Yacht Delivery Blog

Oxygen is all tied up in the marina in Sorong after the delivery from Fiji. This was certainly an unusual passage! We left Fiji expecting those gentle trade winds that usually sweep across the Pacific, but instead, we were greeted with 30+ knots and rain or nearly flat calm. The normal strong winds of the Coral Sea vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness, and even the typically turbulent Torres Strait was surprisingly calm. These delays, caused by both excessive and insufficient wind, meant we faced headwinds for the next 1000 nautical miles after leaving Thursday Island behind. We could have managed this IF (and it's a big IF) we hadn't encountered a vicious counter-current that seemed determined to push us backwards, sideways or both. As if things weren't complicated enough, we had a problem with the genset (remember, we have electric motors, so the genset is crucial!). AND THEN, just to add insult to injury, the support for the mainsheet track started giving us troubl...

The last few days have been quite the adventure, in fact its been pretty hectic! We've been battling torrential rain and squalls, along with one of my biggest annoyances – unlit fishing boats at night. I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse that they're big enough to show up on radar. On the one hand, at least we can see them, but on the other hand, hitting one would definitely ruin our day, where as a small one would just bounce off. This is an island 1/3rd of a mile away. 

We're still pushing onward, though not quite as fast or in the exact direction we'd like. But hey, that's all part of the adventure, right? I was hoping the wind would shift as predicted in the GFS forecast, but unfortunately, the opposite happened – the forecast changed to match our current conditions! The biggest hurdle at the moment is the current. We're battling a 1.5 knot current pushing us east as we try to maintain a course of around 330 degrees, around 43 degrees off the apparent wind. Despite this, we're still managing to tick off some miles towards our destination and keeping a positive outlook. This is what adventure is all about – pushing through discomfort and frustration. Adventure isn't sipping mai tais by the pool; it's about persevering and doing your best in challenging conditions. When I think about the incredible feats of past adventurers like Bligh's 3500nm open boat journey or Scott's expeditions to the South Pole, it puts...

Well, yesterday didn't quite go as planned! We lost the wind early in the morning and ended up fighting a bit of tide, which meant we arrived a little later than expected. We dropped anchor around 3:30 PM and were told the boarding officers had been notified. At about this point, I started glancing at my watch and wondering what the chances were of actually getting cleared in late on a Sunday afternoon. Turns out, the chances were zero. Around 17.00 they told us they'd come first thing in the morning (i.e., in a few hours). So, we had a choice to make: leave and go back out to sea for the night, then return in the morning (far safer, but a bit of a hassle), or stay put. The yacht club assured us it was safe to anchor outside the marina and that they have security monitoring the seawall. Which, of course, made me wonder why they have security if it's so safe, and what exactly a security guard on the seawall is going to do if something happens!  Anyway, since we were alread...

Yesterday was a day of easy miles. We had a pretty consistent breeze that kept the boat speed up around 8+ knots. But then, around midnight, just as I came on watch, we got nailed by a huge squall! Thank goodness for a good radar! I saw the squall from several miles away and furled the headsail, bringing us up into the wind about 40 degrees hoping it would pass in front. But there was no missing it completely – luckily, we just caught the edge of it as it passed. I could tell what was going to happen as I got hit with an icy blast of wind and thought, "Hmmmmmm." As the wind started picking up to 25 knots, we dropped the mainsail, pulled out some headsail, and got back on track. We watched as the wind picked up to the mid to high 30s, and then we followed it around as it shifted from the north. It stayed gusty and rainy for a few hours. We finally got the mainsail back up at 4 am and are now back on track. The next leg of our journey takes us through the Torres Strait and in...

Well, we're still out here, braving what little elements there are to brave! The conditions have been pretty consistent over the past few days, and I keep waiting for a change. Yesterday, was very exciting as the breeze shifted to the north and picking up a bit. "Sails up and away we go!" I thought. That plan went well for a while and of course, I immediately fell into my usual trap of calculating our speed, distance to our destination, and estimated arrival time. You know the drill: "If we're going X knots, that's XX nautical miles a day, and it's XXXnm to our destination, which means we'll be there in XX days!" But, wouldn't you know it, I had barely finished my mental calculations before the wind decided to play tricks on us again, shifting back to the east. This is a very slight exaggeration - I did have time to take a photo. So, to keep the apparent wind up, we had to start heading north, which, as you seasoned blog readers know, mean...

You may have noticed a significant decrease in our speed. This is because we've encountered completely flat calm conditions with only the occasional gust of 4 knots of breeze. So, while we're still heading in the right direction, it's not as fast as I'd like. We're passing right by Port Vila, and it's quite tempting to stop in for some fuel. We filled up with extra in Fiji before we left, but the GRIB files are showing several days of calm across the Coral Sea next week, and it would be nice to keep moving. I'll see how I feel later. We sent our advance notification of arrival to Port Vila yesterday just in case – this is one of the fantastic things about Starlink and having internet access on board. Not long ago, it would have been impossible to tell the authorities you were going to arrive, and there would have been some explaining to do as they find it hard to understand why you might need to unexpectedly pull in. And it's much easier to explain to t...

This is shaping up to be the windiest Pacific crossing I've ever experienced. The wind is consistently blowing in the mid-to-high 20s from the southeast, and we're sailing with a double-reefed main. With plenty of fetch, we're encountering some impressively large waves. The flying fish don't even need to jump onto the boat anymore; they just wait to be washed aboard by the swells. We managed to cover 98 nautical miles in 12 hours, so it'll be interesting to see if we can break the 200 nautical mile ceiling. While I appreciate the speed, I wouldn't mind sacrificing a bit of boat speed for a more comfortable ride. The GRIBs are forecasting the possibility of blue (no wind), green (light wind), and orange (our current conditions) over the next few days. So, it's a waiting game to see what unfolds. We still have a substantial amount of fuel left, so a few days of 'blue' weather would be a welcome respite. On previous passages, I've always wished for ...

The long-term forecast has taken a slight detour and isn't in agreement with its own forecast of a few days ago. We can now anticipate another day of lighter winds before the easterly trade winds kick in. Of course we now have to take this with a pinch of salt - luckily there is no shortage of salt on the deck. Thankfully, our blue water barrels full of diesel will come to our rescue once again and guarantee we can make some miles with the trusty volvos pushing us in the right direction. The wind has dropped to around 5 knots, and despite a few stars poking through the clouds last night, we're still enveloped in a blanket of overcast skies. The light winds provide a much-needed opportunity to replenish our water tanks and, if we have time, to scrub away the flying fish scales that have adorned our deck. I even noticed yesterday a splat mark on the headsail where an overly enthusiastic flying fish had crashed into it. While we won't be setting any records today, we're m...

With only 100 nautical miles to go until we arrive at Puerto Ayora, a town in central Galápagos, we’ve started to slow down to time our arrival for first light tomorrow morning. I’ve already been in touch with the agent to begin the formalities for clearing in and ordering fuel. Yet again, Starlink proves to be an absolute game-changer for this kind of thing.  Believe it or not, I finally had to put on a long-sleeve top last night! It seems to be getting colder the closer we get to the equator! It remains completely overcast and drizzling, so it's no surprise the seabirds have decided to hitch a ride.Their preferred place to relax seems to be the worst spot on the boat. They like being right at the front where the motion is strongest and then stand on the lifelines, which are 6mm stainless steel wire. It looks exhausting trying to hang on with webbed feet, getting covered in spray, and trying to balance while you’re asleep. They must know something I don’t. Perhaps they know if the...

The dream of a seamless yacht delivery aboard the Fontaine Pajot 47 seemed like a solid plan. However, life, with its unpredictable currents, threw us a curveball. My trusted crewmate was struck by the ever-present Covid! Even though he's as tough as old sea boots, it definitely slowed him down. The pre-departure days were a delicate balancing act. While the initial concerns about a sick crewmate were undeniable, a strong sense of purpose took hold. Provisioning, finalizing paperwork, and familiarizing myself with Namarie became a mission with Craig putting in 110% effort despite his 20% health. Constant communication with my recuperating crewmate ensured a smooth handover of duties, keeping the team spirit alive despite maintaining physical separation and wearing masks. Stepping aboard Namarie, the initial awe at her sleek lines and luxurious interior was palpable. However, the euphoria was tempered by a healthy dose of respect for the vessel's complexity. The sophisticated na...