Position Reports on Forgeover

Position Report: March 11, 2019

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 11:12:33 +0000

Position: 48º 15.612’ N 2º 54.162’ W
Boats on the hard. Crew swallowing the anchor for a bit in Northern France. All is well

Position Report: October 22, 2018

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 20:54:01 +0000

Position: 12º 0.018’ N 61º 45.732’ W
Still in Prickley Bay, but we got our good spot back.
All is well.

Position Report: September 01, 2018

Sat, 01 Sep 2018 14:39:04 +0000

Position: 11º 59.982’ N 61º 45.834’ W
Back in Prickly Bay. It was a lot harder to find a good spot this time but we are finally settled. All is well.

Position Report: August 10, 2018

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 19:07:27 +0000

Position: 12º 27.342’ N 61º 29.352’ W
Eva and her crew are loving Carriacaou. The water is much clearer and the people more friendly. We will likely stay another week or so!
All is well

Position Report: August 04, 2018

Sat, 04 Aug 2018 12:19:38 +0000

Position: 12º 27.36’ N 61º 29.34’ W
Eva is in Tyrell Bay Carriacou. We wanted a change of pace so we headed up here to check out the regatta.
All is well.

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 11:37:21 +0000

Position: 41º 27.27’ N 69º 28.14’ W
I had a conversation with a coworker just before I left about how fresh

the ocean air smells. I was recalling the S. Indian ocean and the

rarefied, pristine lungfulls I consumed there. When the sun finally came

out this morning, I opened the hatches and took a deep breath of that

memory. It’s good to be underway again.

The first day out was a bit lumpy but we made good speed. Despite some

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 11:36:12 +0000

Position: 29º 16.362’ N 63º 30.06’ W
Today we saw a large potted plant float by. That may be one of the

weirdest at-sea sightings I’ve heard of. We had jaffles for lunch, which

is (for those of you who, like me did not know what these are) a kind of

panini like grilled cheese sandwich. They were delicious.

The kids have been playing D&D all day, which is a major improvement

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 11:34:05 +0000

Position: 36º 40.218’ N 67º 9.75’ W
We crossed the Gulf Stream last night. I had delayed our departure,

specifically to avoid a wind against current situation, and as we

progressed, I routed to the most advantageous angle of attack, but

despite my best efforts, we ended up with 20+ knots against 3 knots of

current. It was a bumpy 12 hours.

That said, it was one of the best birthday’s I have had, and we came out

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:02:54 +0000

Position: 43º 39.72’ N 70º 14.328’ W
Conveva is at anchor at PYS for a few more days before heading to Grenada.

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:02:48 +0000

Position: 43º 39.492’ N 70º 14.874’ W
Eva has cleared Customs and is about to shove off. Next stop, Grenada.
All is well.

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:02:22 +0000

Position: 39º 22.98’ N 68º 7.182’ W
Our second day was fairly uneventful. The kids got their sea legs (a

mixed blessing to be sure) and we lost wind for a while. Today is my

(Tucker’s) birthday, so it’s likely to be amazing, if for no other

reason than the flourless chocolate cake that Vick is going to make for us!

All is well

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:02:11 +0000

Position: 34º 48.942’ N 65º 27.81’ W
Yesterday we eased into our groove. Easy sailing to weather, <1m seas,

sunshine and good food was the order of the day. The night was partly

cloudy and afforded us a pretty good view of the universe.

Today has been wing on wing, dead down wind, with slight following seas.

We aren’t making great time, but the gribs said we would be motoring, so

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:02:07 +0000

Position: 32º 0.228’ N 64º 52.08’ W
Yesterday we had a nice (but short) visit by some tiny spotted dolphins.

We passed Bermuda this morning and lingered for an hour (off-shore) to

get an internet fix. We checked email, and I got some documentation for

some programming projects (one of which generated the NMEA lat/lon for

this position report), and then with raised the sails and continued

south. It reminded me of the time, a little over a year ago, that Eva

Position Report: July 28, 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 09:01:42 +0000

Position: 25º 17.328’ N 62º 10.776’ W
After 12+ hours of motoring, the crew needed a bit of relief so we

stopped the engines and swan dove off the gantry into the Saragasso Sea.

The water was crystal clear (and 6km deep) and we took turns diving as

deep as we could, sinking cans, and other assorted nonsense. It was warm

and refreshing and just what the crew needed.

While the swimming was going on, two loaves of bread were just finishing

Position Report: June 19, 2018

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 09:01:40 +0000

Position: 12º 0.024’ N 61º 45.732’ W
Eva has reached our destination. Prickly Bay, Grenada will be our base of operations for the summer. We found a great spot to anchor, right up close to the beach. We haven’t seen this many sailboats since leaving Martinique over a year ago.
All is well

Position Report: June 18th, 2018

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 09:01:41 +0000

Position: 12º 4.2’ N 61º 46.92’ W
Eva arrived in St. Georges, Grenada just after sunset. We will spend the night here and go around to Prickly Bay tomorrow morning to check in and celebrate Ruby’s birthday.

All is well

Position Report: May 24, 2018

Thu, 24 May 2018 09:26:26 +0000

Position: 43º 39.702’ N 70º 14.298’ W
Convivia is on the hard and the crew has moved onto Eva.

Eva is now at anchor in front of our old ‘home’ in the PYS mooring field. The docks are back in. WOOT!

Position Report: May 01, 2018

Tue, 01 May 2018 19:02:08 +0000

Position: 43º 39.798’ N 70º 14.52’ W
Convivia is once again dangling at the end of her chain. We are anchored out in front of the former PYS mooring field. In a few days (weeks?) We will move her to the hard and join forces with the mighty s/v Eva for another epic adventure. Stay tuned…

Position Report: October 14, 2017

Sat, 14 Oct 2017 14:22:45 +0000

Position: 43º 39.32’ N 70º 14.99’ W
Convivia is at the dock for the first time since Cape Town. We are snugged in next to Eva, who is also at dock for the first time since Cape Town.
All is well.

Position Report: October 08, 2017

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 18:10:25 +0000

Position: 43º 39.6’ N 70º 14.982’ W
This is our actual location. Hey, and how about that pretty map on the FB and Twitter posts :)

Position Report: October 08, 2017

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 18:07:43 +0000

Position: 40º 42.768’ N 74º 0.36’ W
This is our last week at anchor (for the season). On the 15th we will be heading in to dock at Dimillo’s Marina for the winter. Hopefully, our heater will arrive before then. It’s getting chilly.

All is well.

Position Report: September 27, 2017

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 03:44:33 +0000

Position: 43º 39.612’ N 70º 15.102’ W
Convivia at anchor in Casco Bay

Position Report: July 15, 2017

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 11:15:46 +0000

Position: 43º 39.762’ N 70º 14.292’ W
Convivia is back on Anchor in Portland. The adults are looking for jobs, and the kids are enjoying “summer break”. All is well

Position Report: July 02, 2017

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 09:07:24 +0000

Position: 43º 56.592’ N 69º 27.228’ W
Zero miles to go. Convivia and crew have completed the Round the World trip that we set out on. October 1, 2011 to July 1, 2017.

Convivia fits right in here.

All is well!

Position Report: June 27, 2017

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 07:18:48 +0000

Position: 43º 39.492’ N 70º 14.862’ W
WE DID IT!

We arrived in Portland, ME with the sunrise this morning after an ideal 1400 nautical mile passage. By lunchtime, we will be with our parents again for the first time in 3 years.

Convivia had one last treat for us. As we entered the inner harbor, the fuel filter clogged, leaving us engineless in the shipping lane. A little quick thinking, and diesel soaked hands later and we were back in business.

Position Report: June 25, 2017

Sun, 25 Jun 2017 17:12:20 +0000

Position: 38º 25.482’ N 71º 59.202’ W
Well that was fun. Our little gale blew right on time, and gave us a post-Gulf Stream daily average speed of 7 knots. It is a strange thing to be sad to see such powerful weather evaporate, but now, as I look at our paltry 5.4 knot avg, and our (delayed) ETA, I find myself doing just that.

Picture a man, wrinkled and greying, standing, head above the dodger, ducking to avoid the sheets of spray shooting over the weather decks. A giant wave (12-15’) crests behind him as he turns, smiling. The vessel under his feet has carried him and his family more than 25,000 nautical miles, in safety and relative comfort. He knows that she can handle the monster that is bearing down, now about to crash over the afterdeck. His boat lifts, and then takes off. An exhilaratingly fast (15.5 knots) surf on a 43’ long board. At the trough, the boat turns out gracefully and her skipper smiles again, bidding goodbye to the swell.

Position Report: June 25, 2017

Sun, 25 Jun 2017 16:13:00 +0000

Position: 40º 49.05’ N 69º 15.21’ W
We lost our wind entirely today. It’s been 12 hrs of motoring already, and we probably have a dozen more before the wind fills in. Match that with a 1.7 knot counter current, and you have some real slow going. We used the time to make power and water though. I should probably be glad we had so much time because, in these cold cold waters, the output is about half what it was in the tropics.

Position Report: June 24, 2017

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 20:04:45 +0000

Position: 37º 46.848’ N 73º 4.098’ W
I love me a good gale, which is a good thing because that’s what we will get tonight. 12-24 hrs of gale and 11’ swell. Convivia is managing the conditions like a champion, holding her course like she’s on rails, and yawning at the occasional side swell as only an Indian ocean veteran could. The side benefit of this weather is that it should extend our amazing Gulf Stream mileage for another 24 hrs.

Position Report: June 23, 2017

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 19:09:12 +0000

Position: 35º 10.98’ N 74º 38.358’ W
We rounded Cape Hatteras (aka The Graveyard of the Atlantic) this evening. This seems momentous, our next waypoint is Cape Cod, then it’s West one last time to Portland.

If you had been a fly on the wall around dinner time, you might have heard us all belting out “Rolling home, rolling home, rolling home across the sea. Rolling home to old New England. Rolling home, dear land to thee.”

Position Report: June 22, 2017

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:46:37 +0000

Position: 31º 59.958’ N 77º 33.072’ W
Today was the rainy, squally day that we have been expecting (while still hoping against) since we left Georgetown. Its been a lot of motoring and a lot of staying out of the rain. We had some pretty epic nachos for dinner though, so…

All is well.

Position Report: June 20, 2017

Tue, 20 Jun 2017 14:58:45 +0000

Position: 30º 19.368’ N 78º 15.642’ W
Today’s big excitement was the mid-passage potato cull. How such a bland vegetable can smell so bad when it rots, is beyond me. Other than that, we are glad to see that the Tropical Storm is going to pass well to the South of us (thanks Suzy and Dave for the ground support). We expect to enter the Gulf Stream tonight, and start rocketing our way north. The crew is getting super excited to see family and friends and eat at the Portland Flatbread Co.

Position Report: June 19, 2017

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 13:26:51 +0000

Position: 28º 21.492’ N 76º 55.398’ W
Day 2 things are going pretty smoothly. Ruby celebrated her 13th birthday by going 3/4 of the way up the mast to save our lazy jacks. What a hero.

All is well.

Position Report: June 18, 2017

Sun, 18 Jun 2017 14:57:00 +0000

Position: 25º 38.28’ N 76º 8.718’ W
The first twenty four hours of our prospective Triumphant Return Home Passage (prospective because, un-hatched chickens) was pretty delightful. We sailed up the Exuma Sound, protected from the Ocean swell, while still attended by its winds. What a great start. Today is a little more rolly (fully exposed again) but we have decent wind.

We have started to talk about stoping in Nantucket on the way. It seems too suitably salty to miss, right?

Position Report: June 08, 2017

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 08:46:13 +0000

Position: 23º 30.654’ N 75º 45.726’ W
Convivia is rafted up to Eva in Georgetown. We did our checkin yesterday and then had a wonderful birthday celebration. We should be here for a week. All is well.

Position Report: June 07, 2017

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 18:38:45 +0000

Position: 23º 20.778’ N 74º 33.282’ W
Arrived at Long Island (Bahamas). we will spend the night here with Totem and then head to Georgetown in the morning to celebrate my birthday with Eva and crew.

All is well.

Position Report: June 06, 2017

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:44:41 +0000

Position: 23º 6.6’ N 74º 3.012’ W
Last night out. The conditions continue to be dreamy. A bit of a lingering counter current have slowed us down a bit, but it is hard to complain when we have had 6 days that feel like catamaran sailing.

Tomorrow we will hopefully intersect with Friends We Haven’t Met Yet on Totem. We think that we have been in communication for 8 years now, so it may be the record for longest lead up. Should be a regular old hoot! The fact that we are meeting in the Bahamas when both Convivia and Totem are West coast boats is a bit of a trip. Life is good and…

Position Report: June 03, 2017

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 18:26:59 +0000

Position: 20º 0.252’ N 67º 38.448’ W
We have rerouted to Georgetown on the recommendation of every single person we have talked to about the Bahamas. We hope to arrive ahead of a nasty looking trough that is promising to dumps lots of water out of the sky, in conjunction with some big wind.

I think Georgetown will be an ideal place to turn forty someodd.

All is well.

Position Report: June 03, 2017

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 15:34:19 +0000

Position: 21º 4.392’ N 69º 22.308’ W
This passage had been so darn mellow, it seems like we must be cheating, or getting our due after some of the earlier passages this year.

Its hard to believe that we have crossed two oceans in the past year, and that we were just leaving Cocos Keeling, this time last year.

With this adventure coming to a close, I have begun to shift my energy toward rentry. Thinking about jobs, where to live, and what to do next. It’s exciting, overwhelming, and distracting. Perhaps i can postpone that for a few more days and make the most of these last beautiful moments of crystal clear water, blue skies, and clean living.

Position Report: June 01, 2017

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 08:36:05 +0000

Position: 17º 48.258’ N 64º 32.718’ W
I seemed to have dropped the ball a bit on position reporting for this passage. Our first two days have gone pretty smoothly. We had a great current with us until early this morning, and we expect to have a mild current setting in our general direction for much of the rest of the trip. As I write this, Convivia is gliding past St. Croix (thinking of you Mead), and we expect to pass through Culebra and St. Thomas tonight (Allen & Lee, we wil be thinking of you, for sure).

Position Report: May 30, 2017

Tue, 30 May 2017 18:02:03 +0000

Position: 14º 36.966’ N 61º 3.528’ W
Our last full day in Martinique before shoving off for a long passage to the Bahamas. We have had a ball here, hanging out with Eva and exploring the island, but the season is closing out, and we have miles to cover.

All is well.

Position Report: May 30, 2017

Tue, 30 May 2017 13:15:19 +0000

Position: 14º 26.568’ N 60º 56.1’ W
We are off. Farewell Martinique, next stop, Nassau, Bahamas.

Position Report: May 16, 2017

Tue, 16 May 2017 07:37:38 +0000

Position: 14º 27.606’ N 60º 52.296’ W
We have moved in to the Le Marin anchorage. The kids have their own little mangrove island to play on and town is close. Life is easy these days.

All is well.

Position Report: May 09, 2017

Tue, 09 May 2017 05:52:42 +0000

Position: 14º 26.292’ N 60º 53.502’ W
Convivia and crew are safe in sound in Martinique. Our third (and last, for this trip) ocean has been crossed. The water is turquoise and the air is warm. All is well.

Position Report: May 07, 2017

Sun, 07 May 2017 15:21:38 +0000

Position: 11º 40.632’ N 59º 11.76’ W
The seas have flattened out, and we are making our northbound approach to Martinique. We have been chasing current since Fernando de Naronha, and it’s been paying off. Now we will beam reach at 7-8knots the rest of the way (I hope). It looks like we will arrive between 6pm-11pm tomorrow. We had delicious three cheese mac and cheese for dinner (mine with Sriracha, of course), everyone is happy and excited for landfall.

Position Report: May 06, 2017

Sat, 06 May 2017 06:24:16 +0000

Position: 9º 42.84’ N 56º 14.52’ W
Ticking away the miles to Martinique. The sun is finally out, we are charging up the batteries and our spirits. The kids are happy and easy going, and we are really excited for landfall in a couple of days.

All is well.

Position Report: May 03, 2017

Wed, 03 May 2017 12:16:35 +0000

Position: 5º 56.778’ N 49º 27.732’ W
Yesterday was the pits. We had swell from three directions, and Vick took some seasick pills that had side effects worse than the malaise. Today is a lot more comfortable, despite the continued squalls. We are still trying to figure out if running the engine with raw water in the fresh water side, is going to kill it quickly or slowly. I’m hoping slowly, because it’s currently the only way to charge the batteries, until the sun comes out again.

Position Report: April 30, 2017

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 22:13:06 +0000

Position: 1º 22.572’ N 42º 13.272’ W
Today has been back to back squalls. At one point we were getting 40Ah in from the wind generator, that was pretty exciting. The seas have picked up somewhat, so our Halcyon days may be over for a while. We also have wind more on the beam than I would like. That said, we are still eating (the last of our) fresh veg. So it’s not all gray.

Position Report: April 30, 2017

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 08:57:12 +0000

Position: 2º 17.898’ N 43º 13.188’ W
Darn has this ever been a gray and miserable day. We’ve been alternating between 3 and 7 knots as we pass from one squall to the next, and it’s been so dark that we need lights or headlamps for everything. This is the first passage I can remember that felt like time was dragging on. Oh well. We are still eating well, home made crackers and cookies so far today. When the motor is on, we listen to Hamilton at top volume and belt out all the lyrics we know.

Position Report: April 29, 2017

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 17:43:01 +0000

Position: 0º 14.262’ N 41º 2.4’ W
Convivia and her crew crossed the equator for the fourth time today. This time, in lockstep with Eva. We are almost exactly 500 nm due West from the mouth of the Amazon, and if the wind picks up as promised, we have 10 days of passage ahead.

Tonight we celebrated with cake and pizza (in that order). Every day out here is ideal, in its own way.

Position Report: April 27, 2017

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 15:11:10 +0000

Position: 1º 20.34’ S 39º 6.18’ W
Today was a little bit of amazing. The wind was 10-15 knots from off our quarter, and the current was about 1knot from behind. Without the least bit of effort we managed a 144 mile day. To make a good day better, our friends on Eva crept up to within a few boat lengths for the day, and the kids experimented with sound and signs. At one point they swooped in and launched chocolate at us, FOR THE WIN!

Position Report: April 26, 2017

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 12:07:11 +0000

Position: 2º 53.142’ S 36º 44.07’ W
Our last 24 hours have done its level best to tip our fun to suck ratio, and failed.

We have discovered a hole in our heat exchanger, which has rendered our fresh water cooled engine into a raw water cooled version.

We thought we had run out of water, a problem which was potentially exacerbated by low power and an inability to charge from the engine (18Ah from our 100Ah alternator). We found that the engine wouldn’t stop (morse cable first, then at all) and had to suffocate it. The secondary problem is solved, but I think the morse cable is corroded from the overflowing fresh water reservoir. Add to all of that a mysterious electrical failure when the boat lists heavily to starboard, and you may have reason to panic.

Position Report: April 24, 2017

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 08:30:32 +0000

Position: 3º 49.92’ S 32º 24.498’ W
About to weigh anchor for Martinique. Despite our lack of actual tourism, Fernando de Naronha will be one of our favorite places we have ever been. Looking forward to 16 easy passagemaking days.

All is well.

Position Report: April 24, 2017

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 04:16:19 +0000

Position: 3º 49.908’ S 32º 24.492’ W
With a tremendous amount of help from Claude and Jules on Eva, we managed to get our new rig up, and the outboard (which was submerged in a squall the other night) cleaned out. We are as provisioned up as we can be here, and ready to depart in the morning.

All is well.

Position Report: April 22, 2017

Sat, 22 Apr 2017 11:17:12 +0000

Position: 3º 50.058’ S 32º 24.018’ W
Almost done at Fernando. We just checked out, but still need to finish repairing the rig. Probably leave tomorrow. Next stop, Martinique.
All is well.

Position Report: April 19, 2017

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 03:36:45 +0000

Position: 3º 49.92’ S 32º 24.498’ W
We are shipbound at Fernando de Naronha (waiting for parts in paradise). Because we are American, we are not allowed to get a Visa without visiting the Consulate in the USA. So we have spent our days playing with our friends on Eva, swimming, and watching the huge dolphin pods swim around and under Convivia. The geomorphology, water color, and weather are like a dream. Every morning I wake up and look out the port lights with gratitude.

Position Report: April 15, 2017

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 06:00:57 +0000

Position: 3º 58.308’ S 31º 39.552’ W
Lovely wake up call this morning, “Dad, I just noticed the engine is overheating…”

Thank god Ruby is sharp. We turned it off and found that without sails or engine, we were still drifting in the right direction at 3+ knots. It seems like our luck tends to balance itself out pretty immediately.

I let the engine cool off a bit, had coffee and then tucked into the problem. The coolant water was murky (brown, black). Initially I thought maybe the oil cooler had leaked oil into it, then I remembered that that is hooked up to the raw water side, and now I’m just confused. I drained a bit out, and topped it off (running low on antifreeze now), and the engine has been running for hours, trouble free. Maybe we just sucked up a jellyfish into the raw water system. I’ll have to add that to the growing work list for Naronha.

Position Report: April 14, 2017

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 13:54:31 +0000

Position: 4º 18.408’ S 30º 5.088’ W
We lost our lower shrouds today. This time it was due to the bolt that holds the tangs to the mast, breaking. The port shroud dropped immediately to the deck, and the starboard hung on by a few threads. Vick and I sprang into action, dropping sails and collecting the rigging. Next she sent me up the mast to recover the starboard shroud before we lost the end of that bolt (and any chance of getting a decent measurement). As I was going up, the shroud decided to come down. I was lucky enough to catch it, mid fall. We recovered all the pieces and my dad has new ones on order.

Position Report: April 13, 2017

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 08:00:07 +0000

Position: 5º 11.85’ S 26º 53.88’ W
We are 10 days out from St. Helena and have 16 days left to Martinique. We have tossed out quite a bit of our fresh veg due to rot, and the fridge is looking a little sparse. That said, we are still eating well and finding joy in our daily routine. The kids suffer minor bouts of craziness (expected), mostly when it’s time to do dishes ;P whoda thunk?

Position Report: April 12, 2017

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 08:03:14 +0000

Position: 5º 50.58’ S 24º 27.06’ W
Today has been back to back squalls. We are reefed down and just riding them out. Sadly, the wind in the cell comes at 90° to the trades, so we are not making very good distance today. Yesterday we made 155 miles (our plan speed is 144). Still, we are happy enough, if a bit warm in this closed up cabin.

All is well.

Position Report: April 11, 2017

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 06:17:10 +0000

Position: 6º 26.1’ S 22º 9.198’ W
We are having some really fantastic sailing today. Last night’s pizza was fantastic, and we are ripping along towards the site of the former ITCZ. it looks like there is a chance that we might be able to pass North while the ITCZ is absent. Fingers crossed.

All is well.

Position Report: April 10, 2017

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 08:27:40 +0000

Position: 6º 41.742’ S 20º 0.282’ W
Last night’s dinner turned out to be glorious chicken and slaw sandwiches. Ruby’s dough was used for focaccia instead of pizza (though we are having pizza tonight, I hear). And that was in turn made into sandwiches. For the non-GF non-cruiser set, this might sound under whelming, but I can assure you, there was much rejoicing on Convivia.

Today we have been paraded by jumping fish. Hour after hour they jump. These are not the flying fish that we have become accustomed to, but large yummy looking fish. In related news, something really big bit right through my steel leader and stole my best lure today. Drat.

Position Report: April 09, 2017

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 04:50:27 +0000

Position: 7º 7.47’ S 17º 13.47’ W
The kids have requested to make one meal a day for the family. Considering that Ruby’s chocolate chip cookies are the best GF cookies I’ve ever had, I think we can trust them to do a good job. Tonight, it seems, is pizza night.

We are making great progress towards Martinique, conditions are mild, sea is down and wind is stable (though other boats report lower wind speeds today). It is a great feeling to wake up at 3am and be excited for my watch, we are truly in passage making mode now!

Position Report: April 08, 2017

Sat, 08 Apr 2017 07:26:18 +0000

Position: 7º 47.01’ S 14º 53.94’ W
We approached Ascension as twilight broke and wrapped slowly around the northwest tip of the island and down to the Georgetown Anchorage. The conditions were mild, and it seemed that the swell we had been warned of had left the area. After talking with friends on Gaia, we decided to have a closer look, and found that the anchorage was untenable, given our limited time and needs.

Position Report: April 07, 2017

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 03:24:47 +0000

Position: 9º 3.732’ S 12º 47.802’ W
The kids made cookie dough yesterday and stashed enough in the freezer that we can have 2 cookies each per week until Martinique. Another bird hit the boat last night, this time it disappeared before I could check on it. The Wha? It’s finally starting to feel tropical. Watches are in tee-shirts and undies, and I think I’ll make a batch of cold brew coffee today.

Position Report: April 06, 2017

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 03:09:24 +0000

Position: 10º 56.76’ S 11º 8.442’ W
Making decent progress. Kids totally melted down yesterday, so much for sweet passage making mode.

Last night on watch I got hit in the back of the head by a large seabird. That was pretty weird. It came to slowly and flew off after about an hour.

All is well

Position Report: April 05, 2017

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 03:46:48 +0000

Position: 12º 39.582’ S 9º 17.202’ W
Day 2 was much like day 1. The conditions are very nearly ideal and we are making slower than normal but still good progress toward Ascension. It’s heartening that we are all slipping easily into cruising mode, given that we have 7000+ miles of it to do in the next two months.

All is well.

Position Report: April 04, 2017

Tue, 04 Apr 2017 09:06:16 +0000

Position: 13º 59.808’ S 7º 44.802’ W
We are on our way to Ascension Island. If everything goes according to plan we will be another 4 days at sea, then 3 days of rest before pushing onward for Martinique. The passage has been decent so far. The seas are a little lumpier than we had hoped for, but manageable, and the wind is constantly 15-20 knots from behind. The kids have settled into passage-making mode more quickly than usual, and are happy reading and doing other low key things (phew).

Position Report: March 22, 2017

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 13:12:06 +0000

Position: 15º 55.482’ S 5º 43.488’ W
Moored in St Helena!

Upon arrival we were greeted by the crews of no less than five boats who hopped right aboard for celebratory sundowners. Those who arrived before us report that this is a magical location, and our initial survey would lead us to concur. This most remote island is dramatic, to say the least and to be here with so many old friends will complete the package.

Position Report: March 22, 2017

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 02:00:30 +0000

Position: 16º 6.18’ S 4º 51.318’ W
LAND HO!

Vick spotted the faint outline of St Helena at 715GMT. We had 63 miles to go! It looks like we will make landfall just after sunset. I spotted a large turtle to port this morning.

All is well.

Position Report: March 21, 2017

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 01:37:18 +0000

Position: 17º 0.852’ S 2º 36.54’ W
@Raymarine we are hand steering. Truly wish the ST2000 that we paid so much for (less than a month ago) was working. :(

Position Report: March 21, 2017

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 01:28:38 +0000

Position: 17º 2.148’ S 2º 34.95’ W
It’s been seriously overcast for two days and the batteries are showing it, so we had to turn the engine on this morning, just to top up. The wind has slacked off a bit too, so it works out just fine. A little boost to speed and power!

The kids are playing minecraft together and Vick and I are tearing through book after book. We expect to make landfall midday tomorrow.

Position Report: March 20, 2017

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 05:52:55 +0000

Position: 17º 36.192’ S 0º 45.708’ W
We are in the Western Hemisphere!! The coconut oil is liquid and Vick reports that she did not wear shoes or socks for her pre-sunrise watch this morning.

All is well.

Position Report: March 19, 2017

Sun, 19 Mar 2017 04:43:23 +0000

Position: 19º 15.582’ S 4º 4.392’ E
Day 5 and we are reveling in this rolling main. The sea is slight and orderly, the wind is constant the sun is out, and the reading and cuddling that we recall most warmly from our best passages are now the norm again. I could do this forever.

Our little fleet is paced just about perfectly too. Our kid boat friends are making the same daily mileage, day after day, so we are staying fairly closely clustered. I expect them to arrive in St. Helen a within a day of us (if not less).

Position Report: March 18, 2017

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 04:35:55 +0000

Position: 19º 18.042’ S 4º 13.212’ E
Day 4 and we are fully into the groove of this passage. The wind has been steady between 8-15 knots from the S to SE. We made 143 miles in the last 24hrs, not quite as good as day 1 but pretty much exactly what we budgeted in our planning. We just passed the half way point!

The kids are studying their US states. They were promised chocolate if they get them all right the first time. Vick finished reading Story of the World, and is now reading about the Oregon Trail. It’s funny how that brings back memories of my own education and of dying of dysentery in the Apple IIe game. Life is good!

Position Report: March 17, 2017

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 03:52:58 +0000

Position: 20º 4.332’ S 6º 39.132’ E
This is the stuff. The wind is just a little light (10 knots) but we are sailing well and the sea is super comfortable. The kids are reading their biographies (school work) and have finally chilled out enough to be allowed off their berths ;) Last night I watched Master and Commander for the first time and now I want to read the books. What a great way to gain perspective (we have it easy).

Position Report: March 16, 2017

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 04:40:36 +0000

Position: 21º 28.26’ S 11º 0.888’ E
The weather has moderated finally and we are smooth sailing in 10-15 knots with 2m seas. The sun is out, and we are drying/airing out and fixing a few of the worst leaks.

The kids have been a bit nuts, so they are confined to quarters for the time being. Hopefully, by tomorrow, we will be back into our family cruising mode, where we are all happy and chill and cuddled up reading books together.

Position Report: March 15, 2017

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 08:59:47 +0000

Position: 21º 31.32’ S 11º 6.882’ E
Well we didn’t get the send off we had hoped for from Africa, but after a very rough start we are starting to settle into what might be a nice passage. There has been a lot of water indoors and out which is a little disappointing since one of the major ingress points was a chainplate that I had just rebedded (oops). We are hopping for flatter seas and lower winds in the coming days, so we can dry out.

Position Report: March 14, 2017

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 03:45:53 +0000

Position: 22º 57.024’ S 14º 28.746’ E
About to weigh anchor for St Helena. Spirits are high aboard Convivia. Looks like ideal weather!
All is well.

Position Report: March 06, 2017

Mon, 06 Mar 2017 15:35:55 +0000

Position: 22º 57.03’ S 14º 28.752’ E
Arrived in Walvis Bay. All is well.

Position Report: March 06, 2017

Mon, 06 Mar 2017 03:15:55 +0000

Position: 23º 43.098’ S 13º 43.08’ E
The last 24hrs have been uneventful. Fairly smooth downwind sailing in 20-25 knots. The wind has lessened now and we are looking at a late night arrival in Walvis Bay tonight. All is well

Position Report: March 05, 2017

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 23:53:26 +0000

Position: 26º 30.312’ S 15º 1.812’ E
Convivia is outbound to Walvis Bay. A typically blustery start promises a quick passage!

All is well.

Position Report: March 02, 2017

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 03:40:16 +0000

Position: 26º 38.37’ S 15º 9.456’ E
Safe and sound on a mooring in Luderitz. Easiest check in since Malaysia. The town is surrounded by desert and it seems constant attention must be paid to keep the desert from taking it back. All is well.

Position Report: March 01, 2017

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:46:11 +0000

Position: 27º 32.85’ S 15º 6.222’ E
I can’t get over this fog. Yesterday it cleared to somewhere nearer the coast, but it still cast a grey over the day. The wind was unusable for much of the day as well, so we motored in windless overcast, in order to make water and progress.

That said, it was a pretty pleasant day. We read Story of the World and Ruby made a roasted potato dinner with bacon (yum). The tiller pilot took care of the tedious work of steering and we enjoyed the relatively flat seas.

Position Report: February 28, 2017

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 00:26:24 +0000

Position: 31º 35.22’ S 17º 17.028’ E
It has been a great day & night of sailing. The wind speed dipped to 6 knots last night, but Convivia was determined to keep sailing. She managed 4 knots throughout the lull. The new tiller pilot made all the difference.

I think I have developed the opinion that a night watch without dolphins breathing close by and shooting stars, is not a real night watch. Lucky for me, last night was real.

Position Report: February 27, 2017

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 01:21:56 +0000

Position: 31º 36.0’ S 17º 17.082’ E
Our first 24 hours was fast. We averaged 8 knots in a gale with 3m seas. As big and fast as it was, we were well acclimatized to the conditions and for the first time in months, it was behind us. We were accompanied by scores of dolphins and saw our first albatross.

Today the conditions have mellowed and we are grooving along on 10-15 knots in 1-2m seas. It’s pretty ideal. To make matters rosier, it’s warmed up considerably (though Vick is still bundled up). Somewhere in the afternoon yesterday it hit me how exciting this next few months will be. We are coming home!

Position Report: January 23, 2017

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 23:44:21 +0000

Position: 33º 54.498’ S 18º 25.098’ E
Arrived at V&A waterfront marina. We are so happy to be here that we keep looking at each other with enormous grins on our faces. I think Cape Town might give San Francisco a run for it’s money. As if that weren’t enough we already have dinner invites for Monday and Tuesday night, this might be a busy social stop!

All is well.

Position Report: January 22, 2017

Sun, 22 Jan 2017 19:47:59 +0000

Position: 34º 52.14’ S 19º 58.398’ E
Dawn is breaking as we approach Cape Aguhlas (the Southernmost tip of Africa). As the nascent sun starts to burn away the crisp chill of the night, it dawns on me that our long hard southing is soon behind us.

This ocean has been demanding for sure and (as promised) it has also been proportionally rewarding. The next 7000 miles will all be north.

Position Report: January 19, 2017

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 22:29:43 +0000

Position: 34º 10.602’ S 22º 8.502’ E
Safe and sound in Mossel Bay. The difference between this town and Durban is like the difference between Nantucket and Detroit. The Yacht Club manager welcomed us with open arms and a card already in her hand. We were told that it was the safest beach in South Africa (the great whites are apparently well fed on the nearby seals, so they don’t bother people) and the town is safe to walk around.

Position Report: January 18, 2017

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 22:22:33 +0000

Position: 34º 16.2’ S 24º 29.298’ E
Bbbrrrr. It’s cold down here. The air is crisp and clean and today we were blessed with blue skies and a tail wind. Looking to port, the next land we could see is Antarctica, just 3000km to the south.

We are passing the time listening to the Hamilton soundtrack and napping. This stretch has been fast, and we expect to be in Mossel Bay by mid morning.

Position Report: January 17, 2017

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 22:19:00 +0000

Position: 33º 44.1’ S 27º 4.002’ E
(these didn’t post initially, including for completeness)
Our first 8hrs out of East London gave us 60 nautical miles good. This coast may be brutal, but at least it’s fast.

While the rest of the family was taking a day off (seasickness abounds) I was smiling like a kid on a sailboat. Vick said if there was a Kinsey scale for sailors, I would be a perfect 6. I think she might be right!

Position Report: January 14, 2017

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 15:34:36 +0000

Position: 33º 1.002’ S 27º 52.998’ E
Arrived safe and sound in East London. This was our fastest 24 hours ever at 254 miles (just over 10knots average). It wasn’t the most comfortable, and there was a bit of motoring involved but we are past the Wild Coast and looking forward to leaving for Port Elizabeth on Monday morning.
All is well.

Position Report: January 12, 2017

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 09:14:51 +0000

Position: 29º 51.798’ S 31º 1.422’ E
We are looking forward to heading South tomorrow. The weather window looks good and, if we are lucky, we might be able to push all the way through to Cape Town. This next stretch of coast is called the Wild Coast, and has a reputation for bad behavior. Here’s hoping we found the mild wild window.

All is well.

Position Report: December 12, 2016

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 04:08:20 +0000

Position: 29º 51.822’ S 31º 1.422’ E
Arrived in Durban after the worst single night passage ever. Lucky for us, nothing broke and we are all happy to be here. We’ll spend Christmas and New Years in Durban with our friends, and then continue on to Cape Town and beyond.
All is well.

Position Report: December 05, 2016

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 10:57:11 +0000

Position: 28º 47.688’ S 32º 4.71’ E
We are in Richards Bay, South Africa. I’ve been dreaming about this country since college and it seems fitting that we arrived here on the edge of a gale and on the very same day (4 years later) as we arrived in Brisbane.

Everyone is excited to see their friends and get some ice cream.

All is well.

Position Report: December 05, 2016

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 10:56:29 +0000

Position: 27º 33.558’ S 33º 0.42’ E
We had a really peaceful night and a fast first day. We are right on schedule.

All is well.

Position Report: December 05, 2016

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 10:56:24 +0000

Position: 26º 2.832’ S 33º 23.1’ E
Hip hip hooray, we are underway, to Richard’s Bay!

All is well.

Position Report: November 23, 2016

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 01:51:03 +0000

Position: 26º 0.882’ S 32º 53.748’ E
We decided that today’s weather window was too tight and the consequences too high, so we are waiting for the next one.

All is well.

Position Report: November 22, 2016

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 01:22:32 +0000

Position: 26º 0.882’ S 32º 53.748’ E
Summers in Round Pond, looking out over Muscongus Sound, I imagined the world as fictitiously vast. My horizon was bounded tightly by Loud’s Island to the East, and New Harbor to the South. Once, when my father took me on an overnight sail to Boothbay Harbor, I was fairly confident that we had reached the edge of the known nautical world. It was an adventure, first class.

Position Report: November 21, 2016

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 05:20:22 +0000

Position: 26º 0.522’ S 32º 52.23’ E
Arrived in Maputo, safe and sound. It was a raucous night but we reefed down and enjoyed the ride.

Supplies are lean these days. Olive asked if we had straws (to draw lots, of course) and suggested that we had a rendang paste, and a ‘daddy rendang’ might make a good dinner if I drew the short straw.

Engine sprung a leak again (oil cooler this time) and the old exhaust leak seems to be back (despite the new dry section we installed in Cairns).

Position Report: November 20, 2016

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 05:19:53 +0000

Position: 25º 22.458’ S 34º 16.992’ E
We had a fast night of sailing with (current assisted) speeds touching 10 knots, in only 10-15knots of wind. This morning things eased on both the current and wind fronts, and we are puttering along at a more modest 5 knots.

Vick made pizza for lunch, a luxury in these lean times. We expect to arrive in Maputo tomorrow morning. If all goes according to plan, we will make our final leap to Richard’s Bay a few days later. We are looking forward to sleep, fresh produce, ice cream, and repairs for the boat in Richard’s Bay.

Position Report: November 19, 2016

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 06:55:57 +0000

Position: 24º 4.572’ S 35º 33.792’ E
Inhambane was much nicer than expected. Despite high winds and a current against wind, it was fairly calm. We had a quiet night and left at the crack of dawn. We are now on our way to Maputo or Richards Bay, depending on weather.

Last night, we saw pink flamingoes. IN THE WILD. Day. Made.

All is well.

Position Report: November 18, 2016

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 03:28:57 +0000

Position: 23º 44.13’ S 35º 23.628’ E
Arrived in Linga Linga (Inhambane) after a night spent hove-to waiting for high tide. We used the extra time to work on our storm tactics. Convivia, it seems, doesn’t particularly like to be still. Vick just beat a Two Dots level that she’s been stuck on “forever.” We are waiting on weather to make our next jump to Maputu.

All is well.

Position Report: November 17, 2016

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:30:54 +0000

Position: 22º 54.198’ S 35º 38.808’ E
We are underway to Anhambane, a little roadstead anchorage on the coast of Mozambique. Last night Vick reports getting a better night’s sleep than at anchor, go figure. We have a line out, Vick is hoping for tuna for sushi.

All is well.

Position Report: November 17, 2016

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:30:54 +0000

All is well.

Position Report: November 15, 2016

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 00:15:49 +0000

Position: 21º 15.738’ S 35º 6.438’ E
My watch keeps track of how long I sleep each night.

I have always thought this was a pretty frivolous feature for my lifestyle. It seems like the kind of thing a high power business exec would use to come to some AH HA moment about their work-life balance. My life, I thought really didn’t require that kind of metric.

Yesterday, as I was chatting with my friends on Saltbreaker, I came to the rather sudden conclusion that I am “all adventured out.” I’m making a lot of simple (inconsequential) mistakes. When I talk about wind direction, for example, I will reverse the ordinality, or I’ll read the battery voltage and add a volt when I say it aloud. These activities are so common, so core to our lives, that to consistently make mistakes in the reporting, is indicative of something greater.

Position Report: November 15, 2016

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 00:15:49 +0000

Position: 21º 15.738’ S 35º 6.438’ E
My watch keeps track of how long I sleep each night.

Position Report: November 14, 2016

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 01:20:58 +0000

Position: 21º 15.762’ S 35º 6.408’ E
Last night we saw lightning that played like a firework display. The bolts would chain and burst. It went on for hours. As a result, we opted against our moonlit sail to the more protected anchorage.

This morning we made the move. It was 6 stressful hours of slow motoring against current, but we are now safely tucked behind a decent spit of land for the impending SE blow.

Position Report: November 13, 2016

Sun, 13 Nov 2016 21:40:37 +0000

Position: 21º 8.742’ S 35º 6.378’ E
So glad that night is behind us. We returned to Convivia after the taco party to find the boat pitching wildly in a Northerly 20 knots. We hipped fatty and checked our anchor snubber and went below to put the kids to bed. After a few rounds of cribbage, Vick and I retired to bed. Sleep was not forthcoming. The bow was scooping up water every few waves, and when I went up to check, the snubber had broken (for the third time). I replaced the snubber and checked the rest of the boat. Even though she was 3 feet up, Fatty was floating every few waves, and when she went airborne again, would crash (with a shudder) into Convivia. The flopper stopper was so loaded that the shackle that holds the topping lift (the weakest link in that system) was starting to bend open. Normally, in these situations, I just attached the main halyard to the boom’s clue, and relieve the strain, but that halyard was attached to Fatty’s bridal. The answer was obvious but unwelcome.

Position Report: November 12, 2016

Sat, 12 Nov 2016 02:45:20 +0000

Position: 21º 8.718’ S 35º 6.492’ E
Yemaya arrived today with tons of fish. The kids have been reunited with their friends, and are happily creating animals out of felt while we all bop our heads to Frances England.

Tonight is Trevor’s Birthday (Happy Birthday T) and we are talking about a fish taco and cake party on the sand spit.

Looks like our next southbound window is Wednesday.

All is definitely well.

Position Report: November 11, 2016

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 03:22:34 +0000

Position: 21º 8.7’ S 35º 6.492’ E
We arrived at first light in B. Diaz. There is nothing here but a little spit of sand and apparently it gets pretty rolly when the tide covers the sand. That said, it is beautiful in its way, and we are delighted to be here.

All is well.

Position Report: November 10, 2016

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 05:16:47 +0000

Position: 20º 15.708’ S 35º 50.328’ E
The last 24 hours has followed the same pattern as the previous days of this passage. Many hours of tedious motoring (and hand steering) followed by some of the best sailing imaginable. Today the whole family was engaged in dreaming about our future. The kids both drew pictures of the tiny houses they would like to build and live in and we talked more about where and for how long we would like to live on land.

Position Report: November 09, 2016

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 01:39:22 +0000

Position: 18º 48.222’ S 37º 46.128’ E
Last night was one of the best nights of passage I have ever had. The exhilaration of gently flying across the ocean at 9 knots with nary a chop to the water, combined with the bright moonlit, star filled sky was an overwhelming experience. Add to that the difficulty of navigating this enormous gyre (to maximum benefit) and I was in a bit of sailor’s heaven.

Position Report: November 08, 2016

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 01:36:10 +0000

Position: 17º 52.23’ S 40º 23.952’ E
We sailed really nicely all night under a starry sky. We have a 2.5 knot current with us now and are flying towards Mozambique at 8ish knots. It’s strange to be in the middle of the Mozambique channel on the biggest news day of the decade (in the USA) and we are torn between wanting the blow by blow and being grateful that we won’t know until it’s over. If you have our at-sea email, maybe send us the results (and a big virtual hug if the news is bad). We are working out our backup plans… just in case.

Position Report: November 07, 2016

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 21:50:47 +0000

Position: 17º 9.63’ S 42º 9.3’ E
We motored for 12 hours last night, hand steering the whole time. Not fun. To balance it out we had a small meteor storm and a gorgeous moon set. We are sailing again now and spirits are high. All is well.

Position Report: November 06, 2016

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 01:21:14 +0000

Position: 16º 34.98’ S 43º 47.178’ E
Heavy rains last night helped us balance our water supply. The sailing has been, by and large, excellent. Spending our days playing family games and listening to podcasts and our nights staring up at an impossibly starry sky. All is well

Position Report: November 05, 2016

Sat, 05 Nov 2016 06:19:58 +0000

Position: 15º 52.002’ S 45º 20.598’ E
What a fantastic way to start a passage. We have been steadily increasing speed all day. At the moment we are beam reaching at 7 knots in nearly flat seas. About an hour ago we overtook a big local schooner that had smoked us earlier in the day when we were both down wind. There was some light hearted teasing and lots of laughs when Olive brought out her homemade bow. Then we ducked them and took off. Let’s hope these conditions continue throughout our passage.

Position Report: November 04, 2016

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 03:30:48 +0000

Position: 15º 46.026’ S 46º 14.694’ E
Katsepe will be our final anchorage in Madagascar. Just five miles from the big smoke, but feels as remote as many of the small islands we have visited here. Lots of nets to dodge, kept the sail interesting!

All is well.

Position Report: November 02, 2016

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 08:05:37 +0000

Position: 15º 43.878’ S 46º 18.762’ E
Well that was an interesting passage. We left Morumba at 5pm, hoping to arrive in Majunga by mid-day (to get a head start on our clearing out and provisioning exercise). Poor wind and counter current slowed our progress, and by midnight we had made only 40 miles good. By the end of Vick’s watch at 3am we decided to turn the engine on. Just before she tucked in we both smelled something awful and burnie and chemical coming from somewhere near us.

Position Report: October 31, 2016

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 05:49:11 +0000

Position: 14º 53.598’ S 47º 20.4’ E
Arrived in Morabma after a great sail. Glad we left early because the land and sea breeze pattern that is like clockwork around here didn’t manifest today. Instead we got a sea breeze that took a little siesta in the middle of the day. Half of the fleet left in the last two days and the remaining half is right here or on their way. I love this feeling of getting ready for a big passage, in good company.

Position Report: October 30, 2016

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 23:15:25 +0000

Position: 14º 31.8’ S 47º 37.998’ E
Nosy Saba has been one rolly anchorage. We are super grateful for the flopper stopper this morning. On the up side, it is a gorgeous spot and our friends on Yemaya say it is some of the best snorkelling they have seen so far. All is well.

Position Report: October 29, 2016

Sat, 29 Oct 2016 05:19:33 +0000

Position: 13º 42.702’ S 47º 54.0’ E
Spent two nights at Honey River. It was a lovely anchorage. All is well

Position Report: October 29, 2016

Sat, 29 Oct 2016 05:16:39 +0000

Position: 13º 30.798’ S 47º 58.002’ E
We made a quick stop at the lemur island to see two new kinds of lemurs, what a treat. All is well.

Position Report: October 25, 2016

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 11:41:38 +0000

Position: 13º 32.202’ S 47º 59.988’ E
Today we went back to Tany Kely for a last visit with our turtle friends. The kids all went on a solo expedition to the lighthouse and we adults enjoyed a rare moment of peace and quiet.

Now we are back in Russian Bay for the last time before heading south. We decided to take a rest day here after our two hour day sail turned into 6.5 hrs.
All is well.

Position Report: October 17, 2016

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:05:41 +0000

Position: 13º 24.0’ S 48º 13.212’ E
It’s always nice to return to a place that feels familiar. This is a mostly work stop for us, but I’m sure we will find some time to unwind too. Once we are done here, it will be mostly southbound until we cross to S. Africa.

All is well.

Position Report: October 17, 2016

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:03:18 +0000

Position: 13º 28.998’ S 48º 14.25’ E
We made a day anchorage on Tany-Kely. Anyone who has said that there is no good snorkeling in Madagascar, hasn’t been here. This rivaled (though perhaps did not exceed) our Lizard Island snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I was gifted an unexpected deep free-dive with a sea turtle (a long held yen of mine), and everyone seemed pleased with the effort. The price has just gone up from 10,000Ar to 20,000Ar. Not sure if it’s seasonal, but it was worth it.

Position Report: October 17, 2016

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 09:59:41 +0000

Position: 13º 24.792’ S 48º 20.292’ E
Lokbe - Nosy Be: This anchorage was a bit of a lark. We were only 5 nm away, which was a bit too close to feel like a real effort, but it was reputed to have a great guided nature walk. We were not disappointed. The anchorage was more settled than Nosy Komba, despite being more exposed. The tour was easily set up; after asking around at two villages, we were directed to Freddy, in a third village. It just so happened that Freddy was adrift (fixing his outboard) at the time of our last direction, so we were told to talk to “that guy.” After a nice chat, and a friendly tow, Freddy agreed to give our two families (Convivia and Yemaya) a tour of the old growth forest for 10,000Ary/person. It was money well spent. I will post photos of the experience on Forgeover.com, and you can let us know if you would have been able to find the chameleons without help. I couldn’t have, for sure.
All is well.

Position Report: October 12, 2016

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 21:38:34 +0000

Position: 13º 26.472’ S 48º 21.042’ E
At Nosy Komba. The early shore party reports a very interesting village with houses built into the rocks, fantastic local art and crafts and a funky welcoming atmosphere. I’m really looking forward to the lemur tour today.
All is well!

Position Report: October 10, 2016

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 22:15:05 +0000

Position: 13º 43.5’ S 48º 11.328’ E
Another ideal day sail bright us to the anchorage at Nosy Manolo (Munoko).
The anchorage is quiet and picturesque but there was a weird tidal slop in the middle of the night. We are taking about a beach barbeque tonight.
All is well.

Position Report: October 08, 2016

Sat, 08 Oct 2016 10:20:59 +0000

Position: 13º 34.512’ S 48º 5.748’ E
We had a relaxing daysail from Russian Bay to Nosy Kisimany today. The wind was behind us the whole way at about 10 knots and our newly cleaned bottom facilitated 7 knots with dinghy in tow. I was pretty excited about this because we had just switched the 153% genoa out for the much more efficient 110%. The 153 gave us about 4 knots VMG on our way to Russian Bay (granted there was an unfavorable current and our bottom growth was insane).

Position Report: October 03, 2016

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 07:23:40 +0000

Position: 13º 32.13’ S 47º 59.868’ E
Back in Russian Bay after a productive and enjoyable week in Crater Bay. Looking forward to some chilling out without all the trips to town, errands, and chores. Time to change the oil, tighten the rigging, and clean the hull. ;)

All is well.

Position Report: October 03, 2016

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 07:21:50 +0000

All is well.

Position Report: October 03, 2016

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 07:21:50 +0000

All is well.

Position Report: September 26, 2016

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 08:25:20 +0000

Position: 13º 24.006’ S 48º 13.194’ E
We had a great hike to the the Mozambique Channel today, followed by a little punch at the watering hole in Russian Bay. Then we set sail for Nosy Be (Crater Bay). Tonight we will hunker down here and then go into town for reprovisioning.

All is Well.

Position Report: September 24, 2016

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 05:31:32 +0000

Position: 13º 32.19’ S 48º 0.198’ E
In Russian Bay for the Regata. Amazing light wind sail today (when the wind finally graced us). Put the 153 on for the first time since The South Pacific. Looking forward to meeting some boats we have been hearing about for years.

All is well

Position Report: September 22, 2016

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 07:01:22 +0000

Position: 13º 15.756’ S 48º 14.334’ E
Made it to Nosy Be. It was an almost perfect day sail complete with whales (perhaps too close) and sun, and toes dipped off the gunnwhale. We will celebrate Olive’ 9th birthday here tomorrow in the company of our long lost friends!

All is well.

Position Report: September 22, 2016

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 06:56:05 +0000

Position: 16º 43.2’ S 49º 58.302’ E
Spent the night in this beautiful roadstead anchorage. Mild roll and a rough looking beach landing.
Onward today.
All is well.

Position Report: September 22, 2016

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 06:56:02 +0000

Position: 16º 25.71’ S 49º 50.628’ E
Slow, light wind sail across the Canal de Sainte-Marie today. A little rain didn’t dampen our moods at all though. This anchorage is a bit rolly, but beautiful as can be. Tomorrow we’ll see if we can stretch our legs on the endless golden beaches.

All is well.

Position Report: September 22, 2016

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 06:55:59 +0000

Position: 12º 53.79’ S 48º 34.71’ E
Arrived in Nosy Mitsio. Happy reunion with old friends, but none happier than the kids who are reunited with their besties after FIFTY SEVEN long days (but who’s counting).

It is barren but gorgeous here. No internet here (the horror).

All is well.

Position Report: September 22, 2016

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 06:55:52 +0000

Position: 13º 36.498’ S 50º 10.26’ E
Our first day has been rolly but fast. Very fast. The wind is ripping up the coast of Madagascar, and I’m starting to wonder if the weather prediction was correct.
Crew is happy and healthy.
All is well.

Position Report: September 11, 2016

Sun, 11 Sep 2016 04:16:21 +0000

Position: 17º 0.0’ S 49º 50.868’ E
We have arrived in FREAKING AFRICA. I can not recall exactly how long I have dreamt of this. It is hard to say if I will be more enchanted by landfall on the continent, but for now I am just basking in the realization of a 20+ year old dream. Madagascar looks gorgeous from the boat. We’ll spend the day aboard (quarantine) and clear in tomorrow.

Position Report: September 10, 2016

Sat, 10 Sep 2016 04:16:21 +0000

Position: 17º 33.012’ S 51º 40.188’ E
We are fully in the passagemaking groove now. The kids’ frenetic energy has reduced to a simmer and our sleep schedules are adjusted to night watch. We should arrive in Madagascar in the morning. For now we are enjoying nearly flat sailing under full canvas.

All is well.

Position Report: September 9, 2016

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 04:34:39 +0000

Position: 18º 4.458’ S 53º 48.438’ E
The sea state has calmed way down and we are now in the most ideal conditions that we’ve seen in this ocean. The wind has picked up to around 18 knots, swell around 1.5m.

The kids are a bit stir-crazy, which is par for the course at day 2. After lunch Vick is going to read Story of the World, and that should settle things back down.

Position Report: September 8, 2016

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 04:16:21 +0000

Position: 19º 14.058’ S 55º 37.242’ E
First night out was great. The Indian Ocean continues to send us messy, uncomfortable seas (even though they were slight by comparison to our first passage) but the wind is just about perfect (15-18knots from abaft). Everyone is settling into passagemaking mode, but we won’t have much time to enjoy it, as this passage is scheduled to be just over 4 days.

All is well.

Position Report: September 7, 2016

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 04:16:29 +0000

Position: 20º 9.606’ S 57º 29.826’ E
We are back at the Marina in Port Louis. We had a great sail today and the conditions for Madagascar are looking fantastic. That said, we will all be sad to leave Mauritius behind. This place has been full of good friends and good memories.
All is well.

Position Report: September 5, 2016

Mon, 05 Sep 2016 04:34:39 +0000

Position Report: August 28, 2016

Sun, 28 Aug 2016 04:34:39 +0000

Position: 20º 0.612’ S 57º 34.542’ E
Still in Grande Baie. Our weather window closed on us so we are taking the opportunity to dig a little deeper. Tomorrow we will take an adventure with our new friends to Le Morne (reputed to be the more picturesque beach in Mauritius). Looking forward to seeing more of the island!

All is well.

Position Report: August 06, 2016

Sat, 06 Aug 2016 17:14:57 +0000

Position: 20º 9.588’ S 57º 29.826’ E
We are on the wall in Port Louis now. It’s very public here (read, people unabashedly gazing in the windows at 11pm), but cool nonetheless. Speaking of cool, we are desperately hoping for not-cool showers today. Brrr. After showers, we hope to check out the amazing fresh market and the natural history museum, and maybe find a dosa. Tomorrow, I think we might get out of here and check out Grande Baie.

Position Report: August 04, 2016

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 05:31:48 +0000

Position: 20º 8.04’ S 57º 28.932’ E
Made it to Port Louis, Mauritius after a really awesome 2 day sail. The Indian Ocean actually has it’s nice days, it seems. We had wind 10-20knots from directly behind the whole way, with gentle 3m seas. No real squalls (a few light sprinkles) and generally good spirits. We are all overawed by the city lights and kind of excited to seek out a coffee shop and maybe a bookstore :)

Position Report: August 03, 2016

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 05:31:48 +0000

Position: 20º 0.198’ S 60º 31.398’ E
The first day of our passage to Mauritius has been everything we hoped for. The seas are slight (for this Ocean) and the wind mild (10-20 knots). It looks like we’ll get in either late tomorrow night or early the next morning, but we are conformable enough that it doesn’t much matter to us.

All is well.

Position Report: July 29, 2016

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 20:45:56 +0000

Position: 19º 40.698’ S 63º 25.158’ E
We are still in Rodrigues. After being down with the flu for a few weeks, the crew is just starting to crawl back into the light. We are looking forward to a few more days of exploring and enjoying this wonderfully chill and beautiful island, before continuing on to Mauritius with the next weather window.
All is well.

Position Report: June 20, 2016

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 02:09:13 +0000

Position: 19º 40.002’ S 63º 25.29’ E
We arrived. The Indian Ocean is a very naughty ocean. A very very naughty ocean indeed?

All is well.

Position Report: June 19, 2016

Sun, 19 Jun 2016 01:28:39 +0000

Position: 19º 29.988’ S 64º 57.192’ E
Almost there. We expect to arrive in Rodriguez by daybreak tomorrow. Today has been more of the same with the notable distinction of it being Ruby’s birthday. As those who know us well would guess, this means cake, and since we’ll be having the “Real Cake” when we arrive, we made this surrogate cake special by having it for breakfast. The fast today was broken with a Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake. Not bad for a crew of sea-weary salts.

Position Report: June 18, 2016

Sat, 18 Jun 2016 02:33:41 +0000

Position: 19º 16.272’ S 67º 32.082’ E
Today was a rare good day on this passage. Convivia was more sailboat than submarine. We did have an exciting moment at dinner when, minding our own business, the jar of salsa jumped up in the air and hurled itself at Vick and I with as much force as physics would allow. Fortunately for all who enjoy slapstick, the jar was open at the time and much laughter ensued (if you conveniently masked out the officers, now dressed in their pico de gallo dress uniforms).

Position Report: June 17, 2016

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 23:39:02 +0000

Position: 18º 43.08’ S 70º 25.89’ E
Today I ventured outside of my own volition (I was outside during the night to fulfill my skipperly duties). The air had that crisp, chill smell, like an autumn night, and I was struck by the realization that this must be some of the most rarefied and pure air in the world. Even the places where the wind developed are pristine, unadulterated by humans and our pollution. I breathed deeply sensing that I might never breathe quite so clean again.

Position Report: June 16, 2016

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 05:58:28 +0000

Position: 18º 28.812’ S 72º 14.148’ E
I have been inside for the vast majority of today, as has the rest of the crew. We have done so because to do otherwise, even for the briefest moment, has been to subject ourselves to a saltwater shower, with no hope of fresh water rinse.

The wind has been just on or even slightly ahead of the beam, and just hard enough that we have reduced sail to a double reefed main, with no jib. The sea, eager to do its part, have joined in the fun by being washing machine consistent and impressively sized. No single component of this package of dismalness has been dangerous, but taken together they are a touch unpleasant.

Position Report: June 15, 2016

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:19:26 +0000

Position: 17º 33.672’ S 78º 4.11’ E
Today was a lazy day. After yesterday, we decided to take it easy. We had arepas and eggs for breakfast, and sampled the new coffee that I roasted last night (it was amazing, if I may be so bold).

After the morning radio call, we set into our modest chores. I had to run the generator, and make water. Of course, nothing is ever easy, and by the time I got to second coffee, I had completely disassembled and reassembled the generator, which oddly, now only runs with full choke.

Position Report: June 15, 2016

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 01:38:25 +0000

Position: 18º 1.452’ S 75º 24.792’ E
The wind shifted to the south early in the morning. We had mac & cheese for dinner. In between these two noteworthy events we did what we do most days: ate some popcorn, listened to books and read them, did schoolwork. As unexciting as this may sound it all surrounds a day which is also the anniversary of moving aboard Convivia. 6 years ago today we took one giant, significant step towards living the life we had dreamed of. Five(ish) days to go to Rodriguez.

Position Report: June 13, 2016

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 00:03:57 +0000

Position: 17º 14.838’ S 80º 27.462’ E
We hit the half way point today!!

Last night I saw something that every sailor dreads. Awaking to a thunderous bang, I rushed up to the cockpit. Vick pointed forward on the port side and I saw the lower shroud, dangling helplessly. We swiftly doused the jib and I tethered in to inspect the damage. The strap toggle, which holds the lower threaded rod for the turnbuckle, had shattered IN TWO PLACES. I asked Vick to keep us downwind, giving me time to think, while there was less pressure on the shrouds.

Position Report: June 11, 2016

Sat, 11 Jun 2016 00:37:46 +0000

Position: 14º 54.072’ S 85º 23.388’ E
Today Ruby asked if she could go to the Eiffel Tower. We let her know that it would be quite a bit easier for her to do that than it would be to go to Rodriguez. What’s more, without looking anything further up about either place, we know a fair bit more about what she would find there. She seems determined to go there, with our without us, when she get’s back to the USA.

Position Report: June 10, 2016

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 23:03:22 +0000

Position: 14º 11.928’ S 88º 8.592’ E
Today was just lovely sailing. It took me back to the South Pacific. The sea was closer to 2m and organized, and the winds hovered around 15knots. The kids made up codes and Vick and I rested and ate. We had huevos rancheros for breakfast. All is well.

Position Report: June 09, 2016

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 01:26:37 +0000

Position: 13º 42.318’ S 90º 18.912’ E
The sea state has settled a bit as did the winds. Vick made a delicious tuna steak salad with ginger, garlic, carrots and rice noodles.

We are all relieved that the worst seems to be behind us for a while. We may see another few days like this at the end, but we anticipate at least a week of smoother sailing first.

All is well.

Position Report: June 08, 2016

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 01:10:57 +0000

Position: 12º 50.772’ S 93º 3.822’ E
Another rough and boisterous day for us. Mother Ocean gave me two late birthday presents though. 1. Our fastest day ever, 182 miles in 24 hours, and 2. A gorgeous blue tuna. The kids were joking around a bit more today but are still a bit wobbly on their feet. We are still doing well on, and grateful for the prepared food that Vick made before we left.

Position Report: June 08, 2016

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 00:37:21 +0000

Position: 12º 12.792’ S 95º 54.078’ E
Another rough and boisterous day for us. Mother Ocean gave me two late birthday presents though. 1. Our fastest day ever, 182 miles in 24 hours, and 2. A gorgeous blue tuna. The kids were joking around a bit more today but are still a bit wobbly on their feet. We are still doing well on, and grateful for the prepared food that Vick made before we left.

Position Report: June 07, 2016

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:13:05 +0000

Position: 12º 12.18’ S 95º 56.46’ E
So it’s my birthday. I’m celebrating it the way any true salt would, by heading out into the ocean with a fresh breeze at my back.

The 3m+ square seas have made for a bit of a lumpy start, but the 8.5knots of average speed might make this our fastest 24 hour day ever and see us to Rodriguez in 10 days rather than the 14 we planned on.

Position Report: May 22, 2016

Sun, 22 May 2016 21:13:09 +0000

Position: 12º 5.778’ S 96º 52.788’ E
Arrived in Cocos Keeling. We are all super glad to be not on passage. Vick celebrated by cooking 4 pizzas and now we are all celebrating by eating them. Later on we may celebrate with a margarita or two. We’ll spend our time here, beach-combing, snorkeling, and working on the boat (a few leaks may have been found on the way here).

Cocos is gorgeous. More to come. All is well

Position Report: May 22, 2016

Sun, 22 May 2016 20:47:25 +0000

Position: 10º 53.172’ S 98º 31.272’ E
Standing, one foot on the weather deck and one foot in the cockpit, staring out over the bow and beyond, I am reminded of all the times in my youth when I stared over the deck of our Luders, out past Louds Island, to the deep water. I remember the sense of awe and fascination, the mystery of the ocean. I remember wondering what it would be like to cross one someday.

Position Report: May 19, 2016

Thu, 19 May 2016 00:03:21 +0000

Position: 7º 10.278’ S 101º 17.28’ E
When I hired Bob Perry to advise me on which boat to circumnavigate on, he hammered into me that “seakindly” was not a word, and that it was too ambiguous to be used in serious discussions about a sailing boat’s qualities. I accept the venerable man’s critique, but today, crossing our first segment of open Indian Ocean, with the wind crossing our bows at 12-15 knots I thought “to be close reaching in 15 knots in open ocean, and to say ‘I love sailing’ must be the definition of sea kindly.”

Position Report: May 18, 2016

Wed, 18 May 2016 01:57:19 +0000

Position: 5º 33.828’ S 102º 26.31’ E
Enggan pitstop successful. We had the anchor down just after sunrise. After breakfast and a 15 minute “power-nap” (power nothing, I promise) we were loading the dinghy for a shore trip.

We found the local business man, and arranged for diesel to be delivered, or maybe we would go pick it up, or maybe it would come in a hundred gallon sized plastic bags, details are hard to follow in a foreign language. 5 hours later we were loading up the dinghies with jerry cans and heading for distant shores.

Position Report: May 18, 2016

Wed, 18 May 2016 01:39:40 +0000

Position Report: May 17, 2016

Tue, 17 May 2016 01:01:02 +0000

Position: 4º 55.128’ S 101º 59.418’ E
We had a nice day of sailing today. Winds aft of the beam most of the day at about 10 knots meant less roll and less noise. Eventually, just as the GRIBs predicted, the fun was over, but we were pleasantly surprised that our misbehaving engine belt, behaved! We charged and made water while making great time. Tomorrow we will make a quick stop for fuel and then continue on to Cocos Keeling.

Position Report: May 16, 2016

Mon, 16 May 2016 02:50:51 +0000

Position: 3º 17.1’ S 100º 26.952’ E
We are underway!! We are heading towards Cocos Keeling, with a possible refueling stop on the way. It’s been a rolly start with a lot of motoring (which we expected). Unexpected was the new new belt that I installed in the final hours of our last passage, loosening up so much that our engine overheated again. It’s under control now, and we are wallowing along, hoping for wind!

Position Report: May 16, 2016

Mon, 16 May 2016 02:50:05 +0000

Position: 3º 30.09’ S 100º 47.148’ E
Last position was incorrect. This is our current position.

All is well.

Position Report: May 16, 2016

Mon, 16 May 2016 02:32:03 +0000

Position Report: May 15, 2016

Sun, 15 May 2016 23:48:16 +0000

Position: 3º 17.1’ S 100º 26.952’ E
Still waiting for wind. There is little to do but swim and catch rain water. We were visited today by a couple of local kids about the same age as Ruby. They spent hours jumping off Convivia with our kids. They left as the sun started setting. I could tell the kids were glad to have other kids their own age, even if they only shared a couple of words between them. We are thinking of leaving tomorrow, whether or not the weather cooperates.

Position Report: May 11, 2016

Wed, 11 May 2016 14:19:01 +0000

Position: 3º 17.1’ S 100º 26.952’ E
Moved anchorage this morning to a less rolly spot. This anchorage is closer to a little village as well.

At one point in the afternoon we were visited by a group of local kids in dugout canoes. One of them was leaking pretty seriously, but the kids were having fun bailing it, flipping it over, and bailing it again. Olive, little cruiser girl that she is, jumped right in and started trying to plug the holes. She started with paper towel, then a piece of rope. They used various items to shove the rope into the hole, and perhaps even had some success. These kids didn’t speak Bahasa Indonesia (some local language) so we didn’t even have the barest communication with them. Watching Olive help out fellow mariners filled my heart with pride.

Position Report: May 11, 2016

Wed, 11 May 2016 01:51:38 +0000

Position: 3º 17.1’ S 100º 26.952’ E
Moved anchorage this morning to a less rolly spot. This anchorage is closer to a little village as well.

Position Report: May 10, 2016

Tue, 10 May 2016 22:55:17 +0000

Position: 3º 9.69’ S 100º 25.62’ E
Arrived at our launching off point. Now we will wait for weather and try to find someone to sell us some diesel (in case it doesn’t come in time). We are anchored behind a spit of lightly vegetated sandbar in a horseshoe shaped cove. The break curls around the edges, menacingly, but where we sit the water is smooth and calm.

This should be a nice spot for the night, tomorrow we’ll likely find something with better shore access.

Position Report: May 10, 2016

Tue, 10 May 2016 17:47:23 +0000

Position: 2º 59.55’ S 100º 31.548’ E
On passage. Our first night out was a bit rough: engine overheated, alternator stopped working, VHF/AIS/Radar voltage drop (overheated). We did get the sails up for a few hours and that’s been pretty nice. I’ve managed to solve everything but the voltage drop and I think that’s immanently solvable. Landfall this afternoon. We will wait for weather for the big jump.

All is well.

Position Report: May 01, 2016

Sun, 01 May 2016 16:42:05 +0000

Position: 1º 12.918’ S 100º 24.09’ E
At Anchor for a couple of rest days. Waiting for wind to head W on.
All is well.

Position Report: April 25, 2016

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 01:11:36 +0000

Position: 1º 0.21’ S 100º 22.746’ E
Safe and sound in Padang after a lightning (& cake) filled passage. It will be an interesting challenge to find our way around, as this appears to be the commercial port.

We have five days until checkout though, so I’m sure it will be fine.

Tomorrow is Convivia’s sixth birthday.

All is well.

Position Report: April 22, 2016

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 02:34:48 +0000

Position: 0º 8.166’ S 98º 20.688’ E
Arrived at Sipikia under moonlit sky last night. Coming around an enormous surf break without light is pretty disconcerting, even when you’ve got satellite view, charts, and radar all corroborating that the reef is where it should be. It went smoothly though, and we had enough energy left to roast up a kilo of fresh coffee. Mmmmm.

Convivia and crew crossed the equator for the third time yesterday. We’re getting good at this.

Position Report: April 18, 2016

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 23:25:07 +0000

Position: 0º 34.44’ N 97º 44.064’ E
Arrived in Lagundri, amidst surfers and world class break. We ran out of fuel and had to sail in, which was a bit hairy, but I’m so grateful that we had the wind to do it.

S/v No Regrets was right behind us offering support. It’s so reassuring to have the comradery of fellow sailors out here.

We will probably crash out early tonight, having had basically no sleep in the last 24hrs.

Position Report: April 14, 2016

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 14:52:59 +0000

Position: 2º 10.332’ N 96º 38.94’ E
We arrived at Pulau Lasai this morning after an exciting night of dodging shrimp boats and lightning squalls.

This place is gorgeous. The kids rate is as their second favorite after Suwarrow. The water clarity is superb (50-100’), the snorkeling is reported to be excellent, and the island is deserted. We share the anchorage with “On Vera,” another US flagged boat from Alameda.

Position Report: April 13, 2016

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 02:39:12 +0000

Position: 2º 58.536’ N 95º 57.258’ E
We are just off Pulau Simelu now, but it’s too late to make landfall tonight. Beyond that, we heard of a lovely little island just south of here that we are eager to see. We should make it before midday tomorrow.

Today was spent mostly motoring. The kids signed up for my new Jr Watchkeeper Program and have racked up over ten sightings each. It’s great to see them excited about this. Olive is a pretty talented radar technician already.

Position Report: April 12, 2016

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 00:01:42 +0000

Position: 4º 59.034’ N 95º 11.418’ E
The anchorage was so rolly last night that we gave up on sleeping by 4:30am. This allowed us to make a early start and, with good wind, we were able to sail all day. The downside was that the swell continued well out to sea.

Lucky for us our first tack (about 30nm out) gave us a better attitude to the swell and we have had divine sailing ever since. We are breezing down the coast of Sumatra now, at around 3 knots (most of the day was 6ish) and thanking all that is good that we aren’t motoring.

Position Report: April 10, 2016

Sun, 10 Apr 2016 04:10:27 +0000

Position: 5º 29.616’ N 95º 13.542’ E
Mainland Sumatra is gorgeous folks. We opted to anchor tonight rather than make passage and it seems like the right choice. Sharing the anchorage with us are Zuleka, Salt Breaker, and Peregrine. It will be tough to pry ourselves away from the beach and promise of sightseeing. We’ll have to see how it goes.
All is well.