Back at Sea

Monday morning we up the anchor and head onwards to Tahiti. We pass through the Tuamotus and We will arrive in Papeete on the 31st. 

Taiohae Bay

Here is the bay we have been staying in. taken from the top of a very windy road

You can see Rosehearty quietly anchored in the bay below.

Morning in Nuku Hiva

A very calm anchorage with the wind boxing the compass. We took a day to explore the island.

Very mountainous and very lush. It is like a full on Rain forest with thousands of plant and tree species. Saw the Vally where Herman Melville was held captive and not Eaten.. Typee was the book he wrote about those experiences.

Refuel and Reset

We have just refueled. Stern to another nice dock!! not Really.. !m swell rolling us around while we pumped fuel onboard. Only 3 hours though..Once I was here rolling 55 gallon fuel drums down the dock and then pumping the contents of those onboard. It took a bit Longer!

However the view is nice in between the rain Showers..

Landfall! Nuku Hiva

Surprisingly, and right in the right place. landfall and right on time.. Phew. Even with all these Electronic it is nice to Sail 3,200nm and arrive where you thought you should be when you thought you should be there.. Bet the crew wish I hadn't said that!!

Emerson and the Fish

Day 9
Quick question, which one is the fish!
Every morning now We are scooping up lots of these guys. Unlike the Caribbean they are quite big here as you can see.
Another good reason to have a flybridge, as if you got hit by one of these while steering it would hurt..
We are now about 200nm away from landfall at Taiohae on Nuku Hiva. ETA is 0700 there, We will re-provision and re fuel there before heading on Monday the 28th to Papeete. So all good..

Photo by Hutch

Watching, always Watching

The weather, our main topic out here other than food and exercise  has continued favorable. Clocks go back every 3rd day as we run down the longitude West towards Nuku Hiva. Watches go quicker now as we are used to the 4 hours on watch and the 8 hours "off" watch Where we try to grab a good few hours sleep. and here we see a Master at work on the Helm..Or looking for his glasses!!

Photo by Hugo "Snapper" Thomas

Tequila Sunrise..not Quite!

Day 5 and another awesome sunrise. A bit more wind around today in to the lower teens and the swell is maxing at 3.5m but with a long period. So life onboard is still reasonably comfortable, certainly compared to our trans Atlantic last January!

Photo by the Dawn Patrol (Carver)

Mercury Rising

Ok so there is not much to look at out here but the Cosmos...And it is fantastic. Day four and 1900nm to go. Everything is in its place. A very rare sight even for us sailors is Mercury. Here low in the Eastern sky 30 minutes before sunrise. Above it is Uranus, even harder to see and not visible on a photo. Again taken by the Dawn Patrol.. It is the white speck in the middle with the mizzen boom in the bottom Left

Photo by Brian Carver

Day Three Moon and Venus!

The routine is now well established. Watch follows Watch. Chores are done each day and the boat looked after. we had drills also today Because a drilled ship is a happy ship...All the while the log turns over as we head to Nuka Hiva 2600nm away.  Brian took this about 30 minutes after sunset

Photo by Brian Carver

New Moon

As we come out of our Internet Dark side of the moon (with no internet coverage) so too We are greeted by the New Moon. Out here the air is crystal clear. first couple of nights there was no Moon just brilliant planets and stars. during the day the wind has been constant from the SE and the Swells and sea around 3m. We are headed slowly South and quickly West.

Photo by Brian Carver

Sunrise over Isabella

As We head out West to Tahiti the Sun has come up with our final view back to the amazing Galapagos..

A great Photo from Brian Carver.. and he also saw Mercury the planet low in the west. not often seen..

Baltra Refuel

Well We are now refueled and headed on out towards Fernandina and South from there to Nuka Hiva in the Marquesas. Weather seems set for a reasonable start but the winds will be lighter than usual so the motor will push on... We left our good friends at SailnGalapagos with many thanks for organizing such a great trip. Thank you Ricardo and Yvonne Arenas.

Internet will be off for much of this trip but the Tracker is always on..

Galapagos Goodbye from Rosehearty

The guests have gone, sadly. This adventure has come to an end and we have re-provisioned and soon to refuel. Our memories remain of a fantastic trip.

We have about 3,300nm ahead of us towards the Marquesas as in the Crosby Stills Song Southern Cross. It hangs heavy in the Moonless nights. too hard to photograph but amazing to see.

Sea Lion

Everywhere We have been in this amazing archipelago there are the Friendly Sealions. As we Wrap up here and start to get ready for the trip onwards they are a great memory.

Land Iguana

ON Plaza Island we saw quite a few of these guys. Land Iguanas. Cute Hey!

Photo by Renee Boudria

Plaza

Another very nice walk ashore, Cactus, and land Iguanas as well as Swallow Tailed Gulls Nesting..

Photo by Renee Boudria

North Seymour

We had a nice Evening sail from Rabida to the Anchorage at North Seymour. In the morning a walk on the beach in mosquera for some and a dive for others. In the afternoon we Went around to some islands off the East Coast called Plaza.

Photo by Richard Smith

Rabida Island

The Red Island..for obvious reasons.. A nice Anchorage and a good ramble ashore

Puerto Egas

Nothing here as far as a port but it was a thriving 1 man salt producing area until they found out how to make salt on the mainland..