Friday the 13th dawned sunny and calm. After clearing out of Opua by about 10:30 we sailed out of the bay. Sad to see the New Zealand coast slipping by but very very glad to be finally on our way. Decked out in beanies, jackets, vests and two pairs of socks we emerged out of the Bay of Islands into the swell kicked up by the storm earlier in the week. At a steady four to five metres on the beam it was rolly rolly rolly but there was plenty of space between the waves so not that uncomfortable.
By late afternoon on the first day we were nearing the North Cape of New Zealand in theory but the land slipped over the horizon and we settled in for the night as the wind swung around a bit more to the North. Our routine for the passage was that I stayed up for the first shift until 10:30 or 11pm while Alfred and Steffie went to bed about 7 or 8. Then I woke one of them up and they did a three to four hour shift each which brought us to morning. I rose early and during the day I entertained the kids and one of us was awake at all times to keep an eye on the horizon.
The second day was surprisingly noticeably warmer! Still decked out in my big jacket it was comfortable to relax in the sun in the back of the cockpit. The wind died completely early in the morning so we motored for most of the day. None of us were well enough to read or concentrate on board games for a period of time (it's like reading on the bus on a windy road) so the kids and I sang songs and played I spy and guessing games. Fortunately we were all well enough to eat so the day was punctuated with frequent food breaks. Passage food is great - all the bad items you can think of and its all justified!
After having a calm day at sea I felt fantastic, so relieved we were on our way and there is something surreal about sitting in the navigation chair of a 70ft boat and staring out at the sails and the stars and knowing that the owners trust you enough to leave you there. Plus I discovered that having an IPOD is a godsend on passages and I am sure Verena has never had anybody watching over her who dances around to Cat Empire whisper singing ‘Hello Hello (or should I say tries to dance but looks more like a belly dancer on drugs as she falls from one side of the boat to the other in the middle of busting a move as a swell goes by!)
In the afternoon of the second day the wind picked up from the north west. Nearly the exact bearing we wanted to head but fortunately we were able to sail. During the night we had squalls of up to 35knots and at one point the boat heeled over so much I woke up and ran out to check what was going on. Only problem was a drawer that broke its latch and flew out but we were lucky and made good speed. The strong winds created a sea from the NW and we punched into a big swell sending spray up over the cockpit. All the navigation is done from inside however so we sat in relative comfort watching the spray fly over the windows! The winds quietened down the next day and dropped continually until late afternoon when we decided to pull out some more mainsail ready for the night shift.
Our mainsail furls into the mast and is pulled out by an outhaul system using hydraulics. As we pulled the main further out we noticed all of a sudden a line swinging loose and the main flapping like crazy. We were all screaming about the line being loose but by this stage it was too late to do anything. We had the rigging redone in Auckland and basically a botch-up job was done so we lost the use of our main completely. It was too late in the afternoon to call anyone and without a MAIN sail it was near impossible to head upwind. Crisis talks were held and the weather forecast predicted upwind for the next few days so we decided to head for Norfolk Island which was about a 100nm detour off our chosen track. We figured that if we couldnt fix it then we could at least wait for the wind to swing around to the right angle. 'Norfolk Island!' I cried 'that's bloody Australia! How the hell did I manage to head overseas and end up going back to Australia!' Still I was comforted in the fact that as the the others were lacking Australian visas I would be the only one allowed to go ashore and sleep in a comfortable B&B while the others suffered out in the swell prone anchorage! hehe :)
A stressful and uncomfortable night followed as we all ran various scenarios through our head. Plus the mainsail is called the MAIN sail for a reason as it acts as a stabiliser to prevent the boat from rocking around in the swell so without it we punched into a heavy swell and the boat went up, up, up and DOWN with a huge bang into the next sea repetitively all night. The wind changed little over night but the next morning we were able to use the satellite phone to call the riggers in AUckland who basically verified that yes they stuffed up and yes they would pay for whatever it cost to fix it in Noumea and yes it was definately impossible for anyone on board to fix given the current swell.
This motion highlighted the first disadvantage of having a bathroom in the bow of the boat. Unfortunately as a human we HAVE to go to the toilet at some stage but after the first trip I began to dread making the trek to the front of the boat and then bracing myself with one foot against the wash basin, one foot against the door (which might I add had a tendency to swing open with a resounding crash if not slammed completely shut upon entry) and one hand on the tap while the other hand attempted to tear off toilet paper while my bottom bounced at least twenty centimetres off the top of the toilet every time Verena launched herself off the top of a wave and down into the next trough!
Once the winds swung round to the west south west we were finally able to comfortably sail with the Genoa out and for the next 24 hours we had a consistent breeze with 20 knots of wind we made 7-8 knots on average so that was pretty good. Being able to have a sail up made the motion a lot more comfortable as well so we were able to resume relatively normal life – as normal as ocean sailing can be anyway. Picture trying to make porridge in microwave containers the size of a small country so the contents don’t spill over the edge while the boat rolls from side to side or kneeling in the shower for the first wash you have had in three days (thank god for baby wipes) helplessly watching the conditioner slide out of reach to the other end of the bathroom just after you lathered your hair! The second last day the wind died so the swells calmed down and we turned the engine on. We carry 2400 litres of diesel and have a 270hp engine so we still made good speed and besides we were billing the Auckland rigger for the cost anyway!
Thursday morning we awoke to the best day so far. We looked like hitting Noumea that afternoon and the weather was flat calm, the ocean was a gorgeous glistening blue and it was warm enough to wear SHORTS!!!!! AWOOOHOOO! That for me was a defining moment – I have left winter behind for at least 12 months. We lay on the back of the boat in the sunshine and I had a huge smile on my face as I realised just how amazing my life is at the moment and how lucky I am. Sailing is such a huge part of my life and who I am and as I looked out at the sea nearly at the completion of my first real ocean passage I honestly believe that this is IT – this is what people search for their whole lives and it’s a wonderful relaxing feeling to know that you’ve found that one particular thing that makes you happy.
Finally we sighted land and as we got closer towards the huge reef that surrounds Grande Terre (the main island of New Caledonia) we spotted the first offlying island just inside the lagoon. Amadee Island with its huge lighthouse lay just inside the passage and with its beautiful sand beaches and palm trees lining the shore it symbolised the South Pacific lifestyle. From here it was only two hours to Noumea and we saw dolphins and flying fish as we came towards the harbour. Arriving was brilliant – it was about five oclock in the afternoon but the evening was balmy and it was champagne all round. Once we had cleared customs and were allowed to leave the boat I went for a walk through Noumea.
The town itself seems a little dilapidated but it is definitely a modern city – I think about the size of Hobart. Everyone speaks French so as you walk along the street people smile and say bonsieur or bonjour! They all seem very friendly and are a mixture of Anglo Saxon, Polynesian and Melanesian in race. Immediately after we arrived the children became friendly with some really nice kids off a big catamaran called ‘Big Fish’ who also arrived on the Thursday. Alex (9) and Isla (7) love to play with Isabelle and their brother Max (12) is Kilian’s new mate. So my duties have been fairly easy – I either have five kids to play with or none at all!
There is a big open-air market next to the marina here in Port Moselle so each morning we get fresh croissants for breakfast and there are fruit and vegetables all locally produced as well. Tropical fruits are suddenly around like Paw Paws, SourSops and of course small Bananas! There is an awesome bar and restaurant overlooking the marina which has beautiful French food and half the fun is in ordering things and not really having any idea what I’m going to receive as the menu is all in French! Still along with my philosophy of trying new things I have had Brochettes (basically fish kebabs but with prawns and a pepper sauce), Carpaccio de Cerf which is basically finely sliced raw French deer marinated in Balsamic vinegar, a salad Landaise which was a mixed duck salad with smoked duck breasts, braised duck with mushrooms and duck fois gras (very yummy!) and an exotic brandy snap with sorbet and a fruit sauce.
The day after we arrived I met a nice Pommy boy who tied his tender up to the end of our pontoon called Spike who is a mate on a Swan 83 yacht also based in Noumea at the moment. Its been great having someone young to hang out with particularly while the kids are tied up with other kids and who speaks English! One night we went out with the crew of another big motor yacht here and had some funky cocktails including the Brazilian Capirinha which is a white rum, lime juice and sugar concoction which might just pop up as my favourite exotic drink so far!
Yesterday was sunny and relatively calm so in the afternoon we put the dinghy into the water and ferried the kids around to the Baie de Citron for a swim. The water is about 23 degrees and the water is clear so it was great to just paddle around and then relax on the beach in the sun for a bit. Bella and I built a sandcastle next to our towel and the boys amused themselves with sandfights. Ahhh it’s a hard life!
We have three more days in Noumea and then its off to the Isle de Pines which is nicknamed the ‘Jewel of the South Pacific’ for approximately a week and then we intend to have another week exploring the Loyalty Islands along the East Coast before popping back into Noumea for a night or two before we leave the country. From here we have finally decided to head straight to the Louisiades in Papua New Guinea via the Chesterfield Reefs which should be a nice break in the passage. I think it will be about a 2-3 day sail to the Chesterfield’s which are basically a group of about five uninhabited sand cays and then a 3-4 day sail on to the Louisiades.
Life is certainly looking up and the real adventure/holiday has begun. I think I will be able to update again in Noumea in about two weeks so I will let you all know how my first two weeks of paradise has been!
Au Revouir ma cheries!
