world wild sailing – Page 2 – Sailing with Saphir

Getting to Fiji

Together with Amanzi and Matilda we hoist the anchor in the sunrise and set course to the Lau groups in the west side of the Fiji Island.

I have prepared our sleeping spot in the salon on the floor since it is going to be a very wobbly crossing. To make it softer I even put a madras’s against the cupboard and pillows on the other side to make it softer. This is definitely the best spot. Don’t understand why I haven’t done this every time. Slept so much better here. It is a two night sailing and approximate 300NM. At 2,30 in the morning we have 190 NMs left. We will be in Lau group early morning next day.

First some lovely sunset pictures.

At 8.20 Tonga time we reach the opening of the reef. This is the first time since our start of sailing that we turn back the clock 1hour and not forward. That means we are on the other side of the world from home. It took us a year to get here and if you fly it takes 30-36 hours depending on hours in airports. A bit different. We arrive in Lomaloma on the Vanuatu Balavu island and drop our anchor at 10.30. Now we wait for the rest of the fleet and specially Rob from World Arc. We didn’t have to wait long. An hour later we have been checked in to Fiji. The 4 authorities plus the agency came out to the boat. Very efficient and we are ready to leave and take us slowly around to the other side of the island.

After some very tricky narrow passages with lots off coral reefs and the scary coral heads that can be just under the surface we dropped the anchor at a lovely spot. Later we heard that five boats hits this coral heads and some needed some repairs later. What a lovely place. Would really love to come back and explore more.

Next morning we found this jello thing under our roof in the cockpit. How did it get in?? And what is it? No time to wonder just clean up and we are of to the main island and Suva to pick up Elise our youngest daughter that arrived on the 14th. She is staying at a hotel in Suva. Apparently not the safest city so no fun going outside the hotel area.

One night crossing and we will be in Suva. At noon we have 144NM left and at 5 next morning 40NM left. It takes time to sail. We have a lovely sunrise and greets by dolphins when we get closer. They where not the only one checking on us. Suddenly there came a rib boat with the coast guard asking to come onboard to check our papers. They said it was a routine check. No others boat friends after us had them onboard. This is the third time we have been checked by the coast guard. Wonder what so special about our boat?

Finally we see Suva. We talk to Elise and can see hers hotel we think. She sees us sailing outside the reef. Lots of boat wrecks and boats that are almost a wreck here. This place doesn’t look very safe or nice. It doesn’t matter we drop the anchor and Edgar takes the dinghy in to pick her up. Elise have arrived and now we have 9 days together to explore part of Fiji.

Hugs Eva

Huahine

We arrive early in the morning to Huahine and anchor close to the village Fare. A short relaxing time and some swimming next to the boat. The current is quite strong so you can lay behind the boat and swim without moving forward.

After lunch we take the dinghy in to land to throw our garbage and see what the village has to offer and what we can find in the supermarket . It is a huge store where you can find many other things then food. Even here it is not much fresh fruit and vegetables. We get some soft drinks, beers, fruits. A stop at the yacht club for a drink before we head back to the boat.

In the evening we are invited over to Jörgen and Louis on Sara of Sweden for dinner togheter with Jan and Anders from HokaHey. It was a very nice evening at there boat. Great food, fisk that they had caught. Wonder when we will get som fish on Saphir?

The next day we went for a bike ride with Jörgen, Louise, Alex and Inez from Sara of Sweden. We rented e-bikes since there are some hills that are very’ Bran’. First stop is to taste if the sea is fresh water or a mix. It is a mix. The next is a museum where you can se how their i boats looked liked that they built to travel around and visit other islands. In the canal that goes in to the sea they have built fish traps of small rocks.

The tour continued out on a peninsula to have a swim and some snorkelling. Luckily for us was that there was a little restaurant in a privet home so we could have lunch with the best view.

Next stop was to look at the blue eyed eels. There was a lot off them when we spotted them. After that we had some hills to bike up. The e-bike made it easier and we was rewarded with a great view. Thank you Louise, Jörgen, Alex and Inez for a great day.

When we came back BlueSunshine and some more boats had left and found a better spot further south. We hoisted our anchor and went over to them. This was a fantastic spot and well worth moving the boat. We went over for sundowner at BlueSunshine together with all from Sara of Sweden. There is a few off this sundowners on the boats or ashore. It is very nice and relaxing . Also very nice to see the others boats closely and get some good ides for your boat. The last photo was taken by by Mark on Amanzi. Time to use our own drone I believe.

One off many good things to sail in group is that we share information between each other. As BlueSunshine told us about the great snorkelling they went with their dinghy. We had to try that as well. It was so great that we went there twice. The second time we got there before the tourist boat and then the water was even clearer. No swimmers with fins that had stirred up the sand. I have never seen so many different fishes together at the same time. Yes the tourists boat feed the fishes so that helps that they stay there but never the less it is magical. It is not only the fishes that is fantastic it is the corals in so many different shapes and all these lovely mussels hidden in the corals also them in so many colours. Enjoy the picture and the movies. Extra fun was the little fish that was very curious

We went ashore on the lovely beach we was anchored outside. There was a man there that own the land and he told us he use to have a hotel here 25 years ago. Since he only speaks French and mine is not that good I didn’t get why. But he wanted to show us where it use to be. The pool or maybe more a big pond was still there. Up behind the threes he pointed was where the small hotel use to be. Think he said around for 30 guests. Edgar went in the water instead of joining us.

Time to move on to the next island. This time not good wind so we motorsail over for 4 hours to Tahinan. Bye bye Huahine

Panama city

We arrive late afternoon and was greeted by Swade from ARC. First we have a drink on the deck after a great day on the Panama Canal. We say Thank you to our crew when they leave us and looking forward to have more crew onboard again.It is very nice to have company onboard from time to time. Next one that is planned is Eva that will join us from Tahiti

First some shopping again to Allbroke mall. Found me new shoes so now I can use my fine shoes as fine shoes again. In the late afternoon we take a taxi and get in to old town together with Michel, Petra and Fleur. Lots off nice renovated houses and also lots that needs some attention . A drink on the rooftop before dinner and then more drinks on the next rooftop with lots WARC(world arc) friends.

Sunday morning we went on WARC guided tour of Panamas history and visit to old town. Our guide was great and have lots of energy and pumped us with so much interesting history about Panama and the canal. One was about the big riot when the student demanded that the American school in the Canal Zone also should have the Panama Flagg outside there school and not the American. This costed many students life and today there is a memorial site in the previous canal zone.

We went up to a fantastic view point. On the way we say a sloth sleeping in the three. Up at the top we had view over the canal, American bridge, yatch harbour and Panama city.

After that we went in to old town and got to see some more nice places and the old church. On the way in we pass a not so very nice area with lots off graffiti and very sad houses. After the tour we went for lunch with the group in a new open Italian restaurant. I saw a painting on the way there that I really loved but unfortunately the shop was closed so Erika maybe you like to make your mother happy in between your knitting?

Tomorrow we will fill up with diesel and then head down to Las Perlas. Would have loved to have some more days here in Panama but it is time to move on.

Hugs Eva

Atlantic crossing

Tjohooo we made it!!! I am so happy to have crossed the Atlantic together with the love of my life my dear husband Edgar, my brother-in-law Mattias and our friend Magnus. Extra thanks to M&M who join us and to their wife’s who manages a month without them. The picture is of us on our last night together in Grenada witch was a very nice evening, but let’s go to back to Cape Verde and the start of the crossing.

Friday 18 Nov at 12.00 the start shoot went of and together with 90 others boats we started our longest sailing leg so far 2164NM. Crossing the Atlantic here we come.. just before the start the little fishing boat came in front of our boat and through in a net and after 15-20 minutes they where done and had caught some fish.

After a couple of hours the wind stopped and the waves came from all sides and Saphir started to rock and swing. Luckily we had scopoderm plaster to avoid seasickness.

After a few days on the Sea the days goes in in each other. You have your watch, we eat, prepare dinner and lunch, read, knit(only me) and sleep. I tried to bake bread of raw-flour that we bought in Las Palmas. Had to trough it over board. It was like eating sand… back to plain wheat flour to make bread and it worked. When I was on it I also made a lemon cake and it was very appreciated by the crew. Heard that is was the best ever … Cocking is very interesting when the boat rolls. On top off the oven is a thick pancake. Waiting for the oven to be warm. Luckily the oven swings, but I was a bit scared that the pancake batter would scump over.

This rolling on a boat can be okay and it can be very hard and also make you use different ways to stay safe. On thing you learn is to always have on hand on something when you move around and use different techniques to stand safe when you are cooking, washing, reading,sleeping. Wide legs and have your feet, hip, but against something that is steady or use the tall .Edgar had the best technique in bed. Look like a toad.

We also had good moment and great moments on the boat. Lots of laughs great food and interesting eating…. Either you eat or you drink. The plate don’t stay on the table nore does the glasses. They tip easily in a wave. It took half the sailing until I realised we have a great thing to have our glasses in since these anti slip cloths only helps the plate to stay in place. It also helps other things in there place a bit better but even then things can move around when a wave comes hard. Sadly my camera was one off them. Don’t have the long object working anymore but the camera is working even if it is a bit damaged.

Crossing the Atlantic gives you a perspective and appreciation of the beauty of our world. Sunset, sunrise , stars in the night( definitely not possible to take photo on), rains, sunny days, grey days and so on. It is hard to take a great photo special when my big camera is broken or it works still after falling but unfortunately my sd card brook later.

Long sailing is tearing on things on the boat. Comparing a summer sailing for which has been 6 weeks and maybe 2-3 night sailing during that time and around 500-600 NM.????Crossing the Atlantic was approximately 3000 NM from Las Palmas-Cape Verde-Grenada. So it isn’t strange that things wear and tear. The biggest for us was that we couldn’t get the mainsail in or out when we had 700nm left. After long trying we manage to get the sail in and didn’t dear to use it anymore.

Sailing 2164nm is long and yes we get in to routines and one was to keep track on how far is we from finish line. Some figures are more even than others. The second thing is keeping track of the squalls in at night on the radar. We didn’t get many. There was only one night we got really much that we had to reduce the sails. Most of the time they just passed us very close but didn’t give us much extra wind and extra rain. Following the distance we celebrate halfway with a glass of bubbles.

You can get wet also without rain, specially when the waves come behind and from side and are big. Poor Matti got a quick wake up

The sailing slowly comes to an end. We see land and just in front off us comes the boat Maroro. They kept us company on the LasPalmas-CapVerde leg and just sail in before us there and also this time… probably our ways will cross again. So after 13days 8 hours 3 min and 13 sec we crossed the finish line and was greeted by other cruisers, Arc staff and the harbour staff.

We even got to students singing for us. We felt very warmly welcomed

This night we will (and we all did) sleep very well in a no rolling boat! First some nice dinner ,champagne and wine. Didn’t know if it was the wine or the not rolling boat that made us sleep well.

Hugs Eva

Las Palmas to Cape Verde

Sunday 6 nov around 12.30 all boat’s in ArcPlus where outside the harbour and ready to start the sailing down to Cape Verde. We are 93 botas all in all, one motorborren and 21 catamaran. At 13.00 a clock the start went for us in one hull. The catamarans had started before us.

No wind in the beginning so we decided to go for motor the first two hours. This help us get out to the wind and gave us a great start together with our sail setting , great wind for 24 hours. Let’s see what it will cost us at the end. Due to the wind we decided to use both our genua and sail wing by wing. It was a good strategy. Bit hard in between to go up high in the wind.

The first night we had great wind and lovely sky. Not many boats out there that we could spot with our eyes but we saw a light out there. Next morning we got a short company of some dolphins

After a while we find new places to relax in

On Wednesday the Swedish boat Alexandra caught up on us and passed us very fast. They have a much faster sailing boat than us.

Lovely sunset and sunrises . Some knitting have been done also. Hopefully it will be more. Can’t get enough of the view here on the sea.. trying to catch it but it is not easy.

Lots of flying fishes. It is so great to see them flying. They fly very long and bounce on the waves. Not much more action on the sea a bird or two and we had pancakes mix in the waffle iron. Works perfect and was so great and extra great with my sister in laws jam of blackberries and raspberries, my favourite.

Getting closer to Cape Verde, we change or sail setting. It was different to have to genua set at the same side.They didn’t always stay tight together but most of the time.

Cape Verde we made it!!! It took us 5 and a half day. We crossed the finish line on Friday 11th at 18.03 local time and as the 17th boat. We are so happy that it went so well. We was sure that we would come in in the middle. The winner boat came in after 3 1/2 day. They are not a crushing boat.

Nice to have soil under our feet. The next day we had a relaxing day and found a restaurant with a great view.

Friday the 18th the next leg starts. Crossing the Atlantic

Hugs Eva

Last day in LasPalmas

The crew have arrived and the last preparation are getting done. Chain up, reversed and painted. New bag for the chain is sewed. Sun screen sewed. Food prepaired and more things. I have also have had time for some leasure. Going on a tour on the previous volcanos. It was very interesting.Dinner with our friends and costumes party.

Now we are ready to go!!!

A mix of picture from the last days

Sorry for not telling much about the pictures but wanted to put them in the blogg before we don’t have anymore wifi. So might fill in it later.

Hugs Eva

Porto to Lisbon

We left Porto early in the morning together with Life@sea and Currier Sur. First it was hard to see but as soon as the sun came up we had clear sight. Then we realised we had a lot others boats after us as well.. And we also saw lots of dolphins. Thank you for boat photos and the film Christophe

Arrived in Figuera da Foz after eight hours on the sea. We took a walk in to town to have something to eat.

Next morning we wave bye to Life@sea and Currier Sur and headed to Nazare. We had a very nice day and got som really nice photos of Saphir from Esther of Sweden. A bit zig zag sailing between the fishing gears.

Nazare is famous for the high waves and is the paradise for surfers. To get them you have to go to the next beach north of the cliff so her in Nazare city the waves are smaller. I went to the beach and the water was great, big waves so didn’t need to go far out in the water to swim. But is was a bit tricky to get in and out of the water and not get caught in a wave. Lots of sand inside the bikini. Edgar didn’t join me but he also went in the water but in a wetsuit. He wanted to check the zinc anodes and at the same time cleaned the side off the boat. We stayed a few nights here. Very nice food and very good services in both of the restaurant we visited. Portugal is growing on us as we say in Sweden.

It is not always easy for us to get a place in a harbour as we are 18m long and most harbour at least so far are made more for up to 14-15m. Of course we can stay in a bay on anchor but our anchor winch is not reliable. We will get a new in Las Palmas.Depending on the weather some harbours fill up quickly. This makes us plan little ahead looking at weather forecast to see when we can go and then prebook. Sometimes we have to changes the dates of our arrival / leaving and so far that has been okay. This time we kept our planning and left Tuesday morning on the 20 sep heading to Cascais. These early mornings are lovely with the sunrise. It is only hard to get out of bed…. Sailing close to the coast is nice when you can see the coastline changes from beaches to big rocks and sometimes caves. The backside is that the fog always comes and we have all the fishing gears to watch out for.

We arrived to Cascais after 8.1/2 hours and an hour later we had our place and all paperwork was done. From not knowing many along our sailing (four actually and they are very new acquaintances ) we have many around us here in Cascais/Lisbon. Edgars former colleague Jörgen with family came sailing in to the harbour. They will also do the ARC. In the afternoon Johan who lives here with his wife Marina came down to have a look on the boat. Sadly Marina was not here. In the evening we had dinner with a friend from our time in Riga.

Hugs Eva

A week in Porto

The harbour in Porto is located in Duero River less then 1 km from the Atlantic sea. This effected us very much during high and low water including the swells. It felt like we been out sailing and not laying calm in a harbour. Worst was on Monday to Tuesday when it was very windy and raining. All boats was bumping around. During the night we lost one fender and one was in the water that we saved. Sadly the boat got some scratches that Edgar have filled in as good as he could. It is not easy when it is bumping. The positivt about the harbour is the view, the location as in close to the Sea , the city and have a cute little village next to us with restaurants, food stores, cafe, bakery and a Portuguese traditional washing place

So what do you do when you are not sailing. Relaxing, like reading a book, looking at a film or sleeping…. Nope! sleep in sometimes yes ( if you ask our daughters they who’d say we are teenagers) and have longer breakfast. Otherwise it is like having a home that needs your attention like cleaning, washing, repairing, food shopping and also filling oil, or change it after a certain time,checking filters, fill up water, organising. And since I love to take lots of pictures there is some extra work sorting them out and then use some in the blog and when that is done time to write the text to the blog. This is not always easy doing it in an other language then your mother tongue and sewing of course etc. We still organise on things around to get them there best place. Wherever that is? At the moment the beds in the cabins are full and that is not good when we get guests onboard soon.

Staying 1-4 nights then you quite busy so having seven nights is very long for us but it didn’t felt that long since we got to spend time with Sofia and Fredrik from Zelda. One day we walked in to Porto took the gondola up to the bridge and walked over to old town and walked back home to our boats. Totally 12km or 20 000 steps.

Together with Life@Sea, Currier Sur,Zelda, Balder, Esther of Sweden and Windysailing we walked to Churchill, witch is a port winery . There we a had a privet guiding and tasting.

I realised that we have missed the most beautiful Mc Donald’s ever so we had to go to Porto again. Edgar was quick to say yes when I told him that I wanted to go to Mc Donald’s. ( not my favourite place to eat at) And luckily just around the corner is Sao Bento train station that used to be a convent for nuns. The entrance is decorated with hand painted tiles. It is sad that there are some mistakes putting them up and that makes it even more charming. So glad we got to see it. Specially since we actually passed by it two days before and totally missed it.

In between we have had sundowners, lunch, small chats on the pier etc with other boat-friends Friday morning 16 sep we leave Porto and also say fare winds to Zelda that will sail to Madeira . We will meet them agin in LasPalmas

All in all Porto is a lovely place but the harbour needs to work on getting better wavebreaker.

Hugs Eva Ps I love to get comments from you

Crossing Bay of Biscay

Thursday 18 aug at 8 in the morning with a bit help from the marinas rib boat we leave Camaret-sur-Mer to cross bay of Biscay When we reach the strait we get 3 extra knots due to the tidewater.

In the afternoon we reached our friends from OSK, Aegir and Tiger Lilly . They had started a bit early than us. We missed Aura since the turn in to explore a bit more of France before they cross bay of Biscay.

We had 2 great days and nights on the sea. I even could do some knitting. The second night we had clear sky with lots of stars and the moon who shined up the sky.

This is one off all big waves that gave us extra putt forward

We hade dolphins comming and playing around our boat several times. So here is a video

Saturday morning we can see land. The waves crash against the rocks.

Here we will stay two or three nights before we move slowly along the coastline. Looking forward to see what Aviles have to offer. So far a very cute city

Hugs Eva