Pacific Bliss - Passage to Penhryn

Passage to Penhryn

Pacific Bliss

Colin Price

Thu 28 Jun 2012 21:34

Passage to Penhryn

Ripping Sail for the first 24 hrs resulting in the children feel particularly under par which in turn helps them express there loathing of sailing. By day two the wind has abaited and the kids are happy, only it's impossible now to achieve Colins always optimistic sail plan of 3 days to do the 500+ miles we have to go.

We're always void of guilt when it comes to the children and their time at sea. They're entertained from dawn to dusk and this time without the aid of the one eyed babysitter, our entertainment computer is no longer charging. So it's extra work for us and they really rather love it.

Puppet show

listening to the sea?!

We're back in the land of consuming only fish which is great, now all firmly in the camp of love Bonito, having bought a 8 kilo monster for £8 in Maupiti we're still trying to eat our way through it. Add a little bit of bacon, some Pastis, Capers, Cream or Tomato and there's no complaints.

We've also managed to twist the kids arms far enough, so there eager to do school whilst we're a sea that way there allowed the rest of the week off when we get to Penhryn. Colin takes this on, and each day it's a school marathon amazingly without any mutinys.

Colin prizes his birthday present out of me in the shape of a couple of killer lures, selected for him by an wonderful old professional Fisherman back in a tackle shop in Pap's. They seem to be doing the job within an hour of trolling them we managed to lost 2 fish. Sadly the monster new lure was quickly lost after the beast on the end gave the line a big old tug and poped the 'line brace'.

lovely sunsets on the way

We finally hooked and kept a monster Bonito which fed us for the remainder of the passage. The New Lure just kept coming up trumps and before the day was out we'd put 3 fish back, all because each one was a flipping Bonito.

Fishing is a priority, so

Skipjack or bonito keep coming

On our final day we went for gold and had a fishing Bonanza. Finally having reeled in seven we let Colin go to bed and the lure stayed out of the water.

fish and more fish

and it kept on coming

With light wind the passage continued to drag another day and then another. Just when we where resigned to another night bobbing outside the atoll awaiting day light the wind picks up and our final 2 hours leaves up ripping towards the pass at 10Kn. Perhaps a little kamakase, Colin decides to go for it and we enter the atoll in bad light and strong winds. Gone are the wonderful French channel markers it's now up to us to weave our way through a tight path of barely marked coral heads.

Luckily, very luckily, we find a spot and the anchor hold first time in the mine field of Coral just off the village of Omoka - Zinnia (flag officer) hoists the Q flag and leave it untill the next day to clear customs. It's blowing a hooley and we're on the wrong side of the attol so there's loads of chop, not exactly what you want after a 5 day passage. Our rather wonderful welcome party comes in the form of a Massive Manta Ray so we're all instantly feeling at home.

clearing customs, health and quarantine