Sailing Adventures
We’re Back in Fiji
We’re back in Fiji, the land of happy people (mostly). We were very pleasantly surprised to find a couple of friends who we hung out with during our last trip to Fiji and also in New Zealand. We knew they were in Fiji somewhere but to find them in the same port as us was […]
Two Cents from the Crew-New Zealand
When we first stared this adventure, I was surprised to learn that in the boater/cruising community it is common to call people by their boat name. We are no longer Mark and Cindy. We are collectively called “Cream Puff”. When we lived on land our friends knew our personalities were divergent. I find in the […]
New Zealand – South Island – Part II
When we left off from the last post, we’d taken the train from Christchurch to Greymouth and began exploring the really cool little beach town of Hokitika. We needed to head south as our plan is to go walkabout on top of a mountain. More specifically, a walk on a glacier. Heading southward, we drove […]
Cream Puff is in New Zealand
I keep telling Cindy that I hope the hassle of New Zealand is worth it. I’ll explain. Sailing from Fiji to New Zealand is tricky. The trip takes about 7-9 days depending on winds. However, about every 5 days a nasty weather system will move across northern New Zealand from Southern Australia and […]
What is it Like to Make an Ocean Passage?
Being at one with nature and the elements is remarkably calming and soothing. One feels a sense of peacefulness as the boat gently glides across the sea and rippling waves. We listen to Caribbean-style ska music or Jimmy Buffet and we sip rum concoctions in the evenings. During the day we bask in the […]
Bora Bora
We made it to Bora Bora. This will be our last stop in French Polynesia. There is a funny saying, I went to Bora Bora and left poorer poorer. And, this adage is justly due. This place is the world’s ultimate tourist’s trap. Personally, I think the real purpose of Bora Bora’s place in our […]
Top Sailing Blog 2021!
Forgive me while I toot our own horns a little bit. I recently received an email from The Adventure Junkies informing us our blog made a list of 2021 top sailing blogs to read. The Adventure Junkies brings together all sorts of publications to inspire people regarding outdoor activities such as sailing, hiking, climbing, and […]
Out at Sea and Out of Touch
You would think to be in the middle of the ocean as a contagious virus infects people all about the globe is be a good place. It is and it isn’t. First and foremost, our crossing of the South Pacific Ocean was awesome. We had great weather and absolutely enjoyed the experience. After leaving Galapagos, […]
Cream Puff is in Tahiti
When we left Galapagos, our destination was meant to be the Marquesas Islands, specifically Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia some 3400 miles due west. Our plans changed because of new Covid-19 regulations made by the French government regarding check-in procedures. About 60 hours out of Nuku Hiva, our agent notified us of the changes […]
We arrived safely in Galápagos
Yea! We arrived safely in Galápagos. The passage from Panama to Galápagos turned out to be one of the most challenging sails were have encountered so far in our wacky journey. The passage requires crossing an area called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The area has doldrums and can produce spectacular thunderstorms. I hate lightning. […]
Panama City!
Shelter Bay Marina is a brief stopover for us. The marina is nice but it is in the middle of nowhere. It is a 30-40 minute bus ride to the closest grocery store in Colón. The marina is located on the old US Army base Ft. Sherman from pre 2000 when the USA controlled the […]
Goodbye San Blas
The canned ham is gone and the rains are here. We have absolutely loved our time in the San Blas Islands. The Kuna Yala region of Panama is a little slice of heaven on earth and every day was like a dream come true. The San Blas are exactly what we dreamed about when we […]
Passage to Panama
It’s my job to throw the dead fish off the deck in the mornings when we are underway. I do this each morning before they start to bake in the sun and stink up the place. They will also stain the deck if left stranded. We had nine dead fish on our second night out. […]
We made it to Colombia
Yea!!! We made it to Colombia. The passage was as expected. I would like to say it was boring but it turned out to be lively. Winds were forecasted at 20 knots most of the way but as usual the forecast was a little underestimated. We plan for this. For the most part, winds were […]
Oops – Wrong Island
We loved being at Îles des Saintes but all good things come to an end. We reluctantly departed setting sail for Curacao, some 450 nautical miles away across the Caribbean Sea. We estimated the trip to take about 3 days and nights. We departed on a Tuesday and expected to arrive Friday morning. Little […]
