. Let's just say it was a very crowded scene. The funny thing is, you only see fishing boats at nighttime with all their lights on fishing. You never see them in the daytime or driving to or from the fishing ground. It's like birds - you only ever see fully grown ones, you never see young birds. Maybe they have some secret hiding place. Another thing that caught our attention was the huge FADs that dotted the sea. FADs are man-made structures that attract fish, but they can also be a nautical nightmare. They don't show up on radar until you are abou...

A few days ago we arrived in Kupang, Indonesia, where we cleared in to Indonesia and planned to stop for a night or two to rest. Kupang is a bustling city on the island of Timor, and a popular destination for sailors crossing from Australia to Asia. But what I thought was going to be a peaceful nights rest or 2 in Kupang was exhausting. I quickly realized that Kupang was not a place for relaxation. We decided leave as soon as possible. I had enough of Kupang and we wanted to get back on the water and continue our journey. The next morning, I went to do my routine deck walk to inspect all the sails, lines, blocks, pins, clips and look for anything else out of place. Everything looked good. The yacht was ready to sail again. We weighed anchor and set sail for Marina Del Ray where we could fill up with water and fuel before heading to Sabang on the last long leg of the trip before hopping over to Phuket, Thailand. Sabang is about 450 nautical miles away, which will take about three and a...

We are beginning to encounter Asian fishing boats as we approach Indonesia. These boats are usually small, wooden, and poorly lit, making them hard to spot on the radar or even with the naked eye. They often fish at night, using bright lights to attract their catch, but sometimes they don't turn them on until they are very close to us. This can be quite nerve-wracking, especially when we are sailing in almost completely flat calm conditions, like we are right now. Another thing that I find exciting about this delivery is the opportunity to see some gas platforms that are marked on the chart. These are huge structures that extract natural gas from the seabed, and they look like mini-cities floating on the water. They have lights, cranes, and helipads. I am looking forward to passing by some of these gas platforms soon, as they are located in the Timor Sea, between Australia and Indonesia.  The wind has been very light for the past day, barely reaching half a knot at times. This mea...

Sailing in the trade winds is a dream come true for sailors. These are the steady winds that blow from east to west near the equator, creating ideal sailing conditions for trade ships for centuries. But for a sailor who promised to write daily updates for this blog, trade winds are not a subject matter that has much variation. The days are mostly the same, with nothing but blue sky and water in sight. It's probably a better experience for Rhona as she's lucky enough to have me all to herself. The only excitement we had yesterday was when the wind shifted twice, forcing us to gybe and change course. And last night, we had to turn on the engine for a few hours as the wind died down completely. I hope you don't mind these reports, but that's the reality of sailing in the trade winds. Maybe tomorrow will bring something more adventurous. Or maybe not. I actually prefer it when it's not exciting, because excitement usually means something is going wrong or about to go wr...

Today was a great day for sailing. We had lighter winds in the morning, and we were cruising along at a steady 5 knots. The boat was handling well.  Around noon, the wind picked up a few knots. The extra apparent wind made such a difference, and we've been doing 7s since then. It makes the boat come alive.  We have been sailing with the saloon doors open, so we can hear the sound of water rushing past the hull. It is a soothing and constant noise, like a river flowing. Every now and then, we hear the wake and waves breaking behind the boat, as if we are leaving a trail of bubbles.  One of the things I love about sailing is the *ahem* harmony between the boat and the elements. Sometimes, everything is in tune, and the boat becomes an orchestra. If the boat makes a big movement, we hear a symphony of sounds: the cutlery in the drawers, the batteries in the cupboard, the tools, the loose cups, all move in unison with a 'clunk'. It is like music to my ears. The sound of the ...

We are going well as we cross above the Gulf of Carpentaria and today marks a month since we left Marsden Cove and we approach the half-way point of our trip. We have sailed around 3000 nautical miles from NZ so far. The total passage is approximately 6000nm - That's around a quarter of the way around the world! We are hoping to maintain our current pace and reach our destination in a few more weeks.  Currently we have 11 to 15 knots of breeze on the beam, which is enough to push us along at over 6 knots, which is a good speed. We are hoping to maintain these conditions for the majority of the trip, other than potentially a few days of motoring around the equator. Harmony is performing well even with the 'pre-reefed' main sail that we have set up and is comfortable.  With 2 people onboard we do watches of 3hrs off and 3hrs on, which takes a bit of getting used to. Sure, it's nice to sleep longer, but we feel 4 hours is too long to be on watch. We prefer to have shorter...

The wind has been unpredictable, ranging from 2 to 32 knots and shifting around during the day and it's been sitting at 30 most of the night. The weather has been a mix of sunshine and rain, making for an interesting 24hrs. Despite being only 16 degrees south of the equator, it's still not as warm as I expected.  At one point, a ship came within half a mile of us. Before AIS, a ship heading towards us would have meant a lot of drama. We would have to estimate its course with binoculars , and to constantly check the bearings and decide if we should change course to avoid a collision. Now, we have all that information displayed on the chart plotter from 20 nautical miles away. Half a mile might not seem like much, but at sea it's considered a very close encounter.  Before we had chart plotters "back in the day" we occasionally had to navigate with charts which were photocopies of photocopies and were so degraded that they had holes in them. We had no idea what was ...

I am pleased to report that we have made excellent progress in the last 24 hours. We covered a distance of 172 nautical miles and the current weather and longer term  forecast all look good.  We still have favorable winds and seas. The wind has been blowing at around 25 knots from the south east, with 2 to 3 meter seas pushing us in the right direction. This has helped us make good progress and we are grateful for the favorable conditions. We spend a lot of time on watch when sailing downwind regularly checking the auto pilot and the wind direction, giving tweaks here and there to keep the apparent wind direction at a safe angle. Plus, I have the ultimate peace of mind knowing the most qualified Filipina sailor on the planet is keeping watch. Life on board is a world away from the daily grind. Days slip by in a peaceful rhythm of watchkeeping, catching up on sleep, and maintaining the boat. It's easy to lose track of time out here, surrounded by nothing but sky and sea. All ...