14/05/14
We left Gulf Harbour at 0800, arrived at the customs wharf at 1100, accompanied by Focal Point and Viveka.
Cleared out by 1200 and on our way...
Right now were off the northern tip of the Coromandel peninsula with 18-19knots of wind dead behind us. Sailing with main only...going well....
15/05/14
Sailed through the night on a broad reach with just the main. Breeze was 30+. Noon to noon distance today 170 miles.
The breeze has dropped quite a bit this afternoon and we are now on a beam reach but only doing 5-6 knots most of the time with genoa, main and mizzen.
All is well...risotto for dinner, Mark made salad also, we are living well.
17/05/14
The wind has been slowly going from SSW-S-SSE.
That has been pushing us slightly north as we tried to stay on beam reach below 35S.
So today we rearranged the sail plan and we're now fairy close hauled with staysail and 2 reefs in main and mizzen.
The breeze goes up and down, as does our speed...we're generally doing about 6 knots, which is OK, and our course is much better.
We can't afford to go north until we reach 165W, then we can lay a course to Raivavae, otherwise we won;t be able to lay it.
Crew is all well, eating well, sleeping well.
We have a slight leak from the gland at the top of the rudder shaft, but after adjustment its not much and we can deal with it.
A few days ago we had a big wave come into the cockpit and over the back of the boat. It knocked out the plug in the aft cabin top where the emergency steering fits, water got in there before I could replace it and now my bunk is damp !
La vie sur la mer !
19/05/14
Reefed down we're plowing along.
We've been caught out a little, the wind is now SE and we're almost laying Raivavae, but really a bit too much N.
We'll see what happens tomorrow.
All safe and well
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark.
At 19/05/2014 06:12 (utc) our position was 33°28.31'S 167°37.54'W, our course 044T and speed 6.4 knots S.V. Elyse
20/05/14
Rcvd a mail from Bob McDavitt last night advising to alter course to 020T due to low pressure moving S from Tonga. After 2 days wind should go Nthly and we should thn be able to reach off to the E So we've been doing that all day, except that we hove to for an hour or so today to put some anti chafe gear on the staysail sheets and alter their routing slightly.
We ran off at about 1730 to have dinner and now we're back heading N again
Sea is a bit tough, has been all day, two swells, one about 1.5 m the other from SW about 2.5m. Whn they get together things get a bit interesting...and wet !
O'wise we are all well....
At 20/05/2014 06:12 (utc) our position was 30°38.37'S 166°32.57'W, our course 010T and speed 7.2 knots S.V. Elyse
22/05/14
Well 3rd day f pretty much gale force winds.
The low passed and he wind went N and now is 35-45...over 50 sometimes We are now going E roughly Very difficult bellow, confused seas...wet We are all well, but tired and Elyse is handling it well Cheers Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 21/05/2014 06:18 (utc) our position was 29°48.71'S 164°50.45'W, our course 109T and speed 6.3 knots S.V. Elyse
22/05/14
Very difficult, if not impossible, to make contact with sailmail stations out here.
Hence no messages....
Last night hove -to in 35-50 knot gale, set off again early hours of the morning.
Today heading W with a strong N/NNW breeze
All well o'wise...
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 22/05/2014 06:08 (utc) our position was 30°24.18'S 162°54.25'W, our course 087T and speed 8.6 knots S.V. Elyse
23/05/14
Well, it's over...
The wind has dropped, backed to the NW.
We've been broad reaching in 15-20knots and sunshine all day.
All would have been fine except that the skipper lost his balance in the cockpit with two plates of chill concarne (lunch) which ended up all over the stbd sheet winch, the cockpit floor...and the skipper !
Soon cleaned up and there was extra...Gunilla always makes extra.....very good.
O'wise, the sea has really abated, the breeze is still backing...will go S sooner or later then SE...when it goes S it is predicted to almost die out completely and the we'll have the engine on motoring E until we pick up the SE and head directly for Raivavae.
In a straight line we have just over 500nm to go.
All is well on board and we've been able to contact Far North Radio each night to report our position.
At 23/05/2014 06:11 (utc) our position was 29°12.69'S 159°41.52'W, our course 059T and speed 5.9 knots S.V. Elyse
24/05/14
The wind died at 0100 this morning, the motor has been on ever since.
Weather is beautifully sunny, the seas calm and we are motoring W waiting for SE to come.
Those of you who know or have heard of John Neal, maybe interested to know that he is about 2 days ahead of us and heading for Rururtu.
John left two days before us in his HR46 (with paying crew!)and went N to try to go around the L that was descending from Fiji/Tonga.
It worked but he got a little hammered by the seas and wind close to the gale...as we did, but we were on the other side of it.
So, lots of stuff outside to dry off today. Unlikely that we will get any wind tonight, so motoring it is.
Elyse is going well, the batteries are fully charged, the water tanks full and the Yanamar purring away below decks....all is good.
We are all well, well fed (slow cooked salmon with saffron, cream, carrots and potatoes for lunch - don't you wish you were here ?) and looking forward to getting to Raivavae before too long.
At24/05/2014 04:23 (utc) our position was 28°51.36'S 157°10.72'W, our course 087T and speed 6.2 knots S.V. Elyse
25/05/14
Finally the SE breeze arrived at about 1500....Bob said it would.
Since then we've been sailing in 15knots true just aft of the beam, genoa, main and mizzen and we're on course to Raivavae.
Prawn stirfry and rice for lunch, chicken sandwiches in the frig for later an we're on our way and very comfortable.
Crew is all well.
We haven't been able to get onto Far North Radio to report our position, but we now where we are, you know where we are and that's all that matters ..I send Annette an email in the evening with our position info so they should have it.
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 25/05/2014 04:04 (utc) our position was 28°16.86'S 154°22.77'W, our course 057T and speed 8.0 knots S.V. Elyse
26/05/14
A quiet day, eating up the miles to our initial destination Raivavae.
260nm to go, we should be there Tuesday am.
Wind has increased a little and moved a little E, 20knots true.
Mizzen away. one reef in main and genoa and we're making good speed in the right direction.
If this speed continues tomorrow, we may have to reef down more to slow the boat so we arrive after daybreak. That's tomorrow's big task !
O'wise, all is well, crew are all well...no mutinies as yet!
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 26/05/2014 04:05 (utc) our position was 26°26.64'S 151°35.10'W, our course 055T and speed 8.0 knots S.V. Elyse
27/05/14
Another good day under sail heading for Raivavae.
Some have commented that it sounds like we are eating in restaurants every day and not really sailing !!
Well, we are sailing, but it is very comfortable now and we are well prepared with different meals for the trip..there is no excuse for bad food !!
So, we ave about 120 miles to go and at this rate we will sight land early tomorrow morning.
We have a radio sched with John Neal on Mahina Tiare this evening at 1900.
Nothing of significance has happened since the last mail.
All is well on board
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 27/05/2014 03:08 (utc) our position was 24°55.08'S 149°23.73'W, our course 058T and speed 6.8 knots S.V. Elyse
28/05/14
At 1030 this morning we anchored at Raivavae.
Had lunch then into the Gendarmerie to register our arrival.
Very pleasant, our passports are now all stamped "Raivavae"...not many people have that !
We have to go to the post office tomorrow to buy a stamp to mail our arrival paper to Papeete...seriously !...we may get there before it does !
The entrance and passage to the anchorage is clear and free from dangers and the bay is calm with the reef shielding us from the ocean swell.
Just had cheese and crackers with champagne (courtesy of Peter) to celebrate our arrival in French Polynesia.
Thanks Peter, it was rather special..... 2367 miles from Auckland in 14 days almost to the hour...good trip....
So that's it from Raivavae for now.
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 28/05/2014 03:53 (utc) our position was 23°51.94'S 147°41.33'W, our course 182T and speed 0.2 knots S.V. Elyse
29/05/14
A calm day in Raivavae...not much happens here....
Went to the Post Office to get a stamp to post ou arrival form to Papeete.
Mark tried to do his email on the Post Office internet...but it was so slow he could hardly do anything.
Went for a long walk around the west side of the island...paved road...a few houses...a few cars...nothing happened...the air is clear, the water cool and clear, the local people very friendly....bonjour...from everyone....
A local woman was telling us about le magasin which is next to l'eglise....
We walked past that church twice and didn't see anything resembling a shop...we'll have another look tomorrow morning.
Plan is to leave tomorrow afternoon so we arrive in Papeete on Sunday ..wait overnight and clear in Monday morning.
So...that's it from sleepy Raivavae....
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 29/05/2014 03:27 (utc) our position was 23°51.95'S 147°41.33'W, our course 286T and speed 0.1 knots S.V. Elyse
30/05/14
A catamaran arrived this mmorning...we dinghied over to welcome them to Baie Rairua.
Colin and Sue, they had come from NZ...left Opua May 9th !!!!
21 days to do 2400 miles...wow...
They blamed their weather router...commander weather...for sending them in the wrong direction....still....
Nice folk, we bid them goodbye and good luck and returned to Elyse for lunch and to prepare for departure.
Weighed anchor at 1530 and now on our way in a light NE of 10-12knots true...very comfortable..and WARM !!!
Heading for Papeete...plan is to arrive on Sunday....
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 30/05/2014 03:41 (utc) our position was 23°37.75'S 147°44.10'W, our course 345T and speed 6.6 knots S.V. Elyse
31/05/14
Quiet day, sailing slowly towards Papeete.
Slight swell, wind 15knots E, easy sailing, warm and sunny.
Sunset just passed at 1730....
212nm to go....at this rate we will be off Papeete about midnight tomorrow We'll try and slow down tomorrow to extend the arrival time to the early hours of Sunday morning.
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 31/05/2014 04:00 (utc) our position was 20°56.41'S 148°32.78'W, our course 346T and speed 6.9 knots S.V. Elyse
01/06/14
Great day sailing today ....194 miles for the 24hrs....
Too late to make Papeete.
Options,
...keep sailing and heave to
or,
...head for the West side of Tahiti Iti and anchor We chose #2.
So we are at anchor off Fareena inside the Passe Tapuaeraha for the night.
Tomorrow morning we'll head for Papeete, should only take 5 or 6 hours.
So all well and safe and a good nights sleep will be welcome.
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 1/06/2014 04:37 (utc) our position was 17°47.68'S 149°17.99'W, our course 285T and speed 0.1 knots S.V. Elyse
02/06/14
Tied up to the wall at Boulevard Pomare, Papeete.
Clear customs tomorrow and thence to Taina Marina, which we passed on the way in.
It's Sunday, so Papeete, in common with most French places, is closed !
So, it was a motor, then a sail, and finally motor to get here...but only took 5 1/2 hours.
Cheers
Alan, Gunilla, Lotti and Mark
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At 2/06/2014 00:53 (utc) our position was 17°32.42'S 149°34.33'W, our course 046T and speed 0.1 knots S.V. Elyse