After just a week we’ve almost made one third of the distance–only a bit more than the distance of our Atlantic crossing is missing, but while we had to hand-steer on the Atlantic, here we just watch our windvane Wayne Vaney do all the steering. We’ve had two rough days with lots of squalls and strong winds intercepted by annoying calms during which Pitufa rolls… Continue reading »
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2013
29
Apr
2013
27
Apr
Life on a slant
While cruising through the Med, crossing the Atlantic and cruising through the Caribbean we kept adding little improvements to make life on passage easier (locked floorboards, sliders to secure drawers, etc.), but most of our sailing until now was downwind, with Pitufa gliding down waves and rolling. On this passage we now have the wind on the beam, as soon as it picks up (like… Continue reading »
2013
26
Apr
Pitufa out on the blue disc
Once again the earth is a blue disk and the sky its blue lid. The perfect deep azure of the Pacific is only dotted with occasional whitecaps today, the wind is lighter and progress slower, but also more comfortable. Looking at the chart it seems incredible how far away and far apart islands are spreads on the gigantic width of the Pacific. We haven’t seen… Continue reading »
2013
24
Apr
Quick start
We’ve had a fresh breeze and more than 1 knot of current helping us along on the first day and Pitufa’s flying along with 7 to 8 knots and the wind on her beam. After last-minute shopping, clearing up the boat and preparing for the passage we were actually looking forward to some days of lazy reading on the passage but life on passage turned… Continue reading »
2013
23
Apr
Pitufa on the way to French Polynesia
We are sailing from Isabela (Galapagos) towards the Gambier Islands in the South of French Polynesia. 3000 nautical miles seem like an incredibly long distance, we hope for fair winds and smooth seas on the way and will hopefully arrive in about 3 to 4 weeks.
2013
22
Apr
Photos of Isabela, Galapagos
Just in time!
2013
19
Apr
Preparations for The Long Passage
We’re still having a good time on Isabela. Yesterday we joined a hiking group and spent 5 hours walking past the gigantic 10 km wide crater of the volcano Sierra Negra and through the caldera of Volcano Chico with impressive lava tunnels and flows of different ages and colours giving evidence of the stages in which plants manage to settle on the craggy inhospitable volcanic… Continue reading »
2013
18
Apr
Cruising Info on Panama
Check out our notes about Cruising in Panama (Anchorages in Kuna Yala, Las Perlas, Darien; Navigation Dangers, Tips, etc.) under Destinations in the Menu or click here.
2013
15
Apr
Another Article in OCEAN7 Magazine
Birgit’s article on the southern Caribbean has been published in the current issue (May/June) of the Austrian sailing magazine OCEAN7. Birgit Hackl, Christian Feldbauer: Durch die südliche Karibik, OCEAN7 03 (Mai/Juni) 2013, p. 24–31. download PDF (in German only)
2013
12
Apr
Incredible wildlife in Galapagos
We’ve been on Isabela for more than a week now (out of the 20 days we’re allowed to stay) and are still every morning yet again fascinated by all the animals that come by. Boobies crashland into the water with a loud POFF, dive down to catch a fish and pop up again next to the boat. Next to them sealions drift with their bellies… Continue reading »
2013
07
Apr
2013
07
Apr
Leisure-time stress
Puerto Villamil on Isabela is a picture-book anchorage: sparkling turquoise waters, black volcanic rocks surround the bay almost entirely and give good protection. Behind that light-green hills rise to volcano craters. The seas around the Galapagos are incredibly lively: rays jump, dolphins play around the bow, birds splash into swarms of fish and on the way into the bay we were accompanied by playful sea-lions,… Continue reading »
2013
03
Apr
Isla Isabela ahead
Yesterday afternoon, after some slow tacking towards the first island of the archipelago, Isla Cristobal, we motored through the islands in the night. We are now south of our destination, Isla Isabela, and will make landfall soon.
2013
02
Apr
From bollywog to shellback
Yesterday at 9 in the evening we sailed for the first time over the equator. According to our clever book about ceremonies and traditions that would require several rituals to turn the bollywogs (people who’ve never sailed over the equator) into shellbacks. The book said that would include dressing up in strange garb, crawling through garbage, being sloshed with something black and smelly and shaved… Continue reading »
2013
01
Apr
Slowly but comfy on the way to the equator
The winds are still very light, but the waves have calmed down and sailing almost feels like being in a calm anchorage. Under deck we don’t even feel the huge swell that comes up from the south, only in the cockpit you suddenly realize that the boat is gently lifted up to the first floor and then set down on the groundfloor again Last night… Continue reading »