Sailing Wondertime

At 1320 ship’s time we dropped our anchor at Atuona, Hiva Oa.

Wow. Oh wow oh wow oh wow. It is gorgeous here.

I was on watch when the sky started to lighten this morning and gradually the grey smudge on the horizon grew bigger and bigger. Land ho!

All of us came up to the cockpit to watch the sun rise and the details of this island paradise come into view. Tall craggy green cliffs and misty valleys. Dramatic clouds. Rain showers in the distance. Even rainbows.

We couldn’t smell the island as it was to leeward of us, until we motored into the anchorage at Atuona. Suddenly a breeze blew down from the towering green hillside and hit us: it was like we had sailed right into a flower shop.

What I will remember most about this day though was the incredible kindness bestowed upon us: from the new cruising friend who came by in his dinghy to kedge our stern anchor out for us to another cruiser friend who kayaked by with a fresh pamplemousse for us to savor as we sat in the cockpit shortly after landing, just taking in the incredible view around us. As we sat outside a grocery store this afternoon munching a fresh baguette the older gentleman who worked in the store brought us a tray of chocolate eclairs and motioned for us each to take one; we soon had chocolate eclaire filling dripping down our chins. This evening we treated our crew Matt to dinner out and as we were leaving the restaurant the owner stopped us and offered to drive the five of us the two dark miles back to the yacht harbor.

This is a beautiful, beautiful place and we are so glad to be here.

Total miles: 2713

There’s nothing quite like setting your sailing ship loose in the Pacific tradewinds to gain a new appreciation for her. Wondertime has now carried us safely through inland, coastal and ocean waters nearly 7,000 miles. But it’s truly been this past 2,600 miles of sailing day after day after day with her white sails flying like wings that she’s shown us how she’s been dreaming of this trip as much as we have.

Wondertime began as a dream herself, a vision of a Mr. Paul Pfeifer who had been planning his ideal ship years before her lines were put to blueprint. I wonder if Mr. Pfeifer, back in 1978, as he sat sketching out the many details for his new boat ever put down his pencil and closed his eyes. Did he ever try to imagine the feel of the soft warm South Pacific wind on his face? The feel of his ship charging along up and down waves, mile after mile, white sails raised up to the sun? Setting foot on a distant land and smelling a frangipani tree for the very first time?

I know that while he had the boat’s hull built soon after, it took another 20 years for her to be completed. Her early years as a sailboat only saw her to Catalina Island and back to her Southern California berth, whether sailed by Mr. Pfeifer or her other owners we do not know. I hope he at least got to sail her to that distant island once. They both deserved it after so many years and dreams together.

But now, we’ve taken Wondertime to the waters she was perfectly built for. Where I’m sure Mr. Pfeifer had dreamed of sailing her. Out here, she’s become a live thing, romping through the waves, so so steady and safe and sure. If she were a girl she’d be running before the wind, her hair flying back behind her, her face pure smile. Happy, joyful. We love her for that.

And tomorrow, she gets a well deserved rest.

Total miles at noon: 2604
Miles since yesterday: 117
Miles to Hiva Oa: 87

It’s been a good 24 hours. This past night was much more pleasant with only a few passing rain sprinkles. We’ve been sailing with a conservative sail plan at night, in order to make reefing easier for the person on watch with squalls still all over the horizon. Last night we sailed with our genoa and mizzen only and made 3-4 knots all night. Slow, but steady and the sails stayed full.

Today however, has been a day of perfect tradewind sailing. Full sails up, 15 knots just aft of the beam, light SE swell running. We’ve been making nearly 6 knots the entire day. So nice. We are thinking that we may be shouting land-ho! tomorrow evening but our landfall will likely be Thursday morning.

Leah wrote a message and we sealed it up in a bottle and tossed it over this afternoon at 07 45’S, 136 24’W. If you find it on a beach somewhere, do let us know.

Total miles at noon: 2487
Miles since yesterday: 101
Miles to Hiva Oa: 204
Limes ready for margaritas when we arrive (since there were 0 tuna caught for ceviche): 77

We are getting so so close now. If our speed can keep at 4.5 knots or above, as it has been today, then we are looking at a Wednesday evening landfall. If it drops below that for any length of time then we’ll likely arrive Thursday morning. Either way, that’s just a few days away, two or three more sleeps, and we are just delirious with excitement at stepping foot on this distant and exotic land.

There has been some serious convective action in the sky around us the past few days. The thunderheads form mostly at night; the days have been relatively clear and sunny. Perhaps it’s because the atmosphere cools at night. I’ll have to google that when we next have internet. We are starting to miss the internet, a little.

Anyway, as night falls the thunderheads grow up into the stars around us, lightening flashes in the distance, lighting up the towering clouds. Much of the time they seem to route themselves around us, which is good. When the moon disappears though, it’s time to keep a close watch.

Last night, just as Michael was set to get off watch, one of these monsters swooped in and grabbed us. It was like a scene from White Squall: the wind whipped up from 5 knots to 30 in mere seconds, rain was pelting down on him as he fought to furl in the wildly flogging genoa. And as if that wasn’t enough there was a blindingly white flash of light illuminating everything, then a few seconds later – much too soon – a rumble of thunder like I’ve never heard before. It rumbled and growled and shook the whole boat for a good 15 seconds. I was shaking too. We all were.

Matt had scrambled out of his bunk and was up in the cockpit to help Michael get the headsail tamed. More blinding flashes, illuminating my own bunk through the tiny portlight. I began to count. Thunder rumbled through the sky all around. Thankfully it was farther away this time. The sail secured, the fellows came below to safety and to dry off.

There was more lightening and thunder over the next hour, but the wind and rain eased and we were able to get sailing again. Eventually the racket ceased, and the storm rolled to the west of us, away.

Total miles at noon: 2386
Miles since yesterday: 96
Miles to Hiva Oa: 305
Barracudas with huge teeth caught and thrown back in: 1
Oranges remaining: 3