Rangiroa - Tuamotu 28 June 2024 -Strong Winds
We woke to a nice day although the wind was still howling and we were moving around a bit. We had bacon and egg in baguette for breakfast which was nice and coffee as usual. Today was a windy day although the highest gusts tomorrow are up to about 32 kts -Force 8.
I had a whole load of admin/emails to do and planning etc and I got on with that. Joyce and Andy did some cleaning of the galley/cockpit and when I finished my emails I cleaned the area around the navigation station and sorted out drawers and polished wood etc. I also then went into the engine room and checked everything and cleared up. We also cleaned the mats and checked the bilges.
We were being moved around by the wind but Stormbird was holding well and the anchor alarm had not gone off. We could see lots of the other boats being buffeted and moving about. There were very few excursion boats about and it seemed that most people were just staying put and in.
We had lunch of cheese and meats and after we read and rested. In my conversation with Jules, I had been talking about year 2 and she thinks that I should not miss out on Indonesia and going up to Thailand. This would mean (unless things change in the Red Sea) in Year 3 coming down the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and up to the med in one year. I therefore got out Jimmy Cornells books and looked at this carefully. Year 2 I could keep as planned originally and not being forced to go to Cape Town by end of October. Year 3 instead of the Red Sea would be leaving Thailand and going to Sri Lanka, Maldives, Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion Island and on to Cape Town. This would then mean leaving Cape Town in the same year and coming up to St Helena and then either on to Cape Verde and to the Canaries or via the Azores and then to the med or to the UK. In looking at all thus I can make it work as I can do the med anytime.
We had a sundowner in the sun sitting at the back in a Force 7 – but the wind was warm and our cobwebs were blown away. Andy and Joyce cooked the last of the Pacific Wahoo with mashed potato and aubergine which was good.
We then watched one of my favourite films Thunderbolt and Lightfoot staring Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges. It is such a good film. We had a nice day hunkered down and Stormbird looked after us. Tomorrow is likely to be the worst day. We will see. Goodnight from here.
As I have no picture today see a picture of a coconut crab we saw a few days ago.
Crewing Opportunity Year Two
In addition, in year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.
If there is any interest do email me at hine.nick9@gmail.com
The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk