San Diego

It has been a very busy month back in mostly sunny San Diego. We have spent time re-aquainting ourselves with family and friends and doing the usual chores associated with life ashore. We had four out of the five offspring with us for Thanksgiving, an unusual but enjoyable event and we then spent a weekend in Boise, Idaho to visit with Josette and attend the last Broncho game of the season. The whole town is Bronco mad and despite freezing weather and snow, thousands of fans showed up to watch their team annihilate the competition.

We also went to the Coachella Valley to visit some old friends and do the doctor , dentist , lab work thing.

The past week has been quite rainy and cool but it's Christamas Eve today and we have clear, blue skies again with temperatures in the mid sixties. Too bad for the rest of the country and Northern Europe who are having a tough time of things.

I am working on an overview of the past year and also some statistics and I will hopefully get this done by the end of this year and certainly before we go to London in the New Year.

We wish all of you Seasons greetings and all the best for the New Year.

Fuel transfer rendezvous with Pedlar
Land Ho, Whangarei, New Zealand
Whangarei Falls
North Island, New Zealand
Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Bored bonobos, San Diego Zoo
Panda bear, San Diego Zoo

Thanksgiving, San Diego

Broncho game, Boise State University ID. Josette (front and center, as usual) and the dance team
Josette

Back in the USA

We have returned from the Land of Yis and didn't see even one Hobbit, though I'm told they all hang out in in the south island. We very much enjoyed the short time we spent in New Zealand and look forward to seeing much more of the country when we return in January.

The flight back to the US was a little arduous but all done now and it's good to be back home after such a long time. So much space and no Navy showers for a little while. Driving again has been a bit hazardous but no collisions so far. The downside is dealing with a year's worth of mail, which will take days at least.

We will have the pleasure of 4 out of the 5 offspring visiting us for the week, there will be lots of eating and drinking no doubt.

I'm going to post some more photos and some statistics and observations about the past year's cruising experience when I dig myself from out of all the stuff that has to be done.

In the mean time, Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Whangarei, New Zealand

We have been lazing about in Whangerei for the last week. Getting the boat ready for our departure to the US on the 18th and talking to various contractors about repairs have taken up most of our time. Everything happens very slowly here but much, much better than Polynesia.
We rented a car and have made some road trips to Keri Keri and Opua in the Bay of Islands and also the Kauri Coast on the west side of the North Island.
We leave New Zealand early on November 18 and will be back in San Diego the same day! I still can't believe a year has gone by so quickly.
More photos to follow and also some statistics of the past years activities.
Next seasons cruising will incule Fiji, Vanu'atu and New Caledonia and then Australia and will start in May and probably end at the end of October

7 November

Whangarei, New Zealand
We arrived safely at Marsden Cove Marina in Whangarei, NZ at about 2030 last night just as it was getting dark. The last 24 hours of this run were a bit of a trial but all done now. We are here and safe and sound. Ron and I are waiting for the customs and immigration guys to show up and once they clear us we will leave on the tide and go 12 miles up river to Riverside Drive Marina in the actual town of Whangarei which will be Callisto's home for the next few months. After a year at sea she deserves some cleaning, waxing and general TLC. Some things need to be repaired and this will be the place to do it.
The Admiral will come up to Whangarei from Auckland by bus and we will hopefully meet up this afternoon at the marina.

6 November

Day 6 November 6 2010
Overnight we have been hit with 20 kts of SW wind which is right on the nose. We have only 70 miles to go and it has been difficult going overnight. I am going to motor these last few miles as I think that will be quicker than tacking hither and yon, despite the fact that I can only get 4 kts with the motor into these head winds. We should be in tonight and the Admiral will meet us tomorrow in Whangarei.
Curr3nt position at 0630 LT is 34 48.8E,175 16.3E Speed 4 kts wind 18 kts SW Seas 2 metre SE swell

5 November

Day 5 November 5th 2010
After motoring in almost no wind for 36 hours we are now back in 18 kts of wind as we slide around a high pressure system off the north coast of New Zealand. Gone are the tropical skies and warm weather and we are back in temperate latitudes with numerous fronts from the west at this time of year. We may have to fight some head winds as this front moves through but should make it into Whangarei sometime tomorrow. The high point of the day yesterday was an at sea fuel delivery from us to another boat who was low on fuel. We gave him two jerry jugs of diesel to keep him on his way. Fortunately, conditions were calm for the transfer which occurred without mishap.
Current position at 0646H is 32 37S, 175 37E. Speed 7.8 kts course 195 M wind NNE 18kts Seas 6 feet SE.

4 November

November 4, 0600H local time
As predicted, the wind died at 0800H yesterday and we have been motoring at about 6,5 kts for the past 22 hrs. We made 160 miles total yesterday and will probably be the same today. The high point of our day yesterday was a fly-by from a NZ Air Force Orion airplane which went past at about 100 feet. They called us on the radio and asked for a destination and an ETA. It's good to know that they are prepared. Other than that it's been pretty quiet and getting colder every day.
Current position is 30 18.5S, 177 25.5E, Speed 6.5 kts, Course 202M wind 4 kts SSE swell 2 metres. 360 miles to go

2 November (2nd edition)

Day 3
We have just begun day three at sea and we continue to make good progress. We are now at the half way mark and will probably be in on the 6th or seventh of November. We have had variable breeze all night with an apparent wind angle of between 50 and 65 degrees up to 18 kts apparent. I don't know for sure what the true wind speed is as my speed log has quit working.
This is despite the forecast which predicted no wind at all.
The seas have moderated quite a bit and the voyage is quite comfortable so far but it's really getting cold and we both have to layer up at night. We may also have to post an iceberg watch also. We are now again in the eastern hemisphere after more than three years
Current position is 28 09 7S, 179 09E Speed 6.8 kts course 201 M Wind SSE 12 kts Swell 2 metres SE
516 miles to we are just past halfway

2 November

Time difference means the post appears earlier than it is! Here is the latest from Callisto...

It's 0530H on Day 3, November 2 and we have covered 363 miles so far under fairly good conditions so far. The wind is down to 13 kts and we are not going so fast but it is more comfortable. The wind is predicted to die off by late this afternoon and we will have to motor.
It's getting cold! No more T shirt and shorts sailing, I have a heavy jacket and fleece trousers on and it's only going to get colder. Many layers tonight.
Current position is 25 45.3S, 179 01.6W speed 7.0 kts course 195 M.
All well on board

1 November

Position report from Callisto Day 2 Monday, November 1st, Local time
We had a fast but bumpy ride all night under jib and mizzen and we covered a respectable 188 NM since our departure. Only 855 to go. Somehow hundreds of miles seems less intimidating than thousands of miles.
All well on board but we can't be bothered to fish, it's a little rough going upwind anyway.
Current position is 22 30S, 177 13.8W, Speed 7.8 kts, Course 195M, wind SE 15, kts Seas 10-13 feet, SE swell confused seas

31 October

Ron and I left Tonga this morning at dawn and have so far enjoyed a wild ride at 8.5 to 9.5 kts all day. It's a bit bumpy but very fast, Who knows if these conditions will hold, I certainly hope so. Will slow the boat down tonight and see what happens. Too rough to fish, perhaps tomorrow.
Current position 22 02S, 176 04W, speed 8.8kts, course 203 M, wind speed 15 kts SSE. Seas 2-3 metres SSE. 85 miles covered past 10 hrs only 962 NM to go!

Pangaimotu, Tongatapu, Tonga

Friday finds us still anchored up off Big Mama's resort on Pangaimotu. It's howling outside at about 25 kts and there has been no good weather window to go to Australia for the past week. The forecast does look a little better for leaving on Sunday but that can change. I certainly hope not.
Since my last post Ann and I toured the island with our new friend Big Ben and we saw all the sights in Tongatapu. Some of these are posted below but more are on the way. We saw Captain Cook's landing place and the Tongan "Stonehenge" and some very interesting blowholes and erosion caves on the windward side of the island.
On Sunday we had lunch with Big Ben and his extended famaily, which was most enjoyable.
Ron arrived safe and sound on Tuesday but we were unable to leave right away due to the enhanced trade winds and a low pressure system NE of New Zealand
The Admiral and Jennifer flew out to Auckland on Wednesday leaving Ron and I waiting for a new weather window so we don't take a beating on the way south.
We are all cleared out with the paperwork and fueled up ready to go, hopefully on Sunday

Photos!

The royal palace under reconstruction
Jennifer and Brady from Delos
Drinks on Callisto
Sunset in the Hapa'ai islands
Local Tongan boy
Waterspout in the distance, these can ruin your day

Mala beach resort Vava'u
Sunday lunch on the beach with a Tongan family
Big Ben at Captain Cook's landing place in Tonga which he called the friendly islands
Tongan Dancers
Tongatapu beach by moonlight

Captioning to Follow...

Nuku'alofo,Tongatapu,Tonga

fire dancer

lobster night on Callisto

Videos have proved difficult and so have more photos. They may have to wait for High speed internet in NZ.

Ron is in transit and should arrive tonight. We have missed the best window for the passage but it will be safe to leave tomorrow afternoon or Thursday morning after we complete the paperwork cha-cha and get some fuel.

We may have a bumpy ride with 20 kt wind and 10 foot seas but no SW gales are forecast for the next 10 days
We will keep yuo posted

pangaimotu, tongatapu,tonga

We have spent a number of days in southern Tonga and have enjoyed it very much. We spend our time getting the boat ready for the final push south. We went a resort on the south part of Tongatupu for a Tongan feast and dance show. The resort was quite spectacular with the beach and full moon and a crystal clear night. The fire dancing was also excellent and some video will follow if I can figure out to post it.
We were invited to church and lunch to follow today but its blowing 15 kts in the harbor so I'm not sure if we will make it.
Many of our friends have left over the past few days.
We have, unfortunately, missed a good weather window to go to New Zealand while waiting for Ron. He will get here by Tuesday or Wednesday and I hope another weather window will open up soon after that. I may have to wait another week, however. My eyes are glues to the wearher reports.
Will be working on photos and video later today

Pangaimotu, Tongatapu, Tonga

Today finds us anchored off the tiny island of Pangaimotu which is in the southern part of Tonga about a mile from the capital city Nuka'lofa. The wharf in Nukalofa did not seem very appealing so we came here instead. We had an ecxellent sail down from the Hap'ai group of islands and the weather seems to have cleared for the time being. My fishing karma seems to have returned and we caught some very nice Mahi and Wahoo.
We did have some excitement in our last anchorage which was in the channel between the two Nomuka Islands. We anchored up in sand and coral patches in calm conditions. I dove on the anchor and it seemed to have set well. We went to sleep after setting the anchor alarm and were awakened at 0430H with a 180 wind shift and a squall with winds to more than 25 kts. The anchor alarm went off and before I could get oriented we were aground on coral. There were no lights ashore with sheets of rain and a lot of wind. My electronic charts were quite inaccurate and it was difficult to know which way to try to power off the reef in the dark.
We waited tensely for daylight and help from the crews of three other boats who were anchored about a mile away. We managed to kedge ourselves off with a large Danforth anchor set astern and tilting the boat with tension on a halyard on the main mast . Our friends, Brian and Brady from Delos (another Amel) were excellent in saving our boat from the reef.
In some ways, we were quite fortunate and subsequently diving on the boat showed no significant damage to the hull and rudder, just quite a bit of paint scraped off the keel and a few gel coat dings.
We are going into Nuka'lofa today by dinghy to do our check in and some shopping. Our days will be spent getting ready for our final leg to New Zealand and doing some sight seeing.
Photos to follow

Ha'afevu Island, Ha'apai Group, Tonga

Today's latest from Callisto:

We are meandering our way down the Ha'apai Group of Islands to our final Tongan destination of Nukalofa in the south. This area is quite remote and there are no facilities or internet. The diving is excellent and we went for a night expedition for lobster two nights ago which was not too productive. The water was very clear and there is a whole new perspective to the coral and the sea life under flashlight at night.
The weather has not been too good with quite a bit of rain and winds that vary in velocity and direction which I'm told is due to the convergence zone of various meteorological influences. I don't pretend to understand them.
All is well with the Admiral and Jennifer and I think all of us are looking forward to getting back to civilization in New Zealand. This will happen all too soon.
Today we leave Ha'afeva Island and will go to Nomuka Island and then on to Nukalofa by Monday.
Ron is due to join us on the 26th and weather permitting we will leave for New Zealand soon after that. I can't believe that we have been out here for almost a year!

Lifuka, Hapai Group Tonga

We arrived safely in Lifuka after 14 trying hours at sea. Despite a forcast of 10 - 15 kts from the East, we got into near gale with gusts to 40 knots from the SSE. It was a long and bumpy 80 miles. The rain has now stopped and all is well off to explore the new surroundings today. More to come

photos from Tonga and the regatta

the team
the pie eaters. helen on the left won the event. She ate 10 banana custard pies!
the limbo dancer
tug of war
the RC church in Nieafu
the five legged race. very tricky
Steve( to my right) removed shorts prior to the blindfold event
yacht harbor Nieafu, Tonga
sack race
event list
the competitors
entertainment during the Full Moon Party
Admiral and I at Full Moon Party
The Friday yacht race. I'm in the dinghy with the blue sail to the right of the mega yaght "Nirvana"
Being assaulted by my friend Sven on the pub crawl
green man, heineken man and princess leah
the drag contingent on the pubcrawl
jennifer, ben and helen
concentrating on tossing a bean bag in the cornhole tournament