This is my account of the last Voyage - out of the Pacific for Tallship Soren Larsen this year (2003) - Noumea and Illes des Poines, New Caledonmia to Norfolk Island and onwards to New Nealand.
For CURRENT travels 2004 see http://www.sorenlarsen.co.nz and go to Voyage Log section
October 20th, 2003
today is the first day of our last 2003 voyage in the South Pacific, a bit sad really! The weather for the past two days has been rainy and dull, but today the sun shone brightly making things a bit more comfortable for voyage crew as they were taken aloft and given the run down of the ship and her ways. We threw off our mooring lines and motored a few miles away where we anchored for the evening, just in time for a swim and wander ashore before the sun set. Early the following morning we made our way back in to Noumea so that we could clear customs, load up with fruit and veggies and spend the last of our New Caledonian Francs. After leaving we managed to get in a couple of hours of sailing before anchoring inside the reef, everyone seems to be settling in nicely for the 19-day trip!
October 22nd we sailed ExS for 40 miles towards Isles de Pines.
Fraser and Syd decided enough was enough, we needed to catch more fish. The pair rigged a system of hooks and plastic squids on the lines and tossed them over the side and suggested that I go sharpen my knives!
Not even twenty minutes passed and we had three yellow finned tuna on our lines! I spent the next hour gutting, filleting and posing for pictures; these were some big beautiful fish! We were only an hour from anchoring so I decided to wait with my shower. I was so caked in fish blood that I figured a soak in the salt water at the anchorage would be a wiser choice, so to save the precious water; needless to say no one wanted to talk or sit next to me! Upon arrival the crystal waters and lush evergreens welcomed us to the picturesque island.
With the wind blowing in towards the shore, Captain Tod was very precise in choosing the appropriate time to drop the pick, and voila! Voyage crew made their way ashore, I began preparing the evenings meal, stopping for a swim break of course!
By the following morning the winds had eased and the idea of a BBQ ashore filled all of our minds, half of the crew ventured ashore in the morning. Frank, Joel, Daniel and Fraser did some island exploring while Marita and I baked ourselves in the sun for three hours with a short snorkeling break. We arranged with one of the local hotels to use their BBQ facilities as well as their fire pit. While the other half of the crew went ashore in the afternoon, I prepared individual potato and onion packs for the fire, a couple of salads and of course the tunawhich we caught the day before! It was the perfect picnic weather, and the location, although not a beach, turned out to be one of the most convenient BBQs ashore that we have had. The large tiled pit allowed me full access to the grill and best of all, no sand in the food! Later, Frank prepared another of his marvelous fires and we sat gazing into the flames under a starry sky and reflected on the past five months in the South Pacific. It was the perfect way to spend our last night ashore before heading out into the big blue for our homeward bound journey.
++ Following sent from the Captain -
"Permission was given for 48 hour stopover. Bonfire (Frank in charge) and BBQ ashore last night; yellow fin tuna caught enroute was main course.
Walking on beach like being inside a post card.
Dolphins, an inquisitive pilot whale, a Frigate bird and a meridian passage study group.
Rgds, Tod ++
October 25th, 2003
Our Position 25°44.5?S 167°30.5?E
We can definitely feel the change in latitude, the further south we are moving the cooler it is getting. Wool hats are worn on watch and long sleeve shirts are covering the chests that were bare two days ago! We had dolphins on the bow early this morning and the playfully splashed for twenty minutes or more. In the late afternoon a pilot whale curiously circled the ship and then just before dinner ten swallows tried their hardest to find refuge in the rigging. We were approximately two hundred miles from land, quite a long way for a bird of its size.
We have been motor sailing an average of 6.6 knots and have covered 270.5 miles, the seas are quiet and the wind is calm, we are not complaining, but some wind in our sails, would be welcomed.
We got what I wished for, wind, and a running wind at that! We managed to get around eight hours of sailing before the engine was back on at midnight, and by 06:45, when I was woken to make breakfast, Norfolk Island was less than a mile ahead! Just before morning smoko customs was onboard giving us the o.k. to head ashore to explore the Australian offshore island. Three vans were rented; voyage crew piled into two while the crew took to the road on adventures of their own. Maybe I shouldn?t be admitting this but I had my first experience driving on the wrong, or left side of the road! It was good fun, and although it rained cats and dogs, we still managed a decent look around the island! Once returning to the ship we sat down to a delicious meal prepared by Thea and then set the mainsail.
A weather front is expected to come through this evening so we will be bring up the anchor and hove-to for the night. In the morning, we searched for a safe landing sight ashore, but to much dismay, there wasn?t one; we were off to New Zealand! By 1100hrs on October 28th we departed Norfolk Island and motor sailed south.
October 29th, we averaged 116.5 nautical miles over a 24-hour period, the wind was on the nose therefore we couldn?t set the squares, but the watches were happily settling into a routine. By the following day the wind had come around to the north and with a following sea we sailed 166 nautical miles over 24 hrs. On the 12-4 watch the boys were bragging about the 9-knot speeds they achieved. These fine conditions lasted a good 24hrs before turning on the donkey and motor sailing in the light winds.
October 31, 2003, Happy Halloween! There is pure excitement all around the ship today, at approximately 1030hrs, Cape Reinga was spotted, we had reached New Zealand, yahoo! The sun shone brightly all morning and into the afternoon, the winds freshened from the east and by 1630 we were sailing under full squares and the engine was stopped!
For the past few days we have been in the Bay of Islands, visiting various islands and spending time ashore exploring after a few days at sea! Upon arrival into Opua, we spent the night alongside before custom cleared us in the following morning. We stocked up on fruit and veg and headed to Roberton Island, where Captain Jim and his wife Terri welcomed us. We had a BBQ ashore, a fire and even managed to catch a few of the Rugby World Cup games, Go ALL BLACKS!! It was good to catch up with Jim again and spending time on Roberton Island is always a treat!
November 3, Marita?s 25th birthday! We sailed to Whangamumu (pronounced Fung a Moo Moo!) and despite the clouds and light rain troops headed ashore for a wander before our fancy dress 80?s party! We are 5 women and 21 men this trip, it is amazing to see how many more women appear during the fancy dress parties, the boys seem to love squeezing into the dresses. Bobby gave Marita a very special birthday present, a Mother Hubbard dress from the pacific! Anyone who has been to Vanuatu will understand the meaning behind this, they are bulky and brightly fabricated dresses which the women wear everyday!
November 4th, after breakfast we weighed anchor and set the mainsail for a sail towards Whangarei (Fung-a-ray). We set the squares and sailed close haul before turning on the donkey for the motor into the harbor. We had a late dinner and then a few tested their knowledge with a game of Trivial Pursuit. The crew, as well as voyage crew, are getting very anxious for signs of Auckland. After our 42-mile trip to Kawau, the dinghy was launched and Voyage Crew made their way to Mansion House for a look around the place! Upon returning to the ship, a few of the boys were bragging to the crew that they had ?seen the Sky tower!?
November 5, after a lovely sail through the Hauraki Gulf, we crossed paths with the Spirit of New Zealand, a sail training ship based out of Auckland. The trainees were fully prepared and we were fired upon with water balloons and a fire hose, needless to say we had a few water bombs prepared as well?.it was good fun! By 1500 hrs we anchored off Waihake Island and headed ashore for a look around. The following day we had the opportunity to climb up the volcano on Rangitoto Island, a spectacular view of the city and the surrounding area! We anchored off Motuihe Island for the night before our motor to Prince?s Wharf. We totaled 1150 nautical miles over the 19 days and although we are sad the trip is over, we look forward to being in the city again.
After saying farewells to voyage crew, it was time to send the laundry to the washing man and begin the task of moving out??the crew leaving that is! The focs?le became a disaster area as six people tried to move at the same time! Bunks were torn apart, clothing was thrown into bags and the place was empty for quite possibly the first time in twelve months! I am remaining on the ship for another year, I look forward to meeting the new crew but it is going to be so hard to say goodbye to my ?family? of the past year! I am sure some of them will be reading this when they return home, so this is for them?..Thank you so much for the last year, but especially the past five and a half months. The laughter, the tears, the good times and the bad, it was an AWESOME time, and I couldn?t have asked for a better group of people to share it with. I wish you all the best and I hope you will keep in touch?you KNOW the address of the ship and you know how great it is to get mail!
Next Feb I'm going to sail again - Auckland to Easter island, Pitcairn, Marquesas, Tahiti, Cook islands, Tonga, Fiji, Vanautu - it'll be great !!
see http://www.sorenlarsen.co.nz - which has more details.
I will sign off now?..I am going to take 6 weeks holiday around New Zealand and I will update you on the new crew and the happenings of the ship at that time. Hope you?ve enjoyed reading of my adventures on the Soren Larsen 2003!
'Cheers, How Cool Is That?, Awesome, Amazing, Bula, Laundry Cabin, Yeah For Sure, No Doubt'??.and all the other sayings that came about in the past year!
Thanks Heaps!
Noreen Hill
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