10 years ago we arrived in the Gambier Islands (French Polynesia), where the shiniest black pearls are grown. Soon after I started playing with those pretty ball bearings and I’m still making creative jewellery aboard SY Pitufa
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2023
31
Dec
2023
24
Dec
Happy holidays to all our readers!!
2023 was a tough year for us with lots of pain and worries since our severe accident in February. Now it looks like we’re finally over that stretch and we’re looking forward to some fun and adventures in 2024! We wish you all a happy holidays and a healthy, joyful and exciting year 2024!!
2023
24
Dec
We want to share our Christmas present with you!
Look what mother nature put under the Christmas palm trees here on Ono
2023
20
Dec
Warm welcome in Ono!
Last week we finally finished our errands in Suva and we really wanted to get out of the harbour again and into clear water. But where to go? The weather forecast showed strong east-south-east winds until the end of time (meaning 10 days ahead in our model) and that’s not south enough to make it to the northern Lau islands, but also not east enough… Continue reading »
2023
13
Dec
Still looking for a Christmas present?
Check out our books on amazon.com! “Sailing towards the Horizon” about our first 5 years as newbie cruisers as paperback and ebook “On Velvet Paws towards the Horizon”: an homage to ship’s cat Leeloo “Cruising Know-How“: a compilation of the best articles we’ve published in 12 years available as ebook, paperback and hardcover in inexpensive black-and-white or in a shiny colour version!
2023
10
Dec
Download our brochure about sustainable fishing
Are you tired of watching helplessly as mother earth gets worse every day? If you’re out here in the Pacific area and you encounter empty reefs, then download our brochure, print it out and take it with you when you visit villages here in Fiji (or other parts of the Pacific). Weakened reefs need herbivore fish to clean them, if not enough parrot fish, surgeons,… Continue reading »
2023
08
Dec
Colour pics for our German travelbook
The German version of our travelbook is now available on amazon with 177 colour photos “Richtung Horizont” sparkling in all colours between the dark indigo of the ocean, via the sparkling turquoise of lagoons to the dazzling greens of the islands…
2023
14
Nov
Fortunately only category 2
Fortunately cyclone Mal is remaining only cat 2 and passing without directly hitting islands. Even though it’s a small and rather weak system, the wave forecast on windy looks scary enough (see below). The western side of Viti Levu will get some wind and there’s already flooding from the heavy rain ashore… Here in Suva no strong winds are predicted and the rain has passed,… Continue reading »
2023
12
Nov
Strong winds warning
The European forecast model (ECMWF) quite often forecasts the opposite of the American model (GFS) for a week or so ahead, but sometimes even until the last day. Comparing we have found that the European model is often more accurate (at least for our area here). Today they agree for a change that something will hit Fiji on Tuesday–just where exactly and how strong remains… Continue reading »
2023
11
Nov
Fast passage to Suva
There is some nasty weather coming up, so we left Matuku to sail 100 nm to Suva. With winds around 25 knots from the SE the waves were quickly building up–slate grey, white-capped peaks towering over Pitufa’s stern before rushing through with a WHOOSH letting her surf down with up to 9 knots before lifting her yet again. We left Matuku early in the morning… Continue reading »
2023
05
Nov
2023
05
Nov
The Tabu in Matuku is now official!
Yesterday the big no-fishing zone between the villages of Yaroi and Lomati just north of Matuku’s main pass was officially inaugurated by Chief Ratu Niu and the minister of Yaroi! Hopefully the ban on spearfishing and netfishing in the Tabu area will help the reefs of Matuku to regain a healthy eco-system and to guarantee sustainable fishing in the rest of the lagoon for the… Continue reading »
2023
22
Oct
Passing ships
Our nomadic life-style means that we meet many other cruisers briefly in one place, before our paths go in different directions again. Meeting up with old friends is therefore more precious to us than to other people I suppose. Revisiting the Lau group again with Soraya and Thomas of SY Garulfo we enjoyed our favourite places even more than before–shared joy is twice the joy!… Continue reading »
2023
19
Oct
Fijian translation of our brochure
I met Liti on facebook (of all places), we got chatting about Fiji, the beautiful islands of the Lau group, the wonderful underwater world and the need to protect it. Liti volunteered to translate our brochure about sustainable fishing into Itaukei (Fijian) and did a great job! Thanks a lot for all your help–vinaka vaka levu!!
2023
17
Oct
Our new book: Cruising Know-How
Over the years we have written tons of articles about sailing, DIY, life-style topics, etc. for different magazines. Now I have put 54 of them together in a book, basically a “best of Pitufa” It’s simply called “Cruising Know-How” and it’s available on Amazon as a black-and-white paperback and in colour as an e-book, paperback and even hard-cover! Prices range from 9,90 USD to 40… Continue reading »