Pacific dream’n

Well, dreams of the Pacific are getting me up before the sun. I make coffee and pour over charts, pilot charts, and historical weather data.

The decision to travel east towards Africa or West returning to the Pacific is coming to an end.

However I’m working on a new concept for Splendid’s Pacific crossing. I don’t want to leave in March with “the pack” this time. I’m toying with the idea of leaving at the onset of the southern Pacific cyclone season.

Cyclones don’t threaten the path to the S. Pacific islands as you can see in the graphic to the right, just the majority of the islands once you arrive.

It’s very rare to have a cyclone in the Marquesas, and the Marquesas are my favorite destination in French Polynesia.

Easter island & Pictairn are not affected by cyclones at all, nor is Kiribati. Might be good places to start before venturing into Polynesia?

Carla and I have been studying the history of the Pictairners who are the descendants of Fletcher Christian and his gang that lead the mutiny on the Bounty. 

I’m guessing the Gambier island group in Polynesia is quite safe as they are so South and East of the cyclone area?

So my big question is whether to take a Northern route to Kiribati staying above the cyclones, or to travel more to the South and visit Easter Island, Pictairn, and the Gambiers?

Many questions rolling through my brain!

All routs have inherent pros & cons. To the South, Easter Island and Pictairn islands have very bad anchorages and fowl weather usually results in going to sea for a few days to let it pass. The plus is wind to sail by.

Kiribati is close to the equator and the ITCZ so light wind and squally weather is common. The plus side would be calmer sea and better anchorages, however much of the sailing will be in light-air, and in the doldrums. Kiribati is only a few feet over sea level and will be lost to the sea in the next generation or two. New Zealand has already started relocating some of the population. I’d love to see and document it before it’s gone forever and is just a shoal or seamount on future charts.

Leaving S. America at the opposite time of the herd would be much more interesting for me, Carla agrees.

If we decide to do this, we will not be on the “Coconut milk run”, but a seldom traveled path spending our time on remote islands with people who are not accustomed to “Tourism” dollars.

My favorite places in the South Pacific were the remotest of islands, and avoiding Tahiti and Bora-bora is just fine with me.

The list I have to do before we take off goes through my head all the time. The biggest thing I need to do is to release “the Minimalist Sailor” in hopes to have a small income for our crossing.

I also wish to finish the water maker, and install a refrigeration system,  luxuries which are not necessary.

What’s necessary is a light-air sail plan (drifter) and some way for me to post blogs which will most likely be an Irriduum phone with data package.

I have a little rigging work to do, as well as buying a secondary GPS. I will also replace my steering cables, and have an extra set onboard.

I need a different windlass. I have an old 12v, 800 watt Ideal that just doesn’t have the balls I need, nor does it have a manual override. I have an 80lb anchor, 300’ of chain, and 500’ of rhode; I need some “umph” when I need it. The anchorages in the Pacific can be quite deep. In Bora bora I was anchored in 115’, with only 300’ of chain, not fun

I have a Lofrans tigress (windlass) that I pulled off of a shipwreck (underwater) that I could rebuild, and that’s my plan unless I find a way to generate some income down here. I’m hoping some charters fall into my lap. In a worst case scenario I’ll shuttle some backpackers. It’s really hard on the boat bringing backpackers to Colombia as it usually entails a 48hr push into the wind and sea (eastwards), and the backpackers can be hard to deal with and hard on the boat.

It’s nice not to have to worry about hurricanes here in Panama. Check out the historical hurricane map I found for the Americas.

Carla and I are thinking to transit the canal in 6 months or so. I will invite a few people to transit with us and help pay for the transit as many people have expressed an interest.

On the Pacific side of Panama it’s easy to get projects done as I’d be in the city, but on this side it’s easier to find charter work so all depends on the next 6 months.

I have to install a new temp gauge and oil pressure alarm but I’m planning to go to the San Blas in the upcoming weeks to stir up some work, hanging out in the touristy spots.

I also recently spoke with someone about captaining a backpacker boat which may come through in the following weeks. This would be a nice compromise to beating up Splendid. Backpacker boats really need to be set up for backpackers and Splendid isn’t. I’d freak the first time someone put out a cigarette butt on my deck, or vomited on my new upholstery!  

Anyway, I just wanted to share the plans that are rolling around Splendid’s cockpit.

Cheers.

Sail far and live slowly.

-alex

Author: Alex

I'm just a sailor bum ;) View all posts by Alex