Moorea ( Society Islands) - Rarotonga, Cook Islands

 

I dedicate this log segment to my friends, and to KE.

Many thanks to the radio amateurs: Fred, Paul, Peter (VE2VZ) and Alex (VK1TX). Furthermore I would like to thank my sailor friends, who helped to make Carina seaworthy!

 

10-06-2007 (day 378)

 

Afternoon: After a short time spent on the Internet and shopping I was ready to start. I spent about 30 minutes cleaning the bottom of the boat. It was not easy to lower myself into the water because I was sick, but that was the only way. I had to hurry. I started at 4 p.m. and before 5 I had to be on my way. It was not easy, but I made it. This urgency was important because after 6 p.m. the darkness fell and I had to be on open water by then,

    And the hurricane season is getting near too. I have to hurry and concentrate on sailing.

    At 17:00 hours with the engine running I started out. The distance I had to travel is 607 nautical miles and the weather is mild with variable wind until 20:00 hours. I am sailing with the engine turned on and this helps with the sailing.

Supper: head cheese, onion and baguette.

     The wind is continually getting stronger, so I stop the engine and until 1 am. in the morning I only use the jib in a 5-6 bf. wind. There are local storms around me everywhere: lightning and thunder. So I’m a little nervous… After 1 o’clock I let the sail down and went to sleep in the cabin. Until 5 it is raining continually. It stops at dawn.

   It was a long time ago when I was sailing so I have to get into it again.

 

10-07-2007 (day 379)

 

I’m steering since 5 in the morning.

1017 mbar.

30 degrees.

Wind: Bf. 4-5 from 90.

Breakfast: leftover from supper: papaya and coffee.

To start out I used the jib, but after 9 I put up the genoa.

Later in the morning I sailed by Maiao.

Afternoon: the wind is 5 Bf. again, but this time I had all my sails up so my speed is 4-5 knots and the direction is 245.

 

Afternoon: 17:00, POS (17-54S; 151-12W)

I sailed 83 nautical miles in 24 hours and without the autopilot!!

This is an absolute Carina record!!

The wind strengthens, I take down the Genoa, but even without it I keep the speed.

 

At 19:00 I take off the jib and sail with the storm jib.

Around 20:00 I adjust the autopilot again and this time it holds.

(When I had it checked the technician did not do the basic adjustments properly.)

  

Rest at night and at 1 in the morning I had some Japanese soup, then slept some more.

 

 

10-08-2007 (Day 380)

Morning wind: Bf. 6 and sometimes Bf. 7 therefore I leave the storm jib alone. Speed is 3 nautical miles constantly.

    Breakfast: coconut juice, lychee (canned fruit specialty) and Chinese instant soup.

   

 In the morning the wind speed: Bf. 6. I leave the storm jib up. To use the normal jib would be hazardous, besides I’m still making 3-4 knots.  

 The big waves (sometimes 5 meters high) slam in from the rear.

Direction: 240

1019 mbar.

Temp. 31 deg. C.

The sun panel charges constantly. I am well satisfied with it; it was a good decision to bypass the connector.

   Two eggs have cracked so I eat them for supper. As usual the cabin is chaotic.

    Radio contact with Freddy on 21373 KHz. (USB). The signal strength was 0 but I understood everything. He told me about the Seafarer Net again on 14300 KHz, 02-04 UTC.

 

 13:00 (118 – 11S; 152 – 05W)

    The distance from my destination: 427 nautical miles.

Lunch: Lecso full on (egg, paprika, tomato, onion and curry) and bread.

Afternoon: Listening to MP3 music and just resting – sometimes it is needed.

Reading material: Ernest Hemingway’s The Nick Adam Stories. (I bartered with Larsen for it in Tahiti.)

   I remember a couple that I talked with about the French nuclear test that happened in 1995. They said that their grandfather contracted cancer because of that test and later died. And until this day some fish still contain certain poisons.

 

17:00  (18-14S); (152-18W). Today I sailed 66 nautical miles. My sailing is very safe and going quite fast.

   Radio: 14287 KHz. (USB)

20:00 (18-14S; 152-25W)

I spoke with Arpad for a short time. I tried to do the same with the Australians too, but I could not hear them.

 

I do not feel well. I took two algopirin.

 

The wind is 6-7 Bf. the whole night. 5-meter high waves hit the boat constantly, from the front and the rear and some of it winds up in the cockpit, but at least the rain was nowhere.

 

10-09-2007 (day 3881)

 

After 5 in the morning the dawn broke. I check the boat.

The wind indicator’s battery became depleted, although it would be very useful.

I take vitamins as usual, (C or multivitamins).

After 9 the wind weakens. I pull up 1/3 of the genoa and tie it down temporarily. The problem is that I do not have a small jib. What I got is the normal jib and the storm jib. When the wind gets to be around 6-7 Bf. I use the storm jib, which slows me down. I do not want to risk it since I do not have much time to reach Fiji, (I would not have time for major repairs). So I go with slow speed!  

  From 10 on I use the full genoa because the wind weakens. Speed: 4 knots and the direction is south.

Breakfast and lunch: spaghetti. (I had to eat the tomato).

 

13:00 turned on the radio. Frequency: 21373 kHz.

Position: (18-35S; 153-17W)

Distance from destination: 399 nautical miles.

I radioed Freddy and told him “everything is OK”.

 

Afternoon: Longan, a great fruit. It is a pity that it’s canned, but still it’s so good!

 After 3 o’clock I eat a Chinese instant soup (hot beef) with toast.

Then sleep and later I ate the last papaya, which I picked green in Moorea.

 

17:00 – Position: (18-42 S; 153-31 W), Destination is 383 nautical miles away. In the last 24 hours I traveled 75 nautical miles.

Barometric pressure: 1019

Temperature: 29-32 deg.

Around 19:30 the wind strengthens and pretty soon I have to change sails.

20:00: turned on the radio. On 14287 kHz no contact.

Position: (18-48S; 153-41W)  

 

20:10 I reefed in the main sail. 1/3 of it is enough.

From 21:00 on the wind gets stronger and stronger and it starts raining. Black clouds :-(

This situation is really tiring. Even the waterproof things get wet…

The rain stops and starts but after 10 it starts again but stronger!!

The headlamp’s battery is out so I used the light from the compass…

Supper: canned corn with mayo, Chinese instant soup. I used up all the propane.

 

10-10-2007 (day 382)

 

Barometer: 1020

Temp: 30 deg C

The sun came out in the morning.

I sail with the main sail and the storm jib. This way my speed is 4-5 knots.

Breakfast: porridge with milk, then coffee with milk.

I put out my clothes to dry and my boots too.

After 9 I changed the storm jib with the normal jib. My speed is 4-5 knots.

13:00: turn on the radio. The frequency is 21373 kHz. (USB).

Position: (19-18S; 154-27W)

Freddy  5-1

Paul 5-9 (Paul gave me a 5-7 report!)

In 24 hours I sailed 77 nautical miles.

 

Lunch: Cold stuffed cabbage a la Körös and toast.

Afternoon: Rearranged the rear cabin. Next fueling and tried to change the propane bottle. Unfortunately this did not work, because the propane container did not sealed well. Later I have to repair it!

 

17:00:  Position (19-25S; 154-47W), I sailed 83 nautical miles in the last 24 hours. Speed: 4-5 knots with a 250 heading.

The seagulls keep following me for days now and the flying fish are all around me. I don’t fish. My concentration is to the boat and sailing.

 

The wind changes constantly (Bf 4-5).

 

In the evening dark clouds cover the sky.

At 19:30 I took down the jib. Speed goes from 4-5 to 2-5.

At 20:00 I turn on the radio to the usual frequency on 20 meters, (14287 kHz). Nobody answered my call.

Position: (19-30S; 155-01W)

The radio time always comes when there are many problems to solve.

The wind is getting stronger and a rivet in the autopilot assembly constantly falls out. I do not have a good light source; even the light from the compass housing is no help...

 

20:30: up with the storm jib and I reef in the genoa (1/3). The wind is strong with rain till dawn.

 

10-11-2007 (day 383)

 At dawn the wind weakens. At 6 I fully raise the genoa.

Breakfast: sardines and toast with onion and vitamins.

In the morning I steer for a few hours. Sometimes even the autopilot deserves a little rest, or I should say the battery couldn’t supply the current all the time. I used silicone grease at certain sensitive spots so far the water does not seep into the autopilot.

I don’t push the boat too hard; 3-4 knots is quite enough for me. I use the genoa more than the jibs. According to my thinking the mast is a bit weak so by using the genoa the force vector direction is better than if I would use the jibs. The jib constantly drags the masthead forward and the mast is already deformed in that direction. 

 

13:00: 21373 kHz.

Position: (19-45S; 156-06W)

I traveled 98 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.

I talked to Freddy. Signal strength (S) was 0 and the understandability (Q) was 4. He informed me about the weather too: 

Wind 15-18 knots from a direction of 100-120. It will strengthen to 21-22 knots. This does not include the local rainstorms. I also talked shortly with Paul and from the USA there were other Hungarians on the band, but they were weak.   

   Lunch: bean-goulash with curry and onion, bread (the last one), toast.

Pressure: 1017

Temperature: 32 deg. C

Speed: 4 knots

Wind: 4-5 Bf.

 

I’m using the INT606 map. This one with 2 others I copied in Tahiti for 10 USD. These will be good all the way to Fiji

Afternoon: I take a nap and after, as usual, I read the Pacific Crossing Guide. 3 to 4 hour steering.

 

17:00, Position: (19-54S; 156-20W).

I am 208 nautical miles away from my destination. I sailed 92 nautical miles in 24 hours.

A little rest before supper: milk and porridge.

 

At 20:00 I turn on the radio: 21373 kHz.

Position: (19-56S; 156-32W)

I talk to Peter (VK2VZ) in Australia. Copy is difficult. The report is 1-4. My battery is weak, but I go on transmitting.

At 21:00 (07 UTC) again on 21373 kHz I talk to Peter again, VK2VZ (in English and Hungarian) and this time Alex (VK1TX) joins us.

The propagation is better; the reports are 5-5 and 5-7.

 

The night was quiet; sometimes the wind picked up, but no rain.

 

10-12-2007 (day 384) 

Pressure: 1020

Temperature: 28 deg. C. (my direction of travel is south and it gets more and more cold.)

Wind: strong, Bf 5

Speed: 4-5 knots, course 250.

Sail complement: storm jib and 2/3 genoa.

 

Everything is wet; the cabin leaks in a number of places and of course on of them is right above my bed.

 

Breakfast: vitamins, Hungarian canned salmon, onion, cucumber, and biscuit. Chocolate (the last two pieces) and canned apple.

 

Later in the morning: steering and a short rest.

 

At 13:00 I turn on the radio: 21373 kHz. 

Position: (20-29S; 157-33W). Destination is 132 nautical miles away and I sailed 92 nautical miles in the last 24 hours.

I talked to Freddy (5-5)

Weather: the wind speed dropped from 22 knots to 19 and its direction is 100-105 degrees.

I made a few short contacts with a few hams in the USA. I had many contacts with them after Panama

Gyula (N0FHP), Arizona, 5-5

Robi (NV9R), Chicago, 5-7

The wind is getting stronger in the afternoon (Bf.6) and the waves are getting bigger too.

Sails: storm jib, and ¼ genoa.

Cloudy sky with occasional rain.

Speed: 3 knots.

 

17:00

Position: (20-32S; 157-49W)

Destination: 116 nautical miles

 

 If I don’t reef the genoa in the prescribed manner then its shape becomes cambered, the boom is lower and the bigger waves will not sweep over when the boat sails before the wind and Carina turns out a little. On the Atlantic I used the  preventer”, but it did not work out well because if a big wave swept over the stresses became too big and the rivets started to break.

 

 At 21:00 I turn on the radio: 14287 kHz. I talked to Peter, but because of bad propagation I lost him.

 

10-13-2007 (day 385)

 

 At night the wind was variable (Bf 5-6) but no rain only big waves.

In 12 hours I sailed 40 nautical miles with the smallest jib.

 

Breakfast: porridge with milk and coffee with milk. (The last of the milk).

 

I decided that I shell arrive on Sunday morning. I would not like to put in to port on Saturday night in this small harbor.

 

10:00 am. I am 66 nautical miles away and make to slow the boat, but I am getting closer and closer to Ratotonga. I take off the storm jib too and just drifting for a few hours (0.5-1 nautical miles to westerly direction. I am going forward with a tied down rudder. The boat turned of course and I am drifting on in ½ to 3/4 winds...

 

Wind is Bf. 5-6 and the wind generator charges but the waves throw me about, which is not very pleasant. Cloudy sky and if it is so than the sun panel hardly charges.

 

Barometric pressure: 1020

Temperature: 26-27 deg C.

 

13:00: turn on the radio. The frequency is 21373 kHz.

Position: (20-46S; 158-44W)

I heard Freddy on the frequency, but at first he does not hear me, but still he could copy my position.

(Due to the local storms the propagation was not good.)

Wind forecast: 20-17 knots from 100-95 direction.

 

Lunch: canned sardine and biscuits, onion and chili sauce.

 

Afternoon: It is raining. I take a rest and slowly drifting towards Raratonga.

 

16:00: storm jib and the main sail up (1/3).

Speed: 3-4 knots with a heading of 250.

 

17:00

Position: (20-48S; 158-51W)

Traveled distance in the last 24 hours is 76 nautical miles. This is because I slowed the boat down.

 

Supper: beer, cereal slice (Biopoint).

 

At 21:00 turned the radio on: 14287 kHz.

Peter, 5-9; Alex 5-8.

I heard Arpad (USA) but his signal was quite weak.

 

Quiet evening with a lot of rain.

 

10-14-2007 (day 386) 

 

At dawn it is raining.

This morning I test the engine and it works O.K.

Sorry to say but the spark plug still getting dirty after about 10-20 minutes.

 

The mooring happened at 10 in rain and strong wind, but without a problem. The harbor entrance is a bit narrow. I cannot find a place first but a fisherman motions me that I can stop temporarily next to the fishing boat’s jetty.

 

It is interesting to note that the whole time out there I did not come across any other vessel!!!

 

After tying up many people came around, some of then seriously doubted that I came from Europe. (Now even these questions come up. Could that be possible??)

 

I met a polish family who sail the Pacific Ocean with a big catamaran. I talked to many people, at least with 50-60 locals and even a few tourists.

 

Here on Sunday everything is closed, so many come out to the harbor to sightsee and have plenty of time to ask questions.

 

I took a walk in the city and found and Internet place. I sent a message that I have arrived.

Lunch: Ice cream.

I met a sailor a single hander (USA, Bon Ami) who starts today, but maybe we will meet again in Tonga.

 

Afternoon: I met Peter and Bobby on shore. They are doing a ship transfer Galapagos to Australia. I met them the first time on Galapagos, so I have plenty of acquaintances. 

The interesting thing about that ship is that the her captain who was also the owner died while on the Tahiti-Galapagos route and the ship’s only sailor sailed the vessel to Santa Cruz (Galapagos). The police did not want to believe the story of the captain who fell into the see, but there was no proof to the contrary. 

 (When I was on Galapagos this was on of the more interesting stories).

The owner’s sister asked Peter to do the transfer.

 We talked about an other transfer pair who was also Australian. I met them in Colon. The story was that one of them got drunk called out a prostitute, who was a man and did not found it funny. Then he raped him and after then the guy went home and the captain got an other crew to continued on.

 

In the afternoon many encircled the boat and I had to start a story telling time. Always the same questions :))

Popoke also came, brought some beer and helped to stabilize the boat. First I put an anchor out on the side and back with the help of a lifesaver ring. Then with a rope I pulled Carina away from the pier. This way the boat is tied out at 4 points.

 

In the evening somebody gave me roasted fish with roasted potato and that tasted excellent.

I met a local who smoked a lot of marihuana and that is no problem, but I rode with him on a motorcycle and that is a problem :)

 

Exchange rate: 10 NZD –7.5 USD

Internet use: 1 hour – 9 NZD everywhere. I have not looked around for an Internet place which is free of charge, but because this place so small I probably won’t find one…

.

 10-15-2007 (day 387)

 

I woke up early.  David, the captain of the neighboring fishing boat came over and started a conversation about the and ships. He showed me around in his boat, which I wanted to see very much.

 

Later in the morning I spent my time with cleaning the sparkplugs and putting things in order, (this is a never ending process).

After eight I visited the harbormaster who is a very kind man. With this visit I took care of the customs and immigration.

 

Cost of things: monohull cost 2NZD/meter/day. In my case it is 12 NZD/day plus 30 NZD (tax). My Q flag is flying, but the Port Health has not come yet, neither the Quarantine Officer. (They impound every piece of fruit and vegetable; I don’t have any).

I went to fill up the gas bottle. It cost 8 NZD. They did not have the European regulation adapter so my European-American adapter came in handy.

I walked around in town and stopped at the Tourist Office, after that I looked in on the Library-museum, the Theology College (in this section are the oldest buildings) and the Cultural Center. The Cultural Ministry is in the Cultural Center and here they sell books about The Cook Islands. Because my boat is small I did not buy any books, but I spent time in the museum.

   I bought batteries for my headlamps. (2- AAA Energizer cost 5.3 NZD). I also bought 1 baguette for 1.5 NZD.

 

Breakfast: 2 cheese crescent rolls: 22.8 NZD.

 

 Afternoon: I’m waiting for the officials, so I stick around the boat.

Motor check: put in new sparkplug and change out the AC membrane; I bought on in Tahiti.

Maybe the motor will work better.

-          Sailing rig adjustment and check.

I changed the gas bottle and cooked 0.5 Kg. rice (lunch/ dinner/ breakfast) with canned sardine.

Sivo, the sailor from the fishing boat brought me a cooked manio (kasava in a different name), which is a local vegetable. It tastes like fruit bread, but more pleasant tasting.

-          Checked the bottom of the boat, not too clean in this harbor water, but nothing I can do about it.

-          Only one bolt holds the steering mechanism and that I tightened with a number 10 spanner. I think this will  hold till I get to Tonga.  

Then I started to clean the bottom, which is important. A clean bottom assures that Carina can sail at max speed. I found the spare battery for the anemometer.

I bought a few batteries (12.3 NZD). Alas, the Duracell rechargeable batteries are not the same anymore. They are still OK in the GPS, but they are weak for camera usage. 

 

I talked to many, many people!!

I met Jerry and Jony Reed again (Lotus s/v, Newport, Oregon, USA). Previously I met with them in Balboa (Panama). This was the time when we made the ”record” transit and after that they invited me to have a beer. He is a really good guy.

To make this “record” one needs to know that many years of experience were needed with the KE friends. Sailing with them was indispensable!! And they know that well/ they feel it.

 

I exchanged a few words with Dick Adamson, who is a retired Australian pilot and worships the sea. He lives with his wife here on Raratonga. An interesting man!

I waited till 6; nobody came so I took a bus (4 NZD) to the Pacific Resort (situated between Ngatangiia and Titikaveka) to watch the local dance. It started at 8. Before this I met a young German, who kept recommending New Zealand as a good place to work at, than I went walking on the shore. (It’s more than 10 Km. Long!)

The dance was great. I made a lot of pictures. (Cost: 20 NZD.)

A nice man gave me a lift back to Avarua, Then around 22-22:30 I had a good time at the Banana Court with Peter and Bobby.

It was great!!!!! (See pictures :-)

 

 

10-16-2007 (day 388)

I got up early. There was no electricity so I could not charge the battery. Somebody pulled the plug!

 

Sailing Advice (A new subject on the Bulletin board.)

Anybody can post his or her interesting ideas or solutions concerning sailing problems  :)

Pascal, while I was still in Moorea, told me that contact cement (like Weldwood) is an excellent sail adhesive. When his sail got torn he always used this adhesive and for about a year now it works well.

 

                                                                                                Translation by L Karolyi (wa6ypp)