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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on May 17, 2012 19:20:32 GMT
Left Tahiti after saying some goodbye's to some incredible new friends, two boats especially Similie and Taurus we stayed a little longer helping Robin of Similie change an engine and didn't do our home work on the weather...... Mainly because it was never a good time to make for New Zealand Gales were the norm so whats thr point of looking If we were going to New Zealand we would expect at this time of year to run into bad weather, and we did Just 12 hours motoring south from Tahiti we ran into a Powerful Squall which I didn't treat with due respect reefed late and lost control of my Mainsheet halyard which wrapped itself around the Radar reflctor normally not a problem but now the only option was to stow the Mainsail the strong winds continued though the night and a Mainsail would have given us some usful speed the late morning we were able to raise the Mainsail the seas were Rough from the Previous winds which died to give us a plesent day of sailing this was Great I love the feeling of being at sea......Raratonga then tonga would be our next destinations but only another 36 hours saw us entering another weather system with strong winds the sails fully reefed we thought we'd have no problems keeping Course the Seas became High with breaking waves occasionally swamping the boat the wasboards we not in place when the first hit us depositing a large amount of water below decks enough to set off the automatic Bilge pump... we had to alter Course starting the engine to help us as we tacked If we should run into Problems we turned directly into the waves where reallity really took hold these waves were higher than the full length od Blue Bear the wave approached rising and curling before we were half way up it, it was stopping us we reved the motor hard to keep momentum to break through the foming whitewater washing over the entire boat filling the cockpit to Knee Higth a Scary thought entered my head Still Cyclone Season and we're still in the Cyclone belt.... we headed South at a good angle to wind and waves giving us a surpisingly good ride in weather we had not seen since Spain and Portugal a few years ago.......the weather improved as we move further south but we were supposed to be going west....If we are encountering such weather so early we may as well go straight to New Zealand  |
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Post by sheila on May 18, 2012 9:23:45 GMT
OMG scared just reading this!
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on May 18, 2012 17:36:55 GMT
NEW ZEALAND  A trip which had Unsettled winds the Picture showind the Circular direction of the Clouds indicating wind direction  Strong winds making short work of My Leech line  Lumpy Seas  Sue sometimes anxious  Remained in Incredably good Spirit  Cold and Damp Easily Comparable to a Welsh Autumn greeted us along with the First radio transmission for weeks we were around 25 miles off NZ attempting to Raise NZ customs (we had not given the required 48 hours notice) when a storm warning Advisory came through.....My heart Sank so close yet soooo far can we make it before the storm we changed to Channel 68 to listen to the full forcast which to my relief mentioned the storm was for Cook, we sailing into Plenty we would only get gale 35 gusting 55 ah what a relief  WHAT HAVE WE DONE Tahiti Warm 28 degree seas air temps 30+ degrees Coral reefs sea as clear as tap water....... to....... seas 18 degrees and Falling air temps 12 or less sometimes wind Cloud and Rain..... taste of Home WE LOVE IT really, it has added a little variety and excitement to the trip which as becoming a little tame  Firmly on Dry Land PARTY TIME |
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ishtar
Member of CYC 
Ishtar
The original Ishtar
Posts: 970
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Post by ishtar on May 18, 2012 18:18:37 GMT
NEW ZEALAND Clearly the trip has changed you, Bri. Sue looks happy, but somehow, you look, well, harder. ;D Enjoy yourselves. You've earned it. Both of you. When you get a chance, send me a position, and I'll plot you on the club chart. M. |
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on May 22, 2012 19:22:54 GMT
Bluebear at last out of the water for some overdue Maintainance...  Scraping off some antifoul shows some signs of Osmosis seemingly under the footprints of the Goosneck Barnicals so will do so tests to check the extent of the dreaded flaw, our expert Brent sussing out the Job  Sue being invited to pose as a worker  The Pose  have several other jobs underway sails needed some serious repairs, Mainsheet Traveller no longer has parts available so having new wheels Made, the previous wheels shattered in the most appaulling conditions the new pulley block was also bent |
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Post by sheila on May 22, 2012 19:48:17 GMT
Glad to hear you're enjoying the comforts of home at long, long last - comfy bed and hot baths and sausage egg & chips! I think Sue needs a bit of fattening up now! Great to see you back on line.
Where exactly are you in NZ?
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on May 22, 2012 19:51:06 GMT
Tauranga, Bay of plenty very good for boat Maintanance gave Martin map reference so should be on the clubs where we have been Map soon
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ishtar
Member of CYC
Ishtar
The original Ishtar
Posts: 970
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Post by ishtar on May 26, 2012 9:16:50 GMT
Sorry for the delay. I've updated the CYC Where are you 2012 chart to show Blue Bear now. You can zoom in etc.
Martin
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 1, 2012 3:47:11 GMT
An Important Replacement  |
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 6, 2012 10:32:43 GMT
Repairs taking much longer than expected seems we are wating for the weather to improve more than working some pretty poor weather hitting this area only three degrees above the roaring 40's so I shouldn't be surprised really, but with a few serious incidents in the surrounding waters with Yachts incuding a 24metre Racing vessel (rescued by a 7metre Fishing Boat off Norfolk Island) maybe it's just as well we're on the Hard....
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 8, 2012 4:44:43 GMT
Things Looking good first coat of Primer undercoat being applied  Ant who does the Work, with the Supervision from myself and Brent (who supplied the refreshments), should be Applying the Antifoul in the next day or two..  |
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ishtar
Member of CYC
Ishtar
The original Ishtar
Posts: 970
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Post by ishtar on Jun 8, 2012 9:17:19 GMT
You photoshopped the paint splashes onto your coat and Jeans, I take it, Bri?
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Post by sheila on Jun 8, 2012 11:31:07 GMT
I must say Brian, although you are looking somewhat less hairy, you still seem to have that wild bushman look about you, or did you always look like that?
Blue Bear's looking good!
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Post by vikingsmb on Jun 8, 2012 16:47:21 GMT
stay safe blue bear, it worried me when it said water going below
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 10, 2012 18:53:42 GMT
Planning my next trip BUT where?  ?? Australia Palm beach 14 degrees wet and windy for 3 out of 5 days with more expected according to windguru not really the weather I imagined of OZ Maybe I'll Make my way to Portugal  |
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Fred
Member of CYC
Runagane
Posts: 274
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Post by Fred on Jun 10, 2012 20:01:09 GMT
Planning my next trip BUT where? ?? Australia Palm beach 14 degrees wet and windy for 3 out of 5 days with more expected according to windguru not really the weather I imagined of OZ Maybe I'll Make my way to Portugal Brian see you on Aus in Sept Fred |
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Post by sheila on Jun 11, 2012 5:57:12 GMT
Oooh, Portugal would be could Brian, we#ll come and see you there!
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 11, 2012 17:37:29 GMT
Planning my next trip BUT where? ?? Australia Palm beach 14 degrees wet and windy for 3 out of 5 days with more expected according to windguru not really the weather I imagined of OZ Maybe I'll Make my way to Portugal Brian see you on Aus in Sept Fred I'll look forward to it Fred |
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 13, 2012 7:24:21 GMT
Finally....... An Early start After defrosting the Car  A fine Day to Carry out the finnishing touches  And a long day taking us into the Night  BLUE BEAR is ready to put back into the water |
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Fred
Member of CYC
Runagane
Posts: 274
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Post by Fred on Jun 13, 2012 21:42:22 GMT
Finally....... An Early start After defrosting the Car A fine Day to Carry out the finnishing touches And a long day taking us into the Night BLUE BEAR is ready to put back into the water Is there a local Lidi store or is the bags from Cardiff Fred |
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ishtar
Member of CYC
Ishtar
The original Ishtar
Posts: 970
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Post by ishtar on Jun 14, 2012 13:16:25 GMT
Hey, Fred, you'll have to get a move on to get to Australia by September. What time are you locking out?
;D
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 15, 2012 1:55:56 GMT
We haven't seen Lidls since Gran Canaria good bags though last for years even when overloaded on a regular basis
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Fred
Member of CYC
Runagane
Posts: 274
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Post by Fred on Jun 15, 2012 6:41:06 GMT
Hey, Fred, you'll have to get a move on to get to Australia by September. What time are you locking out? ;D Ha HA |
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 18, 2012 19:40:52 GMT
Planning Stage again!!! Been living on the land warm fire Television with Sky,,,warm Incredibly comfortable bed,,,, boat Parked in a Marina which is the cheapest I have encountered to date but........C C Cold outside and itchy feet I need to move on!!!! won't be Easy to leave here weather for the most time Blows frequent gales but the furthest north of the Island seem to be on the outer area of most weather systems The Plan will be to wait in the Bay of Islands where we Hope to join the Schooner Ratbag for a while who are also considering traveling North and watch the weather forecasts to show some favorable weather and make for New Caledonia around 1000 miles can't make any changes to my Plans once underway since we will be carrying the Minimum amount of food since any excess food will be Confiscated and destroyed at New Caledonia or Australia, Australia will not allow such changes anyway I have no long range Communications to forewarn my arrival... would have been nice to arrange enough stock to make for Christmas Island or Cocos Keeling while we have a car.....
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Post by sheila on Jun 21, 2012 21:47:58 GMT
Brian, have been meaning to ask for ages, how do you manage when doing these huge long trips as to who is helming, who is resting? Do you do say 8 hours on, 8 off or what.
Also, while talking about food being confiscated, in Uk we have just been advised of International Catering Waste.Any boats coming in from non EU countries have to have their waste disposed of in a different way, and even boats coming in from an EU country that might have provsioned in a non EU country will have to be "inspected". Beware on your return to CYC!
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jun 22, 2012 4:35:32 GMT
Brian, have been meaning to ask for ages, how do you manage when doing these huge long trips as to who is helming, who is resting? Do you do say 8 hours on, 8 off or what. Also, while talking about food being confiscated, in Uk we have just been advised of International Catering Waste.Any boats coming in from non EU countries have to have their waste disposed of in a different way, and even boats coming in from an EU country that might have provsioned in a non EU country will have to be "inspected". Beware on your return to CYC! Hi Shelia the first part of your question about watch keeping is we keep watch 3 hours on 3 off while there are two of us and three on 6 off when there were 3 of us as for the helm we have a very good auto helm but to save electricity on long passages we set the sails and helm in such a way the boat pretty much steers itself which is very useful if the wind changes direction, It does get very exhausting especially in bad weather but there is sometimes an Adrenalin rush to keep us alert ..... and only when close to land do we have to watch out for pots,nets and rocks although There are a surprising amount of rocks offshore We check these areas before leaving port and Mark them so they are Prominent on charts and Gps, we have also hit a log which could have just as easily been a tree and passed through a narrow line of Debris plastic, wooden Pallets, logs bottles Polythene etc.... the Polythene an especially bad obstacle since it can block the water intake for the motor It does pay to be watchful..... after a 2000 mile Journey across the Atlantic we were on a collision course with a Trawler If we had not seen him and Gave way we would have collided a Trawler Captain would have been smiling all the way to the bank with my Insurance details and a few days or weeks off while waiting for new nets to replace his old ones.. the concentration we give to watch keeping will depend on our Position ,most of the time when far offshore we see no boats or even aircraft Cape Verde to Grenada, one Trawler mentioned Previous..... Panama to Hiva Oa we saw one Whaler? two cargo ships in 3 months... Tahiti to New Zealand.two cargo ships, both made detours to pass close to us out of curiosity I would imagine before veering away again..... Don't think I'll worry too much about Them confiscating food when I reach the Eu Countries Provisioning is easy and Cheap with comparatively short distances to travel but here Foods can be difficult to obtain and very expensive on the Islands.... It is nice to have an emergency stock but not so nice if it is Confiscated in each country I visit ps how did your trip Go?.......Simon SV Bird is waiting for a weather window to cross Azores to UK |
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Post by sheila on Jun 22, 2012 15:33:36 GMT
Thanks for that Brian, that's really interesting
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jul 9, 2012 20:35:38 GMT
almost ready to move north a few local sails around the area  Spending a little time with my Niece and Nephew  Caught some fish but returned them to the water  |
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Post by sheila on Jul 10, 2012 18:13:48 GMT
Great to be hearing from you again Brian. Lovely photos. Seen a few of your posts on Facebook.We went to France earlier this month. Twenty six and a half hour crossing was enough for me! How on earth do you do it?
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Post by brian (Blue Bear) on Jul 11, 2012 22:10:08 GMT
Should be moving on soon Weather looks good for next Monday to the Bay of Islands
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?? Australia Palm beach 14 degrees wet and windy for 3 out of 5 days with more expected 
