Thursday, November 21. 2013
Friday, 2013-11-22 00:00, 31:35.473S 175:29.570E, COG 200, SOG 7.5kn, Wind 20kn SE
Another twelve hours in the tumbling program of the South Pacific washing machine. The cockpit-fillers that are coming over today have a special quality. The first ones ever to defeat the concerted efforts of the spray-hood and closed companionway-slider. They overwhelmed the drainage system and dumped a bucket of water downstairs. Two hours after I mopped it up another bucket full of saltwater came to say hello. And just now another one. I have to sit on the floor and wedge myself with my legs between the furniture to avoid being thrown around while cleaning it up. And just to remind us who's boss one wave lifted the whole boat out of the water and it slammed down with a fearsome bang. That was just after another wave accelerated us to 12kn for a few seconds. Funny thing is, the waves aren't even big, mostly 2m with the odd one at 3m. But they are steep and fast and maybe a little angry about something.
Meanwhile Rob's gone catatonic in his bunk and leaves it only to pee. He now wishes for the wind not to calm down so that it's all over sooner. He wears a sweater and hat even inside because it got noticeably cooler - 15C water temperature = room temperature. Quite a shock from the balmy 30C in Fiji only a few days ago. No more jumping around on deck in undies and a light rain jacket, now we're wearing proper foul weather gear and thermals underneath.
At ten tonight the clouds suddenly disappeared and all the stars came out. All of them, even the ones that are on day-light duty on the other side of the world. Or so it appears, it's so many of them. I can't get enough of that sight. But now most are gone again because the (recently full) moon came around the horizon and scared them away. It's super bright in that eerie light and we're bumping and bucking towards New Zealand.
220nm to go
Thursday, 2013-11-21, 11:45, 30:13.385S 176:03.840E, COG 200, SOG 7.5, Wind 25kn ESE
Yesterday afternoon was as expected overcast and rainy but relatively calm. Rob cut up a pumpkin and I made pumpkin soup in the pressure cooker - 1/2 pumpkin, 2 little onions, 2 grated carrots, chicken stock, pepper, nutmeg. Cook for 20 minutes then stick the hand blender in. Delicious boat food, especially on a rainy day.
After 3pm the wind dropped to 10kn and came from NE, and with us going SSW it came almost from behind. I took this as a sign that we were entering the NE quadrant of the low and that it's time for the Parasailor to shine (the Parasailor is a symmetrical spinnaker with a horizontal gap through the middle and a dynamic pressure wing like a kite attached to the front. Doesn't need a pole and I've used it from 5kn to 40kn of wind). Together Rob and I prepared the lines and dropped the main, and while Rob furled in the Genoa in I hauled up the Parasailor up and out of it's sock. Great team. Then we sat in the cockpit for a while, watched a giant flock of seabirds take off from the sea, and discussed the weather and our further tactics. Suddenly the wind shifted back to E and increased to 20kn. Same grey overcast sky, no idea where that came from. And while we adjusted the trim of the Parasailor the whole thing basically exploded in mid-air. End of life after 3yrs and about 7000nm.
It took a while to drag all the trailing pieces bag on board and stuff everything into the bag. By then the wind had increased to 30kn and the sea was getting rougher. I was just sitting at the tiller and wanted to turn the boat closer to the wind to set the mainsail again when a massive wave hit the bow, reached up to the spreaders, and then came crashing down on me. After we stopped laughing we decided to leave the mainsail down and just go with the genoa for the night. We don't really need a main to go fast downwind in 30kn, it just rolls a bit more without it.
And it rolled a lot. The wind came up to 38kn and turned further South. We were glad that we had made some way to the east over the last days and could sail SW for a while, but it was still the most uncomfortable night so far. Every 20min a massive wave crashed into the boat and filled the cockpit with foamy water, but we stayed below and only poked our heads out to have a look around. Nothing to see though.
Today the wind's down to about 20kn again and we pulled up the main sail. Despite the mugging about with the Parasailor we made another 160nm in the last 24hrs and it actually looks like we can ride this low all the way into Opua, which means we would arrive Saturday. But then I totally expect everything to change overnight and that we're going to be flopping about in little wind Friday, in which case we might arrive on Sunday.
312nm to go to Opua
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Tuesday, November 19. 2013
Wednesday, 2013-11-20, 11:30, 27:35.155S 177:07.342E, COG 187, SOG 7.0, Wind 15kn NE
All through yesterday afternoon the sea was nice and we were gently gliding along at 7kn in 15kn of Wind – wonderful. For six hours we felt that all the trouble was worthwhile. We even cooked a proper dinner in the pressure cooker – potatoes, carrots, onions, kumara, eggplant, garlic, chicken stock, nutmeg, pepper, a little salt and two cups of water. My favourite. It was a little tricky with the broken oven gimbal but I wedged the oven into it's nook and tied it down with a rope. The boat smelled delicious of steaming vegetables and then we ate and traded stories.
Of course during the night the wind increased to 25kn and it got bumpy again, but fortunately no thunderstorms anymore. I put the 2nd reef into the main but we were still going at 8-9kn, and so this morning we passed the half-way point after 3 1/2 days. Nice going, another 172nm in the last 24hrs. It got colder too, only 24C. Time to break out the merino underwear .
Now that Rob's got a taste of how nice it can actually be he says he doesn't mind if it takes a little longer when it means that he's not thrown around so much or gets a wave in his face every time he steps into the cockpit. Well, looks like he's in luck: Judging from the way the wind turns north it seems that low coming form the west is slightly ahead and south of us, where I wanted it to be. Which means we should soon get some light northerlies for a while. Perfect Parasailor weather.
Other than a few birds that circle the mast now and then we haven't seen anything since we passed a rusty Chinese fishing boat on Sunday. Not even a squeak from the radar detector or the AIS signal of another vessel. I kind of like that, the less there is out here the less likely we're going to run into something.
I'm expecting a quiet afternoon, although overcast and a little rainy. When the wind shifts another 20 degrees north I'm going to take the sails down and fly the parasailor. Rob always wants to know how much longer until we get to Opua, but it's really hard to tell at the moment. With dropping winds it's unlikely that it's only another 3 1/2 days. More likely 4-5 days.
477nm to go to Opua.
Monday, November 18. 2013
Tuesday, 2013-11-19, 11:30, 24:41.041S 177:17.244E, COG 182, SOG 7.5kn Wind 15kn E
Today's my Mum's birthday. Happy birthday Mum! I love you. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do stuff like this.
It's also a beautiful day today. Yesterday and last night were quite rough, with 25kn of wind on the nose and lots of water washing over the deck. Every few minutes a wave would slam into the front of the boat with a mighty bang, and we stayed horizontal as much as possible to avoid being thrown around. But we made 175nm in the last 24 hours and upwind that is quite an achievement for a 39ft boat of 32 years. Double reefed main and genoa.
Today the wind is down to 15kn coming more from the east and that makes for a much gentler ride. We're still doing 7-8kn but the occasional big wave slows us down to 6kn, and with less wind it takes a while to gather speed again. Sometimes too long and then next wave slows us down again.
Food wise we're still relying on an oat bar and some fruit. Today it's water melon. We don't have much appetite, but also the boat rolls still too much to think about cooking. And it's hot without a gas burner. But I expect it to get calmer over the next two days (and colder) as a low moves in from the west and I'm very much looking forward to a decent meal. I'm only worried that my stomach's shrunk already and I can't eat anything, now wouldn't that be a shame.
650nm to go, which means that tomorrow we should reach the half-way point, after four days. If we manage to sneak in front of that low from the west then we can make it in another four, but if not we'll be caught with less wind and it'll take longer. But will also be more comfy. We'll see, out here you get what you get and make the best out of it.
Sunday, November 17. 2013
Monday, 2013-11-18, 11:30, 21:47.804S 177:29.830E, COG 185, SOG 7.5kn, Wind 17kn SE
Not much happening on the boat except for hiding from the sun and spray, feeling more or less sick, and thinking a lot. We both miss our wives and Rob vowed never again to be further than 3ft away from Rach. Very cute. There are a lot of thoughts going through my head about the blog entry when I'm lying in my bunk, when when I sit down to write the blog my mind's all blank. Which is partly because the boat is moving so much that it already takes some effort just to sit. Good news is that we finally managed to keep some food down – a muesli bar and a bit of pineapple. Yay! But we're making good speed and course, which is definitely a plus.
Our general tactic is to keep a little east of our target so we have some room to manoeuvre in squalls, or can take a gentler westerly course when the wind turns South. Which will happen eventually, the question is only when and where we'll be at the time, hopefully past Cape Reinga. So we're sailing close-hauled at 30-60 degrees apparent wind and that means a lot of heel, a lot of water coming over, and a lot of movement.
Last night the usual thunderstorms popped up and with no apparent gap to run through and the whole system stretching far across the horizon we hadn't much of a choice but to go for it. The first was quite tame, 30kn and only a little lightning, but it forced us on a SW heading for an hour before we could turn back S. But the second thunderstorm was already waiting for us with 40kn of wind and heavy rain and we took down the mainsail and hid inside for two hours. Not very pleasant, we hope that there'll be less as the water cooles, it's only 24C already.
Saturday, November 16. 2013
Fiji to NZ - First day at sea
Sunday, 2013-11-17, 11:33, 19:20.430S 177:28.925E, COG 170, SOG 6km, Wind 10kn E
We left Vuda Point Marina at half past four yesterday and in the 0hrs since then travelled 100nm south. The start was very slow with 6kn of wind from the North, but once we had left Fiji behind and approached a big wall of thunderstorms the wind moved to East and freshened to 15kn. Ideal conditions - if it wasn't for the head swell and lightning. One after the other first I then Rob puked our half digested sausage rolls over board.
We got through the thunderstorms all right without being hit, but it didn't feel good. Now the weather is quite nice, the swells are longer and less steep, and we're making good speed. The boat moves still a bit and there's occasional throwing up but it feels like we're settling in slowly.
Interestingly the water temperature dropped already from 30C in Fiji to 27.2C, and we can slowly see it dropping. I think it's about 16C now in New Zealand, so a drop of 1-2C every day is expected.
Damages: The gimbal of the oven is broken, and the oven is hanging limply in it's box. So not sure if we can actually cook something. But at the moment we both don't feel like eating anything for the rest of our lives . Rest of the boat seems to be ok.
Friday, November 15. 2013
We've checked out, and everything is put away. Ready to go.
I'll try to post a blog entry at noon every day, but no worries if that doesn't happen. It probably means that the Satphone broke or whatever. We're looking at a few pretty nice days ahead of us until that low coming from Australia crosses our path. Then we're looking at some very fast and windy days.
You can reach us at iridium@gudrunv.com, but we probably won't be very good at responding.
Go go go!
Axel & Rob
Last night Tony from Ragin' Cajun accompanied the Reggae Band at the sunset bar and that was extremely popular with everybody. As Rob has been spreading the word all week - including at the nearby First Landing Resort - heaps of people turned up and we had a fantastic time. What a great way to spend the last night in Fiji. Because ... fanfares ... today we're leaving.
Tony and the Reggae Band
Hanging up my (Dwarf8) flag in the sunset bar
There are another eight items or so on the to-do list, but it's getting smaller and the items less important. And it's another few hours until twelve when the officials come to check us out. And then we're off. Weather is looking pretty neat at the moment, 15-20kn from the east. That is right there in the "sailing south very fast" category, awesome. Some time next week a low from the west will catch up with us, and then we'll have to turn a easterly so we don't run into the following southerlies. Tactics bla bla, it's going to be all right. Gudrun sails very well on all points of sail, it's just a matter of how comfortable we'll be while doing it.
Working on the wind vane
Fiji - the country where officals take care of your baby while you do the paperwork.
Thanks to an epic effort by Baobab Marine and Rob over the last two days we could launch yesterday. The rudder is back in, cutless bearing replaced, winches cleaned, engine serviced, water tanks filled, bilge-pump repaired etc. After the splash we started to fasten the main-sail and during preparations discovered a few nests inside the boom. Took over two hours to get all the crap out again, crazy. But now the mainsail's on and Gudrun looks almost ready to go.
A few things are left to do though:
- climb the mast and check the terminals
- fasten genua
- fasten staysail - looking at the weather forecast we'll need it
- attach wind-vane
- replace some sheets and a halyard
- replace water filters (paper and charcoal)
- stow kayak and solar panel
- tie down life raft on deck
- shop for food
- fill fuel canisters (we have 60l in the tank and take 2x20l in jerry cans)
- check out
Gudrun in the lift
Approaching the slip
Back in the water!
It will be a busy today, but if all goes well we can leave tomorrow (Friday) morning. Which would be great because the weather's looking quite nice. The extended highs that have been sitting over New Zealand the last weeks have brought no wind or southerlies and have been very frustrating for everybody who's left so far. Rita and Ulli from SY Anni-Nad are now 14 days into their trip and have probably two more to go.
But it's changing now, new lows are forming east and west and the high's are moving up and east, and the wind's shifting to east/south-east and should be relatively stable for a few days. Only the waves are still from the south - pretty much head on. With a height of 2-3m we can expect a very bumpy ride. And not the fastest either, so I'm planning with 6kn average which would mean 7 1/2 days. I'd rather add a day to the trip and have it more comfy than blast through and arrive exhausted and with damage to the boat. I haven't consulted with my crew Rob on that but I think he'll agree.
Forecast calculation for next week.
Fiji sunset
Reports from Fiji - Work on the boat
After the boat was moved to the hard stand I could discuss the work with the guys from Baobab Marine: Welding, sanding, painting, cutless bearing replacement, customizing the tiller, new companion-way boards out of lexan and a few other things.
Welding on the keel
More welding and sanding
While the welders worked on the keel I took apart the boat on the inside and inspected every nook and cranny for bugs and wrongs, so that it can be dealt with while the boat was on the hard. I didn't find any bugs, but a cracked frame that had to be welded and some electrolysis spots on the outside hull which had to be welded as well. Also in order to take the cutless bearing out the rudder had to be removed as well as the prop shaft.
Rudder being taken out]
.... and transported away for cleaning of the shaft.
Half-way through the second week Liz arrived and we had a few woderful days together. Fiji really is a lovely place. Very pretty, very friendly, and not too muggy.
Liz in the hammock
Fiji beach
Then Liz left and Rob arrived - my crew. Rob's my neighbor from Auckland and became a good friend who used to do a lot of dinghy sailing when he was young. When he mentioned that he always dreamed of sailing a passage I invited him to join me. Now we're working on the boat together and play board games in the evening (Lord Of The Rings - The Confrontation). And together we observed as eight guys fought hard for over an hour to get a 100kg pig into a little launch.
Big pig in a little boat
Rob and Gudrun. Thanks for the help, buddy.
Reports from Fiji - aerial photography
I had brought my quadcopter (a SteadiDrone QU4D) with me to take some aerial photos.
First Landing Resport
Vuda Point Marina
That went very well at first, but then the wind picked up to 25kn or more while the drone was up, and it got blown out over the reef. I tried to fly it back home but it was already 500m out and I couldn't really see it anymore. Then the telemetry link failed and with no way to tell it's position and orientation I send it up before flipping the "return to base" switch.
The drone slowly fought it's way back to Uli and me, but when I took over control again trying to land it it got turned around and blown out to sea - again. The camera hanging on the gimbal below the drone acts like a wind-vane and is a liability in these conditions. Impossible to fly by hand. Again I flipped the "return to base" switch, but this time the battery ran out and the drone crashed into the sea. "Noooooo" cries followed from the Marina Restaurant, where a crowd had gathered to watch the flight.
Fortunately the drone fell onto the reef, and the tide was almost out, about 20-40cm of water left. So I grabbed my kayak, paddled over, and began searching, helped by two other guys. 30 minutes later we found the drone and I took it back to the hotel room at First Landing Resort next to the marina to take it apart, clean it, dry it, and treat it with CRC 2-26, an insulating anti-corrosion spray (like Corrosion-X). Don't try this with WD-40 or the like, first of all it'll eat some of the plastics, and second it's conductive and that's not good for a microcontroller board.
Four days later - looks like flight controller and radio etc is still functional. I connected it to battery power and then the computer and everything is recognized and blinks and beeps nicely. But the battery that went down and the speed controller for the brushless motors are toast. I ordered a new speed controller ($37), which has arrived in the meantime but it requires some soldering and I haven't gotten around to do that yet. Maybe today.
Starting the drone (thanks Uli Pusch for the photo)
Rinsing the drone
Taking the drone apart
Parts treated with anti-corrosive spray and put away.
Vuda Point Marina boatyard
Reports from Fiji - transition to the hard-stand area
The first days after I got back on the boat I was busy cleaning and organising transition to the hard-stand so that work on the keel could begin. The hard-stand area (and all stilts) were occupied by boats getting ready to leave, and although Monday was promised it took until Wednesday until it finally happened. No surprise there.
But I was quite surprised that I met so many people/boats that I knew already. I had thought they had all sailed on, but many had spent the southern winter in Fiji or the surrounding island nations and were now getting ready to sail either down to New Zealand (again), or onwards to Australia, or cross the equator and head for the Marshall Islands. Many evenings (and some afternoons) where spent catching up with old friends - or making new ones. While sailing across the oceans can be quite lonely, when in port, sailors are extremely social.
Meeting up with Uli, Uwe, Gisela, and Rita (SV Venus, SV Anni Nad)
New friends Patrick, Tom, Josh, Peter
Gudrun being hauled out of her cyclone pit
Thursday, October 24. 2013
Back on the boat
Yesterday afternoon I took a flight from New Zealand to Fiji to get the boat ready for a quick sail to Opua and then Auckland, our new home. After coming all the way from Germany the last 1100nm really seem like a quick sail. But with the beginning of cyclone season here in Fiji, and the last of the winter gales down in New Zealand, it could potentially be a very, uhm, interesting, sail. So better make sure the boat's really ready, and the crew as well.
I had a quick look outside & inside Gudrun this morning before breakfast and she looks pretty much like I left her, didn't even smell too bad. No mountains of mould and gazillion cockroaches as I had feared in my worst nightmares. Only some bird droppings on the deck and gecko droppings inside, which should be cleaned away quickly enough.
At the moment it's rainy and muggy, but the rain is said to clear away tonight (of course) and then I'm looking forward to having it sunny and muggy. I've checked into the First Landing resort next to Vuda Point Marina, 5min walk from the boat, while I'm working on it.
Plan for today is to get the awning (suncover) up over the mast to be sheltered from rain (and eventually sun I hope) while I work. Then clean the inside, and prepare the work for the next days
- replace faulty depth sounder
- replace cutless bearing
- replace anodes
- replace water filter
- change engine oil, oil filter, diesel filter, impeller
- check shackles, blocks, terminals, stays, lines, (on deck and mast-top)
- check electronics, batteries
- purchase antifouling
- purchase fibreglass and resin to fix hole in keel
- purchase propane gas
- fastening sails
... and a few hundred other little things.
To organise:
- transition from cyclone-pit to hard stand
- work on keel (fix hole etc)
- anti-foul
- haul-in
- check-out
Weather (and repairs) permitting I'm hoping to sail some time around Nov 13th.
Monday, May 13. 2013
Crossing an ocean alone in a little metal boat I often thought about the International Space Station and looked for it on the night sky. A sailboat and the ISS doen't really compare ... but we can still dream, right?
So, check out this video by Commander Chris Hadfield and dream:
Chris and the crew of Expedition 35 will be returning to earth today after 142 days in space. Welcome back guys!
Just for laughs: an Ocean crossing is about 3000nm long, and most sail-boats travel about 150nm a day, with a spacing of one to seven days, depending on the season etc. The ISS orbits the earth approx. 220nm above the surface (in 93 minutes!). Therefor it is quite possible that at some point during the voyage the Astronauts on the ISS are actually the closest human beings to a lone sailor in the middle of the ocean.
Monday, February 18. 2013
Married!
A quick summary of the last two months: The marina said all boats are fine after the cyclone, so that's good. I'm still waiting for my residence visa, which will allow me to import the boat tax-free. Unfortunately Immigration NZ said they're overworked and it can take until October to process my visa (huh?!), so it looks like the boat will have to stay in Fiji for a little longer. Liz and I are going to Fiji next month to check on Gudrun and bring a few things down to Auckland.
Christmas came, and with it a lot of friends and family. They arrived early for our wedding which happened on January 5th on Waiheke Island, a 30min ferry ride east of Auckland. Yay! . All went well, here is proof:
All the wedding guests
I'm dancing a Schuhplattler for my wife.
The sun setting over Auckland and Mt. Rangitoto.
Thanks guysfor all the good wishes!
Well, there is also a short (10min) movie, shot by Marius and edited by me.
For a few weeks after the wedding we had guests in our home in central Auckland, and I travelled with my family a bit across the north and south island while Liz stayed in Auckland with her family.
It was wonderful to have friends from all over the world around for the wedding, but having guests for six weeks straight and making sure everybody is having a good time was also very tiring. It took us two weeks to recover and we're still busy following up on things that we had to let lie (like lots of emails and greeting cards and some administrative stuff).
Other then that we've settled into a routine here and don't miss life on the boat. Liz is writing on her book and doing some UX consulting on the side. I'm writing computer games and continue my diving training (TRIMIX at the moment).
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