2016 has been a year with plenty of passage making. Much more than originally planned. Starting from the Marquesas where we spent the last cyclone season we sailed westwards via Tahiti and Niue to Tonga. Unlike the majority of the cruising boats crossing the Pacific we did not sail on to Fiji, New Zealand or Australia, but decided to sail back to French Polynesia against the prevailing trade winds.
It was an interesting year with many new places and people. Sailing in the wrong direction turned out to be easier than expected, but we still sailed way too many miles (more than 5,500 nm) for our taste and life style. Only during our first year after leaving Croatia when we were in a hurry to reach the South Seas did we sail more miles (over 6,700 nm). We are happy to be back in the Gambier islands where we started our South Pacific adventure in May 2013.
1220 nm Marquesas, Kauehi, Tahiti, Raiatea, Maupihaa
1290 nm Maupihaa to Beveridge, Niue, Tongatapu
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2510 nm sailed westward in 20 days
1850 nm Tongatapu to Niue, Beveridge, Palmerston, Rarotonga, Tahiti
1145 nm Tahiti to Fakarava, Tahanea, Hao, Amanu, Gambier
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2995 nm sailed eastward in 28 1/2 days
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5505 nm sailed in 2016 (without miles sailed inside lagoons), 48 1/2 days on passage
