Leg Three Marquesas to Panama

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Date 19/11/05
They have arrived at Hawaii.
txt from Alphacrucis 09:12 this morning:
We r approaching Hilo harbour entrance hooray!! Will let u know when we have cleared customs.
FYI Hilo is a harbour on the windward side of the main island (Hawaii Is)
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Date 17/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 22
Latitude: 20 10 N
Longitude: 153 11 W
Nautical Miles to Hawaii: 108
Miles run since last position: 258
Wind Speed (knots): 16
Wind Direction: 060
Weather: Fine
Sea State: Moderate
Comments: ETA Hilo 1200. Cant mk Kona in time 4 Customs by 1630. L talked 2 passing freighter lnite. Now taking over comms responsibility! Msailing 4 1st time this leg. Mahi m superb.
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Date 15/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 22
Latitude: 20 05 N
Longitude: 148 12 W
Nautical Miles to Hawaii: 388
Miles run since last position: 264
Wind Speed (knots): 16
Wind Direction: 060
Weather: Fine
Sea State: Moderate
Comments:SSB failed - optical cable happened b4. No Wfax. Yr progs gr8. Msg snt NZ.
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Date 13/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 20
Latitude: 19 00 N
Longitude: 143 10 W
Nautical Miles to Hawaii: 700
Miles run since last position: 252
Wind Speed (knots): 20
Wind Direction: 080
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Rough
Comments: Steady progress. seas uncomfortable d'wind roll. sky improving. ETA 5/6 dys? AOK
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Date 11/11/05
Alphacrucis now headed for Hawaii
Days from Marquesas: 18
Latitude: 18 03 N
Longitude: 138 16 W
Nautical Miles to Hawaii: 1,115
Miles run since last position: 238
Wind Speed (knots): 25
Wind Direction: 050
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Rough
Comments: Dist=Hawaii(Big Is).? Which Port. Scant info fm World Cruising Guide (Jim Cornell) + charts. Hilo is main on w'ward side. Kona minor l'ward side. Both entry Ports. Kona looks small/man made. Hve no idea re Kona facilities but looks a calmer place b4 we move to Maui & beyond. Any advice/info welcome. In retro shld have taken yr initial advice earlier (much?). Gr8 to be going somewhwere after 10 days not. Weather still shite. We R a happy Ship. xx
PS: I will do reasearch but if anybody has any info re marinas, costs, best palace to go, etc please call or email me (Murray Aldridge)
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Date 09/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 16
Latitude: 18 42 N
Longitude: 136 14 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,371
Miles run since late position: 194
Wind Speed (knots): 25
Wind Direction: 080
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Rough
Comments: Mon ev gset oheat salt pump impellor failed (2nd time this voyage) old stock perished? 30k on wind. Tues genset oheat not salt system. Found leak in fw header tank gasket hidden of course. No gasket so we tried w&d sandpaper but was not thk enough as plate slightly buckled. Wld have allowed us to continue tho. Blowing 35. Aha XLO sponge with Bostik! beds in & tight as.. so far. 7 hrs work in shit condns. l was a brick. Buggered. Conditions worsened. 40 k big seas. 2 reefs pocket hsail. Green stuff all over the ship. Then a big 1 sbrd side and about a bucket dropped down from the head lining all over the switchboard and on into the apilot computer splashing both ltops. Lost 230 pwr, apilot & all instruments + main GPS. Main cabin a shambles as well. Could not believe it! Switchbd was alive. 1100hrs. Hove2 washed sbd to get pwr. L cleaned up then bed. Source was vents in cpit coamings outside filled and dumped past baffles as we were thrown to port. Tday new course computer + blocked vents ++ All now working whew! Have dealt to previous course computer. Board is drying in E-room. Looks Ok but hope we don't need it. Got to Ltops in time. Hv bn hove 2 until 1 hr ago. Sailing cautiously! AOK
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Date 07/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 14
Latitude: 16 26 N
Longitude: 134 44 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,289
Miles run since late position: 246
Wind Speed (knots): 10
Wind Direction: 060
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Moderate
Comments: Tried ging E yday. Ok for a few hrs but o'nite ended up going S. No progress. Boring. Returning 20/25N strategy looking for change. At this rate will have to airlift u onbrd. Saw 2nd vessel so far in entire voyage nite b4 last. Huge contship China bound, talked to Capt 4 some time, he changed course passing ahd 0.5 nm.
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Date 05/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 12
Latitude: 15 16 N
Longitude: 134 20 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,263
Wind Speed (knots): 26
Wind Direction: 080
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Rough
Comments:trying to find a way to go E? Meantime nth +/- (to Alaska ha ha!) until 20N Lat. Will decide then re tacking. AOK.
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Date 03/11/05
Days from Marquesas: 10
Latitude: 10 42 N
Longitude: 133 38 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,234
Wind Speed (knots): 17
Wind Direction: 120
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Moderate
Comments:Previous 24hrs went everywhere but nowhere. Last 24 better ave course 035T.
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Date 01/11/05
Latitude: 08 51 N
Longitude: 134 27 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,270
Wind Speed (knots): 10
Wind Direction: 130
Weather: Raining
Sea State: Moderate
Comments:Slow but Well
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Date 30/10/05
Latitude: 05 16 N
Longitude: 136 26 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,400
Wind Speed (knots): 20
Wind Direction: 150
Weather: Raining
Sea State: Moderate
Comments: SE/S winds up to 30kts last 18hrs confused sea mod/rough. Creeping E. Balancing windward prog with comfort. Xpect to hit NA between San Diego & Panama before Xmas! L is studying Mexican havens. Happy Cup day - try to better L's last yr's win in Te Aroha. Has Lesley gt a new hat?
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Date 28/10/05
Latitude: 00 58 N
Longitude: 138 18 W
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,596
Wind Speed (knots): 21
Wind Direction: 130
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Moderate
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Date 26/10/05
Latitude: 03 42 S
Longitude: 138 40 W
Nautical Miles run since last position report: 94
Nautical Miles to Panama: 3,645
Wind Speed (knots): 25
Wind Direction: 130
Weather: Sunny
Sea State: Moderate
Comments: All systems go at moment. Luv2all.
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Date 25/10/02
TXT from Alphacrucis: "We are about to depart"

Marquesas

20/10/2005
Received from Terry & Lois today:
We are still in the Marquesas. Have been here for 14 days now and expect to fuel today and depart this wee harbour tomorrow. This harbour is exposed to the trade winds and there is a constant swell that can be rather annoying.
When we left Papeete Lois was quite ill. At first we thought she had lost her sea legs! But after two days she continued to deteriorate. We realised she was suffering from some kind of "heat exhaustion". Increasing her salt and electrolyte intake improved things considerably over the next few days. Our trip here was on the nose all the way and we motor sailed the last two days to get access to medical facilities.
The first blood test showed her “white cell” count was way down. But by this time she was very much better. The doctor here decided to repeat the procedure but this time had the analysis done in Papeete. Meantime he provided advice about diet etc. We received the results back on Saturday. Things had improved and the doctor gave us clearance to leave. It is Tuesday morning here. We are in the back of beyond that we have been able acquire most things we need. The village here is what you would expect. Everything takes an age but we get there in the in the end. We do have cell phone coverage... Amazing! On shore we can get Internet access. We have repaired the Mizzen.
Our refrigeration failed in Papeete. Fortunately the person we located was extremely competent. The high-pressure capillary to the pressure switch had fractured and in addition one of the collection vessels had corroded through at the base. Water (condensation) was accumulating at the base causing the corrosion. All working well now.
On Sunday we climbed up to a grotto fed by a beautiful waterfall 500 metres above the end of road entry point to swim in cool water. What a walk/climb. It took a couple of hours to reach in 30+ degrees. We were taken by our French Doctors (husband and wife). The beer and champagne we carried was a great but welcome surprise to our hosts.
After we had done the last minute things here we will go around the other side of the Island to a bay that is very clear and protected. Probably stay there for a couple of days before setting off on the largest leg of our voyage to Panama.
It is unlikely that we will do the Mississippi bit. We have been advised that the river is a mess and of course New Orleans is not what it used to be. Also the intra-coastal waterway will not accommodate vessels of our draft. We will have to sail up the east coast of the USA to New York from Florida.
Give our regards to all

Leg Two Papeete - Marquesas Position Reports

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Date 06/10/05
Arrived at Nuku Hiva, Marquesas 06:45am NZDST
Txt from Lois:
Put anchor down 6.45am your time in Nuku Hiva Is Marquesas. Pleasant few days despite having 2 motor! Caught tuna yesterday - exciting + on menu 2nite! i'll celebrate Terry's b/day 2morrow ashore 4 lunch of course! As Lesley knows apparently all we care about is eating + drinking. Although not much of the latter lately or shud we say the stocks are lasting longer!! Time 2 do the washing + get ship shape! Just put the bread machine on! Well that's our dyso far!! Much love
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Date 03/10/05
Days out from Papeete: 6
Latitude: 08 06 S
Longitude: 143 19 W
Nautical Miles run since last position report: 208
Nautical Miles from Papeete: NA
Wind Speed (knots): 11
Wind Direction: 90
Weather: Sunny
Sea State: Moderate
L mch improved to 75%. Progs A1 tks. Dist fm PPT not relevant now because of our route.
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Date 02/10/05
Days out from Papeete: 4
Latitude: 10 50 S
Longitude: 145 30 W
Nautical Miles run since last position report: 205
Nautical Miles from Papeete: 467
Wind Speed (knots): 20
Wind Direction: 110
Weather: Sunny
Sea State: Moderate
Comments:1st 2.5 dys Lois v ill. 1stly thought just sealegs despite OK(4 us) conds. Got worse. Considered return PPT. Nausea + 0 energy + hormonal overloads + could not move but did her watch when I couldnt. We remembered a couple of comments made in PPT. "Heat Exaustion". Must have been building before we left. Regimen of salt, juice, electrolite has brought her back from low of 10 to 50/60 & increasing. OK to continue.
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Date: 29/09/2005
Days out from Papeete: 2
Latitude: 13 16 S
Longitude: 148 17 W
Nautical Miles run since last position report: 0
Nautical Miles from Papeete: 262
Wind Speed (knots): 12
Wind Direction: 040
Weather: Overcast
Sea State: Moderate
Comments: last 18 hrs mixed bag local squall rain wind 5-25kts. Overall more NE from E yday. Currently making 090 @ 6 kts. Trying to get east having cleared Tuamotu's. Dest Nuku Hiva NH 572nm crowfly
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As at am NZST 27/09/05:
Having trouble rxing weatherfax. Experiencing series rain squalls last 12 hrs. Lt winds NE. Up to 25 kts in rain. C 045 S 5kts motor/sail. S1559 W14922. Normal update tmorro 1800
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As at am NZST 22/09/05:
Still a day or two away from departure. Issues with fridge are currently being sorted. High pressure capillariary switch fractured & liquid receiver corroded at base (out of sight). Vibration & Corrosion excessive. Not happy with work done by NZ Fridgie!
But otherwise well sorted, in good hunour & ready to depart.
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