Opua, new zealand

Leaving fiji on sultano, heading to new Zealand

Niuatoputapu, Tonga

15°56'S, 173°44'W
Superbe traversee de Apia a Niuatoputapu. Bon vent, pas de houle, on a mis seulement 31 heures, on est parti dimanche matin et on est arrive lundi midi. Pas tout a fait, avec le changement d heure , on est arrive Mardi midi, seulement 24 heures de decalage!! et on a attrape un autre Tazard.

Kenavo

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Wahoo

jump

bora bora

bora bora

Force 8

Talofa

Sailed into Samoa last night, just after we caught a beautiful Wahoo! We are in real Marina!
People are super friendly and hospitable. We shared our fish with the secutity guards and they sneak me out of the marina to the clubs last night..We cleared quarentine this morming.

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Ici la terre

On appercois Samoa, et on devrais jetter l ancre ce soir

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Leaving Niue

Leaving Niue, heading North to Samoa, 250 miles...

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En mer

We left Rarotonga on Saturday to Aitutaki, unfortunatly the weather did not allow us to make a stop there so we are sailing to Niue, and we should get there in 3 days, and if we get some Easterly we will be able to stop there or we will have to push it to Tonga...

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Rarotonga

Kia orana

Arrived in Rarotonga yesterday, we had a good passage. I sighted one humpback whale only 150 feet from the boat!!!!The Maori are very friendly as usual but they speak english with a kiwi accent and drive on the wrong side of the road! We have definitly left french polynesia. I will miss my Hinano.

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Leaving French Polynesia

Emil and I, are leaving Bora Bora on s/v Shanti on saturday to go to
the Cooks, and we should make landfall on thursday , 620 miles later,
in raratonga.

Shanti

New boat

After one month boat sitting in Cook's bay in Moorea. I am now on a
new boat in Bora Bora, s/v Shanti, Catalina 42. With my new skipper,
we are planning to leave to the Cooks islands within a few days if
weather permits( and immigration!)
Then Tonga where I should meet with s/v Lardo to go to New Zealand.
L'aventure continue...

Sharks swiming along..

Attacked by a ray in Moorea!!!!

Boat sitting in Moorea

I jumped ship, left SSN and now I am boat sitting "Inca" in Cook's Bay in Moorea.
looking for another boat going West, although it is very tempting to stay in here.....

Toau, anse Amyot

15/06/11
15deg48'.22S, 146deg09'.57W

We spent a week in south Fakarava, at Tmakohua pass, where we went scuba diving. We dove at 30 meters, there was lots of grey reef sharks, white tip sharks, black tip sharks and nursing sharks. We also saw some manta rays, marble groupers, parrot fishes, lion fish, ... amazing!!!.
We sailed to Fakarava north, Rotoava where we stayed a couple of days and we saw Antoine's boat., and today we sailed to Toau. Just another beautiful atoll!!:)
Tomorrow morning we will go lobster fishing!!

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Fakarava, Tetamanu

06/06/11
16deg31'13"S, 145deg28'24W

we anchored at the south pass of fakarava, waiting for the end of marabu, strong winds from south east. We might be lucky to witness the spawning of groupers and see the frenzy shark attacks. We should stay there a few days before going to the north pass and then sail to Taou, supposed to be a beautiful anchorage and then we will leave the Tuamotu and the friendly poamotus for the society islands : ia orana Tahiti!

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(no subject)

11/05/11
18.10 heure de Tahiti
15deg10'S, 144deg54'W
COG 214 deg T
SOG 0.8 knot

On s'est a la cape courante sous foc a-contre, et On attends depuis 14.00, a 40 miles au large de Kauehi, on a pu se reposer, cuisiner une bolognese et se baigner.
On va se remettre en allure de grand largue vers 21.00, et devrais arriver vers 5.00 au nord de kauehi. Le passe Arikitamiro, au sud est, devrait etre praticable vers 11.30, et on devrais jeter l'ancre vers 14.00, a Tearavero.
!!

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En route

10/05/11
19.30 heure des Iles Marquises
13deg46'S, 144deg01'W
COG 208 deg T
SOG 6.2 knot

Demain, on verra notre premier atoll, puis apres demain on rentrera dans Kauehi.
Menu du dejeuner demain: poisson volant spaguetti puttanesca sauce

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Depart des iles marqises

09/05/11
18.30 heure des Iles Marquises
11deg42'S, 142deg22'W
COG 220 deg T
SOG 6.5 knot

Trop bon de retrouver le large, le temps est bon, seulement un grain aujourdhui. Pas mal de vent : 20 noeuds, 3 ris dans la grand voile, et 60 % genoi et tout de meme 6.5 noeuds , Pas de poisson, donc on a gouter du cassoulet william saurin. Mes co-equipier aiment bien, en y ajoutant du ketchep.........d'ailleurs je vais pas rester longtemps devant l'ordinateur, je ne suis pas encore trop amarine.
Kenavo

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Depart des iles marqises

08/05/11
19.00 heure des Iles Marquises
09deg52'S, 140deg50'W

After 3 weeks in the Marqueses, we have set sail to the Tuamotu, 500 miles, we should land in the atoll Kauehi on Thursday.

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Depart des iles Marquises

Demain on pars pour la baie de "Daniel" remplir nos reservoires d'eau une derniere fois avant la prochaine traversee pour atteindre l ' archipel des Tuamotu.

500 miles de navigation dans les alizes, 3-4 jours avant de trouver ces merveilleux atolls

Pour voire des photos allez sur le blog de Chet http://www.gybethejib.com/

Nuku-Hiva, Anaho Bay

04/26/11
08deg49'S, 140deg03'8W

After 9 days in Taiohae bay, with a full gaz tank, water and provision, we sailed to Anaho bay on the 24 th. Beautiful up-wind sail, with over 20 knots wind. The most beautiful bay we have set our anchor so far. Reef sharks, manta rays, and the only reef in the Marqueses islands. Yesterday we hiked to the ceremonial Cannibal sites, where we got eaten alive by mosquitos. We picked lots of Mangoes on the trail.

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Kaoa

Bien arrivés dans la baie de Taiohae.
Nous n'avons pas été acceuillis par de jolies polynesiennes convertes
de fleurs mais par des majorettes en bleu qui nous ont confisquer
notre reserve de biere et de tequila!!!!!!

Non, ils ont très sympas, et puis on avait besoin de faire du menage
et sortir les banquettes au soleil et a l'air.
Et ils n'ont pas pris notre Tequila

Check out the pictures of the crossing on Chet's blog

http://www.gybethejib.com

Nuku Hiva

Add caption

Day 23

15/04/11
03.45 GMT
POSITION 08deg 43'S, 139deg 35'W
vitesse: 5.1 noeuds/knots
direction: 205 deg
vent: 16 noeuds S
Swell/Houle 8 pieds S-E

Apres 23 jours en mer, on viens de voire la terre, Ua-Huka, a 18.26 heure du bateau, ( 00.23 UTC).
Ce matin on mis un troisieme ris dans la grand voile et 80 % Genois, et on fesait tout de meme 6.5 noeuds.
On a mange notre dernier repas en mer pour cette traversee, Bonito sauce tomate epicee avec capres et olives vertes, accompagne de semoule de couscous. Pas mal pour un 23 eme jours!
Il ya une heure on a change d'allure, on navigue pres serre, et ca chahute un peu plus, nos 5 dernier oeufs ont voles a travers le salon pour s'ecraser sur nos cires.
Dans 2 heures on sera sous le vent de Ua-Huka, puis on se mettra a la cape courante sous foc a-contre, et on attendra l'aurore pour aller a Nuku-Hiva et jeter l'ancre dans la baie de Taiohae.
Et c'est a ce moment que des polynesiennes vetues de quelques fleurs uniquement, nous acceuilleront glorieusement comme des demi-dieux qui ont sus dompter les vagues et le vent du Pacifique :)

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Day 22

14/04/11
03.52 GMT
POSITION 07deg 13'S, 137deg 31'W
vitesse: 6.7 noeuds/knots
direction: 221 deg
vent: 13 noeuds S
Swell/Houle 6 pieds S-E

Des dophins nous ont suivis pendant quelques temps, tacos au poisson pour le dejeuner, poisson au lait de coco et curry pour dinner..
et couche de soleil magnifique, bonne journee!

Pod of dolphins swimming along the boat, fish tacos for lunch, fish curry with coconut milk for dinner, with best view ever,

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Day 21

13/04/11
03.40 GMT
POSITION 05deg 39'S, 135deg 23'W
vitesse: 6.3 noeuds/knots
direction: 239 deg
vent: 12 noeuds S-E
Swell/Houle 5 pieds S-E

On vient juste d'attraper un Bonito, 10-15 kg, il va faire jusqu'a Nuku-Hiva!
il reste 339 miles...on pense arriver le 15.

Just got a huge Bonito, right before sunset. Nice!

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Day 20

12/04/11
02.47 GMT
POSITION 03deg 53'S, 133deg 15'W
vitesse: 7.3 noeuds/knots
direction: 233 deg
vent: 18 noeuds S-E
Swell/Houle 8 pieds S-E

On vole!

We are flying

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Day 19

11/04/11
01.43 GMT
POSITION 02deg 05'S, 131deg 39'W
vitesse: 5.3 noeuds/knots
direction: 216 deg
vent: 11 noeuds S-E
Swell/Houle 5 pieds N-E

On est sorti de la zone de convection! on a retrouve le vent, et on avance bien.
Et ce soir quesedilla au poulet.

Back in business, we are out of the doldrums, and hopefully they wont come back that south again, we got good wind, . we are in the south wind trades..less than 700 miles left, in 5 days ?

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Day 18

10/04/11
02.27 GMT
POSITION 00deg 14'S, 131deg 10'W
vitesse: 0 noeuds/knots
direction: deg
vent: 1 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 5 pieds N-E

AUjourd'hui, nous avons traverse l'equateur, nous l'avons passer a la nage a cote de "sudden stops" securise aux ecoutes du spinaker.
Puis nous avons eu notre ceremony d'initiation interrompue par une dizaine de baleines que l'on a laisse nous doubler.
Et nous avons jettes une bouteille de champagne a la mer, apres l'avoire bue et mis un message..

We all swum across the equator altogether , along "Sudden Stops" while secured with the spinnaker sheets. Still in the doldrums, waiting for the wind...
We had our ceremony for our first time crossing, interrupted by some whales surfacing in front of the boat, a good sign from Neptune ?
Even sighted a whale breaching...awesome
And we throw a bottle of champagne, after drinking it and putting a message in it..

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Day 17

09/04/11
02.47 GMT
POSITION 00deg 43'N, 130deg 06'W
vitesse: 5.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 237 deg
vent: 3 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds N-E

On avance, doucement, tout doucement.
On mis le cap un plus ouest, on devrais passer l'equateur d'ici 15-16 heures...

Beautiful, last night, on my watch, some clear patches of sky with shooting stars, and lightening in the far cloudy background...
will cross the equator soon ( hopefully) ready to pay our tribute to Neptune, only 43 miles south..

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Day 16

08/04/11
02.39 GMT
POSITION 02deg 02'N, 128deg 43'W
vitesse: 3 noeuds/knots
direction: 225 deg
vent: 5 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds N-E

Et quand le vent soufflera, nous..., mais quand il soufflera?
Ce soir, spaghetti putanesca! cuisinner a l'eau de mer, du pre-sale

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Day 15

07/04/11
03.23 GMT
POSITION 03deg 31'N, 128deg 14'W
vitesse: 5 noeuds/knots
direction: 189 deg
vent: 3 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 3 pieds

Pas de vent! Le moteur tourne, encore quelques heures avant de sortir des dolldrums. Beaucoup de pluies aujourd'hui, un peu de frais..
Et une douche gratuite.
on passe l'equateur dans 24 heures...
On se prepare pour Neptune

Dodging squalls today, almost out of the dolldrums, will cross the equator in 24 hours..

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Day 14

05/04/11
23.56 GMT
POSITION 05deg 45'N, 128deg 21'W
vitesse: 4.9 noeuds/knots
direction: 180 deg
vent: 7 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 1 pieds

Cap Sud!!, 350 miles de l'equateur, dans 3 jours. Mais pour l instant, je vais aller cuisiner le mahi-mahi alla piccata!
Ciao

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Day 13

05/04/11
01.11 GMT
POSITION 07deg 33'N, 128deg 02'W
vitesse: 4.8 noeuds/knots
direction: 215 deg
vent: 8 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds

Un MAhi-mahi de plus !!, tranquilement, on rattrappe les bateaux partis la semaine avant nous. Ils semblent etre tous en panne de vent a l'equateur. La zone de convergence est plus large que prevu..

Catching up with the rest of the fleet that left early, they are in the dolldrums by the equator, it is wider than expected and they are saving on gas.

Kenavo

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Day 12

04/04/11
01.18 GMT
POSITION 08deg 04'N, 126deg 28'W
vitesse: 4.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 275 deg
vent: 3 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds

Depuis hier soir, malgres nous, nous sommes dans le pot au noir, pas de vent, pas de vague, peu de houle. Surpris de le trouve a cette lattitude et longitude...Dans la nuit on a mis le moteur en route pour 6 heures. Yeah, batteries rechargees!
Donc belle journee de voile, on a mis le spinnaker asymmetrique, un peu de repos, bronzage integral sur le pont. Et du rangement, pouvoir rester dans la cabine sans se cogner partout

We are in the dolldrums, no much wind since yesterday. Surprided to be in it at such a hight lattitude despite the forecast. Engine on at night, spinnaker asymmetric during the day..
Nice to be able to walk in cabine and clean up, without bouncing against the walls.
Even time to work on my full tan...

wish you Fair winds and calm seas

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Day 11

03/04/11
02.00 GMT
POSITION 08deg 55'N, 125deg 05'W
vitesse: 7.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 266 deg
vent: 18 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds

Apres 2 jours de navigation direction Sud , babord amures, On a refait un empannage direction Ouest, toujours en allures portantes, au grand largue.
C'est un peu plus confortable...
On se rapproche du pot au noir, peut etre 200 miles, mais on veut rester au Nord de celui-ci jusqu'a 128 deg W
Puis dans 3 a 5 jours, un autre empannage, on devrais le traverser, puis l'equateur..
Dans moins 4 heures on aura fait la moitier! A vol d'oiseau :1,334 miles de puerto vallarta, et 1,399 miles de Nuku-Hiva.

We gibed today, back on westerly course, looking for the right window to cross the ETCZ, the dolldrums, probably between 128 to 130 deg W, .
Looking out for squalls,

wish you Fair winds and calm seas

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Day 10

01/04/11
00.13 GMT
POSITION 10deg 44'N, 124deg 27'W
vitesse: 5.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 210 deg
vent: 12 noeuds N-E
Swell/Houle 4 pieds

On s'est prepare pour mettre la voile asymmetrique.... et puis non, too much!
On a attrape un autre Mahi-Mahi, un male pour la premiere fois!

We got ready to put the asymmetric up, but did not. maybe tomorrow..
We got a male Mahi-Mahi......Glenda took care of it!

wish you Fair winds and calm seas

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Day 9

31/03/11
01.12 GMT
POSITION 12deg 50'N, 123deg 52'W
vitesse: 6.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 200 deg
vent: 10-15 noeuds N-E
Houle 8 pieds

Pour la premiere fois en 9 jours et apres 1,200 mileson a change de cap, On a tourne dans le vent, direction Sud,

After 9 days, and 1,200 miles we finally made a gibe, going south....

wish you Fair winds and calm seas

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Day 8

30/03/11
01.29 GMT
POSITION 13deg 23'N, 121deg 33'W
vitesse: 6.5 to 7.4 noeuds/knots
direction: 240 deg
vent: 22-25 noeuds N-E
Houle 8 pieds

Frigo plein de piosson, aujourdhui, bonne peche : deux Dorados ( Mahi-Mahi),

quite windy today, put 3 reefs in the main to slow down, but still doing 7 knots
wind wave and swell, a little uncomfortable....

wish you Fair winds and calm seas

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Day 7

29/03/11
00.21 GMT
POSITION 13deg 57'N, 119deg 04'W
vitesse: 6.5 noeuds/knots
direction: 240 deg
vent: 15-18 noeuds N-E
Houle 5 pieds

Bleue, bleue, bleue

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Day 6

28/03/11
01.57 GMT
POSITION 14deg 34'N, 116deg 52.785'W
vitesse: 6 noeuds/knots
direction: 240 deg
vent: 10-15 noeuds N-E
Houle 5 pieds

a la tombee de la nuit, on a peche trois bonitos ( Sarda Sarda), et ce matin un autre bonito.
Tacos au poisson, poison curry, ....
Et demain on va prendre une douche!super excites

The ocean has been very kind and giving

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Day 5

28/03/11
00.57 GMT
POSITION 15deg 31.276'N, 114deg 32.394'W
vitesse: 5.8 noeuds/knots
direction: 231 deg
vent: 10-15 noeuds N-E

Third day day in a row that we are attacked by sea birds, one flew into our wind generator, while Glenda was trying to scare them with the fog horn and strobe light,
better than sharks i guess
, lol

Un groupe de dauphin nous a suivis pendant quelque temps, et quelques poissons volents ont aussi atteris sur le pont du bateau avec quelques calamars

L'ocean est magnifique

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Day 4

27/03/11
00.11 GMT
POSITION 16deg 44.534N, 112deg 28.677'W
vitesse: 7 noeuds/knots
direction: 220 deg
vent: 10-15 noeuds N-E

Yesterday, we got a second sea bird, that we released, but they came back with a revenge..
Had a quiet night watch except for the sea birds that attacked our Tri-color light and messed around with our wind indicator.

We have reached the trade winds a few hours ago,
and we have catch our first fish: a nice yellow tail tuna, sashimi and tacos for lunch.

Every body got their sea legs by now and we are enjoying the beautiful weather..

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Day 2, 46.30 heures

25/03/11
17.30 GMT
POSITION 18.56'N, 109.5'W
vitesse 5.9 noeuds
direction: 220 deg
Houle de cote
Pas de poisson, mais une muette que l 'on a relacher( elle ne riait pas).

Kenavo

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Day 1, 23.30 heures

18.30 GMT
POSITION 20.06'N, 107.50'W
tout va bien
mal a l estomac
ciao

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Today is the day!

Setting sail  to French Polynesia, next stop in 3 weeks Nuku-Hiva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glenda thinks I am a bad boy..

I guess I must be after reading "Bad Boy" the book

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L'anniversaire de Glenda, en Ireland? En Jamaique? ou au Mexique? 03/03/11

Cleaning the Dorado at sea, then got seasick :(

Caught a Dorado with a cedar plug between Barra de Navidad and Puerto Vallarta

"The secret anckorage"! as seen on the cruising guide!

Mackerel

Mackerel

Mackerel

Cero (Mackerel)

Back in Bahia de navidad

Las Hanas Hotel

Going grocery shopping

Las Hanas Hotel

Las Hanas Hotel

Are we in the Mediterranean sea or on the Pacific coast of Mexico?

Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad

Bahia da Navidad

Barra de Navidad

Bahia Tenacatita

Last shake down before the Coconut Milk Run

Going to sail the "Gold Coast of Mexico" for 3 weeks, before we set
sail to French Polynesia

Goood Morning Chamela

Bahía Chamela

Nice view from the Gold Gym

Chet using his one free day pass at The Gold Gym at Yelapa

Arriving in Yelapa

Leaving Puerto Vallarta with a new crew Glenda

First time up the mast

I had been talking about trying to go up the mast. Well I had to go up check a damaged spreader and measure it. But how did i end up up there?

A dive bar in Guadalajara

Posada de Barrancas

Posada de Barrancas

Posada de Barrancas

Posada de Barrancas

El Treno

Pacifying with pacificos on the pacifique

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Punta di Mita

Plongeon à Yelapa

Snorkling at Isla Larga

New helmwoman

Marina Paradise

Cleaning the boat