02:50.377S 091:52.212W - Voyaging across the South Pacific
Irene IV - World Adventure
Louis Goor
Fri 18 Mar 2022 11:33
Just before a long passage life is busy - correction - just before a long
passage life is manic!
All systems aboard must be checked and tested, and adjustments made.
Invariably, there is a broken something or other and all else is put aside
while that is fixed. Safety briefings and new crew boat familiarization take
time, paperwork for the next port of call is endless, laundry and cleaning
are a constant and so on.
The passage from the Galapagos to the Marquesas is about 3,300 miles. We are
expecting to be at sea for about 21 days. Needless to say, there are no
supermarkets or take away delivery services while at sea, so provisioning is
a daunting task. We are fortunate to have 3 fridges and 2 freezers onboard
Irene IV. Boat fridges and freezers do not work like home ones, they are
much less efficient and have very definite colder spots, which wilt greenery
mercilessly. Careful placement is essential. For this passage in the South
Pacific, we decided to go with a provisioning service. The service provides
a lengthy list of possibilities with space for special requests. OMG! The
amounts provided on the list were hard to decipher and boy did I get some of
them decidedly wrong!
Two days before departure, the coolers, boxes, bags, and crates arrived.
Without a sideways glance, the new crew, John Hunter Holmes (returned after
putting his father to rest), Enda Cullinan, and Nick Jarman, set to lifting,
carrying, packing and all things necessary for a successful provisioning
party. There is no fear of starvation when the mound of fresh food piled on
the saloon table is displayed, but a concern for expanding waistlines in an
effort to consume the copious amounts of tucker before it rots. Cold drinks
are suspended for the time being until fridge space allows. All provisions
were delivered with the minimum of plastic packaging, which made us happy.
The saloon has netting hanging from the ceiling for green bananas and
plantains. The shady, cool floor under the forward end of the saloon table
is our root cellar.
We are now happily on our way, in the company of a few other OWR fleet
yachts, content, bursting with blissful memories of our days spend in the
Galapagos. We visited white coral sand beaches, home to countless sealions,
blue footed boobies and marine iguanas, lush highlands with lumbering land
tortoises and delightful Darwin finches going about their daily business and
swam in the company of rays and sea turtles.
Every day at 0900 and 1800, the fleet meets on a broadcast radio net. Each
boat is equipped with an SSB (single side band) radio, which has a vast
range (1,000 miles and more), unlike a VHF (very high frequency) radio which
has a range of about 15-20 miles. The rally organizers asked for volunteers
to act as net controller for each leg of the trip. Louis volunteered Irene
IV for this long leg! At 0845 preparations for the day's performance begin.
At 0900 sharp we start with 2 minutes for emergency reports, thankfully
there have been none thus far, followed by roll call for all 23 boats, when
they call out their latitude and longitude and report any interesting news,
fish caught, wind conditions, birthdays etc. Today, being St. Patrick's Day,
started with a greeting in Irish (Gaelic) by Louis, coached by Enda, and a
tune on the fiddle by Sabine. Nick, dressed in green, recorded all the news
and Rob, giggling in the background, wore his English Rugby t shirt! The
performance was a resounding success!
We are currently motor sailing through the last of the Doldrums, looking for
those promised south easterly trade winds. Fuel must be conserved; we have a
long way to go. A speed of 6 knots should be maintained to get us to Nuku
Hiva in 21 days. Life is settling into the rhythm of a passage, each of us
with a job to do, all fitting together like the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.
Just before a long passage life is busy - correction - just before a long
passage life is manic!
All systems aboard must be checked and tested, and adjustments made.
Invariably, there is a broken something or other and all else is put aside
while that is fixed. Safety briefings and new crew boat familiarization take
time, paperwork for the next port of call is endless, laundry and cleaning
are a constant and so on.
The passage from the Galapagos to the Marquesas is about 3,300 miles. We are
expecting to be at sea for about 21 days. Needless to say, there are no
supermarkets or take away delivery services while at sea, so provisioning is
a daunting task. We are fortunate to have 3 fridges and 2 freezers onboard
Irene IV. Boat fridges and freezers do not work like home ones, they are
much less efficient and have very definite colder spots, which wilt greenery
mercilessly. Careful placement is essential. For this passage in the South
Pacific, we decided to go with a provisioning service. The service provides
a lengthy list of possibilities with space for special requests. OMG! The
amounts provided on the list were hard to decipher and boy did I get some of
them decidedly wrong!
Two days before departure, the coolers, boxes, bags, and crates arrived.
Without a sideways glance, the new crew, John Hunter Holmes (returned after
putting his father to rest), Enda Cullinan, and Nick Jarman, set to lifting,
carrying, packing and all things necessary for a successful provisioning
party. There is no fear of starvation when the mound of fresh food piled on
the saloon table is displayed, but a concern for expanding waistlines in an
effort to consume the copious amounts of tucker before it rots. Cold drinks
are suspended for the time being until fridge space allows. All provisions
were delivered with the minimum of plastic packaging, which made us happy.
The saloon has netting hanging from the ceiling for green bananas and
plantains. The shady, cool floor under the forward end of the saloon table
is our root cellar.
We are now happily on our way, in the company of a few other OWR fleet
yachts, content, bursting with blissful memories of our days spend in the
Galapagos. We visited white coral sand beaches, home to countless sealions,
blue footed boobies and marine iguanas, lush highlands with lumbering land
tortoises and delightful Darwin finches going about their daily business and
swam in the company of rays and sea turtles.
Every day at 0900 and 1800, the fleet meets on a broadcast radio net. Each
boat is equipped with an SSB (single side band) radio, which has a vast
range (1,000 miles and more), unlike a VHF (very high frequency) radio which
has a range of about 15-20 miles. The rally organizers asked for volunteers
to act as net controller for each leg of the trip. Louis volunteered Irene
IV for this long leg! At 0845 preparations for the day's performance begin.
At 0900 sharp we start with 2 minutes for emergency reports, thankfully
there have been none thus far, followed by roll call for all 23 boats, when
they call out their latitude and longitude and report any interesting news,
fish caught, wind conditions, birthdays etc. Today, being St. Patrick's Day,
started with a greeting in Irish (Gaelic) by Louis, coached by Enda, and a
tune on the fiddle by Sabine. Nick, dressed in green, recorded all the news
and Rob, giggling in the background, wore his English Rugby t shirt! The
performance was a resounding success!
We are currently motor sailing through the last of the Doldrums, looking for
those promised south easterly trade winds. Fuel must be conserved; we have a
long way to go. A speed of 6 knots should be maintained to get us to Nuku
Hiva in 21 days. Life is settling into the rhythm of a passage, each of us
with a job to do, all fitting together like the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.