10 – 2011 – Sail to Brisbane, Australia – “Heavy Metal” – Beach House’s “Summer Home”…..
This would be our last voyage for the 2011 sailing season. Next and last stop, Brisbane, Australia and home for Kay…..
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- Finally the spinnaker was raised on Day three
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- This was day one when the wind was still blowing in the mid 20 knot range.
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- As the winds dropped and went aft later in the trip….
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- Dawn’s early arrival with the famous Glass House Mountains in near the entrance to Moreton Bay
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- You can see the “glass like” shine on the center peak
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- The image of the mountains literally changed every few minutes with the changing weather
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- You can’t throw stones from here at this Glass House!…
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- This is the northern city at the head of Moreton Bay, the gateway to Brisbane
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- A constant parade in the deep water channel. Port Authority Brisbane controls this (and us!) up and down the 20 mile length of the entrance to the Brisbane River.
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- The main ship channel is only 100 yards wide, dredged to 45 feet (15 meters)
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- Most of Moreton Bay is sand shoals which is why we have to stay near the “big ship” channel
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- These two large vessels are controlled by local professional pilots and the Vessel Traffic Service of the Brisbane Port Authority
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- Pretty impressive how these vessels at speed maneuver so close to each other.
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- Car carriers, oil and gas ships, container ships. All manner of “heavy metal” was up and down the main channel this day
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- You can see this car carrying vessel actually lean right while making a tight left turn to go behind the oil carrier to his port (left side)
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- This is a specialty type ship designed for hauling oil and gas
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- Brisbane at last…5 hours from the entrance of Moreton Bay to the Customs dock. It’s a really big bay. Think San Francisco Bay size!
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- Lest you think we were out of the woods, the river is narrow, has lots of “heavy metal” and the channel outside the markers is in some places only 6 feet deep!
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- Despite being a sail boat. Even if our sails were up, which they weren’t. We would NOT have the right of way over these vessels in the controlled channel as we would “at sea”
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- More of the Emerald City. Looks like “OZ” was well named
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- The river has a permanently outgoing flow. As such, we’re slowed upon entry AND have to stay out of the way
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- This vessel was un-manned and had broken loose it’s moorings and drifted down the river to end up in the mud flats.
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- Much like an air traffic system, busy ports are controlled by VTS (vessel traffic system) controllers. They were on the radio to us several times during this entire passage up Moreton Bay and into the Brisbane River
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- Transiting the river is debris, tide, eddying currents. We had to keep our eyes open
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- This vessel was undergoing extensive maintenance and was for some reasons in constant contact with VTS
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- This tug was “pushing ahead” what appeared to be a large fuel tank for servicing vessels along the river. A mobile petrol station as it were
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- This is the bridge that crosses the Brisbane River and effectively separates the city in to a North and South section
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- Australia requires a 96 hour pre-arrival notice. This is Customs Officer Tracey Emery. She was in email contact with me and extremely helpful.
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- Tracey even sent me a link to get my visa before I arrived. I didn’t realize it was required and by the time I arrived it was completed. Isn’t she sweet!
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- Portia & Steve from San Rafael, California We were in daily radio contact with them and three other vessels. We had a lovely Mexican dinner with them as well in Bulimba
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- Here is Charmaine & Kay McNamara at Charmaine’s flat in Southport. Got her home safe Mum!….
10 – 2011 – New Caledonia & The Isle of Pines
From our time with S/V “Wetnose” until we departed the lovely Isle of Pines, New Caledonia
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- Kay & Scott take the car for a visit
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- Wetnose at Baie O’rlephenia
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- We all had dinner while watching the France – OZ Semi Final of the Rugby World Cup
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- Upon both arriving and leaving New Caledonia there was a crowd at the resort island; Isle Maitre
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- New Caledonia has many of these islands…Much like a tropical French Riviera
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- This trip was the calm before the storm!
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- Very modern, high style accommodation and lovely beaches
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- En route to the Baie de Prony
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- Cargo vessels use the Canal Woodin too! Eyes open
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- Believe it or not. This is the color of the actual scene.
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- The Day After!…Kay’s “Birthday BASH”…
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- Pretty “South Pacific” style, don’t you think?
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- Not everyone gets to swim home!
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- Road Trip
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- Someone left this in the sand…..nice!
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- A very tasteful monument to those Algerians who fell in the troubles of the 1960′s in France
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- Translation is above the viewed image
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- Catholic Church
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- Five Stars of Course!
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- The mile walk was along what those in Tahiti would call a “Hoa”
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- We made several detours!
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- The unique feature of Southern New Caledonia and especially the Isle of Pines
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- We came along this fierce creature en route
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- Quite Unique…
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- Earth Oven…
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- Kay took a swim here at the natural pools
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- Kay is a surfer girl…what did you expect!….
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- Listed here were the names of local island soldiers who gave their all during the World Wars of the last century
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- Throughout the Pacific such monuments are cared for and proudly displayed
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- This is a classic square in the French Pacific style.
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- The main Cathedral of the Isle of Pines
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- The main village green
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- This is a tourist affair, but it was far too windy
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- Local Nets being repaired and dried
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- The groves throughout the island could remind one of “Middle Earth”
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- Kay and I prepared to catch the wind on the approaching “weather window”
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- This lovely resort beach is where we spent part of our last days awaiting the weather window
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- With our impending departure, Nat and Jerome came by for a last good bye
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- Jerome very nicely gave us this lovely French bottle of wine to open and drink a toast to Cindy upon “Beach House’s” crossing the Pacific Ocean…one side to the other…East to West
10 – 2011 – New Caledonia Arrival & Tjibaou Center
Our sail to and arrival at New Caledonia as well as our tour of the Jean-Marie Tjibaou Center
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- We got off to another “breezy” start, but Kay found her sea legs
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- Deep Ocean Watch
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- Kay made me a lovely crepe with fruit for breakfast one day
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- Hoist the Colors. FP again! – Welcome to New Caledonia
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- We passed this navigation marker for Baie Anse
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- Just after sunrise, the island that creates the outside barrier the the Woodin Canal
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- Canal Woodin
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- This is such a signature of Southern New Caledonia.
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- New Caledonia is an eclectic mix of new and old world
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- From the Havannah Pass to Noumea took 5 hours
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- The Fast Ferry makes the trip in only 2 1/2 hours from Noumea to the Isle of Pines
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- Cruising sail boat enjoying the solitude of Canal Woodin
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- This passage can be rough! Currents here have been known to run 5 knots and create standing waves
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- The Bay of Orphans – Beach House with Na Maka
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- Similar to many active sailing communities, “Wet Wednesdays” are even popular here in New Caledonia
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- We arrived at Port Moselle just after lunch and checked in.
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- This is Switch 55 number one (and only)
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- Trimaran wrecked at Port Moselle
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- A monument in tribute to the US struggle to free the Pacific Islands during WW2
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- We Americans are well liked in New Caledonia…..even to this day!
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- We had a wonderful day at the Tijbaou Center
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- This is how you’re greeted upon arrival. The school kids must get quite a kick out of this on the tour!
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- Modern rendition of Kanak traditional vessel
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- This was the winning local artists contribution to the center
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- Jean-Marie Tijbaou Cultural Center
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- Despite appearing to be sails. These sculptures represent the open side of the new vs. the traditional closed village home on the windward side
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- The height represents the 28 dialects spoken on this 300 mile long island
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- Tjibaou Cultural Center
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- Garden Tour…..
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- In the Melanesian Style
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- See the link within the “Ship’s Log” for explanations of design
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- The Ultra modern and the Traditional
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- To represent the fishing tradition of the Kanak people. Everything in New Caledona is a contrast of Very Modern “French Riviera” to Kanak Traditional Villages
09 &10 – 2011 Vanuatu Underwater & Topside – Tanna Island Volcano
Anja and I first arrived at Luganville to dive the S.S. President Coolidge. We then sailed to Port Villa where Anja departed and Kay arrived. Â Watch the fireworks at Mt. Yasur, one of the worlds most active volcanos on Tanna Island
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- Anja and I had to do the usual “Official-dom Tango”…
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- We immediately set about organizing our first dive on the wreck of the famous S.S. President Coolidge
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- Alan Powers pioneered recreational diving on the Coolidge in the 1970′s
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- Our guide gave us the briefing at the waters edge
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- You simply walk in to the Coolidge site. The structure at the top left is just before the decent
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- Here we’re hanging out ready to decend
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- Anja is a natural diver and here she’s ready to descend on our orientation dive
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- Part of the cargo being carried by Coolidge
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- This is a very well known shot. The luxury liner was fitted with extensive extra facilities as it’s main function was troop transportation
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- Anchors were both deployed by Coolidge
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- Anja enjoyed feeding the fish
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- Eric chills out at the deco stop
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- Guide with 3″ shells.
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- 3″ shells stacked and ready for use….for all time
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- Anja and our guide get ready to penetrate the wreck
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- Famous signature dinner ware from the days of her service as a passenger liner
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- Many vehicles were being transported for the war effort as well
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- Here we’re shown one of the hundreds of carbine rifles destined for the Solomon’s campaign
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- You get the picture of the vast stores of war material when diving through holds 1 & 2
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- For long distance travel, these “drop tanks” were fitted under US Aircraft on missions to the Solomon Islands, 700 miles tot the North
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- A beautiful Worm?
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- Lovely clown fish and their anemone’s are all over at the safety staging area
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- At the end of the second dive, it was pouring when we exited the water
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- We got here three days after our dives on the Coolidge
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- Bislam is the official language of Vanuatu
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- Here we were required to check in at all major ports
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- Kay arrives from Brisbane and Anja flies out to Brisbane
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- Anja takes off
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- Kay and I go to market
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- Mt. Yasur in the distance. One of the world’s most active volcanos!
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- At only about 400 feet high, it doesn’t look to imposing from here
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- Landing Strip
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- You can see the tire tracks in the ash…
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- Here we get instruction on safe areas
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- On the way up the 100 meter hike to the viewing area is the famous “post box”
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- Explosions like this happened every minute or two
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- Viewing after dark is dramatic
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- Of the three active caldrons, this was the easiest to view
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- Every two minutes or so….BOOM!
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- Our two bedroom suite!
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- Bislam in action – Port Vila’s Public Library
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- Look at the power wires at the top of the photo
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- Observatory on top of a Private Home
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- En-route to New Caledonia….Kay takes the wheel
09 – 2011 Western Fiji & The Yasawa Group…..
On our way out of Fiji, we stopped at Musket Cove and then joined Joe Tui, our dive guide and host extraordinaire in his home islands, the beautiful Yasawa Group en-route to Vanuatu
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- This would be a highlight of the season. See previous Gallery
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- Last I left you, it was either a custom “fix” or this puppy was finished!….Good News!
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- Salt air alone did this to the aluminum armature
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- The guys at Baobab Marine came through again. This one should last forever. With the shipping costs, etc. This one was actually less expensive than one shipped to me via the US and Italy
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- This is a sea krait. Highly toxic! However, very un-agressive
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- We had a neighbor show up the next day after we arrived at Manta Ray Bay. A new style French “Outremer” 49….
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- Anja had not had this experience, so I sat in the dinghy and let her snorkel to her hearts content
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- Here you get some size perspective of these gentle giants next to Anja
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- Joe literally “missed the boat” the day he was supposed to arrive so it delayed us one day at Manta Ray Bay
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- Joe was very into “vessel operations”. Here he is lowering the anchor with the hand held remote at Narara Beach where we had two nice dives
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- Here at Narara Beach, the water was only 10 feet (3 meters) deep, but look at the color….more nice!
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- Good looking guy isn’t he?
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- This is m/v “TV”… yep, that’s her name. She’s 255 feet if memory serves and owned by one of the richest men in the world
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- These are the famous lime stone caverns of Sawa-I-Lau Island
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- The swim through is just off to the right.
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- We were relaxing after our hike up to the deep caverns. We had to walk in knee deep mud to get there
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- I took this one off, but Joe and Anja did “sevusevu” at the village at Sawa-I-Lau and this gave us permission to go quite far afield for diving and anchorages
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- She most likely would love to have taken this one along for the ride!
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- These structures last about 4 years with little maintenance and despite appearances do well in big winds and rain
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- Every woman’s dream A good looking guy who likes to cook!
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- Literally, “The Island Over There….At the Top”. This was the extreme north of the Yasawa Group and absolutely gorgeous
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- No more need be said…
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- This is the isolated anchorage where the movie “Contact” with Jody Foster was filmed
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- Joe liked to drive…. Anja liked to sit near Joe!…ha!
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- Joe gave us lessons all about Coconuts. This was just one of their uses
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- Yasawa-I-Ra and Champagne beach are very close
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- These are done for many reasons. Some practical, some ceremonial. These ladies do this all day, every day!
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- Anja loves kids, Joe loves kids. The kids were very interested in us on there way home from school
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- The kids were excited to see themselves. A rare treat in Anja’s LCD screen
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- Joe showed Anja and I the right way to make sure you got a perfectly ready to eat coconut “every time”
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- Sweet and ready to drink right out of the shell…..
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- Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates in one nut. And, the husks, fronds and shells have endless traditional uses
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- Anja taught Joe how to play backgammon. Diana of s/v “Quickstar” had given me this set and the two of them had legendary tournements
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- Joe was off visiting friends with my surf kayak. I went for an introspective walk and Anja relaxed
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- To the Fijians, you’re looking at the end of the world. “The Island over there….at the top”
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- Nothing more need be said…..
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- Joe was excited to finally get a full days sail in as we headed south back to Nanuya-Sewa
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- Oh we were going to miss Joe, but alas all good things must end.
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- Farewell Joe, we had a great time with you. Maybe once again….
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- Joe had a buddy who was going to take him to Manta Ray Bay Island….`
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- With happy memories and sad goodbyes….Joe was off
- Here we met Joe Tui and his buddies. You’ve seen the gallery. It was a highlight of the season
08-2011 – Sharks of Fiji
Over time, I hope to improve the edits. Â Enjoy!..AND…don’t try this at home!….:-) Â It is now believed through research that these “feeds” have little effect on the diet and behavior of these sharks. Â The benefit in education to see that these are not the man eaters of “Jaws” fame has done far more to help protect them than harm them. Â It is estimated that shark decline is due to mostly Asian long line fisherman who take over 125,000 animals….EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR!……
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- 12-14 foot Female Tiger Shark – Aqua-Trek Diving – Fiji
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- Joyce hanging out with the sharks
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- Predators in their own right. They were here by the dozens and didn’t seem to mind mixing it up with the sharks at all…..Except TIGER GIRL!
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- Our friend Terry Kennedy in Baja, California said that Silver Tips are “A Sharks…shark!”
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- This divers camera dome was “nibbled”. I had the only other dome there. They do seem to be curious about recycling strobes. That may have explained why she came within 2 feet of my dome. While she was “nibbling”, I got to pet her tail!
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- Tiger Girl with Diver and Pedro the videographer
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- Dental Exam
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- At 12-14 feet, she’s small for an adult. Large Tigers can get to 18 feet and around 2000 lbs.
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- Believe it or not, I’ve yet to look at the video….soon, I promise. Anything good and I’ll edit and post it.
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- This sequence is everything Joe told US not to do….Enjoy AND…DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!…:-)
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- An impressive set of teeth and jaws
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- Pedro with my video camera can be seen on your left, Joe in the background
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- There is a pecking order in this animal kingdom. Tiger Girl is ON TOP!
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- In Florida and the Gulf Coast, these are the shark of concern.
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- They don’t know we can’t bite them. Good thing too!
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- Bull on the bottom
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- Oh and don’t forget those teeth!….:-)
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- Big Girl
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- Note the gash under her dorsal fin. Most likely a mating scar. The males bite the females to mate. The females have developed extra thick skin to accommodate this Darwinian event. And now you know where the expression “thick skinned” comes from!
08-2011-Savusavu to Port Denarau Marina
Our travels from Savusavu, Fiji to Port Denarau Marina. Â (The Shark Dive will be it’s own separate Gallery)…..
07-08-2011 Vanua Balavu Island – The Lau Group
After quite the fuss, we were able to get our permit for the rarely visited “Lau Group” of Eastern Fiji. See the companion “Ship’s Log” for more details…..
